Admissions
MA PROGRAMME ADMISSION INFORMATION
Applications for entry in the 2026/27 academic year will open on 1 February 2026.
Applications can be submitted on DreamApply or SAIS:
- international applicants with foreign education have to submit their application on DreamApply and pay the application fee;
- international applicants with a degree obtained in Estonia and a valid Estonian ID have to submit their application on DreamApply and do not have to pay the application fee;
- Estonian nationals have to follow the rules here and apply on SAIS.
The admission deadline for international programmes is 2 March 2026 at 3 pm (EET).
Admission interview will be held on 26 March 2026. The exact interview time for each applicant will be announced to him/her via e-mail a few days ahead.
Admissions committee consists of: Merike Estna, Mart Vainre, Karel Koplimets et al.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
NB! All the required documents, including the English language proficiency certificate, have to be submitted with the application by 2 March 2026 at 3 pm (EET).
— Application (submitted via DreamApply or SAIS: 01.02—02.03.2026)
— Payment confirmation (applications will only be processed after 80 EUR application fee is received by the Estonian Academy of Arts)
— Copy of your bachelor’s degree certificate or equivalent, and its translation into Estonian or English (please check the requirements here)
— Copy of your transcript of records, and its translation into Estonian or English (please check the requirements here)
— English language proficiency certificate (please check the requirements here)
— Copy of the data page of your passport or ID-card
— CV
— Portfolio (digital, PDF, max file size 20Mb, A4, horizontal)
Your portfolio must be well structured and contain at least 8 works (at least 5 works in case of larger projects). Portfolios are evaluated by the comprehensibility of the artist’s position, content and concept of the artworks, professional execution, adequate description of the works and awareness of the contemporary art context. Portfolios are evaluated by the admissions committee. Applicants will be invited for an interview on the basis of the portfolio score.
— Completed questionnaire
The questionnaire must contain comprehensive and articulate answers to all the questions asked.
Questionnaire:
1. Please describe and analyze your artistic practice. (Max 1200 characters including spaces)
2. What does ‘contemporary art’ mean for you and what are your key motivations for you to make art? (Max 1200 characters including spaces)
3. Name the last exhibition or other recent experience with contemporary art that really moved you – elaborate on how and why it affected you. (Max 1200 characters including spaces)
4. What do you want to achieve during the two-year period of the Contemporary Art MA studies in EKA?
5. What kind of experiences or challenges are you looking for in this MA programme? Are there any specific skills, methods and forms of knowledge you hope to acquire?
6. What do you see yourself potentially bringing or contributing to the MA programme? (Skills, peer support, cultural diversity, independent initiatives, discussion topics, etc.)
7. Please name key topics and themes you feel contemporary artists are confronted with today.
8. How did you hear about the Estonian Academy of Arts’ Contemporary Art MA programme?
9. How many different MA programmes are you applying to?
NB! Translations are only requested if documents are not in English or Estonian. Both the copies of documents in their original language and translations have to be attested.
INTERVIEW
NB! All applicants will receive feedback via DreamApply, and all interviews with international applicants will be held via Zoom.
The interview will take place based on submitted documents (portfolio, questionnaire, CV). During the interview, the applicant will present their artistic practice, their objectives of the Master’s studies, their views on their creative process and on contemporary art and culture.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
The applicant’s motivation and commitment to artistic practice, the professional level of their artworks, their professional skills and knowledge, and their understanding of the field will be assessed. Equally important are the applicant’s ability to work both as an individual artist and as part of the group, their communication skills, and the consistency of the aims of the studies and artistic work with the objectives of EKA’s learning environment, curriculum and teaching methods.
