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University of the Arts Helsinki

University of the Arts Helsinki

University of the Arts Helsinki

Introduction

The University of the Arts Helsinki (Uniarts Helsinki) provides the highest level of education in music, fine arts, theatre, writing and dance in Finland. Uniarts Helsinki is an international forerunner in education and research in the field of arts and strengthens the role of art as a force that reforms society. Established in 2013, Uniarts Helsinki consists of the Academy of Fine Arts, Sibelius Academy, and Theatre Academy.

We are an open meeting place for the arts and a critical university community for bold reformers and experts of tradition, based at the Academy of Fine Arts, Sibelius Academy, and Theatre Academy.

World-class Education and Research

Uniarts Helsinki’s Sibelius Academy placed 12th place in the field of music and 13th in the field of performing arts in the QS World University Rankings 2024. The ranking was released for the eight time in 2024, and the Sibelius Academy has placed among the top universities since the first year of the ranking.

Excellent feedback from students. We are the most sought-after place to study in Finland: about 8 percent of our applicants are admitted as students.

According to surveys, our bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral graduates are happy with the content and quality of their education, interaction with teachers and available resources and services. The results are based on the bachelor’s graduate surveys and career monitoring surveys carried out in 2021.

Bachelors who graduated in 2018 find that Uniarts Helsinki provides high-quality teaching. Master’s graduates from 2013 and doctoral graduates from 2015 find that their Uniarts Helsinki degree has made them well prepared for professional life.

Positive reviews from exchange students. Our exchange students, too, have been very satisfied with their studies, and the university has received recognition for its exchange student practices. This feedback was gathered in 2016–2017 from students who had participated in an Erasmus exchange program.

Uniarts Helsinki has been selected as a national Best Practice University when it comes to Erasmus mobility. There has been a significant increase in the number of exchange students applying to study music, in particular.

Audited quality system. Uniarts Helsinki employs a quality system that helps us ensure the high quality of our operations.

The system was audited in 2018. We received particularly positive reviews for the genuinely value-based and student-centered approach that we adopt in our operations. The education that we offer has a strong link to working life, and our alumni are involved in the development of our education.

Read more on the institution's website

Statistics

  • Studies
  • Number of students: 1,923 students (2023)
  • Number of completed degrees: 189 bachelor’s degrees, 320 master’s degrees, 11 doctoral degrees (2023)
  • Number of applicants: 5,337 applicants, 337 admitted as students. (2023)
  • University rankings: The top subject-specific rankings for the University of the Arts Helsinki include Sibelius Academy’s 12th place in the field of music and 13th place in performing arts. Additionally, the university ranked among the top 200 in the field of art and design.
  • International students: 18% of the bachelor’s and master’s degree students and 21% of the doctoral students come from outside of Finland (2023)

Research

  • Amount of external research funding: 1.2 million euros (in 2022)
  • Number of researchers: 20 researchers (Academy of Finland research fellow, researcher, postdoctoral research fellow, university researcher), 219 doctoral candidates. In addition, part of our 63 professors carry out research. (2022)

Personnel

  • Number of employees: 764 full-time equivalent employees (in 2023)
  • International staff: 12% of the teaching and research staff come from outside of Finland (in 2022)

    Campus Features

    Uniarts Helsinki has two campuses in Helsinki – Sörnäinen, and Töölö – and it also operates in Seinäjoki and Kuopio.

    Töölö Campus

    The teaching facilities and performance venues for music are located primarily on Uniarts Helsinki’s Töölö Campus. The buildings are located in the heart of Helsinki.

    The facilities (Helsinki Music Centre, N Building, and R Building) provide several practice rooms and classrooms in Helsinki’s city center especially for students of Uniarts Helsinki’s Sibelius Academy.

    The Helsinki Music Centre and the buildings on Nervanderinkatu and Pohjoinen Rautatienkatu have halls for various purposes as well as work facilities for Uniarts Helsinki’s staff.

    Find out more about our Töölö Campus on our website.

    Sörnäinen Campus

    The Sörnäinen Campus in central Helsinki offers an inspiring learning environment especially for students of fine arts, theatre, and dance.

    The Kookos Building, in which the Theatre Academy is located, provides facilities, especially for dance and theatre students. The Mylly building, which was completed in 2021, houses students of fine arts, lighting and sound design, and design for the performing arts. There is also a well-stocked library and a student restaurant on the Sörnäinen campus.

    Find out more about the Sörnäinen Campus on our website.

    Uniarts Helsinki has two campuses in Helsinki – Sörnäinen and Töölö – and it also operates in Seinäjoki and Kuopio. The teaching facilities and performance venues for music are located primarily on Uniarts Helsinki’s Töölö Campus. The buildings are located in the heart of Helsinki. The Sörnäinen Campus in central Helsinki offers an inspiring learning environment especially for students of fine arts, theatre and dance.

    It is very important to start processing housing applications as soon as you are accepted. We recommend the following student housing options:

    Sibelius Academy Student Housing Foundation, Clavis:

    Clavis is a small hall of residence for Sibelius Academy students only. Both degree students and exchange students can apply for a room in Clavis.

    HOAS – the Foundation for Student Housing in the Helsinki region:

    HOAS offers rooms in shared apartments and studios. HOAS has reserved a quota of shared, furnished apartments for exchange students and international degree students.

    More information on student housing is available on our website.

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      Scholarships and Funding

      Uniarts Helsinki has a scholarship program for students who are liable for payment in the form of tuition fee waivers.

      If you are liable for payment, you must state on the application form if you want to apply for a scholarship from Uniarts Helsinki to cover the annual tuition fee if you are admitted as a student.

      Find out more about the scholarships program on our website.

      Why study at University of the Arts Helsinki

      • The University of the Arts is one of the leading performing arts universities in the world: Uniarts Helsinki’s Sibelius Academy has ranked among the top 26 universities in the QS World University Ranking for five consecutive years (2016–2023).
      • We have unique facilities for creating arts with two campuses in Helsinki and a new building for fine arts which was opened in 2021. The facilities are in the use of the Academy of Fine Arts as well as students of light design, sound design, and design for the performing arts. We host over 1,000 public performances or exhibitions per year.
      • At Uniarts Helsinki you can study in an inspiring environment where different disciplines of art influence each other. The academies of Uniarts Helsinki;Academy of Fine Arts, Theatre Academy and Sibelius Academy, have roots deep within the Finnish arts education and history of art. The predecessors of all three academies were founded in the 19th century although then they operated under slightly different names.
      • The Academy of Fine Arts of Uniarts Helsinki is an international academy with a focus on fine arts. Students' personal aspirations and one-to-one guidance in teaching are at the heart of the academy.
      • The Sibelius Academy of Uniarts Helsinki is one of the largest music academies in Europe. It is the cornerstone of the Finnish music culture through its expertise in teaching, research and artistic activities.
      • The Theatre Academy of Uniarts Helsinki is a reformer of the performing arts and offer the highest education in theatre, dance and writing in Finland.

      Awards & Accreditations

      22nd best in the world in performing arts

      QS World University Rankings (2022)

      9th in the field of performing arts

      QS World University Rankings (2021)

      13th in the field of performing arts

      QS World University Rankings (2020)

      Campus Life & Facilities

      The University of the Arts Student Union (ArtSU) is the community and interest organisation of all University of the Arts students. Every attending bachelor’s and master’s degree student is automatically a member of the Student Union when enrolling in the university, and exchange students and doctoral students are also welcome to join. The purpose of ArtSU is to be a tie between its members, promote the interests and rights of students and provide services that facilitate studies.

      Helsinki, the capital of Finland, is rich with activities and attractions to suit everyone. It is a lively student city with around 70,000 student inhabitants. Visit the city's official website myHelsinki.fi for more information.

      • You can contact our study psychologist if you are facing difficulties in studying or in your personal life.
      • The university chaplain of Uniarts Helsinki is accessible to everyone in the university community, both students and staff.
      • UniSport provides sports and exercise services in six locations in Helsinki and there is a gym at the Theatre Academy of Uniarts Helsinki.
      • Uniarts Helsinki library has four locations: the Academy of Fine Arts, the Theatre Academy, and the Sibelius Academy in both Helsinki and Kuopio.

      University of the Arts Helsinki is in the Top 10 Countries to Study Abroad

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      Locations

      • Helsinki

        Töölönkatu, 3, 00100, Helsinki

      • Helsinki

        Sörnäisten rantatie 19, 00530, Helsinki

        Questions