Application period extended! The Sibelius Academy Foundation stipend for graduating students

The Sibelius Academy dean continues to award financial support to the academy’s students who graduate within the normative timeframe for studies. Funding for the grants is allocated from investment income earned by the Sibelius Academy Foundation. The application period opened on 21st of November and it ended on 9th of January 2023. It has been brought to our attention, however, that this information had not reached all students eligible to apply. The application period has thus been extended in the Aspicore system until 23rd of January 2023 at 16:00 (Finnish time).

Who can apply for the grant?

A Sibelius Academy student is eligible to apply for the grant if they graduate by 31 December 2022 within the normative duration of studies, as defined in the Universities Act (section 40). A student who has graduated between 1 Jan 2022 and 31 Dec 2022 can apply now.

Master’s students who have applied for the grant and graduated within the normative timeframe will be awarded a grant of 500 to 1,000 euros, while bachelor’s students who meet the same criteria will receive a grant of 200 to 500 euros. The final amounts of the grants will be determined after the application period has expired.

Target duration of studies leading to a degree as defined in the Universities Act:

First-cycle & second-cycle degree (bachelor’s studies 3 years + master’s studies 2.5 years): 5.5 years
Second-cycle degree (master’s studies): Master of Music 2.5 years and Master of Arts (Art and Design) 2 years

The normative timeframe for the student’s degree is calculated by the academic affairs staff based on the data recorded in Uniarts Helsinki’s student register concerning the number of academic terms when the student has registered for attendance as well as the student’s graduation date. Students who have submitted their application for graduation by 31 Jan 2022 are registered as graduates in 2022.

Apply for the grant in the Aspicore system

Why does the Foundation support students’ graduation within the target duration of studies?

The aim is to support students’ graduation within the normative timeframe because it benefits current graduates as well as future students. Graduation is one of the turning points in life, as students move on from their academic safety nets and take the first steps on their personal career paths, as winding and uncertain as they may be.

The purpose of the grant is to offer financial support at this important transitional stage. In addition to this, we are also preparing a framework that would provide students who graduate within the target time the opportunity to use the university’s facilities free of charge even after graduation.

From the perspective of the Sibelius Academy and the entire Uniarts Helsinki, the graduation of new generations of students is not only a matter of fulfilling the university’s core mission in society, but also a matter of ensuring high-quality operating conditions in the future, as well: the funding that the university receives from the Ministry of Education and Culture is largely based on the number of completed degrees at the university. The number of graduates who complete their degree within the normative timeframe, specifically, also has its own impact on funding.

The number of graduates has an impact on the study conditions of future students. If the number of graduates is low several years in a row, the university’s funding will decrease in relation to other Finnish universities. Cuts in resources will have a range of effects on the environments in which current and future students study.

Will this support be available in future years?

The Sibelius Academy dean has determined that a grant that supports graduation within the normative timeframe will be available for application in 2022–2024. A student is eligible to apply for the grant if they graduate by the end of December within the year of the normative timeframe. The amount of the grant may vary each year, because it is determined based on the development of the market value of the Foundation’s investments. The aim is to offer grants of roughly the same value also in upcoming years, however.

More information

Questions about the content of the application and payment of the grant:
Sarri Vuorisalo-Tiitinen
Foundation Officer
sarri.vuorisalo-tiitinen@uniarts.fi
050 476 69 61

Other questions about the application process:
siba.apurahat@uniarts.fi