Admission requirements Bachelor Graphic Design
Application and portfolio deadline
Applications for the Bachelor Graphic Design open on October 1.
In order to apply, you must first register via Studielink and then gain access to our application system where you will be asked to submit your documents including a portfolio.
The final deadline for submitting your application and portfolio are:
For non EU/EEA candidates: March 1, 2023
For EU/EEA candidates: May 1, 2023
Read about the general eligibility requirements, the specific requirements regarding your portfolio and other required documents further below.
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 the interview.
Specific requirements
- Portfolio & motivation
As part of the admission and selection procedure, you will be asked to provide examples of earlier work and explain your motivation to study at the Graphic Design department of the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK). - Assignments
If you get invited to the entrance examination day (individual interviews), you will be asked to prepare a home assignment, which you can show during your interview. - Basic programming knowledge favorable.
Your portfolio consists of a selection of recent work, not older than three years. Make sure that the work is presented in an organized and structured way, e.g. per theme or categories. Your portfolio should show such a diversity, that it offers insight into your personality, your personal interest, ways of working, and your skills.
The following items can be part of your portfolio: drawings and paintings, collages, sketches, pages from a sketchbook, posters, flyers, publications, fanzines, commissioned print work or work made on your own initiative, photos of exhibitions, performances, registrations of 3D work, short films and websites – you might want to adapt some of those items for the presentation.
Make sure your presentation is in a lying format (landscape) since the committee will look at it on a laptop. It is also possible to make an interactive presentation and integrate URLs or other links in the portfolio.
The PDF portfolio may consist of max. 20 pages and the file should not exceed 20MB.
The following questions are just an indication of topics you could elaborate on while writing your letter.
Why do you want to study at the Graphic Design department of the KABK?
How did you get acquainted with the subject of graphic
design?What do you expect from a Bachelor Graphic Design programme? Which subjects are essential for you?
Our department is very international oriented, with students from all over the world. How do you think this can influence your study?
Which sources of inspiration are of interest to you? Think of exhibitions, books, news, travels etc. How do these influence the work you make?
If you should describe a dream project, how would this project look like?
What are your plans and dreams and how do you want to manifest yourself as a designer/artist?
The home assignment changes annually and is used to evaluate each candidate’s approach to a specific question, based on:
- providing creative solutions
- being research oriented
- being sensitive to material
- being sensitive to one’s surroundings
- curiosity
- enthusiasm
- ability to combine text and visuals
Application deadlines
The Bachelor Graphic Design processes applications on a rolling basis from October to May, until all positions in the cohorts are filled.
The final deadlines for submitting your application and portfolio are:
for non EU/EEA candidates: March 1, 2023
for EU/EEA candidates: May 1, 2023
