Institute of Design and Fine Arts – Application Assignments 2026

“You as a future sustainability designer” – motivation poster

Designers today are more than creators of beautiful things. Future designers work across business, technology, and innovation contexts, where they identify opportunities, imagine new solutions, and support transitions toward more sustainable futures.

Task: Create an A3-sized vertical poster that presents your motivation to study in the Sustainable Design Business program. The poster should communicate your potential as someone who is curious about sustainable design. 

You may reflect on, for example:

• Why are you interested in design that contributes to sustainability in business?
• Why do you want to study in this international bachelor’s program at LAB Institute of Design and Fine Arts in Lahti, Finland?
• What strengths, values, experiences, interests, or dreams describe you at this point in your journey?

How to create the poster:

You are free to choose how you create the poster. For example, you may use visual elements (hand-made or digital) and/or include text-based content.

• Do not use stock images or ready-made templates
• Do not ask for help from others or use AI tools to create the content
• If you make the poster by hand, take a clear photo and save it as a high-quality PDF
• Name your file: Firstname_Lastname.pdf (e.g. Matti_Meikalainen.pdf)
   

Note: You are not expected to be a ready designer. We are interested in your potential, motivation, and willingness to grow.

Evaluation criteria:

• Authenticity
• Motivation
• Communication

1. Familiarize yourself with the degree programme, selection criteria and the preliminary assignment.
2. Apply online at Studyinfo.fi during the application period: 1 November 2025 – 21 January 2026.
3. Upload your pre-assignment file to your application form on 8 February 2026 at 23:59 (Finnish time, UTC/GMT +2) at the latest. 

Please read the instructions carefully. If you have any questions, please see our frequently asked questions before contacting us.

After receiving your application and the pre-assignments by the deadline, we will review them. The best applicants whose assignments are approved will receive an invitation to participate in the application exams. Others will receive a message informing them their assignments have been rejected. 

Selected applicants will take part in the application exams at the beginning of April 2026. The specific dates will be included in the invitation message. The exams will require attendance online during 2–4 days within this timeframe. 

Results of the application process will be available as soon as possible after the application exams.

Regrettably, we cannot answer inquiries regarding the application process. Please don’t call or send us e-mails about the application assignments or exams. 

Please note: All information from us will be sent to the e-mail address the applicant has provided when applying at Studyinfo.fi.

The applicants with the best application assignments will be called into our application exams.

The entrance exam consists of an interview and versatile assignments measuring the special skills needed in the field of design. Applicant’s abilities in visual and creative problem solving as well as suitability and motivation are assessed. At this stage, the preliminary assignment will also be scored. 

Student selection is based on the joint score of these three segments: the preliminary assignment, the entrance exam assignments, and the interview. Maximum joint score is 100 points. To be accepted, the applicant must achieve at least 50 points.

If you require special needs arrangements, please fill in a separate form as early as possible. You can find this form with further instructions on our website.

Can I mail in my assignments?

Pre-assignments can’t be sent by email, but will be uploaded to the application form by 8 February 2026. Please read carefully our instructions on this page.

Online? How does that work?

Our application process is online. The application exams will require the applicant to have access to a mobile device or computer equipped for video conferencing. The actual assignments will not require the applicant to have a computer, but a mobile device with a camera is enough. 
 

Can I apply into more than one of your programmes?

Applicants can apply to one programme in the LAB Rolling Application.

If you can manage studies in Finnish, apply also into our Finnish speaking programmes. More info at Studyinfo.fi (or Opintopolku.fi in Finnish). 
Note: You need to send us the application assignments for each programme you apply for!
 

As I need to photograph my work, is the quality of my photographs assessed too?

The technical quality of your photos is not assessed (if this is not mentioned as an assessment criteria). Of course it's necessary to do your best so that your actual work is easy to assess, please read our instructions carefully. 
 

Can I get feedback on how I did? 

Regrettably we cannot give you feedback on your assignments and performance. Application assignments will be assessed on a pass/fail scale. All assignments and the interview completed during the application exams will be assessed on a point scale of 0–100.