Considering dropping out of your studies?

Transferring to another Riveria program may be possible for a justified reason. You can discuss changing programs with your study counselor. They will assess your study situation with you and ensure your career choice. Before submitting a transfer application, you will familiarize yourself with the desired field and possibly participate in entrance and suitability tests for the field. The study counselor will also contact the guardian of a compulsory education student.

You can find the contact information for your personal study counselor in Wilma, and the contact information for all study counselors can be checked on the Guidance Counselling page.

Students in labor market training

For students in labor market training, transferring to another Riveria program is only possible through the employment authority to ensure that your unemployment benefits remain valid. Discuss this matter with your personal coach and the employment authority handling your case.

Students in apprenticeship training

If you are in apprenticeship training, you can transfer to another apprenticeship training program in a new degree and job tasks. When the apprenticeship training changes, our training planner will create a new apprenticeship agreement for you. Alternatively, you can start studying for another degree without an apprenticeship, meaning without a salary, by learning at the educational institution and on the job at the workplace.

Discuss with your personal coach before temporarily interrupting your studies. At the same time, you can agree in advance on how your studies will continue after the interruption ends.

Non-compulsory education students (does not apply to those studying in apprenticeship or labor market training)

You can temporarily interrupt your studies to complete

• military service, civilian service, or voluntary military service for women
• you receive sickness allowance
• you receive pregnancy or parental allowance
• for another justified reason.

If you have a sick leave certificate or similar related to the interruption, you can send it by mail or, at your discretion, as an email attachment to your personal coach or study counselor.

During the interruption, you are not entitled to student social benefits, such as meals during school days or study and school travel support.

Apply for a temporary interruption using the form available in Wilma. You cannot apply for an interruption of study rights retroactively.

The temporary interruption is approved by the Director of Education. When the interruption ends, contact your personal coach to arrange the continuation of your studies.

Labor market training

If you are studying in labor market training and, for example, have a health reason or are receiving maternity or parental allowance and want to interrupt your studies

1. inform the employment authority handling your case
2. contact your personal coach. The educational institution will notify the employment authorities of the interruption with a change notification. The decision on the temporary interruption of studies is made by the TE authority based on the institution’s notification.

You will need a doctor’s certificate or other proof of maternity or parental leave for the interruption.

Apprenticeship training

You can temporarily interrupt your apprenticeship training to complete

• military service, civilian service, or voluntary military service for women
• you receive sickness allowance
• you receive pregnancy or parental allowance
• for another justified reason.

Contact your personal coach or training planner to arrange the interruption of your training. First, discuss the need for the interruption and its impact on your employment relationship with your employer. The temporary interruption of studies is agreed upon by the employer, the educational institution, and the student through an apprenticeship agreement change made in Wilma.

You are expected to participate in instruction and assessments according to your PCDP (Personal Competence Development Plan). There must always be a justified reason for any absence. If you do not participate in your studies, your situation will be investigated further.

If the teachers assess that you are not sufficiently committed to your studies, they can make a proposal to the Director of Education to terminate your study rights. Before making a decision, the student will be heard.

A student can be temporarily expelled from the educational institution as a disciplinary measure. For more information on disciplinary guidelines, see the page Instructions and rules

Labor market training

In labor market training, you must regularly participate in the training, and your studies must progress according to your PCDP (Personal Competence Development Plan) (1139/2020). Teachers monitor the progress of your studies. If you are continuously absent from training without permission for 5 school days or if your studies do not progress according to the plan, the educational institution will make a proposal for interruption to the employment authority. You will be heard, after which the employment authority will make a decision on the termination of the training if necessary. If you have, for example, a health reason to temporarily interrupt your studies, contact your personal coach. Read more in the section Temporarily interrupting your studies.

Apprenticeship Student: Termination of the Agreement
and End of Apprenticeship Training

As an apprenticeship student, you are both an employee and a student at an educational institution.

An apprenticeship can be terminated by mutual agreement between the educational institution, the employer, and the student, for example, due to a change in your life situation. Termination usually means the immediate end of both the apprenticeship and your employment. You can continue your studies in an educational institution or with another employer.

Sometimes there may be situations where a mutual agreement cannot be reached. An apprenticeship based on an employment contract can be terminated in accordance with the Employment Contracts Act (55/2001):

• During the probationary period
• For reasons attributable to the employee
  • if you, as an employee, have been absent from work for seven working days without providing a valid reason
  • if, as a student, you violate obligations essential to the employment relationship
• For reasons attributable to the employer
  • if the employer violates obligations essential to the employment relationship
  • if the employer ceases operations, is declared bankrupt, or dies
  • for production-related and economic reasons
• By the educational institution
  • if you or the employer do not comply with the provisions of the Vocational Education Act (531/2017) or the terms of the apprenticeship. Before termination, you and the employer will be heard in a joint meeting. The decision is made by the head of education.
  • if the educational institution revokes your right to study based on your health condition or functional capacity (531/2017, Section 81).

You can continue your studies in an educational institution.

You can also withdraw from the educational institution yourself with a written notice. Always discuss your plans with your personal coach.

Withdrawal of a non-compulsory education student

You can find the withdrawal form in Wilma. After you have filled out the withdrawal form, your personal coach or study counselor will contact you. We want to ensure that you have a continuation plan. Note! The form is not intended for students in labor market training or apprenticeship training.

Apprenticeship training

In apprenticeship training, the educational institution can terminate the agreement after hearing from you and the employer if the workplace does not comply with current legislation, the terms of the apprenticeship, or if your studies do not progress according to the PCDP (Personal Competence Development Plan). The apprenticeship also terminates if your employment ends. In that case, you can continue your studies in an educational institution with your own notice. For changes in studies, an amendment proposal for the apprenticeship is made in cooperation with your training planner.

Labor market training

If you are considering withdrawing from your studies, contact your personal coach and discuss your situation. Together, you can consider options for continuing your studies. You can transfer to an educational institution.

If you decide to withdraw from your studies, submit a written notice of withdrawal by email to both your personal coach and the labor authority. The educational institution will send the necessary termination notice to the labor authority, who will make the decision about the end of the training after hearing from you on the matter.