Important dates for the academic year

Published 23.5.2022 | Updated 4.3.2026

Uniarts Helsinki’s academic year

The university’s academic year begins every year on 1 August and ends on 31 July.

Teaching during the 2025-2026 academic year

In the 2025-2026 academic year, instruction is given between 4 August 2025 and 12 June 2026. 

What’s happening	Dates
Joint studies or summer studies	4 – 24 August 2025
Teaching period 1	25 August – 10 October 2025
Uniarts Helsinki’s opening ceremony of the academic year	11 September 2025
No contact teaching	13 – 19 October 2025
Teaching period 2	20 October – 19 December 2025
No contact teaching	22 December 2025 – 6 January 2026
Teaching period 3	7 January – 13 February 2026
No contact teaching	16 – 22 February 2026
Teaching period 4	23 February – 30 April 2026
No contact teaching	2 – 8 April 2026
Teaching period 5, joint studies or summer studies	4 May – 12 June 2026
Uniarts Helsinki’s joint orientation for new students	18 August 2025 and 6 October 2025

Teaching during the 2026-2027 academic year

In the 2026-2027 academic year, instruction is given between 3 August 2026 and 18 June 2027.

What’s happening	Dates
Joint studies or summer studies	3‐21 August 2026
Uniarts Helsinki’s joint orientation for new students	17 August and 14 September 2026
Teaching period 1	24 August – 9 October 2026
No contact teaching	2 – 18 October 2026
Teaching period 2	19 October – 18 December 2026
No contact teaching	21 December 2026 – 6 January 2027
Teaching period 3	7 January – 19 February 2027
No contact teaching	22 – 28 February 2027
Teaching period 4	1 March – 7 May 2027
No contact teaching	25 – 31 March 2027
Teaching period 5 and joint studies or summer studies	10 May – 18 June 2027

Registration for the academic year

The registration period for the academic year 2025-2026 is between 2 May and 11 August 2025. The registration period for the 2026 spring term is between 1 December 2025 and 7 January 2026. New students have separate deadlines.

The registration period for the academic year 2026-2027 is between 2 May and 10 August 2026. The registration period for the 2027 spring term is between 1 December 2026 and 7 January 2027. New students have separate deadlines.

Registration for courses

You can find the course selection in the Study Guide. Registration for the courses takes place in the study system Peppi or the mobile application Tuudo. Below you can find more detailed registration dates.

Registration for the Sibelius Academy’s courses and one-to-one teaching

• 10–29 April 2026: registration for courses and one-to-one teaching during the 2026-2027 academic year. 
• 12–27 August 2026: registration for courses during the 2026-2027 academic year (Note that this registration period is intended only for new students and for courses that still have available places at this stage)
• For the most part, registration for Uniarts Helsinki’s general studies ends on 27 August 2026 for the autumn term and on 30 September 2026 for the spring term.

Registration for the Academy of Fine Arts courses

• 15 May–4 September 2026: Registration for the autumn term 2026 courses (course-specific exceptions to registration periods may apply)
• 13 November 2026–15 January 2027: Registration for the spring term 2027 courses (course-specific exceptions to registration periods may apply)
• For the most part, registration for Uniarts Helsinki’s general studies ends on 27 August 2026 for the autumn term and on 30 September 2026 for the spring term.

Registration for the Theatre Academy’s courses

• 15 May–1 September 2026: Registration for the autumn term 2026 courses (however, the registration period ends two weeks before teaching begins)
• 2–30 November 2026: Registration for the spring term 2027 courses
• For the most part, registration for Uniarts Helsinki’s general studies ends on 27 August 2026 for the autumn term and on 30 September 2026 for the spring term.
• Aalto ARTS mobility studies: when registration periods are confirmed, information will be announced separately at the Theatre Academy.
• See the registration periods for the Centre of Joint Studies below.

Registration for optional studies

• 10 April–27 August 2026: Registration for the autumn term’s SAMA (Sound Art & Sonic Arts) teaching and optional career skills and language studies
• 10 April–30 November 2026: Registration for the spring term’s SAMA teaching and optional career skills and language studies
• 15 May–14 June 2026: Registration for the Theatre Academy’s Centre for Joint Studies courses for the 2026 autumn term (the registration period may be extended if places remain available)
• 2–30 November 2026: Registration for the Theatre Academy’s Centre of Joint Studies courses for the 2027 spring term
• 1 February–1 March 2027: Registration for the Theatre Academy’s Centre of Joint Studies courses in May–June 2027

Registration for Open University studies

• 31 March–21 April 2026: Registration for summer 2026 courses. The course selection will be published by 17 March 2026.
• Registration for autumn 2026 courses ends 20 August 2026. The course selection will be published by 2 June 2026.
• 17 November–10 December 2026: Registration for spring 2027 courses. The course selection will be published by 3 November 2026.
• 31 March–22 April 2027: Registration for summer 2027 courses. The course selection will be published by 16 March 2027.

General exam dates

Usually, the exam is always taken at the end of the course. Some course examinations can be completed on the general exam dates. If it is possible to take the exam on a general examination day, you will find this information in the Study Guide, or the course teacher will announce it during the course. You can read about the available course completion methods in the course descriptions in the Study Guide.  

Literature examinations for the Sibelius Academy’s church music and pedagogical studies can sometimes be substituted with literature essays. You can request the essay assignments by emailing siba.tentit@uniarts.fi.

Spring term 2026 general exam dates in Helsinki

• Sat 10 January 2026 (registration by 31 December 2025)
• Sat 7 February 2026 (registration by 28 January 2026)
• Sat 7 March 2026 (registration by 25 February 2026)
• Sat 11 April 2026 (registration by 1 April 2026)
• Sat 2 May 2026 (registration by 22 April 2026)

Summer 2026 exam dates in Helsinki

• Sat 6 June 2026 (registration by 15 May 2026)
• Sat 8 August 2026 (registration by 15 May 2026)

Autumn term 2026 general exam dates in Helsinki

• Sat 5 September 2026 (registration by 26 August 2026)
• Sat 3 October 2026 (registration by 23 September 2026)
• Sat 7 November 2026 (registration by 28 October 2026)
• Sat 5 December 2026 (registration by 25 November 2026)

Spring term 2027 general exam dates in Helsinki

• Sat 9 January 2027 (registration by 30 December 2026)
• Sat 6 February 2027 (registration by 27 January 2027)
• Sat 6 March 2027 (registration by 24 February 2027)
• Sat 3 April 2027 (registration by 24 March 2027)
• Sat 8 May 2027 (registration by 28 April 2027)

Summer 2027 exam dates in Helsinki

• Sat 5 June 2027 (registration by 14 May 2027)
• Sat 7 August 2027 (registration by 14 May 2027)

How to register for an examination 

Students must register for an examination no later than 10 days before the examination. Registrations submitted after the deadline will not be processed. If you miss the deadline, contact the person in charge of the examination and ask them if you can still participate in the examination.   

Once the registration period has ended, staff from the academic affairs team will contact you and provide you with instructions for participating in the examination.   

On the day of examination (Helsinki) 

Examinations are held in the Auditorium H1112 of the Helsinki Music Centre (visiting address Töölönlahdenkatu 16 C). Exceptions: The exam on 4 October will be held in room R-510 in the R Building at Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 9, and the exam on 6 June will be held in the room N-510 in the N building at Nervanderinkatu 13.

The doors will open at 9:00. Examinations start at 9:15 and end at 13:15. Students are not allowed to leave the auditorium earlier than 30 minutes after the start of the examination. Students must show their student card or ID card in the examination as proof of identity and attendance. A student who has registered as a non-attending student cannot participate in an examination.  

The doors to the Helsinki Music Centre Auditorium are locked, which is why students who do not study at the Sibelius Academy are picked up from the lobby on the Töölönlahdenkatu side of the building at 09:05 and then escorted to the Auditorium.  

General exam dates (Kuopio) 

Some course examinations can be completed on the general exam dates. You can read about the available course completion methods in the course descriptions in the Study Guide.  

Literature examinations for theological studies consist of independent studies and essay assignments. The assignments are sent on the day of the examination by email, and students are also informed of the essay deadline at the same time. You can find the set literature for theological courses in the course descriptions provided in the Study Guide.  

Maturity tests are completed remotely. Read more about maturity tests.

Spring term 2026

• Fri 23 January 2026 (registration by 13 January 2026)
• Fri 27 February 2026 (registration by 17 February 2026)
• Fri 27 March 2026 (registration by 17 March 2026)
• Fri 17 April 2026 (registration by 7 April 2026)
• Fri 8 May 2026 (registration by 29 April 2026)

How to register for an examination and a remote maturity test (Kuopio)   

Students must register for an examination no later than 10 days before the examination.

Graduation ceremony dates

• Academy of Fine Arts ceremony spring 2026: 5 June 2026
• Academy of Fine Arts ceremony autumn 2026: 11 December 2026
• Sibelius Academy ceremony spring 2026: 12 June 2026
• Sibelius Academy ceremony autumn 2026: not yet announced
• Theatre Academy ceremony 2026: 12 June 2026
• Theatre Academy ceremony 2027: 9 June 2027

All graduation ceremonies prioritise providing seats for graduates and their families.

Academy of Fine Arts’ deadlines for applying for degree certificates.

Sibelius Academy’s deadlines for applying for degree certificates.

Theatre Academy’s graduation schedule.

Additional academy-specific schedule

Genral information concerning the Sibelius Academy’s teaching schedules

The teaching times will be published in the Study Guide. In principle, instruction is provided from Monday to Friday between 9:00 and 20:00. The instruction of the Junior Academy will be provided also on weekends. A lesson lasts 45 minutes and teaching-related room reservations start on the hour. In one-to-one teaching, the teacher and and the student agree on the teaching times.

Instruction is provided between 25 August 2025 and 30 April 2026 (at the Junior Academy: until 31 May 2026).

The fixed classroom reservations for teaching will not be valid during the break weeks 42 and 8 or during the Christmas and Easter holidays. The times of the Christmas and Easter holidays are mentioned in the rector’s decision on teaching periods in 2025-2026. Other than regular contact teaching can be provided during the break weeks.

Uniarts Helsinki’s joint studies will be provided in August and May. Regular group instruction should not be organised during the weeks reserved for joint studies. Orchestra periods, intensive courses, project studies and one-to-one teaching can be organised also during the weeks of joint studies.

Theatre Academy’s additional dates in 2026

17.-21.2. No contact teaching

2 March at 13-17 Theatre Academy Community Day
2-8 April No teaching around Easter
Week 18 Teaching in all programmes ends
May Application for Theatre Academy’s students for international exchange or internship: Norteas network application for short exchange for the following semester

4-8 May Intensive courses in general studies (languages, art, career skills and sustainability)
15 May Study guides are published and registration for the autumn courses in Peppi begins
15 May-12 June Students’ PSP discussion round about students’ participation in upcoming artistic productions
11 May-12 June Joint studies, in exceptional cases programme teaching and intensive courses of general studies (languages, art, career skills and sustainability)

General practices concerning the academic year

Uniarts Helsinki’s period of joint studies

The weeks are reserved primarily for Uniarts Helsinki’s joint studies and mobility studies offered by the academies. The period is dedicated to joint studies and productions that are intended for all students of Uniarts Helsinki’s academies, as well as – in special cases – for academy-specific courses such as orientation studies. There may also be special intensive courses in theory and languages during these weeks.

Joint studies of Uniarts Helsinki can also be organised during other times, but the period for joint studies is specifically reserved for these studies so that students have an equal opportunity to participate in them.

Breaks in contact teaching

During the break weeks, students can study and practise independently, get ready for performances, exhibitions or exams or complete written assignments and write their theses.

There is a break in contact teaching around Easter, which begins on Thursday before Easter and ends on Wednesday after Easter.

No teaching is arranged on national holidays.

The dean of the academy and the director of the Open Campus can make exceptions to the above-mentioned teaching schedules for a justified reason if they are required by the curricula.