Folk Music, admissions guide to the 5.5-year education (combined bachelor and master)
First joint application to higher education, spring 2027. Admissions schedule, required certificates and advance assignments as well as information about participating in the entrance examinations. This admissions guide applies to the programme that begins at the bachelor’s level.
Degree programme information
This admissions guide applies to the programme that begins at the bachelor’s level.
- Name of the programme in the Studyinfo portal: Folk Music, Bachelor and Master of Music (3 yr + 2.5 yr)
- Target degree and duration of studies: Bachelor of Music (BMus) and Master of Music (MMus), 5.5 years
- Languages of instruction and degree: Finnish, Swedish, English
- Tuition fees: €28,000 per academic year for non-EU and non-EEA students who study in English
- Academy unit: Sibelius Academy
In folk music, your main instrument can be kantele, violin, a wind instrument, accordion, mandolin, guitar, harmonica, double bass, percussion, voice, a keyboard instrument, or some other instrument. Folk music studies can be focused on creative musicianship, pedagogy, and research.
Admissions schedule 2027
Submitting your application and required attachments
- Application period starts on 7 January 2027 at 8:00 and ends on 21 January 2027 at 15:00 EET (Finnish time)
- Fill in and send your application in Studyinfo portal
- Submit the required supporting documents in the Studyinfo portal no later than on 28 January 2027 at 15:00 EET (Finnish time)
- Deliver the required certificates of your prior education
- Deliver the certificate demonstrating your language skills
- Deliver any required advance assignments
- Deliver your proof of identity
- You will be notified of your eligibility to apply by email no later than 5 March 2027
Entrance examinations
- Submit the first-stage entrance examination assignments via Studyinfo portal no later than 31 March 2027 at 15:00 EEST (Finnish time)
- The second stage will be held on site at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki between 17 and 19 May 2027
Admissions results and accepting the offered study place
- Admissions results are published 31 May 2027
- Confirm your study place no later than on 13 July 2027 at 15:00 EEST (Finnish time)
- Officially accept your study place
- Register for the academic year
- If you’re admitted conditionally, deliver the required degree certificate
- If you are are required to pay tuition fees, pay your tuition fee
- New students start their studies with an orientation period in August 2027
Who can apply?
The right to complete a degree at Uniarts Helsinki can be obtained only by participating in an entrance examination process. Students are admitted to the Sibelius Academy based on their performance in the entrance examination. Certificate-based admissions or quotas for first-time applicants are not used.
You are eligible to apply if you meet the degree programme’s educational requirements and have sufficient language skills.
The Sibelius Academy will verify each applicant’s eligibility before the entrance examination.
Required educational background
You are eligible to apply for education leading to both a Bachelor and a Master of Music degree (3 + 2.5 years) if you have completed at least one of the following:
- The Finnish Matriculation Examination
- An International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma
- A European Baccalaureate (EB) diploma at a European School
- A Reifeprüfung or Deutsche Internationale Abitur diploma
- A Finnish vocational upper secondary qualification, a further vocational qualification, or a specialist vocational qualification defined under the Act on Vocational Education and Training (531/2017)
- A foreign degree or qualification that makes you eligible for corresponding higher education in the awarding country
- A Cambridge Advanced International Certificate (AICE)
- A degree at a Finnish higher education institution or a degree abroad corresponding to at least a bachelor’s degree.
You may also apply for admission if you have been granted the right to complete a degree at a higher education institution (university or university of applied sciences) in Finland or abroad.
Your educability is also taken into consideration in the admissions process and assessment. The new degree must provide you with sufficient new competence. Bachelor’s programmes are intended for applicants who do not already hold a bachelor’s degree in the field in question. If you already have a degree of the equivalent level, we primarily encourage you to apply directly to a master’s programme.
Your eligibility if you graduate after the application deadline
Candidates for the Finnish Matriculation Examination and other applicants who receive their degree certificate in the spring after the application deadline are deemed conditionally eligible to apply. The decision on your admittance is conditional until you submit a certificate of your completed degree or other studies required for eligibility. Submit the certificate to the Sibelius Academy no later than on 13 July 2027 at 15:00 EEST (Finnish time). If you fail to submit the certificate by the given deadline, the study place offered to you will be cancelled.
The Sibelius Academy may, at its discretion, also accept a temporary certificate issued by the educational institution if it indicates that you have completed all studies required for the degree and will without a doubt receive the official degree certificate later.
Language requirements
The language of instruction and degree in the programme is Finnish, Swedish, and English. You must demonstrate your language skills in one of the above-mentioned languages by the given deadline. However, most of the group instruction at the Sibelius Academy is taught in Finnish or English.
You must demonstrate your language skills in accordance with Language skills requirement A. Uniarts Helsinki’s language requirements and accepted methods of demonstrating your language skills can be found here:
- Note! You may demonstrate your skills in Swedish by providing proof of having completed your qualification that gives eligibility for higher education in any of the Scandinavian languages (Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, or Faroese).
Submit a certificate demonstrating your language skills to the Sibelius Academy no later than 28 January 2027 at 15:00 EET (Finnish time). For more information, please see the section “Required attachments” in this admissions guide.
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.
Other exceptions to eligibility
You cannot apply for both the 5.5-year and the 2.5-year programmes in the same main subject or main instrument in the same year. However, if you do submit applications to both, the Sibelius Academy will:
- consider the application for the 2.5-year programme if you are eligible for it; or
- consider the application for the 5.5-year programme if you are not eligible for the 2.5-year programme.
If you have completed a higher education degree at the Sibelius Academy, you cannot reapply to study the same main subject (or, in the case of Classical Music Performance, the same main instrument) from which you graduated.
Student admissions to the bachelor’s and master’s programmes are intended for applicants who do not have a valid right to study at Uniarts Helsinki at the time the new study right begins. Separate instructions are available for applying for a change of study right. More information on applying for a change of study right can be found here.
Submitting your application and required attachments
Electronic application form in the Studyinfo portal
Complete the electronic application form during the spring’s 2027 first joint application period, between 7 and 21 January 2027 by 15:00 EET (Finnish time), in the Studyinfo portal. Please note that you do not need to register in the Studyinfo portal before filling in the application form. More information on how to fill in the application form can be found here.
You may only submit one application form during the application period. If you submit multiple applications, only the most recent one will be considered, and all previous applications will be cancelled. The Sibelius Academy will not notify you of cancelled applications.
Application fee
Applicants from 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 are applying for a bachelor’s or master’s degree programme in Finland, you must pay the application fee.
The application fee is 100 euros, and it is collected by the Finnish National Agency for Education.
Paying the application fee ensures that your application will be processed as described in this admission guide. However, paying the fee does not guarantee admissions to studies.
More information on the application fee can be found here.
Required attachments
If your certificates are in a language other than Finnish, Swedish, or English, you must also include an official translation in one of these languages. Accepted translations include those made by an authorised translator or an official certificate attachment issued by the institution (such as a Diploma Supplement). Self-made or other unofficial translations will not be accepted.
If you are a refugee applicant or in a position comparable to a refugee and are unable to provide documentary evidence of your qualifications, you may still be deemed eligible to apply. More information can be found on our website here.
Submit the following supporting documents to the Sibelius Academy via the Studyinfo portal as PDF files no later than 28 January 2027 at 15:00 EET (Finnish time):
1) Degree certificate
Attach a copy of your degree certificate to your application. If your degree will be awarded only after the application period has ended, it is sufficient to submit a copy of your degree certificate to the Sibelius Academy as soon as possible, but no later than 13 July 2027 at 15:00 EEST (Finnish time).
The degree certificate must be officially signed and/or stamped by the educational institution. Electronic signatures must be verifiable beyond doubt.
Note! You do not need to submit a copy of your degree certificate if:
- You have completed the Finnish matriculation examination in 1990 or later; or
- You have completed a Finnish vocational upper secondary qualification in 2017 or later; or
- You have completed a Finnish further vocational qualification or specialist vocational qualification in 2018 or later; or
- You are a candidate for the Finnish Matriculation Examination in spring 2027.
In the above cases, your information will be retrieved from the electronic qualification register. If necessary, the Sibelius Academy will contact you by email for additional information.
In case of a foreign degree, the Sibelius Academy may request further clarification regarding the status of the degree within the education system of the awarding country.
2) Transcript of records from your prior education
If you are applying to a 2.5-year or a 2-year master’s programme at the Sibelius Academy, attach a copy of your transcript of records or another official list of the courses included in your degree to your application.
The transcript of records must be officially signed and/or stamped by the educational institution. Electronic signatures must be verifiable beyond doubt.
3) Certificate demonstrating language skills
Attach a certificate of your language skills in the language in which you are applying to study to your application.
- If you demonstrate your language skills with your prior studies, submit a copy of your degree certificate and its attachments (e.g. Diploma Supplement), or another official document accepted under the language requirements that proves your language proficiency. The degree certificate or its attachments must clearly indicate the language in which the degree was completed.
If you have not yet completed the degree and you cannot demonstrate your language skills with another prior degree, you will be considered conditionally eligible. In this case, you must submit to the Sibelius Academy, by the given deadline, a certificate of enrolment/studies for the degree in question together with an estimated graduation date. The degree used to demonstrate your language skills must be completed no later than 13 July 2027 at 15:00 EEST (Finnish time) in order to be considered in the spring 2027 admissions. Please submit the final degree certificate to the Sibelius Academy as soon as possible, but no later than the above-mentioned deadline. - If you cannot demonstrate your language skills with your prior studies, you must submit a language test result that meets the Sibelius Academy’s language requirements. Submit the test result that meets the language requirements to the Sibelius Academy no later than 28 January 2027 at 15:00 EET (Finnish time).
4) Official proof of identity
Attach a copy of your passport, EU identity card, or Finnish driving license to your application. This document will be used to verify your identity in the parts of the entrance examination conducted remotely or via video recordings.
5) A document exempting you from tuition fees
If you are applying to study in English, you will be considered liable to pay the tuition fee until you submit a document exempting you from the fee to the Sibelius Academy. More information on tuition fees can be found on our website here.
Individual arrangements in the entrance examination
If you require special 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.
Submit your application for individual arrangements to the Sibelius Academy no later than 28 January 2027 at 15:00 EET (Finnish time). More information on individual arrangements can be found here.
Advance assignments
Applicants for this programme are not required to complete advance assignments. All applicants who have submitted their applications by the deadline and who have been found to be eligible will be invited to the entrance examination.
Invitation to the examination and taking part in the entrance examinations
You may be invited to the entrance examinations if:
- You have submitted your electronic application and the required attachments to the Studyinfo portal by the given deadline; and
- the Sibelius Academy has deemed you eligible to apply based on the documents you have submitted.
Your eligibility will be assessed based on your application, certificates, possible advance assignments, and other submitted documentation. If your application and its required attachments meet the minimum requirements, it will proceed to academic evaluation.
The implementation of the entrance examinations for each programme is described in the programme-specific admissions guide. Entrance examination schedules for different programmes may overlap. If you have applied to multiple programmes, you will need to choose which examination to attend in such cases.
The entrance examination may consist of several stages, each of which may include multiple sub-tests. If you do not submit all the required entrance examination assignments, fail to successfully complete all compulsory sub-tests included in the examination, or your entrance examination assignments or performances do not meet the requirements, you cannot be admitted as a student.
The Sibelius Academy will send you instructions for participating in the entrance examinations along with the entrance examination invitation. Exact times for individual entrance examinations will be confirmed no later than the morning of the examination day. Individual examination times can only be changed for compelling reasons beyond the applicant’s control. Such reasons include the Finnish matriculation examination (or an equivalent event), as well as accidents or sudden illness (a medical certificate is required). In these cases, rescheduling is only possible within the working timetable of the Entrance Examination Board.
The entrance examination is a closed event attended by you, the Entrance Examination Board, and designated assistants (such as an accompanist, a rehearsal choir, a board assistant, or your own assistant). Entrance examination performances may not be recorded.
If you wish to cancel your participation in the entrance examination, please notify the Sibelius Academy Admissions Office by email as soon as possible.
Folk Music entrance examination
The entrance examination consists of two stages. The first stage is a video audition and the second stage is held on site at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki.
First stage
The first stage of the entrance examination will be carried out remotely and includes the following sub-tests:
- Instrument and voice audition, and repertoire presentation
- Ensemble audition
Submit the following entrance examination assignments to the Sibelius Academy via the Studyinfo portal no later than on 31 March 2027 at 15:00 EEST (Finnish time):
1) Instrument and voice audition, and repertoire presentation
Submit a video recording for assessment. You are responsible for the production of the video recording.
Programme for the instrument and voice audition:
- A programme lasting no more than 10 minutes on your main instrument
- The programme must demonstrate a command of instrument or voice skills and a familiarity with folk music performance practices
- The programme may consist of traditional or new folk music, folk music material composed by yourself, and improvisation
- The overall submission should show your interest and motivation in folk music traditions in Finland and the surrounding regions. You can also demonstrate your command of other folk music traditions that are important to you.
- In addition to performing on your main instrument, you may include a secondary instrument and voice segment in your performance (optional)
- When presenting the repertoire, explain how you came about choosing it
- Present the pieces you will be playing/singing, where they are from and how/from whom/where you learned them
- Explain how you have worked with this repertoire
- Briefly explain why you chose precisely these pieces for the audition
The programme must be performed from memory and without an accompanist (although you may accompany yourself if you wish). Bass and percussion players may have an assisting musician for part of the programme.
The video recording must not be edited. An individual piece must be recorded as a continuous and unedited take. However, not all pieces need to be recorded in the same session. Individual pieces may be submitted as separate video files via the Studyinfo system; you do not need to edit your entire audition into a single video file. Name your video recording in the following way: lastname_firstname_audition. If you have multiple files, add the name of the piece to the filename.
Play facing the camera so that your face and hands are visible all the time. The video must not be shot from too far away.
2) Ensemble audition
Make a video recording where you play and/or sing together with an audio track. The audio track/s will be sent to you no later than 3 weeks before the submission date. You can play the audio track in the background from a stereo or separate speaker and play along. During the performance, think about your role between an accompanist and a soloist: you can play a melody in unison, a harmony to the melody, chords, improvise, etc.
When singing you can use any text that falls into the sleigh song metre. You can also sing without lyrics. This audition tests your ensemble skills, the lyrics are not of key importance.
Name your video recording in the following way: lastname_firstname_ensemble.
Check the sound quality of the video and pay particular attention to making sure your background recording plays simultaneously and in balance with your own instrumental performance. Tuning: A = 442 Hz.
The video recording must not be edited.
Play and/or sing facing the camera so that your face and hands are visible all the time. The video must not be shot from too far away. You must be visible in the frame from head to knees.
Based on the scores given for the first stage, the Entrance Examination Board will invite a maximum of 15 applicants to the second stage of the entrance examination. Information on the results of the first stage will be sent by e-mail.
Second stage
The second stage of the entrance examination will be held on site at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki between 17 and 19 May 2027. It consists of the following sub-tests:
- Instrument and voice audition, and interview
- Test on structural awareness of music
- Teamwork test
- Motivation essay
1) Instrument and voice audition, and interview
In the instrument and voice audition of the second stage, you are to perform a programme with a max. duration of 15 minutes.
- The programme must demonstrate a command of instrument or voice skills and a familiarity with folk music performance practices
- The programme may consist of traditional or new folk music, folk music material composed by yourself, and improvisation
- The overall submission should show your interest and motivation in folk music traditions in Finland and the surrounding regions. You can also demonstrate your command of other folk music traditions that are important to you.
- The programme in the second stage should be different from the first stage
- In addition to performing on your main instrument, you must include a voice performance if you are an instrumentalist and an instrument performance if you are a singer. You may include other secondary instrument segments in the performance, too.
The programme must be performed from memory and without an accompanist (you may accompany yourself). Bass and percussion players may have an assisting musician for part of the programme.
The Entrance Examination Board will interview the applicants in connection with the audition.
2) Test on structural awareness of music
The test includes transcription assignments, a prima vista assignment and rhythm and melody repetition assignments. The test also includes learning a melody by ear on your main instrument.
3) Teamwork test
Detailed instructions on the task will be given at the test. You will need to bring your own instrument to the test.
4) Motivation essay
Prepare to answer the following questions in writing:
- Why do you want to become a folk music professional?
- How do you want to influence the future of folk music?
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 or higher level.
If you have not previously completed a Finnish higher education degree at the same or higher 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 or higher level does not prevent applicants from applying to the degree programme.
Assessment criteria for Folk Music
In addition, in the entrance examination for folk music, the Entrance Examination Board will assess your skills, knowledge, and capabilities to act as wide-ranging experts of folk music. Areas to be assessed include:
- Skills and technical command of instrument(s) or song (including improvisation skills)
- Knowledge of folk music: performance methods, history, improvisation, as well as traditional vocal and instrumental styles
- Skills and expression typical of folk music (ability to play based on hearing, typical phrasing and rhythm)
- Ensemble playing and cooperation skills, such as the ability to work with different people to achieve a common goal
- Skills in structural awareness of music: musical perception skills, the ability to distinguish pitch and timbre, tonal memory and music theory skills
- Your motivation and ability to express goals and your views of the field and your own actions in relation to the field of folk music and the surrounding world. In assessing written text, the quality of written expression is taken into consideration in addition to the content of the text.
Scoring of the entrance examination
In both stages of the entrance examination, the Entrance Examination Board assesses your performance in each sub-test on a scale of 0-25 points.
In the first stage, the sub-tests will be weighted as follows:
- Instrument and voice audition, and repertoire presentation 60 %
- Ensemble audition 40 %
In the second stage, the sub-tests will be weighted as follows:
- Instrument and voice audition, and interview 60 %
- Test on structural awareness of music 10 %
- Teamwork test 20 %
- Motivation essay 10 %
Your performances in both stages of the entrance examination will be taken into account in the assessment of the second stage. The score for the second stage will remain your final score.
Admissions results
For each degree programme, the Entrance Examination Boards will rank the applicants according to their performance in the entrance examination. The final decision on students admitted to the programmes and those placed on the waiting list is made by the Dean of the Sibelius Academy.
Applicants with the highest scores who meet the admission criteria will be offered a study place. Those ranked next, based on their scores, may be placed on a waiting list should a study place become available later. The waiting lists are either programme-specific or group-specific, if the programme has several groups.
A study place may become available to an applicant on the waiting list only if a selected applicant for the programme (or group) declines the offered study place or a conditionally admitted applicant fails to submit the required certificate by the deadline. If no applicants were placed on the waiting list at the time of the admission decision, it is not possible to place anyone on the waiting list later during the same admission round, even if some admitted applicants do not accept their study place.
If no applicants meet the admission criteria, some programmes may choose not to admit new students. If a degree programme does not admit any new students, no applicants can be placed on a waiting list.
Announcement of results
Admission results will be published on the Uniarts Helsinki website and will include the names of the applicants who have given the permission in their application to have their names published online. In addition, you can view your situation in the Studyinfo portal.
Admitted applicants and those placed on the waiting list are informed of the results by email on the day the admission results are published. Other applicants will not be notified of the results by email.
Feedback
You may request feedback on your entrance examination performance. The feedback provides you with information on how the evaluation criteria stated in the admission criteria were applied in the assessment of your entrance examination. Instructions for requesting feedback will be published on the Uniarts Helsinki website in connection with the publication of the admission decision.
Rectification procedure
If you believe that the Sibelius Academy has acted contrary to its admission criteria, you can request for rectification to the student admission decision from the Sibelius Academy in writing within 14 days of the publication of the admission results.
The purpose of a written request for rectification is to give you the possibility to request for rectification if there is a reason to believe that there has been an error in the decision-making process. The admission decision can be corrected only if the Sibelius Academy has made an error in the selection procedure and the error justifies the correction of the admission decision.
The rectification procedure is not intended as a means for receiving feedback, asking for further information about the admission or requesting unjustified re-evaluation.
More information on the rectification procedure can be found here.
Accepting the offered study place and starting your studies
You must accept your study place no later than on 13 July 2027 at 15:00 EEST (Finnish time). If the confirmation arrives late, it will not be considered.
Accepting an offer of admission is a binding choice, which cannot be changed or cancelled later on. You can accept only one offer of admission per academic term. More information on how to accept an offer of admission can be found here.
The One Study Right Rule
The One Study Right Rule refers to the legislative amendments that entered into force on 1 August 2026. Under these amendments, a student’s study rights at the same or lower level will be terminated if they accept a new study right leading to a degree. The rule applies only to study rights at Finnish higher education institutions.
This means that if you accept a new study place, you will lose your existing study rights at the same or lower level. When accepting the study place, you are shown which study rights will end as a result. The decision to accept the new study place – and thereby to terminate previous study rights – is binding. The decision cannot be reversed afterwards.
More information on the One Study Right Rule can be found here.
Tuition fees
Uniarts Helsinki charges an annual tuition fee to students who come from countries outside of the EU, EEA, or Switzerland and are studying for a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in a foreign language. At the Sibelius Academy, tuition fees apply to applicants applying to study in English.
More information on tuition fees at Uniarts Helsinki can be found here.
Starting your studies
First-year studies begin in mid-August with an orientation period that is compulsory for all new students. New students are sent more detailed information on the start of their studies attached to their letter of acceptance.
You must register as attending at the Sibelius Academy according to the instructions provided in your letter of acceptance. You can register as absent for the first year of studies only under certain statutory circumstances. Apply for the right to be absent in writing before the end of the registration period. Include documentation supporting your right to be absent with your application. More information on registering as absent for the first year of studies can be found here.
Questions or comments?
You can contact us via Uniarts Help form.
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 University of the Arts Helsinki, at the Sibelius Academy? What’s it like to live in Helsinki, the second northernmost capital in the world? How do you apply to the Sibelius Academy? We will answer these questions among others in our Admissions Chat broadcast on 2 December 2026 at 19:00 EET (Finnish time) on Instagram (@sibeliusacademy).
Please also remember the online webinar about studying in Finland and applying to Finnish higher education. The webinar is held on 10 December 2026 at 14:00 EET (Finnish time) and it is arranged by the Finnish National Agency for Education. For more information, please see Study in Finland website.