Funding

SECLE promotes the possibilities for people of working age to develop skills, which are needed currently and in the future. We fund training which is shorter than a degree in duration, study guidance and other competence services through two funding mechanisms: Discretionary Government Grants and Procurements.

The target groups of the trainings are employed people and adults outside of the workforce. Training funded by SECLE is free of charge for participants. We grant funding to providers of education.

Below, you can find more detailed information about the funding mechanisms and their respective processes. Regularly updated information is available on the Finnish and Swedish versions of this page.

Themes and timing of competence services financed in 2026

The image has been updated on the 9th of September 2026.

SECLE can award Discretionary Government Grants (DGGs) to education providers for financing continuous learning services that form a part of existing formal education (degrees or modules), or services that support the provision of formal education. 

DGGs can be granted to

• Vocational Education Providers
• Providers of Liberal Adult Education
• Higher Education Providers
• Consortia of the above-mentioned Education Providers.

Processes and eligibility, as well as other factors are defined by the Finnish Act on Discretionary Government Grants (688/2001).
 

Process

1. SECLE opens a call for applications, defining objectives and contents of the call.
2. Education Providers send applications via online portal operated by the State Treasury. Their proposal can cover one or many themes in the call for applications.
3. Applications are evaluated and assessed by SECLE.
4. SECLE grants the funding with specific and defined conditions.
5. The grant is usually paid in several instalments, which are linked to achieving interim goals (for example regarding the number of students enrolled).
6. Data is collected: Interim and Final Reports are handed in by Education Providers, such as student background information and feedback forms. Completed courses and units are registered in national registries. 

By September 2026, around €93 million have been given in grants to Education Providers.

SECLE can procure learning services that are completely new and not a part of existing degrees, or fall in between education levels, or contain services that support participation or recruitment of learners from underrepresented groups. Education Providers can use this funding to develop new courses or products and later incorporate them into their degree provision or paid-for provision of education.

All companies are eligible to submit offers, such as:

• Private Companies
• Higher Education Institutions and their Subsidiary Companies
• Private Education Providers and their owners
• Education Companies owned by municipalities.

Processes and eligibility, as well as other factors are defined by the Finnish Act on Public Procurement and Concession Contracts (1397/2016).

Process

1. SECLE publishes a call for tenders, and specifies the areas or entities of the call, how many contracts will be awarded per area or entity, and at which price.
2. Dialogue process with interested parties takes place.
3. Offers are submitted via the Procurement Portal.
4. SECLE evaluates the offers and selects the service providers for each area.
5. SECLE is the authority accepting students participating in these trainings. There are specific procedures for describing the learning objectives, registration of students, as well as marking course completion in national registries.
6. Data is collected: Reports are handed in by Education Providers, such as student background information and feedback forms. Completed courses and units are registered in national registries.

By September 2026, around €36 million have been awarded in contracts with Education Providers.