Place
Helsinginkatu 26, 00530 Helsinki (Kallion Opistotalo)
Asiakasnäkymä
Helsingin työväenopisto
Updated 16.07.2026
Finnish language courses at Helsinki Finnish Adult Education Centre
At Helsinki Finnish Adult Education Centre (Työväenopisto), you can learn Finnish by taking starting level (0), basic level (A1. 1–A2. 2) and intermediate level (B1–B2) courses in Finnish. We also organise literacy training.
Service organiser
Helsingin työväenopisto
Language
Finnish
Charges
Service fees 0,00€
Most of our courses are subject to a fee. The course fee varies depending on the duration of the course.
You can enrol in a course free of charge if:
- you are a client of Helsinki Employment Services
- your assigned specialist has helped you fill in the registration form
- you have participated in a Finnish proficiency assessment organised by the adult education centre.
Implementation
Contact service
Remote or online service
The Finnish language courses are suitable for you if you do not speak Finnish or Swedish as your first language and you would like to learn Finnish.
All courses include up to 25 hours of instruction per week.
The courses are also suitable for persons who have a contact with working life, such as a work try-out, pay-subsidised work, apprenticeship or part-time job with the City of Helsinki or the private sector.
Who is the service for?
Municipality of residence
Municipality of residence does not matter
Age
All people of working age
Situation
Immigrant (integration period ongoing)
Immigrant (integration period over)
Active jobseeker
In need of additional training
You can find the courses at https://ilmonet.fi/?lang=enexternal link, opens in a new tab. Enrol in courses online or by calling +358 9 310 88610 (Mon–Thu 10.00–16.00). Please note the enrolment period for each course. If you wish to enrol online, you will need your online banking credentials. If you wish to enrol by phone or at an office, we will need your personal details (last name, first name, personal identity code / date of birth, home address, phone number, email address and first language).
If you are a client of Helsinki Employment Services, please first discuss this matter with your assigned specialist. A separate registration form is used in such cases.
Submit a contact request online via Job Market Finland’s E-services. Log in to the E-services at: https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/personal-customers/official-mattersexternal link, opens in a new tab. Alternatively, you can submit a contact request by calling Helsinki Employment Services’ advisory services, tel. +358 9 310 36107 (Mon–Fri 9.00–15.00).
Benefits of participating in the service
- Learning Finnish
- Developing your communication and interaction skills
- Developing your study skills
- Improving your chances of finding employment and taking up studies
- Information about Finnish society and culture
- Preparing for the national certificate of language proficiency (YKI certificate)
Conditions for participating in the service
If you are a client of Helsinki Employment Services, you can enrol in our educational institution’s Finnish language courses for free. Please contact your assigned employment services specialist.
First, fill in the registration form with your assigned specialist. After that, you will be invited to attend an information session regarding Finnish language courses (a small test and interview). During this session, we will tell you about our courses, assess your level of Finnish proficiency and identify the right Finnish language course for you. You have the right to study free of charge for one (1) year.
Registration for information sessions regarding courses to be held in autumn 2026 will start on 1 June, when we will open a new registration form. The assessments for autumn 2026 courses will start in mid-August.
Unfortunately, we cannot direct you to literacy training through these assessments.
How can I participate in the service?
We hold courses around Helsinki in the morning, afternoon and evening and on different days of the week. Instruction is provided online, as contact teaching in a classroom and as blended teaching. See the course description for further information (ilmonet.fi). Some of the courses have lessons on several days a week (intensive courses), while others only have lessons on a few days a week. Some of the courses use a support language for instruction, such as English, Russian or Spanish.
Contact teaching locations in Helsinki: Opistotalo (main building of the adult education centre) in Kallio, Cultural Centre Stoa in Itäkeskus, Silkkikutomo in Herttoniemi, Cultural Centre Malmitalo in Malmi and Cultural Centre Kanneltalo in Kannelmäki.
How is the service organised?
Where and when?
Time
The time of the service is agreed upon separately.
Place
Turunlinnantie 1, 00900 Helsinki (STOA)
Accessibility
The best access route for a wheelchair, rollator or pram is the adult education centre entrance. The entrance door and interior door are not automatically operated. The narrowness of the doorways makes it difficult for people with assistive devices to access our facilities through the main lobby. We recommend confirming access to the downstairs art classroom in advance with the director, tel. +358 9 310 88579.
Time
The time of the service is agreed upon separately.
Place
Ala-Malmin tori 1 B, 00700 Helsinki (Malmitalo)
Time
The time of the service is agreed upon separately.
Place
Laivalahdenkatu 2b A, 00880 Helsinki (Silkkikutomo)
Accessibility
If you need help using the accessible lift, please contact the directors.
Time
The time of the service is agreed upon separately.
Place
Klaneettitie 5, 2nd floor, 00420 Helsinki (Kanneltalo)
Contact information
Contact, enquiries
Finnish Course Guidance / Консультации:
11 August – 11 December 2025 (excluding 13–19 October) and 12 January – 16 April 2026 (excluding 16–22 February and 2–6 April)
puh./tel. +358 9 310 88644
-In Finnish and Russian / на финском и русском: Mon/пн 13.00–14.00
-In Finnish and English:
Mon 9.00–10.00, Tue 13.00–14.00, Thu 9.00–10.00
Links and attachments
Service category
Language training