Music Technology, admissions guide to the 2.5-year education (master)
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.
Degree programme information
- Name of the programme in the Studyinfo portal: Master’s Admission: Music Technology, Master of Music (2.5 yr)
- Target degree and duration of studies: Master of Music (MMus), 2.5 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
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The admissions requirements underneath are for the year 2026 and are no longer valid.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 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, with English holding a particularly strong position in the Music Technology programme.
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).
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.
Music Technology entrance examinations
When applying to the Music Technology programme, you must select one of the following three study profiles on your application form. This choice is binding for the entire admission process:
- Recording Arts
- Film and Game Music Producer
- Creative Electronic Music Practices.
Students are admitted through separate admission groups according to their chosen profile, but the groups have a joint waiting list. Click here to read more about the study profiles.
The selection process comprises two stages:
- Advance assignments
- Entrance examination: Instrument or voice audition, and interview
Both stages will be carried out remotely.
The application form itself is not graded, but it must be completed accurately and thoroughly. The Entrance Examination Board relies on the information provided in the form when evaluating your work, and an incomplete form may negatively affect your assessment in later stages of the examination.
Advance assignments
You must 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) Portfolio and presentation:
The portfolio must present music technology-related works that demonstrate your artistic practice. You may include a maximum of three works, and at least one of them must be a sound or audiovisual recording. In addition, add a short video presentation of yourself and your submitted work. The combined length of the portfolio and the presentation may not exceed 10 minutes in total, with the presentation recommended to be up to 3 minutes.
Submit the portfolio and presentation as two separate files. Name your portfolio in the following way: lastname_firstname_portfolio. Name your video presentation in the following way: lastname_firstname_presentation.
The portfolio should be submitted in mp3 format for audio or mp4 format for video. For video submissions, the file should use the H.264 or x.264 codec for video and AAC for audio. Note! Links to external platforms (e.g., YouTube/Vimeo) or any file formats other than those specified will not be accepted.
2) Project description form:
Complete the required project description form template for each work in your portfolio. In the form, describe the work in detail, specify your role and responsibilities, and indicate the contributions of any collaborators. You should also explain the artistic significance of each work within your broader practice.
Submit the project description form as a pdf file. Name your project description form in the following way: lastname_firstname_project_description.pdf.
3) Motivation letter:
Write a motivation letter (maximum two A4 pages) addressed to the Entrance Examination Board. In your letter, explain why you chose your study profile and justify your choice by referring to your background studies and activities. You should also describe your main areas of interest for future development and explain how the programme connects to your career goals and where you see yourself working in the future.
Submit the motivation letter as a pdf file. Name your motivation letter in the following way: lastname_firstname_motivation.pdf.
4) CV:
Submit a CV that outlines your background education and musical training, your artistic work to date, and your relevant work experience. You may also include hobbies and other activities connected to music technology.
Submit the CV as a pdf file. Name your CV in the following way: lastname_firstname_cv.pdf.
5) Plan for your final project:
Write a plan of not more than two A4 pages for the final project of your master’s studies. Submit the plan as a pdf file. Name your plan in the following way: lastname_firstname_final_project.pdf.
You are allowed to revise this plan during your studies; at this stage, its purpose is to give the Entrance Examination Board an opportunity to assess your maturity and your prospects for completing the programme within its 2.5-year timeframe.
The final Master’s project comprises 40 credits and includes three parts: a written component, an oral component, and a demonstrative component in the form of a music technology project. The project may take the form of an artistic, developmental, technical/technological, or pedagogical undertaking.
6) Study plan:
Using the Music Technology study guide, prepare a preliminary study plan (max. 150 ECTS) that supports your proposed final project.
Submit the study plan as a pdf file. Name your study plan in the following way: lastname_firstname_study_plan.pdf.
The Entrance Examination Board evaluates your assignments according to several criteria: clarity, current skills relevant to the final project plan, originality, diversity of the portfolio, realism of the plans, motivation, and ability to work independently.
For the final project plan, assessment focuses on the clarity of the written presentation, your ability to frame and contextualize the work from a research perspective, and your capacity to plan the project stages effectively.
For the portfolio and project description, assessment considers the diversity of musical and artistic interests, the artistic and technical quality, any additional expertise demonstrated in the excerpts, the relevance of the works to your selected profile in the Music Technology programme, and your ability to present and explain your work orally.
Based on the advance assignment scores, selected applicants will be invited to the entrance examination. Information on the results of the advance assignments will be sent by email.
Entrance examination
The entrance examination will be held via a remote connection between 31 March and 1 April 2026. You will need a computer with a stable Internet connection for the examination.
The entrance examination includes the following sub-tests:
- Instrument or voice audition
- Interview (incl. discussion of the performance, portfolio, study plan, and project plan)
1) Instrument or voice audition:
In the audition, the Entrance Examination Board will evaluate your technical proficiency, performative qualities, and your sonic, rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic sensibilities. You may perform on an orchestral or soloist instrument from Western classical, jazz, folk, or popular music traditions, or on an electronic or other device used in musical performance. The audition should last 7 to 10 minutes; if it exceeds this limit, the Board will bring it to an end.
2) Interview:
In the interview, the Entrance Examination Board will evaluate your potential to complete the Music Technology programme within its intended timeframe and to succeed in future professional work.
The interview will take the form of an open discussion about your portfolio, your audition performance, your background, and your study and final project plans. The Board may ask questions about the artistic and technical aspects of your work, your role in collaborative projects, the feasibility of your plans, and your future career interests. The interview will last up to 25 minutes.
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.
In addition, the Entrance Examination Board for Music Technology will assess, based on your performances, your musical and music technology skills, your educability, and your motivation for studies in this field.
Criteria specific to each sub-test are outlined in the descriptions of the advance assignments and the entrance examination.
Scoring of the entrance examination
The Board will assess your performance in all sub-tests by giving points. The results of the entrance examination stage will determine the final student selection.
The components of the entrance examination are weighted as follows:
Advance assignments:
- Portfolio and other advance assignments 100 %
Entrance examination:
- Instrument or voice audition 40 %
- Interview 60 % (including discussion of your portfolio, study plan, and final project plan, as well as your background, feasibility of plans, and motivation)
The score for the entrance examination stage will remain your final score.
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 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 in November 2026 on Instagram (@sibeliusacademy). Stay tuned for updates!