To be admitted to the selection procedure for the master's programs at the Academy of Architecture, your previous education must meet one of the three criteria below:
 

1. You have a diploma from a Dutch bachelor's or master's program that is in line with the program to be followed at the Academy of Architecture. Are you unsure whether you have a relevant previous education? View the the overall guidelines here, or the list of matching Dutch diplomas here.
2. You have a foreign bachelor's or master's program that is in line with the master's program at the Academy of Architecture. If a foreign previous education is unknown to us, it can be assessed by Nuffic, the expertise and service center for internationalization in Dutch education.
3. You have a relevant foreign previous education in combination with sufficient relevant work experience, so that you think you qualify for the desired education. The work experience is apparent from CV and portfolio. Relevance is weighed by the admissions committee.

Diploma still to be obtained:
If you have yet to obtain your (bachelor's) diploma, you can still participate in the selection process. If you are then admitted, it is with a proviso. In that case, a copy of the diploma must be in our possession no later than 1 September, otherwise the admission will expire. When you register, upload a note stating when you expect to have the diploma.

Not quite the right diploma?
If you want to follow a master's degree in Architecture, Urbanism or Landscape Architecture, but do not have a constructional technical training and/or lack important professional knowledge or design skills, you may be able to follow the pre-master Architecture & Technology or the pre-master Urbanism & Landscape architecture.

The portfolio must be submitted as a PDF file. Please limit your portfolio to a maximum of about twenty pages. A good portfolio consists of:
 

• A wide variety of your design work. These are projects from your previous education and/or from your professional practice. Preferably as diverse as possible.
• Own projects in which you show what your design qualities are. In joint work you state exactly what your role was in that project. Or projects that you initiated and designed yourself.
• Various design work - in scale - in which you show which design skills you have mastered. Don't just show final results. Also initiations in sketch stage and ideas. And images such as floor plans and cross-sections and surroundings in different scales, details, etc.
• Various design work – in images – in which you show what your visual skills are, such as hand sketches, models, visuals, diagrams and models.
• Work from relevant work experience or courses with which you can show your design knowledge
• Your own fascinations within the profession – make sure you show us this!

In your motivation letter you will explain why you would like to do a master at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture. 

If English is not your native language, you must demonstrate sufficient proficiency in English – at least at B2 level (Dutch: havo level) of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), or an equivalent level. This can be demonstrated with one of the recognized English tests listed below or with other relevant evidence.

Recognized English Tests and Minimum Scores

IELTS Academic
Minimum score: 6.0

TOEFL iBT (Traditional & Paper Edition)
Minimum total score: 72

Cambridge English
Minimum total score: 169

LanguageCert Academic
Minimum required level: B2

Pearson PTE Academic
Minimum required level: B2

Alternatively, you can demonstrate your English proficiency with:
– a list of marks from a previous study;
– or another document that unequivocally shows that the command of English is at the required level.

International candidates who pass the first stage of selection will be invited for a short online interview with the admissions committee. During this interview, English language proficiency will be further assessed.

To apply for the master's programme, you must first register with Studielink. If you officially live in the Netherlands, you can use DigiD to log in to Studielink. If you are not (yet) registered in the Netherlands, you will not have a DigiD code. You will have to log in with a Studielink username and password. Then follow the steps to log in. When selecting the programme, choose the following options when prompted:

• Educational institution: Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten
• Programme level: HBO Master's programme
• Programme type: Part-time
• Language of instruction: choose Dutch or English
• Choose 'Master Architecture', 'Master Landscape Architecture' or 'Master Urbanism' in the results list

After completing your registration in Studielink, you will receive an automatic e-mail with information on where and how to upload the required documents. 

We will ask you for the following:

• A copy of your passport or identity card
• Copy of Visa (if you are from outside the EU and already have a visa)
• Estimate of living expenses in the Netherlands (if you do not reside in the Netherlands)
• A recent passport photo in JPEG format
• Diploma(s) and marksheets
• Curriculum Vitae
• Motivation (maximum 500 words). 
  Upload a short motivation why you are specifically applying for the Academy of Architecture Amsterdam and this graduate programme.
• Proof of command of the English language. 
  Students must have sufficient command of the English language, equivalent to level B2 (Havo level) of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Upload proof or explanation.
• Portfolio in pdf (max. about 20 pages) 

Please note that by 1 May, both your Studielink registration must be completed and the necessary documents for registration must be submitted. 

A selection procedure is part of admission to one of the master's programmes at the Academy of Architecture. Selection is based on motivation, portfolio, and the requirements set. The selection is carefully made by our selection committee. We also pay attention to a balanced mix in the cohort to be admitted. 

Candidates who do not qualify after an initial assessment will be notified as soon as possible, but not before the end of May. 

Candidates who do pass the first round of selection may be invited for a 15-minute online interview with one or two members of the admissions committee in April or May. 

Within three weeks of uploading your application documents, you will receive confirmation of receipt from the Academy of Architecture and information about the rest of the procedure. If you have not received a message by the end of this period, please contact avb-studysecretariat@ahk.nl.

We expect to give the final results as soon as possible in June. If you are admitted, you will start the academic year.