How to apply for exchange studies at the Theatre Academy
Find out who can apply and how. The application period for the 2026-2027 academic year will run from 1 to 31 March 2026.
Who can apply?
We accept exchange student applications from our partner institutions. Please contact your home institution’s international office to find out whether you can apply for an exchange study period at the Theatre Academy.
Application schedule and term dates
Application schedule
- The application period for the autumn term 2026 or the academic year 2026-2027 is from 1 March to 31 March 2026
- The application period for the spring term 2027 is from 15 September to 15 October 2026.
Academic calendar 2026-2027 – to be confirmed
- Autumn term 2026, first and last day of teaching: 3 August – 18 December
- Spring term 2027, first and last day of teaching: 7 January – 11 June
We expect you to study according to the above-mentioned term dates. The maximum length of exchange studies at the Theatre Academy is two academic terms.
Nominations
Before applying, students must be nominated by their home university. International coordinators should email teak.international@uniarts.fi to receive the nominations form. Students will receive the link to the application system after the home university has nominated them.
Application guidelines
You need to submit the application in Easy Mobility Online by the deadline. Please don’t wait until the last minute to start your application: there are steps you need to follow to confirm the final submission. Applications sent after the deadline will not be considered. You will receive the link to the application form after your home university has nominated you.
After registering to the application form, you will receive an email with a link to get access to application workflow, where you need to upload the required documents, links to your videos or portfolio, edit your study plan and answer some more questions. Follow the workflow step-by-step, and finally, confirm submission.
In order to have a successful application, you should have some previous studies in the subject you are planning to study at the Theatre Academy.
You should have good competence in the language you are going to study in. We recommend level B2 in the European language framework. For most exchange students, the language of studies is English or Swedish.
In the application, you must specify which study programme at the Theatre Academy you are sending your application to. Once accepted, Theatre Academy exchange students can also take courses from other study programmes and other Uniarts Helsinki academies. We offer a great variety of optional studies in the field of arts that you can select for your learning agreement.
Different study options are presented on the Uniarts Helsinki website and course information is published in our Study Guide. Please note that teaching for the autumn term is confirmed by 15 May and teaching for the spring term by 31 October, which means the information might not be up-to-date during the application period.
Study programmes open for applications
Below you can find information on which study programmes are open for exchange applications during the 2026-2027 academic year. You can read more about all the Theatre Academy study programmes on our website.
- Acting in Finnish
The programme is open for exchange applications only for the 2026 autumn term. The language of tuition is Finnish.
- Acting in Swedish
The programme is open for applications only for 1st year master studies in the autumn term 2026.
- Choreography, master
The programme is open for applications for the autumn term 2026. Exchange students participate in courses with 2nd-year master’s students.
- Dance, bachelor
The programme is open for applications for the autumn term 2026. Exchange students will be enrolled with the 3rd year class.
- Dance pedagogy, master
The programme is open for applications for the academic year 2026-2027.
- Theatre pedagogy, master
The programme is open for applications for the academic year 2026-2027.
- Directing, bachelor and master
The programme is open for applications for the academic year 2026-2027. Note, that the studies offered for exchange students are suitable for 3rd-year bachelor or master students.
- Lighting Design, bachelor and master
The programme is open for applications for the autumn term 2026.
Note that the studies offered to exchange students are suitable for 3rd year bachelor students or master students.
- Sound Design, bachelor and master
The progamme will be open for applications for the spring term 2027. Note that the application period is 15 September – 15 October 2026. Exchange student can select studies from SAMA Sound Art & Sonic Arts , which are offered as optional studies at Uniarts Helsinki, as part of their study plan in sound design.
- Live Art and Performance Studies (LAPS), master
The programme is open for applications for the autumn term 2026. Exchange students participate in courses with 2nd-year master’s students.
- Writing, master
The programme is open for applications for the autumn term 2026. Exchange students participate in courses with 2nd-year master’s students.
- Doctoral Programme of Artistic Research in Performing Arts
The doctoral programme is open for applications for the academic year 2026-2027. Exchange students participate in the seminar weeks that are organised once a month (four weeks per academic term); the rest of the time they are expected to work on their research project and assignments. Most seminars and workshops are organised in cooperation with the other doctoral programmes in Uniarts Helsinki. Instruction is mainly in English.
Required documents and videos
Before filling in the online application, please prepare the following material required for the application. All applications need to include an application letter, CV, a transcript of records and a preliminary study plan. Read carefully the specific requirements for the study programme you are applying to.
Application letter
- Describe why you would like to study specifically in the study programme you have chosen and what expectations and goals you have for the studies at the Theatre Academy.
- If you are applying to more than one study programme, please explain it in your letter.
- Choreography and dance applicants: in the letter, make a connection to your video recording.
- In the application system, the maximum length for the motivational letter is 3500 characters.
Curriculum Vitae
- Maximum 2 pages, in PDF format
- Please name the document in the following way: “Lastname_CV”
- In the CV, describe your previous studies, work experience, projects and other relevant information.
Copy of an official ID
- Scan of your passport or other official ID with a photo
Transcript of records
- An official transcript of records (in English, Finnish or Swedish)
A preliminary study plan
- You will need to make a preliminary study plan in the application system. In the plan, list the study units that you would like to complete during your exchange.
- The course catalogues for the Theatre Academy study programmes are available here: https://opinto-opas.uniarts.fi/en/theatre-academy/13746/e. In some bachelor’s and master’s programmes, some courses listed in the study guide are not available every academic year. On this page, the section “Study programmes open for applications” mentions the year group that exchange students will go to class with.
- The plan is preliminary, it will give us an idea of your interests. There will always be changes to it before your learning agreement is approved.
- In addition to your chosen study programme, you can also apply for courses listed in the catalogues under Uniarts optional studies, Theatre Academy Elective studies and Studies for exchange students.
Scenography / Lighting Design / Sound Design / Live Art and Performance Art: A creative portfolio
- Format: a link to a website or a pdf file
- Name the PDF portfolio in the following way: “Lastname_portfolio”
- The creative portfolio should showcase your own work and interest as a designer / performance artist.
- The maximum size for a portfolio in PDF format is 20 MB. Please pay close attention to the quality and size of the pictures.
Acting / Dance / Choreography / Dance Pedagogy & Theatre Pedagogy: A short video
- Applicants in Dance or Choreography: Insert a link to an online video or upload a video file. The video should show your own work and interest as a choreographer or dancer. In your application letter, discuss the video recording. Maximum duration: 10 minutes.
- Applicants in Dance and Theatre Pedagogy: Insert a link to an online video or upload a video file. Make a video where you tell about your own experience and interest as a theatre/dance pedagogue. Maximum duration: 10 minutes.
- Applicants in Acting: Insert a link to an online video or upload a video file. Make a video where you tell about yourself and explain own experience and interest in acting. Maximum duration: 5 minutes.
Writing: Summary of your artistic project and a text sample
- A short description of your own artistic writing project, maximum 2 pages.
- A text sample, maximum 10 pages.
- Combine these two in one pdf file, and name the document: “Lastname_Artistic project”
- On the application form (Mobility Online), upload the pdf file in the section Portfolio.
Doctoral studies: Summary of your research plan
- Maximum 2 pages, in PDF format
- Please name the document as follows: “Lastname_Research plan”
- Include the background, objectives, methods and main references of your doctoral research project.
- On the application form (Mobility Online), upload the pdf file in the section Portfolio.
Evaluation and final decisions
We will only evaluate applications that have been completed in full and submitted through the online application system within the deadline. The final decision will be based on the quality of the application and on the availability of study places and courses in English. Only a very limited number of exchange students are accepted each term.
The applications for the autumn term and the whole academic year will be evaluated in April–May. We will notify both the applicant and the coordinator of the sending institution about the decision in May. The applications for the spring term will be evaluated in October. We will notify both the applicant and the coordinator of the sending institution of the decision in November.
We request that accepted students confirm their exchange in May / November. Once the student has confirmed the exchange, we will send a letter of acceptance by email.
Short-term mobility periods
We also accept students for short-term mobility periods. These short-term exchanges are usually organised within existing networks such as Norteas or through some other institutional collaboration. Short-term mobility periods are only available to students from our existing partner institutions. Please note that we are able to accept only a very limited number of students for short-term studies.
The mobility period can be 5-30 days, but usually it lasts 1-2 weeks. You must also receive funding (Erasmus+ or Nordplus) from your home university for your mobility period.
There is no application form for the short-term mobility because they are usually agreed individually and through the coordination of teaching staff. If you are visiting the academy to complete a single course or other short-term mobility period, please contact the Theatre Academy’s international relations coordinator two months before the planned mobility period at the latest. You need to inform us of your planned mobility period and of your designated teacher in charge.
Contact international relations staff
If you have questions about the application process, please contact international mobility coordinator Siiri-Maija Heino at teak.international@uniarts.fi.