Would you like to study at the art academy, yet you are not sure which study suits you best? Or perhaps you want to work on your portfolio in order to prepare for admission to a bachelor's degree in art or design?

Then you can choose to follow the Preparatory Year or Orientation Course at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague (KABK). During these preparatory courses, you will take a look into the world of art and culture, create work for your portfolio, and discover what you like and what you like to do.

Orientation Course or Preparatory Year?

Orientation Course

You will get acquainted with different techniques, media forms and disciplines; a broad orientation in the world of art and design.

Duration: 15 Saturdays incl. day excursion
(sem 1 course: September - January or sem 2 course: February - June)

Application criteria: Anyone considering studying at an art academy can apply.

Application procedure: You register via our website. You will then be invited for an admission day where you show your portfolio and have an interview.

More info Orientation Course & Applications

Preparatory Year

You will get to know all the different bachelor departments at the KABK and explore your interests. In the course of the year, you will make a choice in which department's programme you want to continue working on.

Duration: 1 year
(three days lesson per week + presentation-, project- and excursion days)

Application criteria: HAVO-, VWO- of MBO 4- diploma and an official English language test result.

Application procedure: You register via our website. You will then be invited for an admission day where you show your portfolio and have an admission interview.

More info Preparatory Year & Applications

What will I learn?

Chances are that you will get acquainted with materials and techniques you have never worked with before. You can start painting, photographing, editing videos, working with textiles, making sculptures, working digitally, using new media and technologies, and much more.

An art academy is a place to experiment and to discover! That is why all various disciplines of art and design are covered during the Preparatory Year and Orientation Course. At the end of such a course, you may find out that you are interested in a different path than what you originally thought of.

The preparatory courses are meant to assist you in discovering where your talent lies and what you want to do.