diff --git a/src/tutorial-panel/__tests__/tutorial-panel.test.tsx b/src/tutorial-panel/__tests__/tutorial-panel.test.tsx
index 23d77af8e7..6db5b744bd 100644
--- a/src/tutorial-panel/__tests__/tutorial-panel.test.tsx
+++ b/src/tutorial-panel/__tests__/tutorial-panel.test.tsx
@@ -270,6 +270,7 @@ describe('URL sanitization', () => {
       expect(wrapper.findDownloadLink()).toBeFalsy();
     });
   });
+
   describe('a11y', () => {
     test('task list expandable section should have aria-label joining task title and total step label', () => {
       const tutorials = getTutorials();
@@ -293,5 +294,49 @@ describe('URL sanitization', () => {
         'LEARN_MORE_ABOUT_TUTORIA'
       );
     });
+
+    test('header has correct accessibility attributes', () => {
+      const { container } = renderTutorialPanelWithContext();
+      const wrapper = createWrapper(container).findTutorialPanel()!;
+      const headerRegion = wrapper.find('[role="region"]')!.getElement();
+      expect(headerRegion).toHaveAttribute('tabIndex', '-1');
+      expect(headerRegion).toHaveAccessibleName(i18nStrings.tutorialListTitle);
+    });
+
+    test('focus returns to header when exiting tutorial', () => {
+      const mockFocus = jest.fn();
+      const tutorials = getTutorials();
+      const originalFocus = HTMLElement.prototype.focus;
+      HTMLElement.prototype.focus = mockFocus;
+
+      const { container, context, rerender } = renderTutorialPanelWithContext(
+        {},
+        {
+          currentTutorial: tutorials[0],
+        }
+      );
+
+      const wrapper = createWrapper(container).findTutorialPanel()!;
+      wrapper.findDismissButton()!.click();
+      expect(context.onExitTutorial).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      rerender(
+        <HotspotContext.Provider value={{ ...context, currentTutorial: null }}>
+          <TutorialPanel
+            i18nStrings={i18nStrings}
+            downloadUrl="DOWNLOAD_URL"
+            onFeedbackClick={() => {}}
+            tutorials={tutorials}
+          />
+        </HotspotContext.Provider>
+      );
+
+      const wrapperAfterExit = createWrapper(container).findTutorialPanel()!;
+      const headerRegion = wrapperAfterExit.find('[role="region"]')!.getElement();
+
+      expect(mockFocus).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(mockFocus.mock.instances[0]).toBe(headerRegion);
+
+      HTMLElement.prototype.focus = originalFocus;
+    });
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/tutorial-panel/components/tutorial-list/index.tsx b/src/tutorial-panel/components/tutorial-list/index.tsx
index 2a773993fb..d8032aeb1d 100644
--- a/src/tutorial-panel/components/tutorial-list/index.tsx
+++ b/src/tutorial-panel/components/tutorial-list/index.tsx
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ interface TutorialListProps {
   onStartTutorial: HotspotContext['onStartTutorial'];
   i18nStrings: TutorialPanelProps['i18nStrings'];
   downloadUrl: TutorialPanelProps['downloadUrl'];
+  headerRef?: (node: HTMLDivElement | null) => void;
+  headerId?: string;
 }
 
 export default function TutorialList({
@@ -36,6 +38,8 @@ export default function TutorialList({
   loading = false,
   onStartTutorial,
   downloadUrl,
+  headerRef,
+  headerId,
 }: TutorialListProps) {
   checkSafeUrl('TutorialPanel', downloadUrl);
 
@@ -45,9 +49,22 @@ export default function TutorialList({
     <>
       <InternalSpaceBetween size="s">
         <InternalSpaceBetween size="m">
-          <InternalBox variant="h2" fontSize={isRefresh ? 'heading-m' : 'heading-l'} padding={{ bottom: 'n' }}>
-            {i18nStrings.tutorialListTitle}
-          </InternalBox>
+          <div
+            ref={headerRef}
+            tabIndex={-1}
+            role="region"
+            aria-labelledby={headerId}
+            className={styles['tutorial-header-region']}
+          >
+            <InternalBox
+              variant="h2"
+              fontSize={isRefresh ? 'heading-m' : 'heading-l'}
+              padding={{ bottom: 'n' }}
+              id={headerId}
+            >
+              {i18nStrings.tutorialListTitle}
+            </InternalBox>
+          </div>
           <InternalBox variant="p" color="text-body-secondary" padding="n">
             {i18nStrings.tutorialListDescription}
           </InternalBox>
diff --git a/src/tutorial-panel/components/tutorial-list/styles.scss b/src/tutorial-panel/components/tutorial-list/styles.scss
index 41c83e4a25..6d5e963524 100644
--- a/src/tutorial-panel/components/tutorial-list/styles.scss
+++ b/src/tutorial-panel/components/tutorial-list/styles.scss
@@ -17,6 +17,16 @@
   margin-inline: 0;
 }
 
+.tutorial-header-region {
+  @include focus-visible.when-visible {
+    @include styles.focus-highlight(0px);
+  }
+
+  &:focus {
+    outline: none;
+  }
+}
+
 .tutorial-box {
   @include styles.styles-reset;
   list-style: none;
diff --git a/src/tutorial-panel/index.tsx b/src/tutorial-panel/index.tsx
index 9b8b50409a..9eec8118eb 100644
--- a/src/tutorial-panel/index.tsx
+++ b/src/tutorial-panel/index.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
 // Copyright Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 'use client';
-import React, { useContext } from 'react';
+import React, { useCallback, useContext, useRef } from 'react';
 import clsx from 'clsx';
 
+import { useUniqueId } from '@cloudscape-design/component-toolkit/internal';
+
 import { hotspotContext } from '../annotation-context/context';
 import { getBaseProps } from '../internal/base-component';
+import { NonCancelableCustomEvent } from '../internal/events';
 import useBaseComponent from '../internal/hooks/use-base-component';
 import { applyDisplayName } from '../internal/utils/apply-display-name';
 import TutorialDetailView from './components/tutorial-detail-view';
@@ -29,6 +32,29 @@ export default function TutorialPanel({
   const baseProps = getBaseProps(restProps);
   const context = useContext(hotspotContext);
 
+  // When exiting a tutorial, we need to return focus to the header for accessibility.
+  // We cannot directly call ref.current.focus() in handleExitTutorial because at that point
+  // the TutorialDetailView is still rendered and TutorialList (which contains the header) hasn't
+  // been rendered yet. Instead, we use shouldFocusRef to coordinate: handleExitTutorial sets it to true,
+  // and then headerCallbackRef focuses the header once it's actually available in the DOM.
+  const shouldFocusRef = useRef(false);
+  const headerId = useUniqueId('tutorial-header-');
+
+  const headerCallbackRef = useCallback((node: HTMLDivElement | null) => {
+    if (node && shouldFocusRef.current) {
+      node.focus({ preventScroll: true });
+      shouldFocusRef.current = false;
+    }
+  }, []);
+
+  const handleExitTutorial = useCallback(
+    (e: NonCancelableCustomEvent<TutorialPanelProps.TutorialDetail>) => {
+      shouldFocusRef.current = true;
+      context.onExitTutorial(e);
+    },
+    [context]
+  );
+
   return (
     <>
       <div {...baseProps} className={clsx(baseProps.className, styles['tutorial-panel'])} ref={__internalRootRef}>
@@ -36,7 +62,7 @@ export default function TutorialPanel({
           <TutorialDetailView
             i18nStrings={i18nStrings}
             tutorial={context.currentTutorial}
-            onExitTutorial={context.onExitTutorial}
+            onExitTutorial={handleExitTutorial}
             currentStepIndex={context.currentStepIndex}
             onFeedbackClick={onFeedbackClick}
           />
@@ -47,6 +73,8 @@ export default function TutorialPanel({
             loading={loading}
             onStartTutorial={context.onStartTutorial}
             downloadUrl={downloadUrl}
+            headerRef={headerCallbackRef}
+            headerId={headerId}
           />
         )}
       </div>