Admission requirements
As part of the admission and selection procedure, we ask you to demonstrate your artistic talent, intellectual curiosity, and affinity with a wide range of artistic disciplines. You will be asked to show examples of earlier work and explain your motivation to study at the Fine Arts department of the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK).
Read first about the general eligibility requirements and the specific requirements of the materials you need to prepare before starting your application.
General requirements
- High school diploma
High school diploma comparable to a Dutch VWO, HAVO or MBO 4 diploma.
You can check the equivalent Dutch level of your diploma on the Nuffic website. - Proficiency in both spoken and written English
Non-EU/EEA candidates are required to provide proof of English Language proficiency.
EU/EEA candidates' English language level will be assessed during their interview/entry examination day.
Portfolio
Your digital portfolio should include a wide selection of your work, for example, dummies, sketches, visuals, and annotations of ideas. It should give a good overview of your past artworks and/or artistic activities. We are interested in all art forms. Check out this page for tips on putting together a portfolio.
Format: PDF, max 25 pages and 20MB
Motivation letter
In the motivation letter (max. 1 page A4) we want you to give an overview of your current artistic activities and to describe your artistic ambitions:
- Describe the main topics you are interested in concerning art and culture and explain the reasons for your interest.
- Explain why you want to study Fine Arts and why at KABK.
- Give an outline of what you hope to achieve during your studies.
Resume (curriculum vitae)
This should cover:
- your full name, current address, phone number and email address
- your nationality, date, and place of birth
- your previous education
- your (artistic) past
- eventual relevant specialisms
- your work experiences
- your language skills
Entrance examination/interview
If invited for a physical interview at the KABK, we will already have reviewed your portfolio online, therefore we ask that you bring 1-2 works selected works that you feel are pivotal to your artistic development. We will also share your submitted digital portfolio on a screen during your interview, in case you would like to use it for reference. We are particularly interested in works that you have made on your own initiative (no given assignments). The selection committee will consist of members of teaching staff from the department, a head of the department, a coordinator, and an alum. We will conduct group interviews of 3-4 applicants.
If invited for an online interview due to long distance traveling, we will send you instructions on how to prepare for the online conversation beforehand.
Application/portfolio deadline & admission dates study year 2026 – 2027
Application/portfolio deadline | Admission days/interviews |
|---|---|
2 March 2026* | 31 March to 3 April 2026 |
Application/portfolio deadline: In order to apply, you must first register in Studielink (Dutch national database for admission to higher education) and then gain access to our online application system OSIRIS where you will be asked to submit your documents including a portfolio.
Admission days/interviews: After the deadline, shortlisted applicants will be invited to an (online) interview with the selection committee.
* Applications received after 2 March may be considered only if places remain. Applying after 2 March therefore does not guarantee that your application will be processed.
