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Finnish International School of Tampere

Finland, Tampere

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 6 - 16 years
Pupil numbers 910
Type Co-educational
Opened 1954
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum Bespoke Curriculum, Finnish Curriculum
Taught languages Finnish, Swedish, Spanish, French, German
Strengths Languages, Sport, Visual and Creative Arts
Clubs Arts and Creative, Social and Hobbies, Lifestyle and Wellbeing
Stages Preschool, Elementary, Middle School
Introduction

Finnish International School of Tampere (FISTA) is a comprehensive school serving ages 6 to 16, with preschool, primary and lower secondary education (grades 1–9) in Tampere, Finland. The school teaches mainly in English, while Finnish, Swedish, and other languages are offered as part of the curriculum. It follows the City of Tampere curriculum based on the Finnish National Core Curriculum, and applicants complete a language test to participate in English-language education. FISTA began as Amurin kansakoulu in 1954 and became FISTA in 2012. The campus is in central Tampere and serves 910 students with 110 staff in the 2025–2026 year. Features include preparatory education for Finnish learners (up to one year) and two study lines for grades 7–9: bilingual and international. Students take Finnish lessons from early grades, with Swedish from grade 6 and optional A2 languages (Spanish, French or German). A program of clubs supports after-school interests and wellbeing.

Satakunnankatu 60, 33230 Tampere, Finland

The Essentials

Finnish International School of Tampere has 910 pupils, instruction in English.

Location
FISTA is located in central Tampere at Satakunnankatu 60, 33230 Tampere. It is located in central Tampere. The school serves families living in the Tampere area.

Stages
Comprehensive school offering preschool education, and primary and lower secondary education for grades 1-9.

Type
Comprehensive school with English-language tuition

Country affiliation
Finland
Diving Deeper

Governance and Ownership
The school is administered by the City of Tampere.
Fees
Application fees

- No application fee is charged for admission to the Finnish International School of Tampere.

Tuition fees (by year group)

- Preschool (grade 0): Four hours of pre‑primary education each school day are provided free of charge. Guardians may contract additional complementary early childhood education and care or morning care; fees for complementary services are assessed according to the city's early childhood education fee rules (income‑based).

- Grades 1–9 (primary and lower secondary/basic education): There are no tuition fees for basic education; textbooks and daily school lunch are provided free of charge. The school provides required books and other ordinary school materials.

- Morning and afternoon club (optional care for younger pupils): City‑organised afternoon activities are charged as a monthly client fee. The approved city fee for afternoon activities is EUR 160 per month (applies to the city service option). A private provider operating near the school (Enkku) offers a separate private morning/afternoon club with a published monthly fee of EUR 295 for grades 1–3 (private provider charges apply only to that service). Guardians choose between the city service and available private operators and pay the applicable fee for the chosen service.

- Summer club / holiday activities (optional): Summer club activities are charged per starting week at EUR 80 per week for each starting week of the summer club where applicable.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Invoicing is issued in accordance with the active payment decision; monthly billing is used for client fees. If care starts or ends in the middle of a calendar month, the invoiced amount is the lesser of the full monthly fee and the actual prorated duration for that month. No fee is charged for July in cases where the care agreement continued uninterrupted from the previous August under the stated conditions. Electronic invoicing is available. For invoicing errors or requests to postpone a due date, contact the city's early childhood education and pre‑primary education client fees unit.

- Afternoon‑club specific billing rules: a sibling discount of EUR 10 is applied to the oldest sibling's fee; only half of the monthly fee is charged if a child cannot participate in afternoon activities for more than 10 days in a calendar month due to illness; if absence due to illness lasts the entire calendar month, no fee is charged. Fee exemption (full or partial) may be granted on specified grounds via a written application.

Boarding fees

- Boarding is not offered. The school is not a boarding school and cannot provide accommodation. No boarding fees apply.

Other costs or fees (uniform, books, equipment, optional extras)

- Uniforms: There is no school uniform requirement and no uniform fee. Guardians choose pupils' clothing; outdoor clothing appropriate for Finnish weather is required.

- School materials and meals: The school provides books, notebooks and most learning materials and provides daily school lunch free of charge. Guardians are responsible for personal items such as a school bag, pencil case, personal sports kit and appropriate outdoor clothing.

- Private / optional services: Optional private morning/afternoon clubs (e.g., Enkku) or external hobby providers may charge separate fees (examples: private club fee EUR 295/month for grades 1–3). Guardians who use private providers pay those providers directly. Some hobby or extracurricular activities may carry separate fees when organised outside the city's free/basic offers.

Refunds, reductions and cancellations

- Proration and monthly adjustments: If care or participation begins or ends mid‑month, invoicing is adjusted so the invoiced amount is the lower of the monthly fee and the actual duration. July may be free when the care agreement conditions for continuous service are met.

- Absence and sickness: For city afternoon activities only half of the monthly fee is charged if the child cannot participate for more than 10 days in a calendar month because of illness; if absence due to illness lasts the entire calendar month, no fee is charged. Fee exemption or reduction may be granted on specified grounds through the formal application process.

Fee payment options

- Electronic invoicing: Electronic invoicing (e‑invoice/e‑lasku) is available; an e‑invoice agreement can be set up through the guardian's bank after receiving the first invoice, or the Kivra app may be used for receipt of invoices. For private providers (e.g., Enkku) or hobby providers, payment methods depend on the individual provider's terms. For questions about invoicing, due dates or billing, contact the City of Tampere client fees unit.
Academics

Finnish International School of Tampere teaches Bespoke Curriculum, Finnish Curriculum for students aged 6 to 16.

Curriculum
FISTA is a comprehensive school offering preschool education and primary and lower secondary education for grades 1-9. It follows the City of Tampere curriculum based on the Finnish National Core Curriculum. The main language of tuition is English. All applicants are invited to a language test to ensure that they are able to participate in English language education.
Parent Experience

History
FISTA originated as Amurin kansakoulu in 1954. The first English-language classes began in 1990. It became the Finnish International School of Tampere (FISTA) in 2012. It is a comprehensive school offering preschool education and primary and lower secondary education for grades 1–9, following the City of Tampere curriculum based on the Finnish National Core Curriculum. The main language of tuition is English.

Community
Wilma is used for communications between home and school, including messages, absences, schedules and assessments. Parents' evenings and parent–student–teacher conferences are part of the school routine, with annual conferences held between November and January. Class trips are planned as part of the school year, with city oversight for meals, travel and insurance. The FISTA Parents' Association brings families together and oversees fundraising and social events such as Halloween, The World in Tampere, Home and School Day, and Fista Family Day to support student welfare.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
Fista Parents' Association ry brings the school and families together. Members participate in communal student welfare team meetings, have regular meetings with the principal and cooperate with staff. The association is a registered organization with no religious or political affiliations and is a member of Tampereen Vanhemmat ry and Suomen Vanhempainliitto. It conducts fundraising at events such as Halloween, The World in Tampere, Home and School Day and Fista Family Day to support student welfare (e.g., field trips, library purchases and school activities).
Facilities

Facilities Overview
FISTA is a comprehensive school offering preschool education, and primary and lower secondary education for grades 1-9. The school follows the City of Tampere curriculum based on the Finnish National Core Curriculum. The main language of tuition is English. FISTA serves families living in the Tampere area and is located in central Tampere. In the 2025-2026 school year, FISTA has around 910 students and 110 staff members. The school began as Amurin kansakoulu in 1954 and became FISTA in 2012.

Academic Facilities
Main language of tuition is English, with all students taking Finnish lessons and Swedish lessons from grade 6 onward. Optional languages include Spanish, French or German, studied as an A2 language from third grade. Students in grades 7-9 can choose between bilingual and international lines of study. Preparatory education for grades 8-9 is offered for new students who don't speak Finnish yet, lasting up to one year and including some English instruction while learning Finnish. The curriculum is based on the City of Tampere curriculum and the Finnish National Core Curriculum.

Extra Curricular Facilities
There are morning and afternoon clubs for grades 0-3 on the school premises or near the school. Afternoon clubs for grades 0-2 run from 12pm to 5pm and include an afternoon snack. A private morning and afternoon club near the school, operated by Enkku, is available at Amurinkuja 21B; it runs from 7am to 5pm and includes breakfast and a snack, with Enkku staff taking children to FISTA in the morning. Preschoolers can participate in morning care; preschool hours are 9-13 daily, with morning care available on request. Hobby clubs for the 2025-2026 school year are announced; signups open August 12, 2025; clubs start September 2, 2025.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Arts & Creative
Hobby groups include sports, arts and crafts, and animal care. Hobby clubs for the 2025-2026 school year were announced on 1 August 2025, with signups opening on 12 August 2025 and clubs starting on 2 September 2025. There are hundreds of hobby groups available every week across the city. The after-school hobby groups are for basic education pupils in grades 1–9.

Social & Hobbies
After-school hobby groups are organized free of charge for basic education pupils. Lupa harrastaa groups are for pupils in grades 1–9, and Lupa treenata groups are for grades 7–9. The groups offer activities including sports, arts and crafts, and animal care. Autumn term runs from 1 September to 5 December 2025, and Spring term runs from 7 January to 15 May 2026.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
There are daily morning and afternoon activities for students in grades 0–3 at and near the school. Grades 0–2 afternoon clubs run from 12:00 to 17:00 and include an afternoon snack. Preschool hours are 9:00–13:00 daily, with morning care before 9:00 available. Sign-ups are handled in the Wilma system after a school place has been confirmed.
Languages

Language Provision
The main language of tuition is English; most subjects are taught in English, and English lessons begin from first grade as the A1 language. All students take Finnish lessons, and Swedish lessons from grade 6 onward. Optional languages offered are Spanish, French, and German; an optional language is studied from grade 3, two lessons per week through grades 3-9. Home language lessons are offered by the City of Tampere and are free of charge; preparatory education for new Grade 8-9 students who don't speak Finnish starts in August 2025 and lasts up to one year to help them learn Finnish.

Bilingual Teaching
The school has a bilingual line of study for grades 7-9.
Admissions
School Events
The school has not added events
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