Admission requirements for Bachelor
• Prior education
To enrol in our Bachelor's programme, you must have a secondary school diploma at EQF level 4 (at least HAVO or MBO4 diploma or equivalent). This diploma must be obtained before the start of the programme in September. If you have a foreign diploma and are unsure whether it meets the required EQF level 4, you can check this on the Nuffic website.
• Portfolio
In addition, you must have sufficient artistic aptitude. During the admission procedure, the Rietveld Academie will assess your suitability for the programme. The admission procedure for the bachelor's programmes at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie consists of two rounds. For all information about the admission rounds, dates and deadlines, select one of the menu options below, depending on your nationality:
- Admission EEA Student (not NL)
• Language proficiency requirements
For the bachelor's programme, you must have sufficient English writing and speaking skills to be able to follow the programme at the Rietveld Academie. The language of instruction is English.
Non-Dutch candidates are required to submit proof of English language proficiency during the admission procedure. Candidates whose English language proficiency is insufficient will not be admitted. For more detailed information, please select one of the following menu options:
- Admission EEA Student (not NL)
• Residence permit
Candidates from all non-EU/EEA countries, except Switzerland, are required to apply for a residence permit through the International Office of the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in order to study full-time in the bachelor's programme. You cannot apply for a part-time programme (DOGtime) unless you already have a valid residence permit for the Netherlands that allows you to study.
Application and Admission Bachelor's Programme
The admission procedure for the bachelor's programme at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie consists of the following steps:
• Step 1: Apply via Studielink
Candidates for our bachelor's programme must first apply via Studielink. Studielink is the general system for enrolment and application for all education institutions in the Netherlands. To start your application, first go to the Studielink website: www.studielink.nl and read the instructions for registering and starting your application.
In Studielink, you can submit an enrolment request for our bachelor's programme by clicking on the blue button “Add new programme”. In the search filter, enter “Gerrit Rietveld Academie” in the “Educational institution” field to find our bachelor's programmes (do not search for “Basicyear” or the name of a specific department).
If you use “Gerrit Rietveld Academie” in the Educational Institution search filter, you will generate the following two HBO Bachelor's programmes:
- Fine Art and Design full-time, or;
- Fine Art and Design part-time (= DOGtime).
Select your choice of full-time or part-time, and you will then be given the following choice:
- first year of study, or;
- higher year (choose this if you want to enter directly into the 2nd or 3rd year of study at one of our departments).
Note: you cannot select a specific department in Studielink! You can only choose between a full-time or part-time bachelor's programme and between first year or higher year. You will only indicate your choice of department after submitting your enrolment request in Studielink, on the Gerrit Rietveld Academie application portal, where you will also need to complete our additional application questions.
Once you have applied via Studielink, you will automatically receive an email with information about the next steps in your application process, and a second email with the link and your login details for the Gerrit Rietveld Academie application portal.
• Step 2: Admission round 1
Online admission consultation hour (NL and EEA candidates)
The first admission round for NL and EEA candidates takes place via the online admission consultation hour. First, you must register via Studielink, only then can you make an appointment for the online consultation hour. During the online interview, you will show your portfolio (a wide variety of visual work). These interviews are scheduled from November to mid-February (with possible additional consultation hours after mid-February). After a positive interview, you will be allowed to take the entrance exam.
Depending on your nationality, select one of the menu options below to read detailed information about the admissions procedure:
- Admission EEA Student (not NL)
Online portfolio machine (non-EEA + higher year)
For the first admission round, all non-EEA candidates and candidates for higher year entry must submit a portfolio for assessment via our online “portfolio machine”. Based on your portfolio, the admissions committee will decide whether you will be invited to participate in the entrance examination.
But first, you must register via Studielink and submit an application request. You will then automatically receive emails explaining the next steps in your application process and how to submit your portfolio.
Continue reading here to find out more about the admissions procedure for non-EEA candidates.
Note: application for higher year entry is only possible for candidates who have obtained or expect to obtain a propaedeutic arts degree before the start of the programme.
• Step 3: Admission round 2: entrance examination
If your portfolio is positively assessed in the first admission round, you will be allowed to proceed to the second admission round: the entrance examination, which is compulsory for all candidates. Once you have submitted the additional questionnaire via the application portal in Osiris, you will be able to take the entrance examination and your entrance examination will be scheduled.
- The entrance examinations for the first year of the full-time bachelor's programme are in March (with an additional round in April).
- The entrance examinations for DOGtime are in April (with an extra round in May).
- The entrance examinations for full-time higher year entry are in May.
• Step 4: Official enrolment
Your enrolment for the programme of your choice is complete after payment of the tuition fees.
Registering for Preparatory Trajectories
The procedure for the Preparatory Trajectories (Preparatory Course and Orientation Course) is different. You do not register for these courses via Studielink. See the course pages for more information about registration.
International students
There is currently a debate in the Netherlands about the number of international students coming to the Netherlands to study. We are closely following that discussion and have joined the debate on this through the sector associations. We want to emphasise: everyone is and remains welcome to apply to the Gerrit Rietveld Academie. Read more.
