Apply to Master’s Degree Programme in Choreography

Published 30.10.2020 | Updated 28.10.2024

Important Dates

● The application period starts on 8 January 2025

● The application period ends at 3 pm (Finnish time) on 22 January 2025
– Complete and submit the application form via Studyinfo
– Note! You can only apply for one study option (Artistic practice and research or Theoretical research)

● Submit appendices before 29 January 2025, 3 pm (Finnish time)
– Send the advance assignments via the Studyinfo application form
– Send required certificates (education and language proficiency) through the Studyinfo application form

● You will be notified of the results of your eligibility check by email by the end of February

● You will be notified of the results of the assessment of the advance assignments on week 11 at the latest

● The entrance examinations will take place online
– Study option Artistic practice and research: 22 April – 26 April 2025 (28 April is in reserve) applicant participates on three days
– Study option: Theoretical research: 23 April – 29 April 2025 (30 April is in reserve) applicant participates on three days

● The results of the student selections will be published on 7 May 2025, 9 am (Finnish time)

● No later than 10 July 2025, 3 pm (Finnish time)
– Accept the study place and enrol at the university
– Pay the tuition fee (if required)
– Send the certificate of your completed degree (if you have been selected conditionally)

Length of study and the language of the degree

• Length of study: 2 years
• Language of degree: English

Degree granting eligibility to apply

You are eligible to apply for Master’s Degree Programme in Choreography if you have:

1. completed a higher education degree (bachelor level) in Finland and your degree includes at least 30 ECTS credits worth of studies in dance or performing arts or a supporting field *)
   
   
2. completed a higher education degree (bachelor level) abroad, which in the country concerned grants eligibility to undertake equivalent higher education studies at master’s level, and your degree comprises at least 30 ECTS credits worth of studies in dance or performing arts or a supporting field *)
   
   OR
   
   
3. if you have acquired sufficient knowledge and competence, as determined by the Theatre Academy, on the basis of your studies and work experience in the field. In this case, you must have completed at least 60 ECTS credits worth of higher education studies in dance or performing arts or a supporting field by the end of the application period. In addition, we require at least two years of full-time work in the field of dance or performing arts **).
   This option is intended for applicants with an incomplete undergraduate degree or applicants who have completed other higher education studies in the arts, such as studies at the Open University. 

*) Studies in dance or performing arts or a supporting field include, for example, studies in arts, art related theoretical studies such as cultural studies, aesthetics, movement/physical science. 

**) These fields refer to dance, performing arts, socially engaged and expanded artistic activities, visual art fields etc. 

One ECTS credit is equivalent to an average of 27 hours of student work.

Attachments required to verify eligibility

You must provide a translation of the certificate appendices by a professional translator, if they are not in Finnish, Swedish or English. Name documents: lastname_firstname_document name

If you are applying under eligibility criterion 1, attach to your application:

1. Degree certificate
2. Transcript of records
3. Record of the required higher education studies in dance or performing arts or a supporting field amounting to at least 30 ECTS credits. Provide the title, scope and content description of the study unit (on the higher education institution website or Study Guide – only providing a heading is not sufficient).

If you are applying under eligibility criterion 2, attach to your application:

1. Degree certificate
2. Transcript of records
3. When applying with a foreign degree:
– submit a Diploma Supplement (degree obtained at a higher education institution in Europe) or
– if the degree is not a Bachelor obtained at a university, submit a certificate from the educational institution where you have completed the degree that states you are eligible to apply for university-level Master’s degree studies in the country in question.
4. Record of the required higher education studies in dance or performing arts or a supporting field amounting to at least 30 ECTS credits. Provide the title, scope and content description of the study unit (on the higher education institution website or Study Guide – only providing a heading is not sufficient).

If you are applying under eligibility criterion 3, attach to your application:

1. Transcript of records of the required higher education studies in dance or performing arts or a supporting field amounting to at least 60 ECTS credits.
2. Record of the required higher education studies in dance or performing arts or a supporting field amounting to at least 60 ECTS credits. Provide the title, scope and content description of the study unit (on the higher education institution website or Study Guide – only providing a heading is not sufficient).
3. Record of at least two years of full-time work in the field of dance or performing arts.
Report your work experience:
– employer/team and level of professionalism (e.g. professional theatre, free professional group, professional AV project)
– production
– job description
– venue
– rehearsal period
– number of performances 

Assessment of eligibility

Your eligibility to apply will be assessed on the basis of your application, certificates and other reports. If your application and the supporting documents meet the minimum requirements, your application will proceed to an academic evaluation. You will be notified of the results of your eligibility check by email no later than week 9.

Conditional selection

Some applicants are selected conditionally. If your higher education degree has still been incomplete during the application phase, you must submit the degree certificate and a transcript of records detailing the studies you have completed to the Admissions Services by 10 July 2025, 3 pm (Finnish time). You can only register for the academic year after this.

If you do not submit a degree certificate by the deadline, you will lose the study place offered to you.

Supplementary studies

If you are accepted without a lower university degree, you may be required to complete supplementary studies in addition to the minimum amount of credits required in the degree programme in order to acquire the competence needed during the studies. The scope of supplementary studies may not exceed 60 credits.

In principle, complementary studies must be completed in the first year of study, and they must be included in the student’s personal study plan. You will be informed of any additional studies required in connection with the admission decision.

The supplementary studies required are usually language studies.

Applying for transfer from another university

Applicants who are refugees or in a refugee-like situation

Language requirements

The degree language and the language of study in the Master’s Degree Programme in Choreography is English.

In order to become accepted as a degree student, you must, in the application phase, demonstrate the language proficiency required by the studies in accordance with the language of instruction. You can demonstrate your language proficiency by previous education, an acceptable language test, or other previous studies.

You must demonstrate sufficient language proficiency by 29 January 2025, 3 pm (Finnish time). Attach a degree certificate or a language test certificate to the application form submitted via Studyinfo.
Name your file: lastname_firstname_document, such as: lastname_firstname_toefl

If you demonstrate your language proficiency with a language test and you do not receive your language test certificate by 29 January 2025 at 3 pm (Finnish time), we will also accept written preliminary test scores notification of the approved test result, if one is available. The preliminary test result must also be uploaded to the application form on 29 January 2025 by 3 pm

Study languages and the language of the degree in Theatre Academy

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 potential application fee

Tuition fee

Tuition fees at Uniarts Helsinki are applicable to Bachelor’s and Master’s students who study in English and who are not citizens of EU, EEA, or Switzerland. In the academic year 2025-2026 the amount of the fee is 12,000 euros.

In the 2025 student admissions of the Theatre Academy of Uniarts Helsinki, tuition fees will apply to applicants applying to one of our English-speaking degree programmes;

• Master’s Degree Programme in Comparative Dramaturgy and Performance Research (double-degree)
• Master’s Degree Programme in Choreography
• Master’s Degree Programme in Live Art and Performance Studies
• Master’s Degree Programme in Dance Performance
• Master’s Studies in Directing

The tuition fee is to be paid no later than 10 July 2025 at 3pm. (Finnish time). Students are required to pay the annual tuition fee in order to register for attendance and complete studies and to obtain a residence permit.

Assessment criteria

Assessment criteria for study option Artistic practice and research

The assessment criteria for the advance assignments and the entrance examinations:

• skills and knowledge in artistic practices and approaches to contemporary choreography 
• ability to frame and develop choreographic ideas and process them into performance
• curiosity and ability to study and explore theoretical discourses in relation to distinct choreographic and performance contexts and societal concerns 
• readiness and ability to interact, contribute and communicate constructively in different study and work situations 
• motivation for studies, openness for learning and commitment to full time studies 
• maturity for studies in higher education 

Assessment criteria for study option Theoretical research

The assessment criteria for the advance assignments and the entrance examinations: 

• knowledge of different approaches and discourses in choreography, dance and performance 
• curiosity and ability to study and explore theoretical discourses in relation to distinct choreographic and performance contexts and societal concerns  
• ability to frame and develop a research theme and present it in a written format 
• readiness and ability to interact, contribute and communicate constructively in different study and work situations  
• motivation for studies, openness for learning and commitment to full time studies  
• maturity for studies in higher education  

Advance assignments for study option Artistic practice and research

Advance assignments are not specified or explained in more detail. Advance assignments can be completed only in English. Mark your name on each assignment. Submit all text files in pdf format.

Assignment 1 – Writing Task: Description

First, please tell us about your educational and artistic background.  
Secondly, tell us about your artistic interests in relation to choreography and performance and share those questions you would be especially interested in processing, developing and exploring in your studies.   
Thirdly, tell us about your motivation and reflect on your opportunities to study on this particular degree programme.   

Length + – 800 words. Name the file: lastname_firstname_description 

Assignment 2 – Writing Task: Analysis

Describe and analyze what you consider important or interesting phenomena in the field of choreography and performance at the moment. Support and argue your description by referring to individual artists or research. Use adequate sources to support your description and analysis.  

Mark your sources correctly. For your assignment to be accepted, you will need to source references. Length + – 800 words. Name the file: lastname_firstname_analysis  

Assignment 3 – Documentation of artistic activities

1. Provide a video sample of your choreographic work. The sample should be a maximum of 10 minutes long. The sample may be an excerpt of an already existing work, or it may be shot for the purpose of the application. The sample does not have to be from a performance on stage but could have been made in a rehearsal studio or other environment, for example.  
The video sample can be uploaded to the Studyinfo.  

Alternatively, you can provide a link to the sample. (Please check carefully that the link is working.) 
Name the file: lastname_firstname_documentation_1 

2. In another video, please tell us about your making process and choreographic choices of this sample, duration max 5 min.  
Name the file: lastname_firstname_documentation_2 

3. Make a pdf file containing 1-3 samples of your artistic experience or activities. It may include links, images, video and text. To successfully complete the documentation task, you must have clearly and comprehensibly marked your role and nature of your contribution in each sample (performer, choreographer, other). 
Name the file: lastname_firstname_documentation_3 

Advance assignments for study option Theoretical Research

Advance assignments are not specified or explained in more detail. Advance assignments can be completed only in English. Mark your name on each assignment. Submit all text files in pdf format.

Assignment 1. Writing Task: Description 

First, please tell us about your educational background and interest in theoretical research in choreography, dance and performance.  
Secondly, please specify the questions and topics you would be interested in processing and exploring in your studies.   
Thirdly, please tell us about your motivation and reflect on your opportunities to study in this particular degree programme.   

Length + – 800 words. Name the file: lastname_firstname_description  

Assignment 2. Writing Task: Analysis 

Please, address and develop a question or topic you mentioned in assignment 1. in dialogue with theoretical and artistic frameworks. 

Use adequate sources to support your description and analysis. Mark your sources correctly. Length +- 1000 words. Name the file: lastname_firstname_analysis  

Assignment 3. Documentation, work examples  

In this assignment we are interested in knowing more about your previous work and thoughts about studying in the programme together with artistic practice students. 

1. Make a pdf file containing three to five examples that you consider relevant and supporting for your application. It may include a link to your BA thesis, visual documentations of projects you´ve been involved, published texts etc.  

To successfully complete the documentation task, you must have clearly and comprehensibly marked your role and nature of contribution in each sample. 
Name the file: lastname_firstname_documentation_portfolio 

2. Submit a 5 min. video where you tell us about the research interest you described in assignment 1. and how you think you could promote it by working alongside with the artistic practice students in a joint cohort.  
Name the file: lastname_firstname_documentation_video 

How to apply

You can find Master’s Degree Programme in Choreography on the Studyinfo portal under the name of;
Master’s Admission: Choreography, Master of Arts in Dance (2 yr)

1. Complete and submit an online application form: The first joint application to higher education, Spring 2025

Complete and submit an online application form at the Studyinfo portal by 22 January 2025 at 3 pm (Finnish time). The application period is from 8 January to 22 January 2025.

After you have submitted the application, you will receive a confirmation email to the address you have given on the application form. The email contains a link to the application, you can add attachments to your application within the deadline.

2. Submit advance assignments and appendices

Submit advance assignments and appendices via Studyinfo portal by 29 January 2025 at 3 pm (Finnish time).

• Advance assignments
  
• Documents demonstrating your educational background required for eligibility verification
  
• Demonstration of language proficiency
  
• Document that proves exemption from tuition fees
  If you are applying to study in English, and you come from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you are to submit documentation (e.g. a copy of your passport) that shows you are exempt from tuition fees.

Submitting material in the Studyinfo portal

After completing the electronic application form in the Studyinfo.fi system, submit the advance assignments and other required material by the specified deadline to Uniarts Helsinki through the Studyinfo application form. You can complete your application with attachments either in the My Studyinfo service (if you have Finnish online bank user identifiers) or through the edit link in the confirmation email you have received.

Before downloading the material to the application, check that the material opens and functions as intended. Also, before submitting the application, check that you have downloaded all necessary attachments to your application.

Name the files according to the assignment instructions. Do not use Scandinavian characters (å, ä, ö) or special characters when naming the files.

Studyinfo supports the most common standardized image, audio, video, document and text files. Especially in media files (video, audio), attention should be paid to the fact that the file format is recorded according to the standard. The extension of an attachment may change when uploaded to the form to match the actual format of the file.

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

• Audio – mp3, m4a, aiff, wma, wav, aac
• Video – mpeg, mpg, mp4, mov, avi, wmv, m4v, vob, qt (we recommend format mp4)
• Document – all text files are to be delivered in pdf format
• Image – jpeg, png, gif, jpg

The maximum file size allowed is 1 GB.

Make sure your computer and Internet browser are up to date. Use a stable Internet connection to upload the materials. Make sure your computer does not go into power saving mode when the uploading is in progress.

The sender is responsible for submitting the application (application form, advance assignments, attachments).

Advance assignments that are only partially loaded or incomplete will be rejected. Advance assignments sent by email or as an email attachment will not be processed.

Upload the materials to the system as early as possible

Large files may take several hours to upload when the system is busy. To speed up the uploading of videos, for example, you can compress the video file. Begin uploading the materials well in advance of the deadline.

Submitting material via systems outside of Studyinfo

We recommend that you upload your material directly to the Studyinfo portal. If the assignment includes sensitive data, it is especially important to use Studyinfo for submitting the assignment.

If you want to share a link that leads to a system outside of the Studyinfo portal (e.g. Youtube, Vimeo, Soundcloud) due to the risk of high upload traffic on the Studyinfo server, for example, the link must be uploaded to Studyinfo as a pdf file (e.g. as part of a work portfolio, or as a separate file that only includes the link/links).

The assignment must be uploaded by the set date, after which it is no longer possible to edit it.

If the link leads to a system outside of the Studyinfo portal, the url must be original, and not a shortened link made with a url shortener service. The link must lead directly to the assignment and not, for example, to a compilation page with more links. Make sure that the link works throughout the entire admissions round and that the assignments are marked as private in the system settings (privacy settings: “Password“ or “Unlisted“ for Vimeo, “Unlisted” for YouTube, and “Private” for Soundcloud). You can choose to add password protection to the file, in which case the password must be sent to Uniarts Helsinki in addition to the link (in this case contact Theatre Academy’s Admissions Office).

The assignment must remain stored in the system in question at least 6 months after the end of the application period.

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

Any problems?

If you encounter problems, please contact teak.admissions@uniarts.fi.

Student selections

You will be notified of the results of your eligibility check by email no later than week 9.

Those who have passed the first phase based on their advance assignments will be sent invitations to phase 2 by e-mail during week 11 at the latest. Applicants cannot change the entrance examination times assigned to them. Applicants not considered eligible based on the advance assignments will also be notified via e-mail.

The selection process occurs in two phases.

Phase 1 of the entrance examination

Submitting an online application form, advance assignments and appendices in Studyinfo portal

Phase 2 of the entrance examination

Study option Artistic Practice and Research
Entrance examinations on 22 April – 26 April 2025 (28 April is in reserve and may be used if required)

Study option Theoretical Research
Entrance examinations on 23 April – 29 April 2025 (30 April is in reserve and may be used if required) 

The entrance examination will take place on three days at a specific time (one to two hours / day) allocated to the applicant. The individually allocated times are not necessarily on consecutive days.

The applicants who are to be invited to the entrance examination for phase 2 will be given assignments that require preparation. 

The entrance exams are organized as remote online exams according to individually designated schedules. Applicants are not required to travel to Helsinki at any point of the selection process.   

In the student selection in phase two, the applicant completes an individual assignment, a group assignment and an interview.  

Additional tasks requiring preparation may be assigned during entrance examinations. 

Applicants may be excluded at different stages of the entrance examinations. 

More information about entrance examinations and assessment

Individual arrangements in the entrance examination

Announcement of results

The Theatre Academy will publish the entrance examination results on 7 and 28 May 2025. Results are published in the Studyinfo portal and on the Uniarts Helsinki website. When you fill in your application form you can choose to not allow your name to be published online.

Results will be published on 7 May, 9 am (Finnish time):

• Master’s Studies in Acting (in Finnish)
• Master’s Studies in Directing
• Master’s Studies in Lighting Design
• Master’s Studies in Scenography
• Master’s Studies in Sound Design
• Master’s Degree Programme in Choreography
• Master’s Degree Programme in Comparative Dramaturgy and Performance Research (double-degree)
• Master’s Degree Programme in Live Art and Performance Studies
• Master’s Degree Programme in Writing

Results will be published on 28 May, 9 am (Finnish time):

• Degree Programme in Acting (in Finnish)
• Degree Programme in Directing
• Degree Programme in Dramaturgy and Playwriting
• Degree Programme in Lighting Design
• Degree Programme in Scenography
• Degree Programme in Sound Design
• Master’s Degree Programme in Dance Performance

Applicants admitted as students and those placed on the waiting list receive an email of the admissions results on the day when the admission decision is published. Other applicants are not notified about the results by email.

You can also enquire the results by sending an e-mail to Admissions Services.

Number of new students and a waiting list

How to request for rectification

Accepting an offer of admission

Please indicate whether you will accept the study place no later than 10 July 2025, 3pm (Finnish time).

If you have a Finnish personal identity code, accept the study place in the MyStudyinfo service.

If you do not have a Finnish personal identity code, the Studyinfo.fi system will send you an email message. This message contains a link that you can use to accept the study place. You will receive this email within 24 hours of the announcement of admissions results.

Your notification regarding the acceptance of a study place is binding. However, if you wish to give up a study place after first accepting it, you will be considered to have accepted a place of study for the term in question (see the provision for one study place per term).

If you do not accept a study place by the deadline, you will lose the study place offered to you.

Applicants who are liable for annual tuition fee payment

Applicants who are liable for annual tuition fee payment are to pay the fee in connection with the acceptance of a study place no later than 10 July 2025 at 3pm (Finnish time). Students are required to pay the annual tuition fee in order to begin the residence permit process, register for attendance at the university and complete studies.

Enrollment

New students will receive instructions for enrollment together with the letter of admission results.

Registering as absent for the first year of studies

Starting your studies

Students admitted in the Joint Application of spring 2025 will begin their studies in August 2025.

Help and advice

Do you have a question about applying?

You can contact us via email or phone.

Email: teak.admissions@uniarts.fi
Phone: +358 50 349 6672