application guide dance & participation

Please write to studieadm@scenekunstskolen.dk if you have questions about the application procedure.

APPLication

NB! It will not be possible to apply for the programme until next application round opens. Below you can read the application instructions from last year. Please note that the application instructions will be changed when the next application round opens.

HOW TO APPLY

In order to apply for the Master’s Programme in Dance and Participation, you have to fill in an online application form in the application system "Studieoptag". You will be asked to create a user account on your first visit. Please note that you cannot send your application by email or post.

In order to apply, you must:

• provide the required personal information in the form.
• attach a photo of your face only (to be used in the application process).
• upload your CV (text only, no photos or scan) (max. 1 page).
• upload documentation for a relevant Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, or equivalent
• upload a text (max. 2 pages) outlining your motivation and professional goals for applying to this specific education.
• upload a portfolio (max. 5 pages) exhibiting through image and text a maximum of five selected examples of your artistic practice. We encourage you to select the projects you consider most relevant to the MFA in Dance and Participation.

All information must be given in English, and all documents must be submitted as PDF documents.

NB. Be sure to upload the materials to the studieoptag.dk system on time. Large files may take a long time to upload.

APPLICATION FEE

A fee of DKK 750 will be charged when applying for admission. The fee covers expenses of the audition process. When applying online you will be redirected to a payment site.

Your application is only valid once the fee has been paid. The application fee is non-refundable once the application deadline has passed.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The entry requirement for the study programme is a passed admission test as well as a degree in dance and choreography at a Bachelor of Fine Arts level, or equivalent, from DASPA or another relevant higher education institution*.

If you expect to complete your qualifying education after the application deadline, you must enclose a document from the educational institution confirming that your expected time of completion is before your study start in August.

*A bachelor's level degree from DASPA does not constitute a legal entitlement to be admitted to the master’s programme in Dance and Participation. All applicants with a qualifying degree must go through the same application process.

ADMISSION PROCESS

FIRST SELECTION

Based on an assessment of the qualifying education and the documents in the application in relation to the assessment criteria, the admission committee selects a limited number of applicants to come for audition. Applicants will be notified no later than two weeks after the application deadline. If you are not invited for the audition, the admission panel will not be able to give individual feedback.

AUDITION

The audition will take place 11-12 April 2026 in Copenhagen. Invited applicants partake in teaching situations, including creative choreographic tasks and collaborative work, and are asked to facilitate prepared material. There will also be individual interviews, where the admission committee and the applicant discuss the applicant’s expectations regarding the education. You will receive further information if you are invited to the audition.

If you are not admitted to the programme after the audition, you will be offered individual feedback. You will be notified about this option in an email.

LANGUAGE

The admission process and the interviews will be in English.

ADMISSION COMMITTEE 

The admission committee consists of:

• The head of the programme
• An external examiner appointed by the Ministry of Culture
• A teacher from DASPA
• A master student from DASPA

ADMISSION CRITERIA

The Danish National School of Performing Arts admits applicants who are assessed to be the most suitable on the basis of the following admission criteria. The admission committee makes an overall assessment of applicants based on the auditions. Particular emphasis is placed on whether the applicant demonstrates:

• Motivation to immerse oneself into the field within the framework of the programme.
• Capacity to take responsibility for complex and collective artistic processes and learning environments.
• Ability to analyse one’s own and others' artistic practices.
• Knowledge and skills within the subject area and potential for further development.
• Ability to clearly articulate ideas through movement, speech, and text.
• Communicative and collaborative skills.
• Personal motivation, including an idea of how the education is expected to shape the future artistic practice of the applicant.

You are not necessarily expected to meet all of the criteria; however, they provide an indication of what the admission committee prioritises in the selection process.

LANGUAGE 

In the audition, the admission committee will assess the applicants’ level of oral English. If the admission panel is not convinced that an applicant has a sufficient level of English to complete the programme, they might ask for detailed documentation of the applicant’s proficiencies in English.

STANDBY

The admission committee will select a number of applicants from the audition that have not been admitted to the programme but still remain eligible for the programme and add them to a prioritized list. These applicants could be contacted should one of the selected candidates not accept the admission offer. The stand by list is eligible until October 1st.

ILLNESS

No re-auditions are held, either in the case of illness occurring prior to the audition or illness arising during the audition.

COMPLAINTS

Appeals against the decision of the admissions committee can be made via the Principal of the Danish School of Performing Arts. This must be done within two weeks of receiving the decision. The Principal adjudicates the complaint and provides any further guidance concerning complaint procedures. If the complaint concerns the academic decision on admission to the programme, the decision cannot be appealed further. If the complaint concerns legal issues such as incapacity or compliance with the deadline for submitting applications, the Principal’s decision may be appealed via the Minister of Culture within two weeks of receiving the Principal’s decision.