Apply to Degree Programme in Fine Arts (Bachelor + Master)
Spring 2025 application period. Admission guide to the 5.5-year Fine Arts programme: application instructions and admission criteria.
Key information
- Degree programme: Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts, duration of studies 5.5 years (3.5 y. for bachelor’s + 2 y. for master’s degree)
- Language of degree: Finnish, Swedish or English
- Number of open study places: max. 25 new students
- Application period begins on 8 January and ends on 22 January 2025 at 3:00 p.m. EET
- Deadline for submitting application attachments: 29 January 2025 at 3:00 p.m. EET
- Second phase admission course in Helsinki: 22-25 April 2025
- Announcement of the admission result: 28 May 2025
- Deadline for accepting the study place: 10 July 2025 at 3 p.m. EEST
- Tuition fee non-EU and non-EEA students who study in English: 12 000 € per academic year
- Possibility to get a 50 % tuition fee waiver
Uniarts Helsinki’s admissions are part of the Finnish joint application for higher education. Applying takes place via Studyinfo.fi.
Admission criteria
An applicant can be accepted to undertake studies in the degree programme leading to Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Fine Arts if they:
- demonstrate ability in the fine arts, are oriented towards the fine arts, and have an aptitude for the studies included in the degree programmes for bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the Academy of Fine Arts,
- have the necessary educational background required for the studies,
- have demonstrated their language proficiency in the manner specified by the Academy.
The applicant will be deemed eligible to apply if they have the required educational background, they have provided acceptable proof of sufficient language proficiency, and they have submitted the required application materials in accordance with the schedule set by the Academy. The applicant can be deemed conditionally eligible based on a certificate of previous studies if the education required for eligibility is assessed to be completed by the time the applicant accepts the study place.
In the first phase, the student is assessed on the basis of the application submitted during the application period and the application material submitted by the set deadline. In addition to these, the applicant’s work samples and their work during the admission course and an interview will be assessed in the second phase of the admission process.
Educational background
You can apply for studies at the Academy of Fine Arts leading to a bachelor’s and a master’s degrees in fine arts if you have:
- passed a Finnish matriculation examination, an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma, a European Baccalaureate (EB) diploma or an international Reifeprüfung-/Deutsche Internationale Abitur examination) (RP/DIA);
- been awarded a vocational upper secondary qualification, a further vocational qualification, or a specialist vocational qualification
- completed a qualification abroad which in the awarding country gives eligibility for the corresponding level of higher education;
- completed a Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education degree (AICE);
- if you have completed a university degree in Finland or if you have completed a degree abroad that corresponds to a bachelor’s degree or a higher degree; or
- if you have been granted the right to undertake studies in Finland in order to pursue a university degree.
Applicants can also be considered as eligible if the Academy deems them otherwise to have sufficient knowledge and skills for the studies acquired through other education. In this case, the applicant will be asked to attach to the application the certificates of the education(s) in question.
Language proficiency requirement
All applicants must prove their proficiency in the language in which they plan to complete their degree, that is, either Finnish, Swedish or English.
The applicant must prove their language proficiency in accordance with the requirements set by the Academy of Fine Arts and during the application period. An applicant cannot be deemed as eligible to apply if they have not provided acceptable proof of their language proficiency.
How to apply
You can apply to the education leading to Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts degrees in the national joint application procedure for higher education in January. It is possible to apply for a study place in a maximum of six degree programmes. These programmes do not need to be listed in any order. The applicant can accept only one study place.
The University of the Arts Helsinki does not have a separate quota for first-time applicants in the admissions. Student selection is based on all parts of the entrance examination (work portfolio, motivation letter, work samples, performance in the admission course and admission course works, and interview).
Application fee for non-EU and non-EEA applicants
Information on a potential application fee for non-EU and non-EEA applicants will be updated here later, if needed. The implementation of application fees is dependent on a change of Finnish Universities Act. Read more about the application fee.
1st phase: Electronic application and appendices
The application period begins on 8 January 2025 and ends on 22 January 2025 at 3:00 p.m. EET (Finnish time).
Fill in an electronic application form in Studyinfo.fi portal during the application period and submit the required appendices. It is possible to amend the appendices until 29 January 2025 3:00 p.m. EET.
If you are already a degree student at Uniarts Helsinki and wish to apply for a change of your study right, please see the instructions at the Students Uniarts Helsinki website.
Applying for transfer from another university
Applicants who are refugees or in a refugee-like situation
The application must include the following appendices:
- A document demonstrating the required educational background (see Admission criteria, Educational background)
- A document demonstrating the required language proficiency (see Admission criteria, Language proficiency requirement)
- Required application materials (see instructions further below)
Please check the acceptable ways of proving the required educational background and language proficiency from the admission criteria. If the copies of diplomas or transcripts of study records are not in Finnish, Swedish or English, the applicant must have them translated by an authorised translator.
An applicant may be considered conditionally eligible if their prior studies have not been completed by the end of the application period (e.g. applicants who are about to complete their matriculation examination in the spring). In such cases, the applicant must provide the Academy with a study certificate of the education with a projected graduation date. The degree must be completed by the deadline for accepting the study place so that it can be used as a demonstration of educational background. If the applicant has been deemed conditionally eligible, they must provide the Academy with the necessary certificate by the deadline for accepting the study place, or they cannot be accepted as a student.
Please submit your materials via Studyinfo.fi portal as early as possible. It can take up to hours to upload larger files if there is a lot of traffic in the system. We recommend that you upload your materials to the system well before the final deadline so that you have time to access user support in case of technical problems. If you run into any problems, be sure to contact the academy’s admissions office before the closing of the application period or the deadline for amending appendices. Late submissions will not be considered.
The applicant’s eligibility to apply will be assessed after the amendment period for the appendices has concluded. Applicants who have the required educational background and who have provided proof of their language proficiency according to the requirements and who have submitted all the required appendices with their application, will be deemed eligible to apply. Applicants will be informed of their eligibility on 20 February 2025. The applications of those applicants who have been deemed eligible to apply will be evaluated, and some of the applicants will be invited to take part in the admission course.
Required application materials
The required application materials consists of two parts:
1) a work portfolio and
2) a motivation letter.
Please see below for instructions and the accepted file size and format. If you fail to submit the required application materials on time, or in an accepted format, your application will be rejected. No further instructions or a model for the application materials shall be provided.
Please submit the required application materials as a single PDF file with the work portfolio on the first pages and the motivation letter on the last page. The total length of the PDF must not exceed 11 pages (work portfolio: 10 pages; motivation letter: 1 page).
Please enter your name and contact information on the first page of the PDF file. Please use the same name as you use on the Studyinfo application form. The admission jury will not open any additional links, including links to the applicant’s personal website, that are included in the application.
Accepted file format: PDF. Maximum file size: 100 MB. Name the file according to the following model: Lastname-Firstname-Applicationmaterials
Work portfolio
The pictures included in the work portfolio are intended to serve as an introduction to the applicant’s practice in the field of fine arts. The content of the work portfolio is not thematically restricted.
The applicant can introduce a maximum of 8 works in the work portfolio. Each work can be represented by 3 pictures at most. The work portfolio must not exceed 10 pages in length. Please provide information about the artworks, such as their name, size, technique, and production date, next to the work. If the presentation of a work involves some speciality, such as the use of artificial intelligence, indicate it in the portfolio in connection with the work description.
If the applicant is invited to the admission course, they will be asked to bring samples of 2–3 works included in their work portfolio (see 2nd phase: Admission Course and Work Samples).
If the applicant wishes to introduce also works of moving image, sound art, or media art, they can, in addition to the picture portfolio, submit one (1) moving image or audio file that includes an overview of moving image works, audio works, or media art. Please include a media file in your application only if the nature of the art works presented requires so.
The total running time of the sample must not exceed 5 minutes in length. Accepted file format: MP3 (audio) or MP4 (video). Maximum file size: 500 MB. Name the file according to the following model: Lastname-Firstname-Movingimage-Audio.
The admission jury will not review a sample that exceeds the maximum running time of 5 minutes.
Please include your name in the media file. Information about the art works presented can be added to the file (e.g. screen credits) or to the picture portfolio (PDF file). You can use the free HandBrake software for converting and packing the file if needed.
Motivation letter
Discuss the following points in brief in your motivation letter:
- Explain why you are applying to study in the 5.5-year degree programme in fine arts
- Your personal relationship with the visual arts and your experience in making fine art
- Provide a brief account of one work included in your work portfolio and explain the process of making it
The maximum length of the motivation letter is 2,500 characters, including spaces.
2nd phase: Admission course and work samples
Applicants who have been accepted to the admission course will also receive an invitation by e-mail on 28 March 2025. Applicants who are not invited to the admission course will also be notified of the decision by e-mail.
The admission course will be held in Helsinki at the Academy’s teaching facilities between 22 and 25 April. The course includes daily work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The course will conclude earlier on Friday.
The applicants must bring the equipment they need to the course (drawing and painting equipment at the minimum). Outside assistance is not allowed during the admission course.
In the admission course, the applicants will work on specific assignments whose topics change each year. Applicants are assigned a workstation in a shared workspace.
All works produced during the admission course will be photographed and performances will be filmed. The documented materials shall only be used for the purposes of the admission process. Applicants have a chance to retrieve the works they have made on the admission course on Tuesday 29 April at a time announced in the admission course invitation letter.
The applicants are not insured by the Academy of Fine Arts, and they take part in the admission course on their own responsibility. The Academy of Fine Arts shall not be accountable for any accidents or loss of personal possessions during the admission course. An applicant who is under the influence of alcohol, acts in a disturbing, violent, or threatening way, or puts another person’s life or health at risk may be removed from the admission course.
Work samples
The applicant must bring 2-3 original art works that were included as part of the work portfolio to the admission course. If the works are large or they are otherwise hard to move, the applicant can bring in photographs or other illustrative materials. Please note that the applicants must be personally able to bring all the original works to the admission course and to collect them on their own at the conclusion of the course. The sample works will be on view at the applicant’s workstation during the course.
The applicants must bring the work samples to the admission course on the first day of the course and collect them on the final day. The work samples will be photographed during the admission course. The photographed materials shall only be used for the purposes of the admissions process. The Academy is not responsible for the sample works and will not insure them. The Academy is not liable for any possible damage to the works.
Individual arrangements
If the applicant requires special arrangements in the entrance examination because of a sensory or physical disability, illness or other corresponding reason, they must apply for individual arrangements by filling in a separate application. The application must be submitted to the Academy of Fine Arts admissions office by the deadline specified for submitting documents for the joint application procedure.
Individual arrangements during the admission course
Announcing the results
The results of the student admissions will be published on the website of the University of the Arts Helsinki on 28 May 2025. The published list will include the names of all the accepted students who authorised the publication. The published list will include the names of all the accepted students who authorised the publication of their name.
The Academy of Fine Arts of the University of the Arts Helsinki will send an e-mail to the applicants accepted as new students and those on the waiting list after the announcement of the results. Some e-mail clients may treat our messages as spam, so please check your spam folder as well.
Feedback
The Admission Jury will only provide feedback to applicants who took part in the 2nd phase of the admission, that is the admission course, and were not accepted as students. Feedback will only be given by request, and information about how to ask for feedback will be sent to the applicants after the results of the student admissions have been published.
Other applicants will not be given feedback during the admission process or after its conclusion.
Rectification request
Applicants can apply for rectification of the admission decision from Uniarts Helsinki under the Universities Act (558/2009), section 82. The purpose of a written request for rectification is to give the applicant the possibility to appeal and request for rectification if there is a reason to believe that there has been an error in the decision-making process.
The rectification procedure is not intended as a means of receiving feedback or asking for further information about the admissions process.
How to request for rectification
Accepting the study place
The offered study place must be accepted no later than 10 July 2025 3:00 p.m. EEST (Finnish time).
If the confirmation arrives late, it will not be considered. The confirmation of acceptance is binding and irrevocable, and it cannot be cancelled. If you want to give up your study place after first accepting it, you are still considered to have accepted the study place for the semester in question (for more information, see the ‘one study place per term’ provision).
One study place per term provision
Enrolment for the first year of studies
Enrolment for the first academic year must be done by the deadline for accepting the study place. The enrolment instructions are sent to new students together with the material on being accepted to study.
Registering as absent for the first year of studies
Tuition fees and scholarships
Uniarts Helsinki will charge an annual tuition fee of 12,000 euros from non-EU and non-EEA students studying in a bachelor’s or a master’s degree programme in English. The amount of the annual tuition fee will stay the same for the statutory duration of a particular student’s studies.
Uniarts Helsinki has a scholarship programme, which may grant relief from the full tuition fee to students who are liable for payment. The applicant liable for payment must mention in the application form if they wish to apply for a scholarship to cover a part of the annual tuition fee if they are accepted as a student.
More information about the degree programme
Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts (3.5 + 2 years)
The degree programme in fine arts encourages you to find your strengths and your individual means of expression and interests in art. Your growth as an artist is supported by personal supervision and the communal discussion culture within the Academy, and during your studies you will learn the skills that are necessary for working independently in the field of visual arts. You will also learn to understand your diverse roles in the context of contemporary art and society.
In the 5.5 years of study, you will first complete a bachelor’s degree and then a master’s degree.
First-year students begin their studies with a course called “An introduction to independent artistic work and the subject areas”, after which they choose their subject area. The Academy offers teaching in four subject areas: sculpture, painting, printmaking and time and space arts. The Time and Space Arts subject area has three specialisations: moving image, photography, or site and situation specific art.
Students are encouraged to take courses from specialisations other than their own, within the limits of their study plan, and to engage in versatile artistic work using different media.
Artistic work and related theory comprise the core of the studies. In addition to coursework in fine arts, students take courses in exhibition studies, art history, art theory, and languages. The degree programme in Fine Arts draws together students with varying linguistic backgrounds, and the instruction at the Academy is organised so that everyone can take part in the same courses. Teaching is regularly offered in English, and approximately 15% of students, both degree and exchange students, come from outside of Finland.
The primary languages of instruction of the degree programme are Finnish and English. In group teaching, the primary language of tuition is English.
Students with different native languages study in the same degree programmes, and teachers and students flexibly change between different languages. All mandatory studies are offered in Finnish and English, and it’s also possible to complete credits in Swedish. English-language students in the 5.5-year education in fine arts are not required to know Finnish, but they are required to complete a mandatory course of Finnish as a second language as part of their bachelor’s degree.
Teaching is regularly offered in English, and approximately 15% of students, both degree and exchange students, come from outside of Finland.
At the Academy of Fine Arts, the artistic activities are integrated in the studies and offer the students encounters with the field of arts and the public. Public exhibition of art is a way for the students to get their first experiences of the working life that awaits them after graduation.
One credit (cr) equates to the workload of approximately 27 hours. The full-time studies of one academic year correspond to an average 60 credits.
The scope of the BFA degree is 3.5 years of full-time studying. The MFA degree can be finished in two years.
Contact
Academy of Fine Arts of Uniarts Helsinki admissions office
kuva.admissions@uniarts.fi