YKI, yleiset kielitutkinnot, is the state language exam of Finland. It is the certificate that proves your Finnish for citizenship, for the permanent residence permit under the 2026 rules, for a nursing licence and for many jobs. Tens of thousands of people take it every year, and most of them are immigrants like you who learned Finnish as adults. It is very passable with a plan.
The three levels
| YKI level | Grades | CEFR | Who takes it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic, perustaso | 1 to 2 | A1 to A2 | Graduates of a Finnish bachelor's degree applying for permanent residence (grade 2 needed); people who want proof of A2 |
| Intermediate, keskitaso | 3 to 4 | B1 to B2 | Citizenship (grade 3), permanent residence (grade 3), nurses (grade 3), most employers |
| Advanced, ylin taso | 5 to 6 | C1 to C2 | The four-year permanent residence route (grade 5), academic and professional needs |
If you are reading this for a permit or citizenship, you need the intermediate test with grade 3. Everything below is about that.
The four subtests
All four are taken on the same day, and you get a separate grade for each:
| Subtest | Finnish | Format | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | kuullun ymmärtäminen | Recordings with multiple-choice and short answers | about 30 min |
| Speaking | puhuminen | Recorded tasks in a language lab: react to situations, describe, give an opinion | about 25 min |
| Reading | luetun ymmärtäminen | Texts with multiple-choice and short answers | about 60 min |
| Writing | kirjoittaminen | Two or three texts: a message, an opinion, a formal letter | about 55 min |
Topics recur: home and housing, work, health, services, society, travel, free time, studies. Read the Living in Finland guides in Finnish words and you are studying for YKI.
Which grades you actually need
For citizenship, Migri accepts the intermediate certificate with at least grade 3 in the subtests that show oral and written skills. In practice: aim for grade 3 in speaking and writing, and treat listening and reading as the easier half.
For the permanent residence permit since 8 January 2026, "satisfactory" skills mean intermediate grade 3. The full rules, alternative proofs and exemptions are on the residence and citizenship page.
Registration, dates and fees
- Intermediate Finnish tests are held several times a year, and places in Helsinki fill within hours of registration opening. Register the day it opens.
- You register online through the official YKI registration system and choose a test centre; most adult education centres and universities of applied sciences host tests.
- The fee is roughly 140 euros for the intermediate level. Check the current amount when you register, because it is set yearly.
- Results arrive in about two months. The certificate is sent by post.
- A digital YKI is being piloted from November 2026. The content is the same; only the delivery changes.
How to pass the intermediate level
1. Know your starting point. Take the level test. Grade 3 is B1. From zero, that is about a year of daily study or one integration training course.
2. Study all four skills every week. Most people who fail have one weak subtest, usually writing. Do one writing task a week from the first month.
3. Learn the task types, not just the language. The writing test wants a message (informal), an opinion (structured) and a formal letter (polite). Each has a shape. The writing hub gives templates and model answers.
4. Speak into a recorder. The speaking test is recorded in a lab, not with a person. Practise answering prompts alone, out loud, for 30 seconds without stopping. Silence loses more points than mistakes.
5. Read easy news daily. Yle's easy Finnish news uses exactly the vocabulary of the reading test. See the listening and reading hubs.
6. Do the mock tests. Timed, scored, with model answers, in the practice section.
What to bring on the day
Your passport or official ID, your registration confirmation, a pen, and nothing else. Phones stay in a locker. Arrive 30 minutes early; the lab briefing is in Finnish and English.
After the test
Grade 3 or above: apply. Grade 2 in one subtest: you can retake the whole test at the next date, and many people pass the second time because the format is no longer a surprise. Keep the certificate; it does not expire.