Applications for the Mirjam Helin Academy in February 2026

28 January 2026

Photos: Emiliano Verrocchio

The Mirjam Helin Academy offers training for promising singers with international career aspirations. One or two new students will be recruited to the academy through a supplementary application process.

Launched in August 2025, the Mirjam Helin Academy offers further training for ambitious singers. Students are offered an individual study plan that includes performance, repertoire building, singing technique and practical skills in the music industry. The Finnish Cultural Foundation covers all student expenses. The academy’s teachers are recruited from the top of their field and include opera singers, conductors, directors and music experts.

The supplementary application process is aimed at talented and ambitious singers pursuing an international career who are looking for high-quality teaching, personalised guidance and extensive professional networks to advance their careers. Applicants are expected to have an excellent singing voice and musicality, as well as strong motivation and a goal-oriented approach to studying.

One to two new students will be selected through the supplementary application process in spring 2026.

Application schedule

• The application period begins: Thursday 12 February 2026 at 09:00 (Finnish time, UTC+2).
• The application period ends: Thursday 5 March 2026 at 16:00 (Finnish time, UTC+2).
• Those accepted to the live auditions will be notified by email by 26 March 2026.
• The live auditions will be held in Helsinki from 16 to 19 April 2026.
• The results will be announced on 28 April 2026.
• The Mirjam Helin Academy is a two-year programme. For students selected this spring, it will run from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2028. During the first year of the programme, an assessment will be made as to whether the student will progress to the second year of the academy.