Finland's three-part doctor exam, set by Valvira in Finnish or Swedish

Medical and health education in Finland

Medicine in Finland is a six-year degree leading to the Licentiate of Medicine, taught at five universities: Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Eastern Finland (Kuopio) and Oulu. Teaching is in Finnish, with Swedish available at Helsinki. Dentistry takes about five and a half years, pharmacy five (Master’s), and nursing three and a half years at universities of applied sciences. The Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (KARVI) evaluates higher education.

The licence to practise is granted by Valvira, the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health, on application after graduation, and there is no licensing exam for Finnish graduates. Doctors can then work, and apply for specialty training through a separate place-by-place application process, normally lasting five to six years. Doctors trained outside the EU or EEA go through Valvira’s recognition process, which includes a three-part licensing examination in Finnish or Swedish plus supervised practical training. Confirm the current steps with Valvira.

Two official languages, one exam

Finland has two national languages, Finnish and Swedish, and the licensing exam can be taken in either. English is not an option. For a non-EU doctor, that decides the preparation more than any syllabus: if you are not already working in one of the two languages, language study is the first project.

Swedish-speaking Finns make up a small minority, so Finnish is the practical choice for most candidates. If you already speak Swedish, the Swedish option may be quicker. The exam is the same in substance, and the licence is valid throughout the country.

Who needs a licensing exam in Finland

Doctors: the Valvira licensing examination

The exam is called the laillistamiskuulustelu in Finnish. For doctors it has three parts.

1. Written medical exam. Tests medical knowledge across the main fields of clinical practice.
2. Written exam on health-care administration and legislation. Covers how the Finnish health system is organised and the laws that govern practice.
3. Oral-practical clinical exam. Tests clinical skills and reasoning in a practical setting, in front of examiners.

Supplementary practical training is also required. The format of that training and the order of the stages depend on your decision from Valvira, so read your own decision. Valvira works with the medical faculties of Finnish universities in organising the exams, which is why sittings are tied to a limited number of dates and places.

The written medical exam is where a question bank helps. The administration and legislation paper depends on Finnish law, so use Finnish-language materials. The oral-practical exam is a performance test: practise history, examination and presentation out loud with a colleague.

Dentists

Non-EU/EEA dentists sit a licensing examination with written and oral-practical parts, in Finnish or Swedish. The structure is shorter than the doctors' exam and does not, according to our research, include a separate administration paper. Check Valvira's current page for the detailed structure, dates and fees.

Nurses, midwives, pharmacists and physiotherapists

For these four professions Finland has no licensing exam. A Finnish graduate is registered on the strength of the qualification. A non-EU/EEA graduate applies to Valvira, which assesses the qualification and sets supplementary studies at a university or university of applied sciences (UAS). The studies are chosen to close the gap between your training and the Finnish programme. Proof of Finnish or Swedish is required.

Because the supplementary studies vary, we do not give a duration. They can range from a few courses to a larger block, and the decision letter tells you which.

Language

Finnish is unrelated to most European languages and takes time. Swedish is closer to English and German for many candidates. In either language, the standard you need is that of a working clinician, because the oral-practical exam and the training both depend on it. Valvira states what proof it accepts.

Exam comparison

Recognition and next steps

EU and EEA graduates are recognised under Directive 2005/36/EC and do not sit the licensing exam. Everyone else starts with an application to Valvira. Ask for the decision in writing, note which parts of the exam and which supplementary studies apply, and plan your language study around the exam date.

Common questions about the Finnish route

How often is the exam held?

Sittings are limited and tied to the universities that help organise them. Valvira publishes the dates. Check its page for the next session and the application deadline, because a missed deadline can mean a long wait.

Can I prepare in English?

You can revise medicine in English, and for the written medical exam that is a sound use of time. But the exam, the law paper and the oral-practical exam are in Finnish or Swedish, so your terminology must be too. Build a bilingual glossary early.

What does the supplementary practical training involve?

It is supervised clinical work, and its length and setting come from your Valvira decision. We do not quote a duration.

How does Finland compare with Sweden?

Sweden uses a theoretical test and a practical exam plus a law course. Finland adds a separate written paper on administration and legislation and runs it in the country's two official languages. Both are Nordic systems, but their papers are not alike.

Planning your sittings

Because the exam has three parts and limited dates, plan the sittings as a campaign. Learn what you must pass before the next part is open to you, and what happens if you pass one part and fail another. Keep a record of results and deadlines. Valvira's decision letter is the document that governs your case, so file it carefully and read it more than once.

Last reviewed October 2026