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Instructions for completing and submitting electronic assignments in student admissions

These instructions apply to the University of the Arts Helsinki's student admissions process for 2027.

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Note! The programme-specific admissions guides may contain additional instructions or instructions that differ from those provided here. Such instructions always take precedence. If the programme-specific requirements differ from this general guidance, you must always follow the programme-specific instructions first and foremost. For example, the instructions on creating a video may not apply as such to the assignments of all programmes.

General instructions for all applicants – please read at least these!

It is important that your electronic advance or entrance examination assignments meet the requirements specified in the programme-specific admissions guides. If you submit electronic assignments to Uniarts Helsinki that do not comply with the given requirements, they will not be accepted for assessment.

Electronic assignments are submitted through the Studyinfo portal. After completing and submitting your application form in Studyinfo, upload the required assignments to the application form by the given deadline. You can supplement your application attachments through the editing link in the email confirmation sent to you after submitting your application. Please remember to re-send your application after editing it; otherwise, the changes will not be saved in the Studyinfo system.

Note! Please start uploading your electronic assignments at least 24 hours before the given deadline to ensure that they are uploaded in time. Large files may take several hours to upload.

Recording the video

Your video recording can only be accepted for assessment if its authenticity is beyond reasonable doubt and its technical quality is sufficient for evaluating your entrance examination performance. The technical quality of the recording will not otherwise affect your success in the admissions process, provided that the quality is adequate for assessment.

The audio or video content of the recording must not be edited or processed. The following exceptions apply:

  • Any unnecessary material at the beginning or end of the recording may be trimmed.
  • If your recording device automatically divides the recording into multiple files, these files may be combined into a single file without altering the content.
  • The recording may be converted into an approved file format.
  • If a single video recording exceeds the 1 GB file size limit, a recording made in one continuous take may, if necessary, be divided into smaller sections.
  • Please also note that the programme-specific admissions criteria may contain separate instructions regarding the recording of individual pieces and their possible combination into a single file.

The Studyinfo portal accepts the following audio / video / document / image formats:

  • Audio – the recommended format is mp3 (the following formats are also accepted: m4a, aiff, wma, wav, aac)
  • Video – the recommended format is mp4 (the following formats are also accepted: mpeg, mpg, mov, avi, wmv, m4v, qt)
  • Documents – all text documents must be submitted in PDF format
  • Images – jpeg, png, gif, jpg

The maximum file size for a file uploaded to Studyinfo is 1 GB.

Name all files before uploading them according to the following format: lastname-firstname-filetitle (e.g. applicant-ally–videorecording.mp4). Only the letters a-z, numbers 0-9, and hyphens (-) may be used in file names. If you submit multiple files, do not give them identical names. Instead, add, for example, a sequence number to the file name.

Submitting the video

A video must be submitted through Studyinfo portal either as a video file or as a PDF file containing a link to a YouTube or Vimeo video and, if applicable, the password required to access it. It is your responsibility to ensure that the link works correctly. We recommend that the material remains available in the service until at least 31 December 2027. For more information, see the section YouTube/Vimeo.

Before saving your electronic application form, make sure that you have uploaded all required electronic assignments. Assignments that have only been partially uploaded and submitted will be automatically rejected. Materials uploaded to Studyinfo cannot be downloaded for verification. Therefore, make sure that all files are correct and functional before uploading them.

Please note that Studyinfo portal may automatically change file extensions (for example, .mp3 may become .mpga or .mov may become .qt). This will not result in the rejection of the submitted material.

All files uploaded to the Studyinfo portal are automatically scanned for viruses. If a virus is detected, the file will be rejected. Please check your files for viruses before submission.

Note! Upload your materials as early as possible. All applicants should begin uploading materials to the Studyinfo portal no later than 24 hours before the given deadline. If you encounter problems with uploading your materials, you must contact the Uniarts Helsinki Admissions Office no later than two hours before the submission deadline so that the issue can be investigated in time. As a rule, all late submissions will be rejected.

Any problems?

If you encounter problems, please contact us through the Uniarts Help form.

More detailed instructions for making a video recording for applicants applying to Sibelius Academy

Recording the video

The video can be recorded on a smartphone, tablet, video recorder or a computer.

The technical recommendations are stated below. More information is available in the sections Storage space and Recording settings.

  • Format: MP4
  • Resolution: 720p
  • Frame rate: 25-30 fps
  • Maximum size of a file submitted to the Studyinfo portal: 1 GB   

How can I maximise video quality?

Before starting the recording, make sure that the settings of the camera are correct. More information is available in the sections Storage space and Recording settings.

  • Support the camera well. The best result is achieved by using a tripod.
  • Aim enough light towards the subject of the video.
  • Avoid recording with a bright window or a lamp behind the person.
  • Make sure that there is no distracting movement in the background.
  • Do a test recording. Assess the image quality by watching the recording a few times.

Recording a presentation/speech etc.: Place the camera at eye level 0.5-1 metres away from the speaker so that the person’s face and upper body can be seen on camera.

How can I maximise audio quality?

The microphone sound quality in smartphones, tablets and laptops is sufficient, but when recording a person playing an instrument or singing, it is recommended to use an external microphone suitable for the instrument in question or a video recorder with a suitable built-in microphone.

Before recording the assignments, find the optimal placement for the microphone by testing different distances from the instrument or speaker. Start at 0.5-1 metres. Do not place the microphone too close to the sound source.

The room you use will influence the audio quality. A room that echoes may improve the sound of instruments but make it harder to understand speech. Make sure that there is no background noise.

Do a screen test. Assess the audio quality of the recording using as high-quality headphones or speakers as possible.

Before uploading a video, check that the audio and video are synchronised. If you use QuickTime, the video must be saved via the “export as” command, so that the video and audio run simultaneously.

Which application can I use for recording videos?

When it comes to smartphones and tablets, videos are recorded using the device’s camera application.

As for computers, videos can be recorded using the computer’s pre-installed video application or a video application downloaded for free or for a fee. Instructions on how to use these applications can be found in the application’s manual. Pre-installed video applications include for example Windows Camera and Apple QuickTime Player.

YouTube/Vimeo

Uniarts Helsinki recommends that applicants upload their entrance examination assignments directly to Studyinfo portal. However, if an applicant wishes to submit a link to a YouTube or Vimeo video, for example due to the risk of high upload traffic on the Studyinfo server, the link must be submitted in Studyinfo as a PDF file (a separate file containing only the link(s) and any password required to access the material).

The link must be provided in its original form and must not be shortened using a url shortening service. The link must lead directly to the assignment itself and not, for example, to a compilation page containing additional links. Uniarts Helsinki does not accept links to YouTube playlists, other video streaming services, or cloud storage services (such as Dropbox or Google Drive).

The assignment must be uploaded by the given deadline and may not be modified after that. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the link remains functional throughout the entire admissions process.

You must ensure that the privacy settings of the assignment allow the Entrance Examination Board to access the video directly via the link. If you wish, you may protect the assignment with a password. In this case, the password must be submitted to Uniarts Helsinki together with the link.

If the link does not work, or if the Entrance Examination Board cannot access the video without signing in to a service, the assignment will not be assessed and the assignment will be rejected.

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. Please also note that third parties usually save information on user profiles and use this information for advertising, market research and/or other commercial purposes.

Technical guidelines

Storage space

Make sure that you have enough storage space in your device, especially if you are using a smartphone or a tablet. You may have to delete some unnecessary files. Read the manufacturer’s instructions to do so.

If the size of the video file is as small as possible, it can be sent faster and it will take up less storage space. The size of the file is determined by the recording settings and the length of the video. The storage space that videos take up typically varies from hundreds of megabytes (MB) to several gigabytes (GB); 1 GB = around 1000 MB. For example, when you record a 10-minute video using the default settings on a smartphone, the video file will typically take up 600-900 MB of space.

After recording the video, you can convert the file to MP4 to make it smaller so that it takes up less space. This can be done by using e.g. HandBrake, which is available for computers for free online. If you decide to do so, make sure that the video and audio quality is sufficient even after the conversion.

Recording settings

Adjust the recording settings before you start recording.

The recommended image resolution for a video is 720p, but 1080p is also possible. Do not use 4K resolution.

If you can change the frame rate, the recommendation is 25-30 fps. If there is a lot of rapid movement going on in the video and it is essential to see it clearly, select 50-60 fps.

The recommended format for video files is MP4 (H.264). In principle, any of the video file formats used in smartphones and tablets are acceptable. If necessary, you can convert the file to MP4 using the HandBrake application, for example.

Adjusting audio level

Find out what the audio level settings are before you start recording.

Smartphones and tablets have an automatic audio level control (Automatic Gain Control / AGC or Auto Level Adjust). It reduces the dynamic range, meaning the differences between loud and quiet sounds, making sudden hits and the strong increase in volume seem more quiet than they actually were.

It may be possible to bypass the automatic audio level control for example by using an external microphone, in which case you can manually adjust the microphone settings for example using the physical controller or by an application installed on the device. Read the manufacturer’s or the application’s instructions to do so. When recording a person playing an instrument or singing, it is recommended that you adjust the settings manually.

Tips for recording on a mobile device

Turn off the device and then turn it on again before starting your recording session. This way, the device will work more reliably.

Put your smartphone on flight mode if you use it for recording the video.

Close all applications that are not necessary for the recording.

Connection speed

In households using broadband Internet, the upload speed is usually much slower than the download speed. The theoretical maximum speeds of a broadband Internet connection depend on your Internet service provider.

Connecting the computer or a mobile device to the Internet with an Ethernet cable will usually speed up the connection compared to a WiFi network. The connection is usually also more reliable. If your device does not have an Ethernet port, you can use an adapter that is compatible with a USB or a Thunderbolt port.

Avoid unnecessary load on the broadband connection by closing all video streaming services etc. for the duration of the delivery.

The Wifi network you use may slow down the delivery if the modem or base station is far away. Make sure that you can see the modem or base station during the delivery.

When using a mobile network, temporary heavy traffic in your neighbourhood’s network may slow down your connection. It may be smart to deliver the file outside of peak hours when there are probably fewer users online and less network congestion.