Admission

After registering via Studielink, you will receive an email with instructions explaining how the admission process works.

The admission process is a way for us to get to know you and see whether you are a good fit for the programme. At the same time, it is also an opportunity for you to discover whether this programme is what you are looking for.

On this page you can read what the admission process involves and what you need to submit.

What we look for in your application

In both selection rounds, your submitted work and the interview, we are interested not only in what you create, but especially in who you are as a creator.  Our team will look at:

How you handle visual artwork: Can you imagine something from what you see, feel or conceive? Do you have a sense of colour, form and materials? And do we see something of you in the work?
How you communicate: Can you tell us where your fascination comes from? Do you share your ideas? And do you show that you are motivated and determined?
How you look and explore: Are you curious? Are you interested in art and culture? And do you want to continue discovering and learning about illustration?

We are not looking for a perfect portfolio, but for the beginning of a personal perspective, something that invites us to start a conversation with you. 

The first round

For the first round of admissions, you submit your portfolio digitally. In it, you show your visual work as well as work you created in response to the home assignment you will receive after registering. You will also include an explanation of your work in the form of a short video.

Your portfolio is a selection of work you have created. For tips on preparing your portfolio, see Prepare your portfolio.
The take-home assignments are creative tasks. For example, you may be asked to make a drawing from observation, create an anatomy study, produce a short animation on a given topic, or make a piece of 3D work based on a theme.
In your video explanation, you tell us more about who you are and explain your work.

Second round

Passed the first round? Then you will be invited for an interview at the academy in Zwolle. During this conversation, you present your work to a group of lecturers and students from the programme. They will ask you questions about your motivation: why do you want to become an illustrator? What interests you about the field? They are also curious about your ideas on art, imagery and design.

What matters most in this conversation is your creativity and how you work with visual imagination.