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My YKI Test Journey — Part 6G

I thought the hardest part of the YKI test would be speaking.

Or maybe listening.

Perhaps sitting inside the examination room trying to understand Finnish while the clock kept running.

But after taking my first YKI test, I discovered another difficult part that I hadn’t really prepared myself for:

The waiting.

Waiting for my YKI test results was probably one of the most excruciating parts of the whole experience.

I took my first intermediate-level Finnish YKI test on 30 August 2025.

Then I waited.

And waited.

And waited some more. 😅

Officially, YKI assessment takes approximately two months, so this kind of waiting period was normal.

Source: Opetushallitus

But knowing that didn’t make the waiting any easier.

My result finally arrived in our mailbox on 23 October 2025 – 54 days after my test.

For those 54 days, I couldn’t completely get the YKI test out of my mind.

I wished I could somehow reset my brain and tell it:

Can you please forget that I even took the exam? 😂

Unfortunately, brains don’t work that way.

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The Waiting After My First YKI Test

After the examination, I kept remembering different parts of the test.

Questions I wasn’t sure about.

Things I thought I had answered incorrectly.

Words I couldn’t remember.

Listening questions I wasn’t confident about.

Speaking answers that could have been better.

And of course, my mind mostly remembered the mistakes.

Not the answers I might have gotten right.

That made the waiting even harder.

Some days I would think:

Maybe I passed.

Then five minutes later:

Nope. I probably failed. 😅

Because I genuinely thought there was a possibility that I hadn’t passed the first examination, I decided I didn’t want to wait before making another plan.

So…

I booked another YKI test. 😅

My second test date was 8 November 2025.

Yes.

I booked my second YKI exam before I had even received the results of the first one.

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Why I Booked a Second YKI Test Before Getting My Results

My thinking was quite simple.

If I had failed the first test, at least I would already have another chance waiting for me.

And for the second examination, I thought I might perform better because I already knew what taking the YKI test felt like.

I was already familiar with:

• the examination environment
• the different subtests
• the pressure
• the timing
• the need to focus
• and the feeling of trying to use Finnish while your brain suddenly decides to forget everything you studied. 😂

I thought:

Okay, maybe now I know the technique.

Maybe I would be calmer.

Maybe I would know more Finnish by November.

Maybe the second time would be better.

And there was another reason I didn’t want to delay things too much.

At that time, I was pregnant with our second child.

So between work, family life, Finnish studies, the YKI test, pregnancy, and hormones shooting here and there…

my brain already had enough going on. Hahaha! 😅

I really wanted to finish this part of my journey before going on maternity leave.

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And Then the Envelope Finally Arrived

During the last days of waiting, my husband and I kept checking our mailbox.

Every day.

Sometimes more than once. 😅

We were waiting for that envelope.

But there was nothing.

Nothing.

Still nothing.

And then finally…

there it was.

On 23 October 2025, I was on my way to work when I passed by our mailbox.

We had already checked it earlier that day.

But for some reason, I checked again.

And sitting there was a white envelope addressed to me.

My heart started racing.

My hands felt sweaty.

I knew what it probably was.

My first YKI test result.

Suddenly, after weeks of wanting that envelope to arrive…

I didn’t want to open it anymore. 😂

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I Had Already Prepared Myself for the Possibility of Failing

During the waiting period, I had tried to prepare myself mentally.

I kept telling myself:

If I failed, that’s okay.

I already booked another examination.

I can try again.

This isn’t the end.

But saying those things to yourself while waiting is very different from actually holding the result in your hands.

So instead of opening the envelope outside…

I went back home.

My husband was there.

And because I was so nervous, I couldn’t open it myself.

I gave the envelope to him.

He opened it for me.

And then…

we looked at the certificate.

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I PASSED MY FIRST YKI TEST!

I had passed.

Not just one part.

I received passing grades in all four subtests.

For the intermediate-level YKI examination, grades 3 and 4 are passing proficiency assessments. Grade 3 corresponds to CEFR B1, while grade 4 corresponds to CEFR B2.

Source: Opetushallitus

These were my first YKI results:

YKI Subtest	My Grade	CEFR Level
Listening – Puheen ymmärtäminen	3	B1
Speaking – Puhuminen	3	B1
Reading – Tekstin ymmärtäminen	4	B2
Writing – Kirjoittaminen	4	B2

Those are the results shown on my first YKI certificate from 30 August 2025.

I was speechless.

Happy.

Relieved.

And maybe a little bit shocked.

Because if you’ve been following this YKI series, you already know how I felt after the examination.

Especially after listening.

I honestly thought I might have failed that part.

But there it was:

Grade 3. Passed.

And then I saw my reading and writing grades:

4.

I remember thinking…

Really? Me? 😅

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Was It Luck?

At first, part of me wanted to say:

Maybe I was just lucky.

And perhaps there is always a little bit of luck involved in getting questions you understand or topics you’re comfortable with.

But when I really think about it, I don’t want to dismiss everything that happened before that certificate arrived.

Because before that result, there were months and months of:

studying,

practising,

memorizing,

speaking,

listening,

writing,

making mistakes,

trying again,

working,

taking care of my family,

and somehow finding time to study Finnish in between.

So yes, maybe there was a little luck.

But there was also:

hard work.

patience.

consistency.

And a lot of perseverance.

That certificate wasn’t simply a piece of paper arriving in our mailbox.

For me, it was the fruit of all that work.

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But I Still Had Another YKI Test Booked

There was just one funny problem.

Remember that second YKI test I booked because I thought I might fail the first one?

Well…

it was still coming. 😂

My second examination was scheduled for 8 November 2025.

And since I had already booked it, I decided to take it anyway.

This time, however, the feeling was completely different.

I already knew that I had passed my first YKI test.

The pressure wasn’t as heavy anymore.

Of course, I still wanted to do well.

I was also curious.

Would I perform better the second time?

Would being familiar with the examination help?

Would my grades improve?

So I went and took YKI again.

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Waiting for My Second YKI Result

Waiting for my second result was much easier emotionally.

It wasn’t hurting my brain and heart anymore. 😅

The biggest reason was simple:

I already had the certificate I needed from my first examination.

Still, I looked forward to seeing the second results.

I took the test on 8 November 2025.

My result arrived in our mailbox on 22 December 2025.

That’s 44 days later.

A little Christmas present, you could say. 🎄😂

And yes…

I passed again.

My second results were:

YKI Subtest	My Grade	CEFR Level
Listening – Puheen ymmärtäminen	3	B1
Speaking – Puhuminen	4	B2
Reading – Tekstin ymmärtäminen	3	B1
Writing – Kirjoittaminen	3	B1

Those are the grades shown on my second certificate from 8 November 2025.

Not every grade was higher than the first time.

My reading and writing grades were lower than in my first test.

Listening remained at grade 3.

But my speaking increased from grade 3 to grade 4.

And most importantly?

I had passed all four subtests again.

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Understanding My YKI Results

The YKI intermediate-level examination uses grades 3 and 4.

According to the Finnish National Agency for Education:

• Grade 3 = CEFR B1
• Grade 4 = CEFR B2

Each of the four YKI subtests receives its own separate grade.

Source: Opetushallitus

For the Top-Up Nursing pathway I was following, I needed to show the required Finnish language level, and in my case that meant having at least grade 3 in all four subtests.

Thankfully, both of my certificates met that requirement.

I want to make this distinction because language requirements can depend on the purpose for which you’re using the certificate.

An educational institution, employer, or authority may have its own requirements, and the Finnish National Agency for Education itself advises people to check directly with the organization requesting the YKI certificate.

Source: Opetushallitus

So if you’re taking YKI for studies, work, professional recognition, citizenship, or another purpose, always check the exact requirement that applies to your own situation.

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2026 Update: YKI Results and Digital Certificates

When I took my YKI tests in 2025, getting that physical envelope in our mailbox was a major part of my experience.

Things have changed since then.

As of 2026, YKI results may be viewed through Oma Opintopolku / My Studyinfo if the person used Suomi.fi e-identification when registering.

Source: Opetushallitus

Digital YKI certificates were also introduced in 2026.

For tests taken on or after 1 April 2026, eligible test takers can receive a digital certificate through My Studyinfo. The certificate can be downloaded in Finnish, Swedish, or English.

Source: Opetushallitus

For tests taken on or before 31 March 2026, like my two tests in 2025, the official certificate was issued on paper and those older certificates cannot be downloaded as the new digital YKI certificate.

Source: Opetushallitus

So future YKI test takers might not have exactly the same mailbox-watching experience that I had. 😅

Lucky you!

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Finally, I Could Let My Mind Rest

After receiving my two YKI certificates, I finally felt like I could let my mind rest.

Two examinations.

Two waiting periods.

Two envelopes.

And two passing results.

The Finnish I used during those examinations was far from perfect.

I made mistakes.

I guessed some answers.

I struggled with listening.

I worried about my grammar.

I questioned myself.

I came out of the first test believing that I might have failed.

And yet…

I passed.

Twice.

That experience taught me something I mentioned in my previous YKI post:

How you feel immediately after an examination is not necessarily how you actually performed.

Sometimes our minds remember every mistake and completely forget all the things we did right.

By the end of 2025, I had the language certificates I needed.

And I could finally start looking forward to another huge chapter of my life:

maternity leave.

And yes…

that probably deserves its own blog series too. 😅💚

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Follow My YKI Test Journey

This article is part of my My YKI Test Journey series, where I share my personal experience preparing for and taking the Finnish YKI test.

Main Article – My YKI Test Journey

Part 6A – What Is the YKI Test?
Part 6B – How I Prepared for the YKI Test
Part 6C – YKI Speaking Test
Part 6D – YKI Writing Test
Part 6E – YKI Reading and Listening Test
Part 6F – What I Found Most Difficult About YKI
Part 6G – My YKI Test Results
Part 6H – 5 Things I Would Do Differently

You can also follow the Finnish-learning journey that came before YKI:

→ Learning Finnish: The Beginning of My Language Journey
→ My Finnish Language Journey Series

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Final Thoughts

Looking back, receiving my YKI results wasn’t just about seeing the numbers 3 and 4 printed on a certificate.

Those numbers represented much more to me.

They represented the evenings I studied after work.

The Finnish words I kept forgetting and learning again.

The conversations where I wasn’t sure whether my grammar was correct.

The practice exercises.

The frustration.

The patience.

The consistency.

The moments I wanted to give my brain a break from Finnish completely. 😅

And eventually…

the moment my husband opened that envelope and we discovered that all that work had paid off.

For anyone currently waiting for a YKI result, I know how difficult the waiting can feel.

You may be replaying the examination in your head.

You may remember the questions you couldn’t answer.

You may already be convincing yourself that you failed.

But remember what happened to me.

I walked out of my first examination worried that I hadn’t done enough.

Then, 54 days later, a white envelope arrived in our mailbox and told a completely different story.

So prepare well.

Do your best.

Be patient.

And when the examination is over, try to trust the work you’ve already done.

You cannot change your answers anymore.

But you also don’t know the result yet.

Give yourself permission to hope.

For me, the waiting eventually ended with two YKI certificates and one very relieved heart.

And now, as I look back on that journey, I can finally say:

It was difficult.

It took time.

But it was worth it.

To everyone preparing for YKI, taking the examination, or waiting for your results:

I hope and pray that your hard work pays off too. Trust the process, keep going, and don’t give up. 💚

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“Sometimes the hardest part is not taking the test, but trusting the work you have already done.”

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”

• Psalm 27:14 (KJV)

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Important: This post describes my personal experience taking the intermediate-level Finnish YKI tests in 2025 and the requirements that applied to my own study pathway. Requirements for education, employment, professional recognition, citizenship, or other purposes may be different.

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Sources

• Finnish National Agency for Education – After the YKI Test – current information about assessment, results, certificates, and the approximately two-month assessment period. Opetushallitus
• Finnish National Agency for Education – Selecting the Right YKI Test – official explanation of YKI grades and their CEFR equivalents, including grade 3 = B1 and grade 4 = B2. Opetushallitus
• Finnish National Agency for Education – Digital YKI Certificates – information about the digital certificate system introduced in 2026. Opetushallitus

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