Finland Study Tours for U.S. Educators

Custom professional learning programs, school visits, and academic study experiences in Finland for U.S. universities, colleges of education, school districts, and education delegations.

A Finland Study Tour is a short-term professional learning program designed for U.S. education groups who want to explore Finnish schools, teacher education, school leadership, student wellbeing, and inclusive learning in practice.

The program combines carefully selected school and institution visits, expert input, facilitated discussions, and cultural learning. During the tour, your group observes everyday practices in Finnish education and discusses key themes with local teachers, school leaders, and education professionals.

Each Study Tour is planned around your group’s objectives, background, and interests. Programs can be designed for colleges of education, university groups, school districts, superintendents, principals, teacher leaders, educational associations, and professional delegations.

To support a holistic learning experience, Study Tours can also include a welcome dinner and selected cultural activities, allowing participants to connect, reflect, and understand the Finnish context beyond the classroom.

What you’ll experience in Finland?

You will experience authentic Finnish education through school visits, expert-led sessions, and facilitated reflection. The focus is on practical insight, professional dialogue, and understanding how Finnish schools approach learning, leadership, wellbeing, and equity in everyday practice.

Depending on your group’s goals, the program may explore themes such as:

• teacher education and teacher professionalism
• trust-based school leadership
• student wellbeing and support systems
• inclusive education in practice
• early childhood education
• curriculum, assessment, and school culture
• vocational education and career pathways
• STEAM, sustainability, and phenomenon-based learning

Programs can also include hands-on workshops, round-table discussions, and meetings with Finnish education professionals. The aim is not to present Finland as a model to copy, but to offer meaningful insights that your group can discuss, question, and adapt to your own context.

Alongside the educational content, selected cultural activities help participants understand Finnish society, local values, and the wider context behind the education system.

Who it’s for?

Finland Study Tours are designed for U.S. education groups and organizations, including:

• Colleges of Education and teacher education faculties
• university faculty, students, and study abroad groups
• school district leaders and superintendents
• principals, administrators, and teacher leaders
• professional development coordinators
• educational associations and foundations
• educational travel companies and international program partners
• policymakers, researchers, and education experts

Programs can be designed for faculty development, teacher leadership, comparative education courses, international field experiences, district leadership learning, or customized academic travel.

How it works?

1. Initial inquiry – You share your group profile, objectives, preferred dates, estimated group size, and themes of interest.
2. Planning call – We arrange a video call or email consultation to understand your academic, leadership, or professional development goals.
3. Program design – We design a tailored Finland Study Tour based on your group’s needs. The program may include school visits, expert sessions, workshops, facilitated reflection, cultural activities, meals, and local transportation.
4. Confirmation and preparation – Once the program is confirmed, you receive a detailed itinerary and practical information. Participants can also receive access to preparation materials before the visit.
5. Study Tour week in Finland – Your group participates in school and institution visits, expert meetings, professional discussions, and guided reflection sessions.
6. Certificates and follow-up – Certificates of participation are available upon request. We can also support post-visit reflection or documentation if agreed in advance.

Want to see what a Finland Study Tour can look like?

Download a sample 7-day itinerary including school visits, expert sessions, cultural activities, meals, and local transportation.

Dates & Destinations

Most Finland Study Tours take place in the Helsinki capital area, where we can arrange access to a variety of schools, institutions, and education experts. Depending on your goals, the program may also include visits to other Finnish cities.

A day trip to Tallinn, Estonia, can also be included. Estonia offers an interesting comparison to Finland, especially in relation to digital education, innovation, and educational development.

Study Tours are usually available between:

• January 15 and May 15
• September 1 and December 15

For U.S. groups, we recommend starting the planning process several months in advance, especially if your group is connected to an academic calendar, spring break, summer planning, or faculty-led travel approval processes. Recommended planning time: 4–9 months before the intended visit.

What’s included? / What’s not included?

Included:

• program planning and coordination
• consultation on themes and learning objectives
• access to preparation materials when agreed
• school and institution visits
• expert lectures, workshops, or round-table discussions
• meetings with Finnish education professionals
• a professional local host during the program
• facilitated reflection sessions
• selected cultural program elements
• school lunches and other meals if agreed
• local transportation during the program, if included in the proposal
• certificates of participation upon request

Not included:

• international flights
• accommodation
• travel insurance
• personal expenses
• meals or transportation not included in the confirmed proposal
• visa or passport-related costs, if applicable

Pricing

Most Study Tour costs are fixed. This means that the overall program cost does not increase proportionally with each additional participant. As a result, larger groups usually benefit from a lower cost per person than smaller groups.

The final fee is based on a personalized offer. As an indication, a five-day Finland Study Tour including school visits, expert sessions, workshops, facilitated reflection, and selected cultural activities typically starts from approximately €1,000 per person for a group of around 20 participants.

The final price depends on:

• group size
• program duration
• number and type of visits
• expert sessions and workshops
• meals
• local transportation
• cultural activities
• level of customization

For U.S. groups, we are happy to provide a sample itinerary and an indicative budget to support internal planning, grant applications, or travel approval processes.

We quote our programs in euros. Your final cost in U.S. dollars depends on the exchange rate at the time of payment.

Accommodation

Helsinki, Finland

You are free to choose your preferred accommodation, and we recommend staying near the historic Senate Square in the city centre for easy access to key sights.
We have secured special rates and discounts with several accommodation providers to suit different budgets — you can read more here.

General Information

For general information about Helsinki, travel, local transportation, weather, and practical arrangements, please see our general information page.

For U.S. groups, we recommend checking passport validity, institutional travel policies, insurance requirements, and internal approval timelines well in advance.