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Impact of the war in Ukraine on Uniarts Helsinki’s activities

This page provides information on the impact of the war in Ukraine on Uniarts Helsinki and on ways to help the victims of the war.

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Uniarts Helsinki strongly condemns Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Russia’s attack, the humanitarian disaster it has caused and sanctions on Russia due to the war have an impact on Uniarts Helsinki, too.

We will update this page with the latest information on the effects of the war and the ways that we support the victims of the war as well as the members of the community.

Our guidelines follow the decisions of the Ministry of Education and Culture. The Ministry has compiled a page with answers to the most frequently asked questions to support higher education institutions, for example.

Free studies for people escaping the war in Ukraine

Degree students can pursue non-degree studies

If your degree studies at a Ukrainian higher education institution in the arts have been suspended due to the war in Ukraine, you can apply for the right to complete non-degree studies at Uniarts Helsinki. Students who have been awarded the right to complete non-degree studies based on humanitarian grounds can do so free of charge. The right to complete studies can be awarded to a student who has a valid right to complete a degree at a Ukrainian university as well as a Ukrainian citizenship or an asylum granted by Ukraine. 

The right to complete studies at the academies is awarded based on what stage of studies the student is at and based on the student’s previously completed studies. The right to complete non-degree studies gives a student the right to complete individual courses, but not a full degree. In principle, studies are offered as part of the English-language teaching of the academies. 

You can apply for the non-degree study right if you meet the following requirements:

  • Valid study right to complete a degree at an Ukrainian Art University
  • Ukrainian citizenship or an asylum granted by Ukraine
  • Sufficient skills in English language

The application period for studies organized during spring term 2025 ended 12 December 2024, 3pm Finnish time. For further information, contact: non-degree@uniarts.fi

Browse the course selection in the study guide

Open University studies are free of charge for citizens of Ukraine

As a citizen of Ukraine, you can complete studies at the Open University of Uniarts Helsinki free of charge during academic year 2024-2025 and summer 2025. The Open University offers university studies that correspond with the degree requirements of study programmes. All Open University studies may be completed for free.

For further information, contact: avoin@uniarts.fi 

Find the Open University’s studies in the course calendar
See also the Study in Finland’s Ukraine pages for more information about general study and research possibilities in Finland

Fundraising campaigns for the victims of the war

We have set up fundraising campaigns in the name of Uniarts Helsinki for the Red Cross and Unicef so that members of Uniarts Helsinki can make donations to these organisations as private individuals. The donations will be used for funding food, medicine and shelter for immigrant families. 

Read about fundraising

Cooperation with Russian higher education institutions

Cooperation with Russian higher education institutions is suspended. The Ministry of Education and Culture recommends that Finnish higher education institutions refrain from all cooperation with Russian partner organisations in higher education and science. According to the policies, new projects should not be initiated and existing cooperation between organisations should be suspended for the time being. As for its memberships in international organisations and networks, Uniarts Helsinki is currently mapping out what decisions these organisations and networks are making. 

We will announce more information on the effects of the recommendations on Uniarts Helsinki’s activities as soon as it becomes available. Visit the Ministry’s page on the effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the administrative branch.

Student recruitment

Due to the national and EU-level decisions and the impact of the sanctions, we do not engage in any marketing or student recruitment measures in Russia and Belarus for the time being.

Finnish higher education institutions continue to welcome foreign students, regardless of their nationality.

The student admissions are organised as planned this spring.

Participation of Russian students in music competitions

Uniarts Helsinki has taken the view that students can participate in music competition regardless of their nationality. Only people who are on the sanctions list should be barred from competitions. Organisers of competitions may, however, end up operating differently to ensure the organising of competitions.

Hosting visitors

Suspension of all cooperation with Russian higher education institutions and the sanctions affect visits, too. Visitors are considered to be persons who come to Uniarts Helsinki within the framework of research and education cooperation from Russia or Belarus.

We do not host a person who is affiliated with a Russian or a Belarusian higher education institution as a visitor at our university. We also do not host a person who has a grant awarded by a Russian or Belarusian institution as a visitor.

Staff members who invite visitors to the university must make sure that they do not have any above-mentioned affiliations. 

The above-mentioned guidelines do not concern degree students or grants awarded to degree students.

Counselling help to ease the concern over the situation

If you are concerned about the safety of yourself or your friends and family, remember that you do not have to deal with your worries alone. Talk about the situation with your colleagues, teachers, friends or those closest to you. If you find that you need special counselling to discuss the situation, you can contact the following experts and organisations. 

Students:  

Staff: