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Apply to Master’s Degree Programme in Choreography

Admission 2023 timetable, required certificates and advance assignments as well as information about participating in the entrance examinations.

Important Dates

● The application period starts on 4 January 2023

● The application period ends at 3 pm (Finnish time) on 18 January 2023
– Complete and submit the application form via Studyinfo

● Submit appendices before 25 January 2023, 3 pm (Finnish time)
– Send the advance assignments via the Studyinfo application form
– Send required certificates (education and language proficiency) through the Studyinfo application form

● The entrance examinations will take place 24 April to 28 April 2023 online

● The results of the student selections will be published on 11 May 2023, 9 am (Finnish time)

● No later than 14 July 2023, 3 pm (Finnish time)
– Accept the study place and enrol at the university
– Pay the tuition fee (if required)
– Send a certificate of completed degree (if you are being conditionally selected)

Length of study and the language of the degree

  • Length of study: 2 years
  • Language of degree: Finnish or English

Eligibility for education

You are eligible to apply for Master’s Degree Programme in Choreography if you have:

  1. completed a higher education degree in Finland and your degree includes at least 30 ECTS credits worth of studies in dance or performing arts or a supporting field

  2. completed a bachelor’s degree abroad, which in the country concerned grants eligibility to undertake higher education studies at master’s level, and your degree comprises at least 30 ECTS credits worth of studies in dance or performing arts or a supporting field 

    OR

  3. if you have acquired sufficient knowledge and competence, as determined by the Theatre Academy, on the basis of your studies and work experience in the field. In this case, you must have completed at least 60 ECTS credits worth of higher education studies in dance or performing arts or a supporting field by the end of the application period. In addition, we require at least two years of full-time work in the field of dance or performing arts (equal to 120 ECTS credits worth of studies).
    This option is intended for applicants with an incomplete undergraduate degree or applicants who have completed other studies in the arts, such as studies at the Open University. 

Attachments required to verify eligibility

Section 1 
Attach a degree certificate and a transcript of records to your application. Clearly mark the minimum number of ECTS credits (30) required in the transcript of records or a separate appendix for dance or performing arts studies or the higher education studies supporting them.  
 
Section 2 
Attach a degree certificate and a transcript of records as well as Diploma Supplement to your application. If a Diploma Supplement is not available, provide a separate report on the status of the foreign degree in the education system of the country of study, and a description of the duration of the programme. Clearly mark the minimum number of ECTS credits (30) required in the transcript of records or a separate appendix for dance or performing arts studies or the higher education studies supporting them. 
 
Section 3 
Attach a transcript of records of the minimum number of ECTS credits (60) required for dance or performing arts or the higher education studies that support them. In addition, provide a clear itemisation of two years of full-time work in the field of dance or performing arts (production, employer/work group, performance venue, training period, performances). 

Assessment of eligibility

Your eligibility will be assessed on the basis of your application, certificates and other reports.

A decision will be made on your eligibility before sending out invitations to the entrance examination. You will be notified of the decision by email during week 9 or 10.

Conditional selection

Some applicants are selected conditionally. If your higher education degree has still been incomplete during the application phase, you must submit the degree certificate and a transcript of records detailing the studies you have completed to the Admissions Services by 14 July 2023, 3pm (Finnish time). You can only register for the academic year after this.

If you do not submit a degree certificate by the deadline, you will lose the study place offered to you.

Supplementary studies

If you are accepted without a lower university degree, you may be required to complete supplementary studies in addition to the minimum amount of credits required in the degree programme in order to acquire the competence needed during the studies. The scope of supplementary studies may not exceed 60 credits.

In principle, complementary studies must be completed in the first year of study, and they must be included in the student’s personal study plan. You will be informed of any additional studies required in connection with the admission decision.

Applying for transfer from another university

Applicants who are refugees or in a refugee-like situation

Language requirements

The language of degree in the Master’s Degree Programme in Choreography is Finnish or English. The language of study is Finnish and/or English.

The programme admits students who study in either Finnish or English. If the programme admits new students to study in English, the group teaching will be offered in English to the entire class. 

In order to become accepted as a degree student, you must, in the application phase, demonstrate the language proficiency required by the studies in accordance with the language of instruction. You can demonstrate your language proficiency by previous education, an acceptable language test, or other previous studies.

You must demonstrate sufficient language proficiency by 25 January 2023, 3pm (Finnish time). Attach a degree certificate or a language test certificate to the application form submitted via Studyinfo.

Study languages and the language of the degree in Theatre Academy

Tuition fee

Tuition fees at Uniarts Helsinki are applicable to Bachelor’s and Master’s students who study in English and who are not citizens of EU, EEA, or Switzerland. In the academic year 2023-2024 the amount of the fee is 5,000 euros.

In the 2023 student admissions of the Theatre Academy of Uniarts Helsinki, tuition fees will apply to applicants applying to one of our English-speaking degree programmes;

  • Master’s Degree Programme in Choreography
  • Master’s Degree Programme in Comparative Dramaturgy and Performance Research (double-degree)
  • Master’s Degree Programme in Dance Performance
  • Master’s Degree Programme in Live Art and Performance Studies
  • Master’s Studies in Directing

The fee cannot be charged to a citizen of a Member State of the European Economic Area, or to a person who is entitled to the same treatment as EU citizens under a treaty signed by the European Union and its Member States with a third party or to a family member of the above-mentioned individuals. Nor can it be charged to a person with an EU Blue Card, a continuous or permanent residence permit or a long-term resident’s EC residence permit issued to third-country nationals as referred to in the Aliens Act, or to a family member of the above-mentioned individuals. The definition of persons regarded as family members is based on the Finnish Aliens Act.

UK citizens will be charged tuition fees, as is the case with other non-EU/EEA citizens. However, the tuition fee will not be collected from British citizens who have a residence permit card issued by the Finnish Immigration Service that is in accordance with the Brexit withdrawal agreement or a pending application for a right of residence.

The tuition fee is to be paid no later than 14 July 2023 at 3pm. (Finnish time). Students are required to pay the annual tuition fee in order to register for attendance and complete studies and to obtain a residence permit.

Assessment criteria

The assessment criteria for the advance assignments and the entrance examinations:

  • skills and knowledge in artistic practices and approaches to choreography 
  • ability to develop choreographic ideas and process them into performance
  • curiosity and ability to study and explore theoretical discourses in relation to distinct choreographic and performance contexts and societal concerns 
  • readiness and ability to interact, contribute and communicate constructively in different study and work situations 
  • motivation for studies, openness for learning and commitment to full time studies 
  • maturity for studies in higher education 

Advance assignments

Advance assignments are not specified or explained in more detail. Advance assignments can be completed in Finnish, Swedish or English. Please mark your name on each assignment.

Assignment 1 – Writing Task: Description

– At first, write about your artistic background. Then tell us about your artistic ideas in relation to choreography and share the questions you would be especially interested in processing and exploring in your studies.  
– Tell us about your motivation to study on this particular degree programme.  

Length at most 2 pages (A4). Name the file: lastname_firstname_description 

Assignment 2 – Writing Task: Analysis

Describe and analyze what you consider important or interesting phenomena in the field of choreography and performance. Support and argue your description by referring to individual artists or collectives working in the field of choreography and performance. Use theoretical and/or other sources to support your description and analysis. 

Mark your sources correctly. For your assignment to be accepted, you will need to use sources and source references. Length at most 2 pages (A4). Name the file: lastname_firstname_analysis 

Assignment 3 – Documentation of artistic activities

1. Provide a video sample of your choreographic work. The sample should be a maximum of 10 minutes long. The sample may be an excerpt of an already existing work, or it may be shot for the purpose of the application. The sample does not have to be from a performance on stage but could have been made in a rehearsal studio or other environment, for example. 
The video sample can be uploaded to the Studyinfo (Name the file: lastname_firstname_documentation_1) or alternatively you can provide a link to the sample. 

2. In another video, speak about your making process and choreographic choices of this sample, duration max 5 min. Name the file: lastname_firstname_documentation_2 

3. Make a pdf file containing 1-3 samples of your artistic experience and / or activities. It may include links, images and text. Name the file: lastname_firstname_documentation_3

To successfully complete the documentation task, you must have clearly and comprehensibly marked your role in each sample (performer, choreographer, other).

Phase 2 Assignment

The applicants are invited to the entrance examination based on the evaluation of the advance assignments. The applicants who are to be invited to the entrance examination for phase 2 will be given assignments that require preparation. The invitation and the assignments will be given during week 11 by email. 12-15 applicants will be invited to the entrance exams that will be held remotely and according to an individually designated schedule. 

How to apply

You can find Master’s Degree Programme in Choreography on the Studyinfo portal under the name of; Master’s Admission: Choreography, Master of Arts in Dance (2 yr)

1. Complete and submit an online application form: Joint Application to Higher Education, Spring 2023

Complete and submit an online application form at the Studyinfo portal by 18 January 2023 at 3pm (Finnish time). The application period is from 4 January to 18 January 2023.

After you have submitted the application, you will receive a confirmation email to the address you have given on the application form. The email contains a link to the application, you can add attachments to your application within the deadline.

2. Submit advance assignments and appendices

Submit advance assignments and appendices via Studyinfo portal by 25 January 2023 at 3pm (Finnish time).

  • Advance assignments
    Name the advance assignments in accordance with the assignment instructions.

  • Resume/CV
    Name your file: lastname_firstname_cv

  • Documents demonstrating your educational background
    Send a degree certificate and a transcript of records of a completed degree suitable for master’s studies, or a certificate of student status and a transcript of record of ongoing studies.
    Name your files: lastname_firstname_document, such as: lastname_firstname_degreecertificate, lastname_firstname_transcript

  • Diploma Supplement (DS)
    If you are applying with a foreign degree, submit a Diploma Supplement. If a Diploma Supplement is not available, provide a separate report on the status of the foreign degree in the education system of the country of study, and a description of the duration of the programme.
    Name your file: lastname_firstname_document, such as: lastname_firstname_ds

  • Demonstration of language proficiency
    Send a certificate demonstrating language proficiency in the language of instruction, if it cannot be verified on the basis of the higher education degree completed.
    Name your file: lastname_firstname_document, such as: lastname_firstname_toefl

  • Document that proves exemption from tuition fees
    If you are applying to study in English, and you come from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you are to submit documentation (e.g. a copy of your passport) that shows you are exempt from tuition fees.
    Name your file: lastname_firstname_document, such as: lastname_firstname_passport

The applicant must have the appendices translated by a professional translator, if they are in a language other than Finnish, Swedish or English.

Submitting material in the Studyinfo portal

After completing the electronic application form in the Studyinfo.fi system, submit the advance assignments and other required material by the specified deadline to Uniarts Helsinki through the Studyinfo application form. You can complete your application with attachments either in the My Studyinfo service (if you have Finnish online bank user identifiers) or through the edit link in the confirmation email you have received.

Before downloading the material to the application, check that the material opens and functions as intended. Also, before submitting the application, check that you have downloaded all necessary attachments to your application.

Name the files according to the assignment instructions. Do not use Scandinavian characters (å, ä, ö) or special characters when naming the files.

The Studyinfo system accepts the following audio / video / document / image formats:

  • Audio – mp3, m4a, aiff, wma, wav, aac
  • Video – mpeg, mpg, mp4, mov, avi, wmv, m4v, vob, qt (we recommend format mp4)
  • Document – the preferred format for all text documents is pdf
  • Image – jpeg, png, gif, jpg

The maximum file size allowed is 1 GB.

Make sure your computer and Internet browser are up to date. Use a stable Internet connection to upload the materials. Make sure your computer does not go into power saving mode when the uploading is in progress.

The sender is responsible for submitting the application (application form, advance assignments, attachments).

Advance assignments that are only partially loaded or incomplete will be rejected. Advance assignments sent by email or as an email attachment will not be processed.

Upload the materials to the system as early as possible

Large files may take several hours to upload when the system is busy. To speed up the uploading of videos, for example, you can compress the video file. Begin uploading the materials well in advance of the deadline.

Submitting material via systems outside of Studyinfo

We recommend that you upload your material directly to the Studyinfo portal. If the assignment includes sensitive data, it is especially important to use Studyinfo for submitting the assignment.

If you want to share a link that leads to a system outside of the Studyinfo portal (e.g. Youtube, Vimeo, Soundcloud) due to the risk of high upload traffic on the Studyinfo server, for example, the link must be uploaded to Studyinfo as a pdf file (e.g. as part of a work portfolio, or as a separate file that only includes the link/links).

The assignment must be uploaded by the set date, after which it is no longer possible to edit it.

If the link leads to a system outside of the Studyinfo portal, the url must be original, and not a shortened link made with a url shortener service. The link must lead directly to the assignment and not, for example, to a compilation page with more links. Make sure that the link works throughout the entire admissions round and that the assignments are marked as private in the system settings (privacy settings: “Password“ or “Unlisted“ for Vimeo, “Unlisted” for YouTube, and “Private” for Soundcloud). You can choose to add password protection to the file, in which case the password must be sent to Uniarts Helsinki in addition to the link (in this case contact Theatre Academy’s Admissions Office).

The assignment must remain stored in the system in question at least 6 months after the end of the application period.

Uniarts Helsinki is not responsible for the data security risks, potential copyright infringements, muting of copy-protected audio tracks, or terms of use of systems offered by third parties. Note that third parties usually save information on user profiles and use this information for advertising, market research and/or other commercial purposes.

Student selections

A decision on the applicant’s eligibility will be made on week 9-10. Applicants found eligible/ ineligible will be informed of that decision via e-mail. Those who have passed the first phase based on their advance assignments will be sent invitations to phase 2 by e-mail during week 11 at the latest. Applicants cannot change the entrance examination times assigned to them. Applicants not considered eligible based on the advance assignments will also be notified via e-mail.

The selection process occurs in two phases.

Phase 1
Submitting an online application form, advance assignments and appendices in Studyinfo portal

Phase 2
Entrance examinations on Mon 24 Apr – Fri 28 April (2 May is in reserve and may be used if required)

The entrance exams are organized as remote online exams according to individually designated schedules. Applicants are not required to travel to Helsinki at any point of the selection process.   

Applicants can be eliminated during entrance examinations. Elimination during different stages is also possible. Additional tasks requiring preparation may be assigned during entrance examinations.

The group assignments will take place in English.The individual assignments can be carried out in Finnish, Swedish or English.

More information about entrance examinations and assessment

Individual arrangements in the entrance examination

Announcement of results

The Theatre Academy will publish the entrance examination results on 11 May and 2 June 2023. Results are published in the Studyinfo portal and on the Uniarts Helsinki website. When you fill in your application form you can choose to not allow your name to be published online.

Results will be published on 11 May 2023 at 9am (Finnish time):

  • Master’s Degree Programme in Choreography
  • Master’s Degree Programme in Comparative Dramaturgy and Performance Research (double-degree)
  • Master’s Degree Programme in Live Art and Performance Studies
  • Master’s Degree Programme in Writing
  • Master’s Studies in Acting (in Finnish)
  • Master’s Studies in in Design for the Performing Arts
  • Master’s Studies in Directing

Results will be published on 2 June 2023 at 9am (Finnish time):

  • Degree Programme in Acting (in Finnish)
  • Degree Programme in Acting (in Swedish)
  • Degree Programme in Design for the Performing Arts
  • Degree Programme in Directing
  • Degree Programme in Dramaturgy and Playwriting
  • Degree Programme in Lighting Design
  • Degree Programme in Sound Design
  • Master’s Degree Programme in Dance Performance
  • Master’s Studies in Lighting Design
  • Master’s Studies in Sound Design

Applicants admitted as students and those placed on the waiting list receive an email of the admissions results on the day when the admission decision is published. Other applicants are not notified about the results by email.

You can also enquire the results by sending an e-mail to Admissions Services.

Number of new students and a waiting list

How to request for rectification

Accepting an offer of admission

Please indicate whether you will accept the study place no later than 14 July 2023, 3pm (Finnish time).

If you have a Finnish personal identity code, accept the study place in the MyStudyinfo service.

If you do not have a Finnish personal identity code, the Studyinfo.fi system will send you an email message. This message contains a link that you can use to accept the study place. You will receive this email within 24 hours of the announcement of admissions results.

Your notification regarding the acceptance of a study place is binding. However, if you wish to give up a study place after first accepting it, you will be considered to have accepted a place of study for the term in question (see the provision for one study place per term).

If you do not accept a study place by the deadline, you will lose the study place offered to you.

Applicants who are liable for annual tuition fee payment

Applicants who are liable for annual tuition fee payment are to pay the fee in connection with the acceptance of a study place no later than 14 July 2023 at 3pm (Finnish time). Students are required to pay the annual tuition fee in order to begin the residence permit process, register for attendance at the university and complete studies.

Enrollment

New students will receive instructions for enrollment together with the letter of admission results.

Registering as absent for the first year of studies

Starting your studies

Students admitted in the Joint Application of spring 2023 will begin their studies in August 2023.

Help and advice

Do you have a question about applying?

You can contact us via email or phone.

Email: teak.admissions@uniarts.fi
Phone: +358 50 349 6672

Frequently asked questions

A list of frequently asked questions

Read more about the programme