Preschool enrollment is open from January 7–20, 2025
Children born in 2019 will start in preschool in the coming August. Preschool enrollment will be open in eVaka from January 7 until 20.
According to the Basic Education Act, a child must participate in one year of preschool education or other activities that achieve the objectives of preschool education in the year preceding the start of compulsory education. The guardian is responsible for the child’s participation.
Children born in 2019 will start preschool on August 11, 2025. Enrollment for preschool takes place between January 7 and January 20, 2025. Enrollment is done online via eVaka.
Your child will be assigned a preschool place nearby according to your official place of residence. This place is not necessarily the nearest daycare or school with a preschool group. Preschool places are planned regionally to enable cooperation with nearby schools.
Once you have received and accepted the decision regarding your child’s primary preschool place, you can apply for a secondary place elsewhere if you wish. In the application, state your preferences and reasons for the secondary preschool place. The guardians’ preferences will be taken into account if possible after the local preschool children have been placed in groups.
Does your child need supplementary early childhood education in addition to preschool?
Apply for supplementary early childhood education related to preschool using the same online application form as for the preschool place. The child is entitled to supplementary early childhood education until the start of school. Early childhood education is provided in preschool institutions in the mornings before preschool and in the afternoons after it.
Supplementary early childhood education is subject to a charge. A fee of 60 % of the full-time early childhood education fee is charged.
What is preschool education? info for guardians via Teams on January 8
Oulu Early Childhood Education Services will organize a Teams information session about preschool education for guardians on January 8, 2025, from 18.00 to 19.30. The info is mainly in Finnish. You can join the session via this link: https://bit.ly/esiopetusinfo2025
The session will explain what preschool education practically means, what changes occur when preschool starts, what benefits preschool children are entitled to, and how to enroll in preschool. Participants can ask questions about preschool education using the Teams chat function.
The session will be recorded and later published on the city of Oulu’s website. A summary of the questions and answers presented during the session will also be added to the same page.
You can find more information about preschool education on the preschool education website.
Need more help?
You can get more information and help with filling out the application from early childhood education service guidance.
If you need help filling out the application or want to discuss a suitable preschool place for your child, you can contact the Early Childhood Education Service Guidance from Tuesday to Thursday between 9.00 and 12.00, tel 08 558 45300, or send an e-mail to varhaiskasvatus@ouka.fi. E-mail messages are usually answered within the same working day.