Language requirements in Sibelius Academy: Demonstrating your language skills in Finnish or Swedish
Finnish and Swedish language requirements for the 2026 admissions to the Sibelius Academy's bachelor's and master's programmes.
Note! These language requirements apply to Sibelius Academy’s bachelor’s and master’s programmes.
The English language requirements can be found on a separate page. Read more about how to demonstrate your language skills in English:
The master’s programme in Musical Theatre, offered jointly by the Sibelius Academy and the Theatre Academy, requires a higher level of proficiency in Finnish or Swedish than the other degree programmes at the Sibelius Academy. The language requirements for the master’s programme in Musical Theatre can be found on a separate page:
- Musical Theatre: Demonstrating your language skills in Finnish
- Musical Theatre: Demonstrating your language skills in Swedish
How to demonstrate your language skills?
Studies at the Sibelius Academy require sufficient proficiency in Finnish, Swedish, and/or English. To be admitted as a degree student at the University of the Arts Helsinki (Uniarts Helsinki), you must be proficient in the language of instruction used in the degree programme you are applying to. You must demonstrate your skills with prior studies or a language test, as specified in the requirements. If the degree programme is offered in multiple languages, you are only required to demonstrate your skills in the language in which you intend to complete your degree.
The Sibelius Academy strongly recommends that all applicants demonstrate their language skills no later than 28 January 2026 at 15:00 EET (Finnish time).
If you are unable to demonstrate your language skills before the above-mentioned deadline, you will be considered conditionally eligible.
If you do not demonstrate your language skills by the given deadline, you will not be granted the right to study at the Sibelius Academy.
If you demonstrate your language skills with studies completed during the spring of application:
If your degree is not yet complete and you cannot demonstrate your language proficiency with another prior qualification, you must submit a certificate of enrollment or a transcript of records for the studies in question, along with your estimated graduation date, to the Sibelius Academy no later than 28 January 2026 at 15:00 EET (Finnish time). The degree must be completed by 9 July 2026 at 15:00 EEST (Finnish time) in order to be accepted as proof of language skills. Please submit the final degree certificate to the Sibelius Academy as soon as possible, but no later than on 9 July 2026 at 15:00 EEST (Finnish time).
If you demonstrate your language skills with a language test:
If you are unable to demonstrate your language skills with prior studies, you must submit a language test result that meets the requirements to the Sibelius Academy. The language test must be taken no later than 2 March 2026 in order to be considered in the spring 2026 admissions. Please submit proof of participation in the language test to the Sibelius Academy no later than 2 March 2026 at 15:00 EET (Finnish time). Submit the final test result that meets the language requirements to the Sibelius Academy as soon as possible, but no later than 31 March 2026 at 15:00 EEST (Finnish time).
Demonstrating your language skills in Finnish
You can demonstrate your Finnish language skills in one of the following ways:
Demonstrating language skills with prior studies
If you demonstrate your language skills with prior studies, the language of instruction must be clearly stated in the degree certificate, its appendix, the transcript of records, or another official document issued by the institution in question. If the documents are not in Finnish, Swedish, or English, you must include an official translation of the documents.
1) Primary and lower secondary education (=basic education), upper secondary education, or some other qualification that gives eligibility for higher education completed in Finnish
2) Passing grade for the Finnish language and literature syllabus or for the Finnish as a second language and literature syllabus as part of mother tongue and literature studies on a school-leaving certificate completed in accordance with the Basic Education Act (628/1998) or the Act on General Upper Secondary Education (629/1998) or in accordance with corresponding studies
3) A minimum grade of approbatur (A) in the mother tongue and literature test in Finnish or in the Finnish as a second language and literature test completed as part of the Finnish matriculation examination
4) A minimum grade of eximia cum laude approbatur (E) in the Finnish as a second language test of the advanced syllabus level completed as part of the Finnish matriculation examination
5) A grade of laudatur (L) in the Finnish as a second language test of the intermediate syllabus level completed as part of the Finnish matriculation examination
6) A degree from a higher education institution with Finnish as the language of instruction:
Language skills can also be demonstrated without completing the full higher education degree in the following ways:
- A written final project completed in Finnish at a Finnish or foreign higher education institution for a degree, with the first-cycle degree (=bachelor’s degree) being the minimum degree level
- A study module comprising a minimum of 60 ETCS cr / 35 cr according to the old Finnish credit system in the subject of Finnish language (or a corresponding subject) completed at a a Finnish or foreign higher education institution.
- An approved maturity test completed in Finnish at a Finnish higher education institution
- A language proficiency test in Finnish completed as part of a degree at a Finnish higher education institution or language studies that demonstrate oral and written skills in Finnish (as a second national language), with a minimum grade of ‘good’
7) International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma:
- Minimum grade of 2 for A-level, A1-level, or A2-level Finnish; or
- Minimum grade of 3 for B-level Finnish
8) European Baccalaureate (EB) diploma:
- Passing grade in Finnish as the L1 or L2 language (minimum grade of 4.00 completed in or before 2020, or minimum grade of 5.00 completed in or after 2021)
- Minimum grade of 8.00 in Finnish as the ONL language
9) Reifeprüfung (RP) or Deutsches Internationales Abitur (DIA) Diploma awarded by Deutsche Schule Helsinki:
- Passing grade (minimum grade of 4) for the written Finnish as a mother tongue test; or
- Minimum grade of 5 for Finnish as a second language on the CEFR level B2
10) A successfully completed special qualification in accordance with section 23 of the Basic Education Decree (852/1998), in which you have demonstrated that your knowledge and skills correspond to the knowledge and skills given by the basic education syllabus either in the subject Finnish language and literature or Finnish as a second language and literature
Demonstrating language skills with a language test
11) National Certificate of Language Proficiency in Finnish (YKI) awarded by the Finnish National Agency for Education:
- A proficiency level of 3 attained for all sub-tests (reading comprehension, writing, listening comprehension, speaking) of a test completed at the intermediate level; or
- A minimum of three sub-tests passed for a test completed at the advanced level (proficiency levels 5 and 6)
- Results from different test occasions may be used
12) The minimum skill level ‘satisfactory’ for the oral skills test and the written skills test completed in Finnish for a Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificate (VKT)
13) A combination of a National Certificate of Language Proficiency (YKI) and a Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificate (VKT):
- A proficiency level of 3 attained for the reading comprehension and writing sub-tests of the YKI test and the grade ‘satisfactory’ attained in the oral skills test of the VKT test; or
- A proficiency level of 3 attained for the listening comprehension and speaking sub-tests of the YKI test and the grade ‘satisfactory’ attained for the written skills test of the VKT test
Demonstrating your language skills in Swedish
You can demonstrate your Swedish language skills in one of the following ways:
Demonstrating language proficiency with prior studies
If you demonstrate your language skills with prior studies, the language of instruction must be clearly stated in the degree certificate, its appendix, the transcript of records, or another official document issued by the institution in question. If the documents are not in Finnish, Swedish, or English, you must include an official translation of the documents.
1) Primary and lower secondary education (=basic education), upper secondary education, or some other qualification that gives eligibility for higher education completed in Swedish. You may demonstrate your proficiency in Swedish also by providing proof of having completed your primary and lower secondary education, upper secondary education, or other qualification that gives eligibility for higher education in any of the Scandinavian languages (Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic and Faroese).
2) Passing grade for the Swedish language and literature syllabus or for the Swedish as a second language and literature syllabus as part of mother tongue and literature studies on a school-leaving certificate completed in accordance with the Basic Education Act (628/1998) or the Act on General Upper Secondary Education (629/1998) or in accordance with corresponding studies.
3) A minimum grade of approbatur (A) in the mother tongue and literature test in Swedish or in the Swedish as a second language and literature test completed as part of the Finnish matriculation examination
4) A minimum grade of eximia cum laude approbatur (E) in the Swedish as a second language test of the advanced syllabus level completed as part of the Finnish matriculation examination
5) A grade of laudatur (L) in the Swedish as a second language test of the intermediate syllabus level completed as part of the Finnish matriculation examination
6) A degree from a higher education institution with Swedish as the language of instruction:
Language skills can also be demonstrated without completing the full higher education degree in the following ways:
- A written final project completed in Swedish at a a Finnish or foreign higher education institution for a degree, with the first-cycle degree (=bachelor’s degree) being the minimum degree level
- A study module comprising a minimum of 60 ETCS cr / 35 cr according to the old Finnish credit system in the subject of Swedish language (or a corresponding subject) completed at a Finnish or foreign higher education institution
- An approved maturity test completed in Swedish at a higher education institution
- A language proficiency test in Swedish completed as part of a degree at a Finnish higher education institution or language studies that demonstrate oral and written skills in Swedish (as a second national language), with a minimum grade of good
7) International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma:
- Minimum grade of 2 for A-level, A1-level, or A2-level Swedish; or
- Minimum grade of 3 for B-level Swedish
8) European Baccalaureate (EB) diploma:
- Passing grade in Swedish as the L1 or L2 language (minimum grade of 4.00 completed in or before 2020, or minimum grade of 5.00 completed in or after 2021); or
- Minimum grade of 8.00 in Swedish as the ONL language
9) Reifeprüfung (RP) or Deutsches Internationales Abitur (DIA) Diploma awarded by Deutsche Schule Helsinki:
- Passing grade (minimum grade of 4) in the written test in Swedish
10) A successfully completed special qualification in accordance with section 23 of the Basic Education Decree (852/1998), in which you have demonstrated that your knowledge and skills correspond to the knowledge and skills given by the basic education syllabus either in the subject svenska och litteratur or svenska som andraspråk och litteratur
Demonstrating language skills with a language test
11) National Certificate of Language Proficiency in Swedish (YKI) awarded by the Finnish National Agency for Education:
- A proficiency level of 3 attained for all sub-tests (reading comprehension, writing, listening comprehension, speaking) of a test completed at the intermediate level; or
- A minimum of three sub-tests passed for a test completed at the advanced level (proficiency levels 5 and 6)
- Results from different test occasions may be used
12) The minimum skill level ‘satisfactory’ for the oral skills test and the written skills test completed in Swedish for a Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificate (VKT)
13) A combination of a National Certificate of Language Proficiency (YKI) and a Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificate (VKT):
- A proficiency level of 3 attained for the reading comprehension and writing sub-tests of the YKI test and the grade ‘satisfactory’ attained in the oral skills test of the VKT test; or
- A proficiency level of 3 attained for the listening comprehension and speaking sub-tests of the YKI test and the grade ‘satisfactory’ attained for the written skills test of the VKT test
14) TISUS test (Test i svenska för universitetsstudier) with a passing grade in all sections of the test