Language requirements in Sibelius Academy: Demonstrating your language skills in English

Published 5.11.2025 | Updated 5.11.2025

Note! These language requirements apply to Sibelius Academy’s bachelor’s and master’s programmes.

The language requirements for Finnish and Swedish can be found on a separate page. Read more about how to demonstrate your language skills in Finnish or Swedish:

Studies at the Sibelius Academy require sufficient proficiency in Finnish, Swedish, and/or English. To be admitted as a degree student at the University of the Arts Helsinki (Uniarts Helsinki), you must be proficient in the language of instruction used in the degree programme you are applying to. You must demonstrate your skills with prior studies or a language test, as specified in the requirements. If the degree programme is offered in multiple languages, you are only required to demonstrate your skills in the language in which you intend to complete your degree.

The Sibelius Academy strongly recommends that all applicants demonstrate their language skills no later than 28 January 2026 at 15:00 EET (Finnish time).

If you are unable to demonstrate your language skills before the above-mentioned deadline, you will be considered conditionally eligible. In this case, you must submit an acceptable certificate of your language skills as soon as possible, but no later than the given deadline.

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.

Demonstrating language skills with a language test

The language test must be taken no later than 2 March 2026 in order to be considered in the spring 2026 admissions. Please submit proof of participation in the language test to the Sibelius Academy no later than 2 March 2026 at 15:00 EET (Finnish time). Submit the final test result that meets the language requirements to the Sibelius Academy as soon as possible, but no later than 31 March 2026 at 15:00 EEST (Finnish time).

If you have already taken a language test earlier, the test result must be valid on the day the application period begins in order for it to be accepted as proof of your English language skills. IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE results are valid for two years from the test date. Cambridge and YKI results are valid indefinitely.

Sibelius Academy verifies all test results electronically.

Please note that you should book your language test well in advance. There may be only a limited number of test dates available, and they may fill up quickly.

International language tests and their results accepted by Uniarts Helsinki:

Acceptable language tests include IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge English C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency, and YKI. If not otherwise separately mentioned in connection with the test, an online version of the test is not valid.

• TOEFL (iBT) with a minimum score of 78
  • Uniarts Helsinki also accepts the TOEFL iBT Home Edition version of the test with the same scores
  • Uniarts Helsinki also accepts MyBest Scores for the TOEFL test, as long as the results of all sections of the test are valid when applying (the result must not be expired by the start of the application period)
    
• IELTS (Academic) with a minimum score of 6.0
  • Uniarts Helsinki also accepts the IELTS Online (Academic), IELTS Indicator (Academic), and IELTS UKVI (Academic) tests with the same test score
    
• PTE (Academic) with a minimum score of 54
  • Uniarts Helsinki also accepts the PTE Academic Online and PTE Academic UKVI test with the same score
    
• Cambridge English C1 Advanced with a minimum grade C (accepted grades are A, B, and C)
  
• Cambridge English C2 Proficiency with a minimum grade Level C1 (accepted grades are A, B, C, and Level C1)
  
• National Certificate of Language Proficiency (YKI) in English awarded by the Finnish National Agency for Education
  • All sub-tests of the test must be completed on level 4 (reading comprehension, writing, listening comprehension, speaking)
  • Results from different test occasions may be used

Demonstrating language skills with prior studies

If you demonstrate your language skills with prior studies, the language of instruction must be clearly stated in the degree certificate, its appendix, the transcript of records, or another official document issued by the institution in question. If the documents are not in Finnish, Swedish, or English, you must include an official translation of the documents.

If your degree is not yet complete and you cannot demonstrate your language proficiency with another prior qualification, you must submit a certificate of enrolment or a transcript of records for the studies in question, along with your estimated graduation date, to the Sibelius Academy no later than 28 January 2026 at 15:00 EET (Finnish time). The degree must be completed by 9 July 2026 at 15:00 EEST (Finnish time) in order to be accepted as proof of languge skills. Submit your final degree certificate to the Sibelius Academy as soon as possible, but no later than on 9 July 2026 at 15:00 EEST (Finnish time).

Prior studies accepted as proof of language skills by Uniarts Helsinki:

1) Upper secondary education degree with English as the language of instruction completed in an EU/EEA country, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, New Zealand, the UK, or the USA

2) Bachelor’s degree (or a corresponding degree that gives the eligibility to pursue master’s studies in the country in question), master’s degree, licentiate degree, or doctoral degree with English as the language of instruction completed in one of the following countries: EU or EEA countries, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada, Dominica, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, the UK, the USA, Zambia, or Zimbabwe

3) University or a university of applied sciences degree completed in Finnish or Swedish in Finland, which includes foreign language studies in English in accordance with the decree 794/2004 or 1129/2014

• Foreign language studies in English that are included in an incomplete Finnish university / university of applied sciences degree, as well as studies completed in some other manner, can also be approved, provided that the studies comply with the decree. In this case, you must send a transcript of study records to the Sibelius Academy along with a copy of the degree requirements of the higher education institution in question or some other document that states which language studies are required for the degree.

4) English test of the Finnish matriculation examination completed in the advanced syllabus level (A-level language) with a minimum grade of magna cum laude approbatur (M)

5) IB (International Baccalaureate) diploma awarded by an IB World School:

• Diploma completed in English; or
• Passing grade in the English test (literature / language and literature / literature and performance) on level A; or
• Minimum grade of 5 (good) in the English language test on level B

6) EB (European Baccalaureate) diploma awarded by a designated European School:

• Passing grade in English as the L1 language; or
• Minimum grade of 7 in English as the L2 or L3 language

7) A diploma completed at Deutsche Schule Helsinki:

• Passing grade for written English according to the advanced syllabus on a Reifeprüfung (RP) or Deutsches Internationales Abitur (DIA); or
• Minimum grade of 8 for oral English according to the advanced syllabus on a Reifeprüfung (RP) or Deutsches Internationales Abitur (DIA)

8) Language studies completed at Uniarts Helsinki:

Uniarts Helsinki exchange students also have the opportunity to demonstrate their sufficient English skills through language studies completed at Uniarts Helsinki (one of the following):

• Preparatory course in English (scope of 3 credits, the course includes both written and oral exercises); or
• Courses English 1 and/or English 2; minimum scope of 2 credits, the courses include both written and oral exercises); or
• Participating in an English language proficiency test during the student exchange at the proficiency level required by the programme in question (more detailed instructions are available from language teachers)

Demonstrating language skills in the Global Music programme

In its admission requirements, the programme may also decide to assess the applicants’ language skills in connection with the entrance examinations. In this case, a section measuring your written and oral language skills in the language of study is added to the entrance examinations for the degree programme in question.

In 2026, the English language skills of applicants for the bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes in Global Music can be assessed as an integrated part of the application process. For more information about this option, please see the admissions guide for Global Music. Starting from the 2027 admissions, this practice will no longer be possible.