Apply to Master’s Degree Programme in Live Art and Performance Studies

First joint application to higher education spring 2025. Admission timetable, required certificates and advance assignments as well as information about participating in the entrance examinations.

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

● 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 by 4 April at the latest

● The entrance examinations will take place online 23 April to 25 April 2025

● 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 Live Art and Performance Studies if you have:

completed a higher education degree (bachelor level) in Finland and your degree includes at least 30 ECTS credits worth of studies in arts *)
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 arts *)

OR
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 arts *), or you can demonstrate that you have completed other studies in the performance arts or live arts equivalent to 60 ECTS credits, by the end of the application period. In addition, we require a minimum of two years of full-time professional work as a performance artist or in time-based arts.

This option is intended for applicants with an incomplete degree or applicants who have completed other higher education studies in the arts, such as studies at the Open University or who have the required amount of performance arts or live arts studies from an educational institution other than a university or a university of applied sciences.

*) Studies in arts include, for example, performance art, visual arts, media art, performing arts

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:

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

1. Degree certificate
2. Transcript of records
3. Record of the required higher education studies in arts 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).
4. 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.

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

1. Transcript of records of the required studies in arts amounting to at least 60 ECTS credits.
2. Record of the required studies in arts 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 professional work as a performance artist or in time-based 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 language of study and degree in the Master’s Degree Programme in Live Art and Performance Studies 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

See here the ways you can demonstrate your proficiency in english

Study languages and the language of the degree in Theatre Academy

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

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

motivation to study in and commit to an international, research-oriented MA programme
commitment in artistic practice and conceptual clarity of ideas   
the ability to critically reflect on one’s own work
breadth of thinking and the ability to work in different disciplines, media, contexts and collaborative situations 
desire to combine artistic practice with theoretical studies  
ability to assume and share responsibility in collaborative situations
sufficiently developed knowledge in live art, performance art or contemporary art practices
aptitude for the field and for higher education studies at the master’s level

Advance assignments

The applicant is required to submit five advance assignments: Motivation Letter, Research Plan, Artist Statement, Portfolio and CV.

The advance assignments are of considerable importance in the selection process. Based on the assignments, only selected applicants are accepted to the subsequent phases of the application process. Beyond what is written below, no explanations or specifications concerning the advance assignments are provided. All advance assignments are to be submitted in English.

Page size is A4, spacing 1.5, font size 12. Mark your name on each advance assignment and insert page numbers.  Submit all text files in pdf format.

1. Motivation Letter

In the Motivation letter you should clearly indicate your motivation and interest to apply to the LAPS MA programme at the University of the Arts Helsinki. Introduce your background, articulating the elements that support your ability to carry out your studies. You should demonstrate what you aim to accomplish during the two years of your study. Describe how your project relates to the goals of the stated in the Live Art and Performance Studies curriculum? How would this programme support you in the actualization of your plan? What is your motivation for applying to this programme?
Name the file: lastname_firstname_motivation_ letter

2. Research Plan

In the Research Plan you should present both artistic and theoretical interests, themes, questions, contexts, methods and their intersections which would form the basis of your studies at LAPS MA programme. Clearly state the problem your research addresses and why it’s important. What are the main conclusions or implications of your practice and research you aim to achieve during your MA studies? What are the scope and boundaries of your research?

The length of the Research Plan is between 1500-2500 words.

Give your research plan a title.

Abstract: Write an abstract of the research plan (a maximum of 200 words).

Introduction: Shortly introduce your artistic and theoretical background, and give some background on your research topic.

Questions: Some of the questions you should aim to present in your research plan. What are the main questions and problems to be considered in your project? How these questions relate to the field of performance, live art or contemporary art? How do you plan to implement your research? Describe how you plan to realize the separate parts: artistic and written theses.  How is it relevant to you and your professional interests? What is the problem that motivates you in this research?

References: Reference list or bibliography of literature, audio-visual materials, performances, artworks, or other publications should be included, but it does not count towards the word limit.

Name the file: lastname_firstname_reseach_plan

3. Artist Statement

Shortly describe how you see the role of an artist today. Max. 500 words.
An artist statement serves as a general introduction to your work, ethos or ideas. In the artist statement you may present some of these aspects of your practice and conceptual thinking. The final paragraph should recapitulate the most important points in the statement.

Your overall vision.

What you expect from your audience and how they will react.

Where your work fits in with current contemporary art.

Artists you have been influenced by or how your work relates to other artists’ work. Other influences.

How a certain technique is important to the work.

Your philosophy of art making or of the work’s origin.

Name the file: lastname_firstname_statement 

4. Portfolio

The portfolio should present maximum 5 artworks or art projects of yours. The portfolio needs to be presented in a PDF format. You may add maximum 5 links to online documentation (audio, video, website, social media, etc.) that are related to works presented in the portfolio.
Name the file: lastname_firstname_portfolio

5. CV

Your CV is a comprehensive record of all of your accomplishments. It should not exceed three pages. Do not use images or photographs in the CV. Include in the CV the headings that are necessary in terms of review your personal artistic and research development. Here are some examples of headlines you can use:
– Personal details
– Degrees
– Employment
– Exhibitions
– Performances
– Projects
– Artist Residencies
– Publications
– Funding and grants
– Language Skills, etc.

Name the file: lastname_firstname_CV 

How to apply

You can find Master’s Degree Programme in Live Art and Performance Studies on the Studyinfo portal under the name of;
Master’s Admission: Live Art and Performance Studies, Master of Arts in Theatre and Drama (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 by the end of February.

Those who have passed the first phase based on their advance assignments will be sent invitations to phase 2 by e-mail. 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 in Studyinfo portal at the latest by 22 January 2025 at 3 pm (finnish time)
– Submitting advance assignments and appendices in Studyinfo portal at the latest by 29 January 2025 at 3 pm (finnish time)

Phase 2 of the entrance examination

Entrance examinations 23 April – 25 April 2025.

Invitations to phase 2 will be sent by e-mail by 4 April 2024 at the latest. Along with the invitation, applicants will receive an assignment to be presented at the entrance examinations.

Phase 2 of the selections is organized remotely using online tools. Applicants are not required to travel to Helsinki at any point of the selection process.  

Within the second phase, there are subphases. Only selected applicants are invited to subsequent phases. Additional assignments requiring preparation may also be given during the selection process. All assignments are in English.

Applicants may be eliminated after each stage and assignment of the entrance examination. The assignments of the entrance examinations are intended to demonstrate your skills and abilities related to the field of study. There are individual assignments, group assignments, and interviews.

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

View study programme's details