Tu­ition fee waivers for Uniarts Helsinki students

Published 31.8.2022 | Updated 9.9.2024

In brief

• First year students can get a 50% waiver for their tuition fee.
• After the first study year waivers can be awarded to selected students based on the progress of studies and study performance.
• In principle, waivers can be awarded within the target graduation times

First year students: Tuition fee waivers (students starting before 1 August 2026)

Uniarts Helsinki has a scholarship programme 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 Study Info application form if you want to apply for a scholarship from Uniarts Helsinki to cover part of the annual tuition fee if you are admitted as a student.

Tuition fee waivers are awarded for one (academic) year at a time based on students’ applications. Tuition fee waivers awarded to new students from the university’s scholarship programme are 50% of the tuition fee during the first year of studies. After the first study year waivers can be awarded to selected students based on the students’ academic success.

You will be notified of the decision personally at the same time as you receive the admission results.

In principle, students who are liable to pay the annual tuition fee have the possibility to apply for tuition fee waivers within the target graduation times defined in the Universities Act.

The scholarships are applied for and the decisions regarding scholarships are made annually. You cannot appeal decisions on scholarships.  

The annual tuition fee must be paid before a deadline that is confirmed on a yearly basis. Uniarts Helsinki recommends students to pay the annual tuition fee as soon as possible after they receive the notification of their admissions. Students are required to pay the annual tuition fee in order to register for attendance and complete studies, and to obtain a residence permit.

Second year of study onward: Tuition fee waivers (students starting before 1 August 2026)

Uniarts Helsinki has a scholarship programme for students who are liable for payment in the form of tuition fee waivers. The programme has been updated in spring 2024, and the new programme will be used for the first time in decisions on tuition fee waivers for the autumn term 2025. The programme only applies to students starting before 1.8.2026. The validity of the scholarship programme ends no later than 31.7.2030. The old scholarship programme will still be applied in decisions on tuition fee waivers for spring 2025.

The Vice Rector for Education awards the scholarships. Scholarships may be awarded for a maximum of one year at a time. Scholarships are awarded based on the progress of studies and study performance.

Scholarships can be awarded until the end of the student’s target duration of studies in accordance with the Universities Act:

• Bachelor + Master of Arts (Theatre and Drama) degree: 5 years of attendance or other enrolment that consumes study time (in total 10 academic terms, which do not have to be consecutive).  

• Bachelor + Master of Fine Arts or Music degree: 5.5 years of attendance or other enrolment that consumes study time (in total 11 academic terms, which do not have to be consecutive).  

• Master of Fine Arts, Arts (Art and Design), Arts (Dance) or Arts (Theatre and Drama) degree: 2 years of attendance or other enrolment that consumes study time (in total 4 academic terms, which do not have to be consecutive).  

• Master of Music degree: 2.5 years of attendance or other enrolment that consumes study time (in total 5 academic terms, which do not have to be consecutive).  

If a student has a justified reason for not graduating within the target completion time (e.g. illness), they may submit a scholarship application for consideration and attach a medical certificate or other document proving the reason for the delay.

The scholarship is a 50% discount of the tuition fee.

The student’s own degree programme provides the Scholarship Committee with a statement on the progress of the studies, if necessary. Please note that the scholarship may be awarded for one semester only even if you have applied for it for the whole year. You cannot appeal decisions on scholarships.  

You can submit your scholarship application in March. Master’s degree students at the Academy of Fine Arts submit their applications in October. We will send students more detailed information by email well before the start of the scholarship application process.   

Scholarships and Tax

The university is obliged by law to report all of its scholarships to Finnish tax authority on annual basis.

Scholarships in Finland are generally tax free up to the value of € 24 475,56 per calendar year (as in 2022; the amount varies a bit every year). The amount exceeding the set limit is generally subject to tax. The set limit includes scholarships paid in Finland by a non-public entity including, but not limited to, any combination of University of the Arts Scholarships (fee-waivers), Incentive-Based Scholarships, travel grants, one-off payments and living-expense scholarships you may get from the university for your studies.

Please note that in Finland each academic year is divided over two tax years (that is, calendar years). If your combined scholarships and grants exceed the value of € 24 475,56 (example for the calendar year 2022), the amount exceeding the set limit is generally subject to tax and you may be contacted by the Finnish tax authority.

For further information, please see the Finnish tax authority website: Taxation of students and trainees