Varia IBCP policies

The International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme of Vantaa Vocational College Varia admits students regardless of nationality, cultural background and mother tongue.

• The IB programme is for any student aged 16–19.
• Applicants must be resident in Finland at the time of application.
• Minor applicants must have a guardian residing in Finland at the time of application.

External applicants who do not currently study at Vantaa Vocational College Varia and have a basic education certificate or an equivalent foreign certificate or equivalent competence can apply to the IBCP. Internal applicants who do currently study at Vantaa Vocational College Varia are eligible to apply if less than 17 months of study time at Varia, including vacations, have passed.

Admission to IBCP to Varia

IB entrance examinations consist of

• a written Finnish language test (B1.1.) if necessary
• written test of English language skills and
• interview.

The entrance examination measures oral and written English language skills, learning skills, and learning motivation. IB learner attributes are used in the interview.

All evaluation within the Career-related Programme (CP) is fair, reliable, and aligned with the International Baccalaureate (IB) standards. Assessment at Varia combines both formative and summative approaches, with a strong emphasis on continuous, formative feedback to guide learning. Internal assessment by teachers is complemented by external moderation from the IB to maintain global consistency and quality.

• Core components (Personal and Professional Skills, Language and cultural studies, and Community Engagement) are internally assessed by the school, while the Reflective Project is internally assessed and externally moderated.
• DP subjects are assessed jointly by Varia and the IB through coursework and examinations.
• Career-related studies follow Finnish national criteria and focus on demonstrating practical vocational competence.

Assessment at Varia is learner-centred, transparent, and continuously developed ensuring that students are well prepared for further studies, working life, and lifelong learning.

Language is a means of exploring ourselves, others, and diverse worldviews and cultures. Language variation, such as multilingualism, is seen as an asset in the IBCP.

Language of the IBCP

Teaching and Communication

Teaching, learning materials, and official communication within the IB programme at Varia are conducted in English in accordance with IB requirements. At the same time, Varia supports the development of students’ Finnish language skills through career-related studies leading to a Finnish vocational qualification.

Language of Instruction 

English is the main language of instruction. It is also used when teaching Finnish.

Core studies

Language and Cultural studies is a component of the Core studies.

Language B

Language B is taught in accordance with the IB Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum.

Language requirements

Special needs and support

The need for special-needs support may emerge at any stage of studies. A decision on special-needs support is made when a need for it has arisen and the necessary assessments have been carried out.

Decisions on special-needs support are prepared by the teacher in charge of special needs education. Decisions on special-needs support are made by the Education Manager. 

If the student is a minor, before decisions are made, the underaged students’ parent / legal guardian or legal representative must be heard. The hearing discusses why the student needs special-needs support and the importance of special-needs support as part of vocational education and training.

Special need support in Varia and IBCP

Support During Lessons

Different types of support are organized by teachers during lessons.

Vocational Studies

Additional support is available in some vocational studies, provided in smaller groups.

Special Education

A special education teacher can assist with common studies.

What is Academic Integrity?

Academic integrity is a guiding principle in education and a choice to act responsibly, ensuring others can trust us as individuals. It is the foundation for ethical decision-making and behavior in producing legitimate, authentic, and honest scholarly work. Academic integrity is also a key aspect of the IB student profile, particularly in being principled. Varia requires every student to adhere to the principles of academic integrity, and every staff member to enforce these principles.

Definition of Academic Misconduct

The IB defines student academic misconduct as deliberate or inadvertent behavior that could result in the student, or anyone else, gaining an unfair advantage in one or more components of assessment. Behavior that may disadvantage another student is also considered academic misconduct. This includes any act that potentially threatens the integrity of IB examinations and assessments, whether it occurs before, during, or after the assessment or examination, both paper-based and on-screen. This encompasses behavior in school, out of school, and online.

Academic Integrity at Varia

Varia takes academic integrity seriously. Students must demonstrate their competence in all assessments by completing tasks personally, following proper citing and referencing practices, and ensuring equal contribution in group assignments. Teachers support students in using correct citing and referencing styles and independent study techniques.

Citing and Referencing

Sources must be credited in the text (citing) and listed in a bibliography (referencing). All student work must be original and independent, with borrowed content clearly distinguished.

Addressing Academic Misconduct

Staff intervene immediately in any violations of academic integrity. Suspicions of academic misconduct, including unacknowledged use of AI, are reported to the student and the IB coordinator. The IB does not consider work produced by AI as the student's own and requires proper citation and referencing of AI-generated content.

Violations of Academic Honesty

The IB Academic Integrity document lists, for example, the following violations as academic misconduct:

• Taking unauthorized material into an examination room
• Stealing examination materials
• Disruptive behavior during examination
• Disclosure of information about the content of an examination paper within 24 hours after a written examination
• Plagiarism: Copying from external sources or peers. Defined as the representation, intentionally or unwittingly, of the ideas, words or work of another person without proper, clear and explicit acknowledgment.
• Facilitating plagiarism: Student facilitating the sharing or copying of their work, or the work of third parties, to peers and/or forums/essay mills.
• Collusion: All students must submit individual and unique work for IB assessment, even when data collection etc. is permitted by the subject guide to be done as part of a team. Collusion covers those cases where students have used a common writeup for a group rather than written their own. Please, note here that students need guidance on the distinction between legitimate collaboration and unacceptable collusion.
• Submitting work commissioned, edited by, or obtained from a third party: This list includes, but is not restricted to: friends, family members, or other students in the same or different school, college, or university, private tutors, essay writing or copy-editing services, pre-written essay banks, and file sharing sites.
• Inclusion of inappropriate, offensive, or obscene material: Including offensive or obscene comments or graphic materials in any assessment component. Inclusion of materials with excessive or gratuitous violence or explicit sexual content or activity that could be considered or perceived offensive by others.
• Duplication of work: Returning the same work in multiple assignments.
• Falsification of data: Depicting or quoting source material or data in misleading or dishonest way.

The role of students

• familiarize themselves with the rules of Varia and IBO
• complete assignments within the deadline, by themselves and according to the teacher’s instructions
• follow proper citing and referencing practices and ensure that their own work can be distinguished from the work of others who have contributed; and are responsible for the authenticity of the work they submit
• understand the importance of academic honesty, produce original work, ask for guidance when unsure
• report known misconduct.