Finland’s Spring Matriculation Examination Results Published: Record Number of Graduates and Top Performers, Including Historic High Score – Technical Error in Grade Thresholds
This spring, approximately 26,500 upper secondary school students in Finland will receive their white caps, marking their graduation as matriculated students. The number of graduates is around 1,100 higher than last year, when 25,400 completed their studies, according to the Matriculation Examination Board (Yle, Ilta-Sanomat, Iltalehti).
The highest-performing student this spring achieved a total of 110 points, the best result among all candidates. This student, 19-year-old Aleksi Laitinen from Ressu Upper Secondary School in Helsinki, earned the highest number of laudatur grades—14—along with two eximia grades, setting a new Finnish record. Laitinen took a total of seventeen subjects, including advanced mathematics, multiple languages, and sciences, distributed across three examination periods. He received laudatur in all subjects except advanced English, basic Italian, and advanced German, for which he earned eximia grades. Notably, Laitinen took German at both the short and advanced levels, but only the better result—laudatur in short-level German—was counted in his point total (Ilta-Sanomat). "The goal was slightly exceeded," Laitinen said, reflecting on his achievement, which surpassed his initial target of 13 laudatur grades set in the ninth grade (Ilta-Sanomat). The previous record of 12 laudatur grades was set in 2016 by a student from Mikkeli (Ilta-Sanomat, MTV Uutiset, Iltalehti, Yle).
Laitinen revealed that he decided to break the laudatur record four years ago, at the end of lower secondary school, describing the goal as "half for fun" but one he committed to with self-belief. "It sounded impossible at the time, but I’ve always believed in myself and worked toward it," he said. He attributed his success to constantly challenging himself and stepping outside his comfort zone, citing experiences like hiking, trips abroad, and painting with oil colors as ways to broaden his perspective. "You dare to dream and take on bigger challenges," he explained (Iltalehti).
Despite his exceptional results, Laitinen emphasized the importance of balance. "Studying is not everything. Take care of yourselves. No one’s health is worth a student cap," he advised, noting that he had prioritized his well-being through social activities, exercise, and hobbies (Ilta-Sanomat). He does not plan to retake the three subjects in which he received eximia grades, stating, "This is enough. There’s no point in dwelling on the past." When asked about prejudices associated with top performers, he acknowledged they exist but rejected the idea of a single mold for high achievers. "Someone might call me a nerd or a perfectionist… They’re all different, with different strengths and interests," he said (Iltalehti).
Laitinen also shared his passion for knowledge, describing how he devoured encyclopedias as a child and enjoys exploring Wikipedia. "All knowledge gets mixed up there and forms a big network," he noted. He spoke of his belief in a singular truth with different manifestations, though he did not align with any specific worldview (Iltalehti).
The second-highest performer, from Oulu Lyceum Upper Secondary School, earned 10 laudatur grades and two eximia grades, while the third-highest, from Lohja Joint Upper Secondary School, achieved nine laudatur grades and two eximia grades (MTV Uutiset, Yle).
Record Number of Examination Participants
A total of 50,400 candidates participated in this spring’s matriculation examinations, the highest number in the Board’s measurement history, which dates back to 2012. This figure includes students at different stages of the examination, as well as those retaking or improving grades. There were approximately 145,000 registrations for different subjects and study scopes (Yle).
The increase in participants is attributed to the growth of age groups, according to the Matriculation Examination Board. Many candidates aimed to improve their grades, particularly in subjects such as biology, chemistry, and English. The most written examinations this spring were in mother tongue and literature, advanced English, and both basic and advanced mathematics (Yle).
Tiina Tähkä, Secretary General of the Matriculation Examination Board, emphasized the significance of every completed grade. *"Every completed grade reflects competence. One should be proud of every *approbatur* as well, because behind it lies a great deal of work, and now one can move on to the next phase in life,"* she said (Yle, Iltalehti).
Theoretical Maximum for Laudatur Grades
Aleksi Laitinen’s record-breaking achievement of 14 laudatur grades has raised questions about the theoretical maximum possible for a matriculated student. According to the Matriculation Examination Board, the maximum number of laudatur grades a recent graduate could achieve is 18, provided they include the short-level Sámi language examination in their subjects. Tiina Tähkä noted that the maximum could even reach 20 if the candidate participates in more than one Sámi language matriculation examination, such as Skolt Sámi, Northern Sámi, or Inari Sámi, taken either as a mother tongue or at the short level (Ilta-Sanomat).
Achieving such a high number of laudatur grades would require spreading the examinations over three sessions (spring, autumn, and the following spring) and carefully selecting subjects to maximize the count. For example, a candidate could take six real subjects, six short-level languages, mathematics, mother tongue, the second domestic language, and three advanced-level languages. While there is no formal limit to the number of exams a candidate can take, practical constraints—such as the number of subjects that can be completed in three sessions—apply (Ilta-Sanomat).
Examination Process and Misconduct Cases
The spring examinations proceeded without major disruptions, though some technical issues arose. The most notable problem occurred in the Swedish-language mathematics examinations, where some tasks were missing instructions due to a technical error. The issue was resolved during the examination day, and affected candidates were given additional time (Yle).
Misconduct remained rare, with only nine candidates caught engaging in fraudulent behavior. Methods of cheating were traditional, such as using notes or attempting to access information via mobile phones or artificial intelligence. The Matriculation Examination Board had previously instructed upper secondary schools on detecting misconduct and refining supervision procedures (Yle, Iltalehti).
"I thank the upper secondary schools for their excellent work in supervising the exams. It is in the interest of all other candidates that a dishonest candidate is caught and receives the punishment required by law. The threat of punishment prevents attempts at cheating," Tähkä stated (Iltalehti).
Technical Error in Grade Thresholds
The Matriculation Examination Board reported a temporary error in the publication of the spring examination results on its website. For a brief period, the autumn 2025 grade thresholds were mistakenly visible instead of the correct spring 2024 thresholds. The issue was resolved at 9:23 AM, and the correct grade thresholds were restored. The Board apologized for the error and any inconvenience caused to candidates (Iltalehti).
Accessing Results
The Matriculation Examination Board delivered the spring examination results to upper secondary schools on Tuesday. Students will receive their individual results from their schools starting from the time specified by each institution. The results will also be available for viewing in the Oma Opintopolku service from Wednesday morning onward (Iltalehti). Some graduates’ names are missing from public databases due to privacy restrictions (Yle).
Laitinen, who applied to study electrical engineering at Aalto University, will begin his military service in the Armoured Brigade in July. "In a year, we’ll see if I continue in Finland or abroad. Then I’ll see what I want to do in life, where life and the world lead me," he said, expressing his openness to future opportunities (Ilta-Sanomat). He admitted that ranking his degree preferences in the joint application process was difficult and that his future field of study might still change. "It would be a dream to combine very different fields, but that’s pretty much impossible," he considered (Iltalehti).
*13 May, 22:23: Updated to include details about the theoretical maximum number of *laudatur* grades possible and clarification on how Laitinen’s German grades were counted.*
