Apply to the Nordic Master in Folk Music (NoFo) programme
First joint application to higher education, spring 2026. Admissions schedule, required certificates and advance assignments as well as information about participating in the entrance examinations.
Admissions schedule
NOTE! The next application period for this programme is scheduled for 2028. The admissions guide will be updated on this page in October-November 2027. The admissions requirements underneath are for the year 2026 and are no longer valid.
Language requirements
The language of instruction in the Nordic Master in Folk Music (NoFo) programme is English. You must demonstrate your language proficiency in English by the given deadline.
Nordic Master in Folk Music (NoFo) entrance examinations
Advance assignments
Submit the following advance assignments to the Sibelius Academy via the Studyinfo portal no later than on 28 January 2026 at 15:00 EET (Finnish time):
1) Motivation essay (max. three A4 pages, you may title the essay as you wish), including the following details:
- Your musical background, your education, and your relationship to folk music
- Your experience of making music in an ensemble or other musical communication, if any
- Your other activities related to folk music (e.g. teaching, research, organising, volunteering or other communal activities)
- Why you are applying to study in Nordic Master in Folk Music degree programme
Name your document in the following way: lastname_firstname_motivation.
2) Instrument or voice audition (video recording)
On the video recording, you are to perform a freely selected programme (max. duration 15 minutes).
- You must demonstrate a command of instrument or voice skills and a familiarity with Nordic folk music performance practices.
- The repertoire may consist of traditional or new folk music, folk music material composed by yourself, and improvisation.
- The programme must include a segment that demonstrates your familiarity with Finnish traditional folk music.
- In addition to performing on your main instrument, you may include a sample of your secondary instrument and voice performance.
- The material must include information about the musical source (e.g. composer and arranger).
The programme must be performed without sheet music and a minimum of 2/3 of the programme must be performed without accompaniment.
The video recording should not be edited or cut. You must play the whole repertoire in one single take. If your video exceeds the 1 GB maximum, you may divide a single-take video into segments. Name your video recording in the following way: lastname_firstname_audition. If there is more than one file, please add a sequence number to the end of each recording (_1, _2, etc.).
You must play facing the camera so that your hands are visible at all times. The video must not be shot from too far away. You must be seen in the video all the way from the head to the knees.
Editing and processing of the sound or image of the video recording is strictly prohibited and will result in the rejection of the entrance examination. For more detailed information, see the instructions for electronic entrance examination assignments.
Based on the scores given for the advance assignments, selected applicants will be invited to the entrance examination. Information on the results of the advance assignments will be sent via e-mail.
Entrance examination
The entrance examination will be held on site at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki on Monday 16 March 2026. The exact schedules will be announced at latest in the invitation to the entrance examination.
The entrance examination consists of the following sub-tests:
1) Instrument or voice audition, and interview
You are to perform a freely selected programme (max. duration 15 minutes).
- The most important part of the entrance examination is the freely selected programme, displaying your artistry and musical skills.
- The programme must demonstrate an acceptable mastery of your instrument(s) or voice, as well as a thorough knowledge of folk music interpretation in performance.
- The repertoire may consist of traditional or new folk music, folk music material composed by yourself, and improvisation.
- The programme must include a segment that demonstrates your familiarity with Finnish traditional folk music.
The programme must be performed without sheet music and a minimum of 2/3 of the programme must be performed without an accompaniment.
A short interview in English is included in the examination.
2) Sight reading, aural skills, and accompaniment in ensemble playing
In the sight-reading (prima vista) test you will play/sing a tune from the Nordic folk music traditions. You will receive the tune form the Entrance Examination Board shortly before the test.
In the aural skills (picking up tunes, rhythms and/or songs by ear) test you will play/sing a tune that you have not heard before. You will hear the tune several times, then you play it on your instrument.
In the accompaniment test your task is to improvise a harmony or an accompaniment to a tune that is presented to you at the test.
Entrance examination assessment
Applicants’ performance in the entrance examinations is assessed by Entrance Examination Boards appointed specifically for each programme.
Based on your entrance examination performance, the Entrance Examination Board evaluates your knowledge, skills, and capabilities, as well as your ability to complete the degree studies within the programme’s normative duration. The assessment takes into account how your previous education and experience are reflected in your competence, and compares your competence to the objectives set in the curriculum.
When assessing your educability, it is also considered that the new degree must provide you with a sufficient amount of additional competence. Degree programmes at Sibelius Academy are primarily intended for applicants who have not previously completed a Finnish higher education degree of the same level.
If you have not previously completed a Finnish higher education degree at the same level as the degree programme you are applying for, you will be awarded an additional 5% of the maximum points for the programme, which will be added to final points on your entrance examination. Your right to be awarded additional points will be verified in the final admissions phase, and the points will be added to the final total score before the admissions decision. When awarding additional points, any degrees completed by or prior to the end of the application period will be taken into account.
However, a previously completed higher education degree of the same level does not prevent applicants from applying to the degree programme.
Assessment criteria for Nordic Master in Folk Music programme
In addition to the general assessment criteria, Nordic Master in Folk Music programme has its own programme-specific admissions criteria:
In the advance assignments, the Entrance Examination Board will assess, based on your performances, your instrumental skills, understanding of the aesthetics of folk music and stylistic features of the performed repertoire, artistic vision, and interpretation within the folk music context.
In the entrance examination, the Entrance Examination Board will assess your technical and expressive skills, musical communication and perception skills, and knowledge of folk music. Also, your suitability for education and a career in music based on the entrance examination is considered.
Scoring of the entrance examination
All parts of the examination will be graded on a scale of 0 to 25 points.
In the final score, the parts of the entrance examination are weighted as follows:
- Instrument or voice audition 75 % (only your performance in the entrance examination stage is considered, the audition in the advance assignment stage does not affect your score)
- Interview and motivation essay 10 %
- Accompaniment in ensemble playing 5 %
- Aural skills 5 %
- Sight reading 5 %
Questions or comments?
You can contact us via e-mail at siba.admissions@uniarts.fi.
Please note that in principle we do not explain the entrance examination assignments. The instructions are in the admissions guide.
If you have any questions regarding student life at the Sibelius Academy or in Helsinki, you can contact our Student Ambassadors at siba.student.ambassadors@uniarts.fi.
The Sibelius Academy Admissions Chat
What is it like to study at the Sibelius Academy and live in Helsinki? How do you apply to the Sibelius Academy? We answered these questions among others in our Admissions Chat broadcast in November 2025. The recording of the event is available on Sibelius Academy’s Instagram account: Admissions Chat (@sibeliusacademy)