Apply to Master’s Degree Programme in Dance Pedagogy

First joint application to higher education spring 2026. Admission timetable, required certificates and advance assignments as well as information about participating in the entrance examinations.

Published 6.11.2019 | Updated 31.10.2025

Important dates

● The application period starts on 7 January 2026

● The application period ends at 15:00 (Finnish time) on 21 January 2026
– Complete and submit the application form via Studyinfo before the application period ends

● No later than 28 January 2026, 15:00 (Finnish time)
– Send the advance assignments via the Studyinfo application form
– Send the required certificates (education and language proficiency) through the Studyinfo application form

● You will be notified of the results of your eligibility check by email by the end of February

● You will be notified of the results of the assessment of the advance assignments during week 11 at the latest

● The entrance examinations will take place online 10 April – 11 April 2026

● The results of the student selections will be published on 6 May 2026, 15:00 (Finnish time)

● No later than 9 July 2026, 15:00 (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

Degree granting eligibility to apply

You are eligible to apply for Master’s Programme in Dance Pedagogy if you have:

completed a higher education degree (bachelor level) in Finland and your degree includes at least 30 ECTS credits worth of studies in dance art *) or a supporting field **)
completed a higher education degree (bachelor level) abroad, which in the country concerned grants eligibility to undertake equivalent higher education studies at master’s level, and your degree comprises at least 30 ECTS credits worth of studies in dance art *) or a supporting field **)

OR
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 art *) 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 the performing arts. The field of dance or the performing arts refers to, for example, the work of a dancer, choreographer or community artist, or the guidance of creative bodily/somatic methods.
This option is intended for applicants with an incomplete undergraduate degree, or who have completed other studies in the field of art, such as studies at the Open University.

*) Dance studies refer to practice-based studies. The studies can be in any area of dance art.

**) Studies that support dance art may include studies in circus art, live art, theatre arts, dance pedagogy or other forms of the performing arts, as well as studies in subjects other than those directly related to performance practices, such as dance history, dance research, performance research, general art history, philosophy of art, aesthetics and studies in other fields of art.

Attachments required to verify eligibility

You must provide a translation of the certificate appendices by a professional translator, if they are not in Finnish, Swedish or English. Name documents: lastname_firstname_document name

If you are applying under eligibility criterion 1, attach to your application:

If you are applying under eligibility criterion 2, attach to your application:

1. Degree certificate
2. Transcript of records
3. Record of the required higher education studies in dance art or a supporting field amounting to at least 30 ECTS credits. Provide the title, scope and content description of the study unit (on the higher education institution website or Study Guide – only providing a heading is not sufficient).
4. When applying with a foreign degree:
– submit a Diploma Supplement (degree obtained at a higher education institution in Europe) or
– if the degree is not a Bachelor obtained at a university, submit a certificate from the educational institution where you have completed the degree that states you are eligible to apply for university-level Master’s degree studies in the country in question.

If you are applying under eligibility criterion 3, attach to your application:

1. Transcript of records of the required higher education studies in dance art or a supporting field amounting to at least 60 ECTS credits.
2. Record of the required higher education studies in dance art or a supporting field amounting to at least 60 ECTS credits. Provide the title, scope and content description of the study unit (on the higher education institution website or Study Guide – only providing a heading is not sufficient).
3. Record of at least two years of full-time work in the field of dance or the performing arts.
Report your work experience:
– employer/team and level of professionalism (e.g. professional theatre, free professional group, professional AV project)
– production
– job description
– venue
– rehearsal period
– number of performances

What qualification does the programme provide?

The programme provides eligibility to work as a dance teacher in the diverse fields of performing arts and the related teaching positions, such as basic education in the arts, non-formal adult education, comprehensive schools, vocational education and training, and various artistic and communal contexts and projects. Persons who have a bachelor’s degree in the field of dance or who have earned at least 60 credits in dance studies at a higher education before embarking on the master’s programme will gain qualification to work as a teacher in a wide range of positions.

Assessment of eligibility

Your eligibility to apply will be assessed on the basis of your application, certificates and other reports. If your application and the supporting documents meet the minimum requirements, your application will proceed to an academic evaluation. You will be notified of the results of your eligibility check by email no later than week 9.

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 9 July 2026, 15:00 (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

Uniarts Helsinki may require a student admitted to pursue a master’s degree to complete supplementary studies in addition 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 ECTS 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 requirement

The degree languages of the Master’s Programme in Dance Pedagogy are Finnish or English. The languages of instruction are 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 28 January 2026, 15:00 (Finnish time). Attach a degree certificate or a language test certificate to the application form submitted via Studyinfo. Name your file: lastname_firstname_document, such as: lastname_firstname_toefl

If you demonstrate your language proficiency with a language test but you do not receive your language test certificate by 28 January 2026 at 15:00 (Finnish time), we will also accept written preliminary test scores notification of the approved test result, if one is available. The preliminary test result must also be uploaded to the application form on 28 January 2026 by 15:00 (Finnish time).

See here the ways you can demonstrate your proficiency in english

Study languages and the language of the degree in Theatre Academy

Application fee for non-EU and non-EEA citizens

Applicants who are citizens of countries outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland are required to pay an application fee in order to apply to higher education studies.

If you are from outside the aforementioned area and you are applying to Bachelor’s or Master’s level studies in Finland, you will need to pay the application fee.

The application fee is 100 euros. The application fee is collected by the Finnish National Agency for Education.

Paying the application fee guarantees that your application will be processed in a manner described in this admission guide. The application fee does not guarantee that you will be offered admission to studies.

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. The tuition fee for students starting their studies on 1st August 2026 or later is €28,000.

In the 2026 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 Dance Pedagogy
Master’s Degree Programme in Theatre Pedagogy
Master’s Studies in Directing

The tuition fee is to be paid no later than 9 July 2026 at 15:00. (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

– artistic, investigative and critical thinking skills in relation to your field of art
– the ability for independent and interactive work with your body, expression and observation
– communication, self-reflection and interaction skills
– suitability and motivation for the field and higher education studies at the master’s level
– openness to professional development 

The aforementioned areas are assessed through preliminary assignments, assignments during entrance examinations and an interview. 

Advance assignments

The assignments are not specified or explained further. Based on advance assignments select applicants will be invited to the entrance examination. The assignments may be completed in Finnish, Swedish or English. Spacing 1.5, font size 12. Please mark your name on each advance assignment. Submit all text files in pdf format.

1. Resume (CV)

Include a resume that demonstrates your artistic, pedagogical or other merits and experiences relevant to applying for the Master’s Degree Programme in Dance Pedagogy.

Name the file: lastname_firstname_resume

Assessment criteria:
– suitability and motivation for the field and higher education studies at the master’s level
– artistic, investigative and critical thinking skills in relation to your field of art

2. Video assignment

Part 1:
Choose a place in an environment that interests you. Settle down in the place. Make bodily observations of the materiality, movements, atmosphere, rhythms and interrelations in the environment.
Produce movement material lasting for approximately one minute based on your bodily observations. Perform and record your movement material.

Part 2:
Based on your observations and movement material, produce a duet lasting for approximately two minutes in which you move in relation to another person or an element in the environment. Perform and record the duet. Give your artwork a title.
Include a written reflection (approximately 500 words) about the process. For example, you may explain why you selected the location, what kinds of observations you made and how the choices related to recording affected the process.

Do not edit or manipulate the video. Stay within the set time limit. Record in a way that shows all your actions. You may use any camera (e.g., phone, camcorder, built-in webcam). The image quality will not be relevant in the evaluation of the preliminary assignment, but good quality makes the selection panel’s work easier. Recommended video format: MP4.

Name the file: lastname_firstname_video

Assessment criteria:
– artistic, investigative and critical thinking skills in relation to your field of art
– the ability for independent and interactive work with your body, expression and observation
– communication, self-reflection and interaction skills

3. Cover letter

Familiarise yourself with the Master’s Degree Programme in Dance Pedagogy in the study guide.

Reflect on your motivation to apply for the programme in relation to the description of the programme, the study modules and the learning outcomes. You may use these questions:

Which teaching contents are the most familiar to you, which are more unfamiliar, what would you like to learn in the programme? Where do you already have some experience, and which areas of the programme do you find challenging or new?
As what kind of art pedagogy professional do you see yourself in the future, and in what kind of position? How does the current curriculum resonate with your goals?
What kind of student do you consider yourself?

Write a cover letter of max. 1,000 words about your reflections.

Name the file: lastname_firstname_coverletter

Assessment criteria:
– suitability and motivation for the field and higher education studies at the master’s level
– communication, self-reflection and interaction skills
– openness to professional development 

How to apply

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

1. Fill in and submit an online application form in Studyinfo: The first joint application to higher education, Spring 2026

The application period starts on 7 January 2026. The application period ends on 21 January 2026 at 15:00 (Finnish time). Fill in and send the application form In the Studyinfo portal before the application period ends.

Once 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. From the link you can add attachments to your application.

2. Submit advance assignments and appendices

Submit advance assignments and appendices via Studyinfo portal by 28 January 2026 at 15:00 (Finnish time).

Advance assignments
Documents demonstrating your educational background required for eligibility verification
Demonstration of language proficiency
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.

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 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.

Studyinfo supports the most common standardized image, audio, video, document and text files. Especially in media files (video, audio), attention should be paid to the fact that the file format is recorded according to the standard. The extension of an attachment may change when uploaded to the form to match the actual format of the file.

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 – all text files are to be delivered in pdf format
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 you want to share a link that leads to a system outside of the Studyinfo portal (e.g. Youtube or Vimeo) 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. The link must be shared 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. Make sure that the link works throughout the entire admissions round.

The link must be an original url, 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.

The applicant must ensure that the privacy settings of the videos allow the Selection Committee to access the video directly via the link. 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.

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.

Any problems?

If you encounter problems, please contact teak.admissions@uniarts.fi.

Student selections

You will be notified of the results of your eligibility check by email no later than week 9. Applicants found eligible/ ineligible will be informed of that decision via e-mail.

Invitations to phase 2 will be sent 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.

Phase 1

Submitting the application form, advance assignments and appendices in Studyinfo portal.

Phase 2

10 April – 11 April 2026  

The second phase of the entrance examination is organised remotely using a video conferencing application. Instructions for participating in the entrance examination and joining a remote meeting are provided in the invitation to the entrance examination.

Work will be carried out between 8:00 and 18:00 on the entrance examination days. The applicant will take part in the entrance examination within this timeframe, but the examination will not take the entire day. A more detailed schedule for each applicant will be announced before the entrance examination, and it may be further specified during the entrance examination.

Be prepared to attend the entrance examination on the days and times reserved for the entrance examination. You cannot be selected if you do not participate in the entrance examination. To participate, you need an Internet connection and a video connection.

Preselection is possible.

The selection includes individual and group assignments and an interview. Additional tasks requiring preparation may be assigned during the entrance examination.

The entrance examination will be performed in Finnish or English. If applicants for English studies have been invited to the entrance examination, the language of the group assignments will be Finnish and English.

More information about entrance examinations and assessment

Individual arrangements in the entrance examination

If you require individual arrangements in the entrance examination because of a sensory or physical disability, illness or other corresponding reason, you must apply for individual arrangements by filling in a separate application form.

Read the instructions on how to apply for individual arrangements in the entrance examination

Announcement of results

The Theatre Academy will publish the entrance examination results on 6 and 27 May 2026. 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 6 May, 9:00 (Finnish time):

Degree Programme in Writing
Master’s Studies in Acting (in Swedish)
Master’s Studies in Directing
Master’s Studies in Dramaturgy and Playwriting
Master’s Studies in Lighting Design
Master’s Degree Programme in Dance Pedagogy
Master’s Degree Programme in Musical Theatre
Master’s Degree Programme in Theatre Pedagogy

Results will be published on 27 May, 9:00 (Finnish time):

Degree Programme in Acting (in Finnish)
Degree Programme in Acting (in Swedish)
Degree Programme in Dance
Degree Programme in Directing
Degree Programme in Dramaturgy and Playwriting
Degree Programme in Lighting Design
Degree Programme in Scenography
Degree Programme in Sound 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 9 July 2026, 15:00 (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. 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 9 July 2026 at 15:00 (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 2026 will begin their studies in August 2026.

Help and advice

Do you have a question about applying?

You can contact us via email.

Email: teak.admissions@uniarts.fi

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