How to apply for exchange studies at the Sibelius Academy

Published 9.1.2020 | Updated 11.11.2025

Who can apply?

We accept exchange student applications from all Erasmus+ programme eligible institutions. Students from institutions that have a Bilateral Exchange Agreement with the Sibelius Academy can also apply. Please contact your home institution’s international office to find out whether you can apply for an exchange study period at the Sibelius Academy.

Application schedule and academic year dates

Application schedule

The application period for the 2026-2027 academic year will run from 15 January to 1 March 2026.

We have only one application round each year for the following academic periods: autumn term, spring term or full academic year.

Academic calendar 2026 – 2027 (to be confirmed)

• Autumn term 17 August – 18 December 2026
• Spring term 7 January – 31 May 2027

General conditions

The applicant has to be a higher education student at an Erasmus+ programme eligible institution, or a student at an institution that has a Bilateral Exchange Agreement with the Sibelius Academy.

Exchange students can apply to the Sibelius Academy either for the autumn term, spring term or the full academic year. Please note that if you have been accepted only for the autumn term, the possibility to extend the exchange period for the spring term is not guaranteed. That is why we advise anyone who wants to stay for the full academic year to apply for the entire period already during the original the application process.

You can apply to the Sibelius Academy only according to the above-mentioned academic year schedule, not according to the academic year schedule of your home institution.

The maximum duration of exchange studies at the Sibelius Academy is two academic terms within one study cycle (bachelor/master/doctoral).

Exceptions:

• The Music Education Department accepts exchange students for the full academic year only.
• Arts Management, Society, and Creative Entrepreneurship Department: no applications are accepted for 2025-2026.
• Orchestral conducting: at the moment no applications are accepted, only reciprocal student exchanges can be arranged in limited situations. However, exchange applications for choral conducting and wind orchestra conducting are welcome.

Language requirements

The Sibelius Academy does not have exact requirements for exchange students’ language skills. However, we expect CEFR level B2 on language proficiency in English (or Finnish / Swedish). You can use the CEFR self-assesment grid to evaluate your level of proficiency in English.

Application guidelines

All applications have to be submitted through the EASY Mobility Online by the deadline, which is 5 March (midnight Finnish time UTC+2). Please don’t wait until the last minutes to start your application: there are steps that you need to follow to be able to confirm the final submission.

• On the starting page, click on Become an applicant and continue to choosing the country and name of your home institution.
• Next, choose your destination: Country = Finland; Institution = University of the Arts Helsinki; Faculty: Sibelius Academy.
• After submitting the registration form, you will receive an email with a link to get access to your application workflow where you will complete the rest of the application.
• You need to answer all questions and add documents, study plan and media file links, and confirm final submission by the deadline.

We will not accept any applications submitted after the deadline.

Required documents

Before you start your online application, please prepare the following documents:

• Letter of motivation
• Transcript of records and/or a certificate of previous studies

Audition videos or portfolio

Depending on your field of study, you will need to submit specific audition videos or a portfolio:

Classical Music Performance, Jazz, Folk Music, Global Music, Music Education

• Video Recording: Submit 2-3 video recordings of your playing or singing in contrasting styles. The total length should not exceed 20 minutes.
• Submission: Add the video links (YouTube, Vimeo, or Dropbox) to your application in Mobility Online.
• Note: You can add up to 4 individual video links.

Conducting

• Video Recording: Submit 2-3 video recordings of your conducting and playing or singing in contrasting styles. The total length should not exceed 20 minutes.
• Submission: Add the video links (YouTube, Vimeo, or Dropbox) to your application in Mobility Online.
• Note: You can add up to 4 individual video links to your application.

Composition

• Scores: Submit the score of one or two works showing your technical and compositional skills.
• Submission: Upload the scores online (e.g., Dropbox) and add the links to your application in Mobility Online.
• Interview: Be prepared for an online interview.
• Note: You can add up to 4 individual video links to your application.

Music Theory

• Portfolio: Submit a portfolio documenting your music theory work (e.g., analysis exercises). You can also attach a video of yourself playing or singing, but this is optional.
• Submission: Upload your works or portfolio online (e.g., Dropbox) and add the links to your application in Mobility Online.
• Note: You can add up to 4 individual links to your application.
• Interview: Be prepared for an online interview.

Music Technology

• Portfolio: Include a portfolio of your previous works in your application.
• Submission: Upload the works or portfolio online (e.g., Dropbox, Soundcloud) and add the links to your application in Mobility Online.
• Note: You can add up to 4 individual links to your application.

Arts Management, Society, and Creative Entrepreneurship

(Note: No applications for 2025-2026)

• Portfolio: Include a portfolio of your previous works in your application.
• Submission: Upload the portfolio online (e.g., Dropbox) and add the link to your application in Mobility Online.
• Note: You can add up to 4 individual links to your application.
• Interview: Be prepared for an online interview.

You must include a study plan in the application

You must fill in a study plan as part of your application in Easy Mobility Online. You can find guidelines for compiling the plan via the link below. We will not accept applications with an empty study plan.

Please note:

• We cannot guarantee 25-30 ECTS per academic term.
• You may only have one main subject during your exchange period.
• If you want to have a second instrument, you must state it in the study plan – however, we cannot guarantee a second instrument.
• We will not consider applications with an empty study plan.

Evaluation and final decisions

Fully completed applications submitted through the online application system by the deadline will be sent for evaluation to the department in question. The head of the department makes the final decision based on the quality of the application and the availability of study places and suitable teachers.

We evaluate the applications in March–April. We will notify both the applicant and the coordinator of the sending institution about the result of the selection procedure in April–May. Accepted students will receive the decision and the letter of acceptance through the Easy Mobility Online application system. The students who are placed on a waiting list and the students that are not selected will also be notified through Easy Mobility Online.

Contact

If you have questions about the application process, please send an email to siba.international@uniarts.fi.