Selection criteria
All applicants for the Piet Zwart Institute need to have a completed Bachelor as a minimum degree. English is our working language, and proficiency in both speaking and writing is a necessity.

Application requirements
All applications should include:

  • portfolio*
  • motivation statement
  • resume
  • certified copy of Bachelor diploma (with a certified English translation if your diploma is not in Dutch, English, German or French)
  • certified copy of transcripts
  • copy of passport
  • results of the TOEFL/IELTS/CAE (if necessary)

*Please note that Master Design follows a different form. Click here for information about portfolio requirements for Master Design.

All applications should be in English.

The selection is made on the basis of the visual documentation and the motivation statement. Candidates in the Netherlands may be invited for an interview; candidates from abroad may be asked questions via a video conference platform, email or live chat.

Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Portfolio requirements:

Maximum 20 images formatted as a single pdf, video links, or both. Video work must be vimeo or youtube links with a password provided for private videos. Reviewers will only watch a maximum of 10 minutes of video, so include clips totalling 10 minutes or provide timestamps for the desired portion of the video to view. For each image include a title, date and medium.

Any additional textual information included must be kept to 100 words maximum. Additionally, and if necessary, feel free to add any relevant URL to personal websites, social media platforms profiles, online documentation of existing works, research logs, code repositories, and collections of audiovisual material.

Important for application of the Master Interior Architecture. The portfolio should be a maximum of 20 pages in a single PDF that demonstrates your creative practice. The projects should demonstrate creative work that is related to the production and research of space/architecture/interiors and artistic practice. Applicants from a non-design background are welcome to apply, we encourage these applicants to present their artistic practice in the portfolio. 

For videos, include vimeo or youtube links with a password provided for private videos. Reviewers will only watch a maximum of 10 minutes of video, so include clips totalling 10 minutes or provide timestamps for the desired portion of the video to view. Additionally, and if necessary, feel free to add any relevant URL to personal websites, social media platforms profiles, online documentation of existing works, research logs, code repositories, and collections of audiovisual material.

Important for application of the Master of Education in Arts. The portfolio should give a balanced overview of educational/pedagogical projects and experience, next to artistic/design work.

Motivation Statement:
Maximum 600 words, formatted as pdf. Describe your current artistic/ design practice, research, background, and motivation to study at the Piet Zwart Institute. 

Please note that Master Design follows a different form. Click here for information about motivation statement requirements for Master Design.

Resume
A summary of your professional development like your previous education, work experience and a description of current work/activities.
Formatted as pdf.

Diploma
If at time of applying you are still in your final year we can also determine your eligibility based on your current transcript plus a statement from your school indicating when and for which diploma you are expected to graduate. 

English language test
If the students previous education is demonstrably taught entirely in English and has been obtained in the following countries: USA, Canada (with the exception of the French-speaking regions), Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the United Kingdom, the applicant will be exempted from the English language requirement. Students who’ve obtained their diploma from an NVAO accredited institution also have an exemption from the English language requirement.

Students who have completed their preparatory education in a country other than the countries described above will still be required to meet the English language requirement.

To do so, they are required to take one of the following English language tests and the positive results should be in the application

Please note that the TOEFL Home edition is not accepted. We only accept the following tests that are taken at the test centre of the English language test provider [any version of online tests is not accepted]:

    • IELTS academic: 6.0
    • TOEFL iBT: 80
    • Cambridge: 169

Students will have to arrange and pay for the test themselves. Students (and prospective students) must ensure that their test results are submitted to the Rotterdam University’s Student Service Centre (SSC) and are uploaded in our online application tool before the final deadlines. 

Please note: arranging one of these English language tests can take up to several months. We strongly advise our students to book and take the test as early as possible.

The test results of the IELTS, TOEFL or CAE test can’t be older than two years at the start of the master programme. 

Institutional code for TOEFL and IELTS
If the TOEFL or IELTS organisations request an institutional code from you, please use the code of Rotterdam University:

  • For TOEFL this is 7140
  • For IELTS this is 7045

Exchange students
The Master Fine Art accepts exchange students for the first trimester of the academic year (September – December). Exchange students have to meet the same application requirements as our regular applicants.

Results application
Applicants will be informed about the results of their application within two months after the application deadline they applied for.

Questions?
For questions about the application procedure, please contact us via:
E-mail: pzi.admission@hr.nl

NON EU Funding:

For more information about the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP), studying and working in Holland please refer to the Nuffic website.

> HOLLAND SCHOLARSHIP – Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences

The scholarship amounts to € 5000. 

Offered annually but only incoming first year students are eligible 

Eligible Countries: The Holland scholarship is meant for international students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) who want to do their bachelors or masters in the Netherlands. The EEA consists of the EU countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

General Information

Master applicant registration : Non-EU aspirants who apply for a Master programme automatically compete for Holland Scholarship. Applicants receiving the scholarship will be notified by the University in mid-May – June.

Grants are issued in January of the following year you begin your studies.

The Holland Scholarship is made available by:

Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Nuffic, VSNU, Vereniging Hogescholen, ministerie OCW.

EU Funding:

The Dutch Ministry of Education funds all EU student tuition, hence the difference in tuition fees with NONEU students.

as a result there are not that many student funding institutions within Holland.

Therefore, we advise students once accepted to the Piet Zwart Institute to look for scholarships and grant opportunities within your country of origin.

DUO Funding for school and study

Students between 30 – 55

Stichting Bevordering van Volkskracht

> SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NONEU AND EU STUDENTS:

Study in Holland/SCHOLARSHIP FINDER