Joensuu offers free-of-charge pre-school education to all children from the age of six. Normally a child attends pre-school education for one year and then goes to school. Pre-school education is offered according to the working and holiday times of the school.

In Joensuu, pre-school education is primarily organised in day care centers and partly in pre-school education groups operating in connection with schools. Normally pre-school education takes place in the morning (four hours a day) and includes a free lunch. Pre-school teaching is given by teachers who have received a pedagogical education.

Location of pre-school education is determined based on the address of a child. It is either a day care center or school close to the home of a child, with some exceptions (e.g. need for evening/shift care or special support). If a child requires day care, it is normally arranged in the same place as pre-school education.

The parents are responsible to enrol a child for pre-school education. Regular enrolment time is towards the end of the year so that the pre-school education starts in the following autumn. Continuous enrolment is available for people moving to Joensuu.

Applying to pre-school

Regular application period for the session 2021-2022 has been 20.11.-20.12.2020. Continuous enrolment is available for people moving to Joensuu. We prefer applications by using Daisy information system www.joenmuksut.fi (in Finnish). Online bank user identifiers are needed to use the system. English language application form is available here. Return the application form to Day Care Service Center.