Admission is based on a strict selection procedure. The Faculty's Admissions Board will decide on your admission after evaluating your complete online application. In order to gain admission to any specialisation of the Arts and Culture Master's programme, you will need to have at least a Bachelor's degree from an accredited research university. Your degree should include at least three full years of academic study amounting to a minimum of 180 ECTS or the equivalent.
Comparative Arts and Media Studies - The Master's programme in Arts and Culture with a specialisation in Comparative Arts and Media Studies is designed for students with an academic Bachelor's degree in either art, film, TV, digital media, or (visual) cultural studies. You may also be accepted if you have an academic Bachelor's degree in another discipline within the Humanities (history, journalism, communication studies, comparative literature), if you have completed a major or specialisation in art, film, television, digital media, or visual culture that is equivalent to a minimum of 30 ECTS.
Design Cultures - The Master's programme in Arts and Culture with a specialisation in Design Cultures is designed for students with an academic Bachelor's degree in design, fashion, art or (visual) cultural studies. You may also be accepted if you have an academic Bachelor's degree in other disciplines of the Humanities (history, journalism, communication studies) or in anthropology or sociology, with a major or specialisation in design, fashion, art or visual culture (equal to a minimum of 30 ECTS). Students with a historical and theoretical interest in the broad field of design are particularly welcome.
Contemporary Art History - Direct admission to the Master's programme in Arts and Culture, with a specialisation in Contemporary Art History, is possible with an academic Bachelor's degree (WO) in MKDA, art history or an equivalent degree. If you have an academic Bachelor's degree in the Humanities (history, media studies, philosophy, cultural studies), you must have completed a minimum of 60 ECTS in art history/theory. You must also submit a complete application for review by the Admissions Board.
Due to a lack of distinction between applied and academic universities abroad, the level of academic theory that you have studied will be determined based on your course descriptions, literature lists and sample of academic writing.
English language requirements
You must always present official test results proving your proficiency in English. You can apply online without having the test results, but in case you haven't taken a test yet we advise you to plan a test date as soon as possible. The qualification or test result must have been awarded no more than two years prior to the proposed date of enrolment. Below you will find the minimum English test scores for the English taught programmes at the Faculty of Humanities:
- TOEFL score 600 paper based with a minimum of 55 in each of the subtests plus 4.0 in TWE, score 250 computer based or score 100 internet based with a minimum of 20-23 in each of the subtests).
- IELTS score of 7.0 overall band score (with none of the separate section scores dropping below a minimum score of 6.5).
- Cambridge English: Cambridge Proficiency Exam with score A, B, or C; or Cambridge Advanced Exam with score A, B, or C.
Exemptions from providing the English test scores are applicable to students, who:
- have completed an English-taught secondary or higher education degree in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand or Australia; or
- have earned a Bachelor's or Master's degree in an English-taught programme accredited by NVAO in the Netherlands, or
- have earned a Bachelor's or Master's degree in an accredited English-taught programme in another member state of the European Union
The required evidence should, if possible, be included with the complete application. If either unsatisfactory or no evidence of English language proficiency has been provided with the application, admission will be conditional upon the provision of such evidence. This condition will be clearly indicated on the offer letter and must be fulfilled before enrolment at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
