Guidelines for awarding the Sibelius Academy Foundation’s student grants

Updated on May 15, 2020

Purpose of awarding grants

Grants are only awarded for the purposes of furthering the applicant’s studies, e.g.:

  • master classes or summer courses
  • competition trips
  • certificate in education administration
  • studies that are carried out elsewhere but included in the student’s degree
  • repair and maintenance of an instrument.

In 2020, a share of the grants will be awarded to support students’ own artistic projects, which are carried out in the Töölönlahti area or elsewhere off the university premises. Projects where students explore new ways of performing and experiencing music and that reach new audiences will be preferred. The aim is to encourage students to gain experience in applying their own skills in different environments and in planning and implementing their own artistic projects.

Grants cannot be awarded: 

  • for purchasing instruments or related equipment.
  • for covering students’ living expenses (housing, food, etc.). Note that grants for master classes must primarily be used for covering the course fee, and, if necessary, travel expenses.
  • for master classes held by applicant’s own teacher.
  • international student exchange (SibA international office will apply for funding from the Foundation in order to grant scholarships for all students going on student exchange through the academy’s partnership agreements)

Applicant eligibility

  • Grants are awarded only to degree students who have registered their attendance for the academic year.
  • Grants are primarily awarded for students whose studies have progressed well. Academic progress is determined by reviewing the annual accumulation of credits.
  • Junior Academy students may, in some cases, be awarded travel grants if their travel costs are exceptionally high.

Criteria and basic guidelines

  • When awarding grants, the University of the Arts Helsinki’s strategy and the Sibelius Academy’s operating principles must be taken into account.
  • The criteria for awarding these grants have to be equally applied to all candidates regardless of the applicant’s department, programme or subject. 
  • Junior Academy applicants’ travel costs are not prioritised, as the affordable lessons given by the Sibelius Academy teachers are already considered a great support to Junior Academy students.
  • One can receive a grant only for one purpose. 
  • Those applicants, who have not received a grant in the previous year, are ranked first. 
  • Grants are not awarded retrospectively
  • Grants are awarded to students in all departments within the rules that the foundations have stated.

Other grants

  • Applicants must be truthful in their answers to questions regarding other grants. For example, applicants must state in the application if they are applying for any other grants for the same purpose.
  • Applicants must list all the grants that they have received during the last three years, regardless of the funding organisation.

After a grant is received (updated on May 15, 2020)

  • The grant must be used for the purpose that it was awarded for. We are aware that the activity described in the application form may have changed or be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In that case, please make a new proposal of using the grant in the online application service. The proposal must fulfil the same criteria as the original application. 
  • If the grant has been used for different purposes than what it was originally awarded for (and the student did not obtain a written authorisation to change the purpose), the student may have to refund the grant.
  • Grant recipients must store the documents relating to the grant (including receipts, etc.).
  • The grant must be used before September 1, 2021.
  • All students receiving a grant of EUR 1 000 or more must write a report detailing the use of the grant by the end of September 2021.
  • In the case of smaller grants, all recipients must submit a report upon request.
  • Failure to report may lead to rejection of any subsequent grant applications.

Helsinki, November 21, 2019 
Kaarlo Hildén
Dean