Designers are an important driver of the creative industry, one of the most booming sectors in the Netherlands and abroad. Not only will you master the skills you need to become a professional designer, you will also develop a critical attitude. You will not just be reflecting on your own work, style and authenticity, but also that of your fellow students.

Why choose this programme?

If you are creative, curious, interested in experimenting with images and converting ideas to visual concepts, the Bachelor of Design may well be the right programme for you. Making mistakes is part of your development as a professional designer. By experimenting, failing and starting again you will create your own style, your signature.

You will also learn to build and protect your authenticity as a designer. We will provide you with the best facilities and counselling. You will work together with other students, to learn how to function in a (interdisciplinary) team. You learn to play with images and discover how your visual abilities can create solutions for questions in society.

About this programme

In the first year you develop a broad view of design in a general sense. After this, you choose one of the majors. Within the programme, there is plenty of room for research, deepening and experimentation to find out where your passion lies. You can also combine different disciplines.

After this study programme, you can work as an independent designer (alone or in a group) or look for a job with, for example, a design agency or theatre company. During the programme, you will get to know the professional possibilities. For instance, we organize a number of Professional Wednesdays during the academic year where you can meet designers (often alumni) to get further acquainted. In practice, designers usually do not work alone: they often have to deal with clients, colleagues and implementers. Therefore, we offer a number of interesting excursions throughout the years that will give you a better insight into the possibilities.

Year 1 Introduction to the five study routes

Over four years, you will learn everything you need to work as a designer. In the first year, you will develop a broad view of design in a general sense. The year consists of five periods. Each period focuses on one of the majors. This introduces you to topics such as typography, research, design methodology, semiotics, composition, perception & staging and materials.

You experiment and become familiar with analogue and digital skills. You also get to know almost all workshops. Besides the practical part, you follow theory subjects: art history and professional preparation. Practice and theory are intertwined and are not seen as separate ‘subjects’, but as a coherent whole with your practical subjects.

Year 2 Choose your own route

During the main phase, you will choose your own route. This can be a route focused on a particular medium, where you can choose from five profiles: Graphic & Interaction Design, Illustration & Animation Design, Spatial Design, Time Based Design or Product Design. Would you rather follow a personal route without specialising in a particular medium? Then you can choose an Off-road profile: you can combine a maximum of three profiles into a multidisciplinary profile.

Year 3 Practical experience

In the third year, students begin to make their own choices that will shape them into unique designers. You will engage with other disciplines and research your own position as a designer. In the third year, you will also test your individuality in practice during a six-month period of one of the following options: an internship, an international exchange or internship, practical projects, a research project, or a minor.

Year 4 Graduating

The fourth year is the graduation year in which you further position yourself and graduate as a designer. You will work towards a joint exhibition with the work of all other exam candidates.

Teachers

Admission requirements

To enrol for the bachelor Design, you will need a national (home country) secondary school diploma or international secondary school qualification, such as an International Baccalaureate Diploma. It must have a level equivalent to the Dutch HAVO school diploma (General Secondary Education), or MBO-4 diploma, with NLQF/EQF level 4 or higher.  Please check international students documents for more information. After you have applied you will be asked to upload the following documents in Hanze Apply:

• Verification of previous education: certified copies your diploma(s) and/or certificates
• a copy of your valid passport/ID
• Proof of a sufficient level of English is required Note: the scores must not be more than two years old.
• an IELTS score of at least 6.0 (maximum 2 subscores of 5.5. No subscores lower than 5.5);
• in some cases a TOEFL (iBT) score of 80;
• Cambridge ESOL level C (CAE-C)
• LanguageCert Academic minimum score of 65
• Pearson PTE Academic minimum score of 61

If you want to know more about the value of your own diploma, you can also check the diploma comparison site of our national agency NUFFIC.

Insufficient preliminary education:

With insufficient prior education, you may be admitted to the Design programme on the basis of ‘exceptional talent’ in the entrance examination and a good performance in a Higher Education Multicultural Capacity Test (NOA). The test indicates whether you have HBO working and thinking level. You will receive an invoice to make the test (€30-40,-). The Admission Test has the following requirements: A minimum grade of 8 on the Admission Examination and sufficient understanding of the Dutch/English language requirement. The Multicultural Ability Test (NOA) is conducted by the Admission Officer. Students automatically receive an invitation after admission.

Application procedure

Important:

• Block week 35. If you pass both entrance exam rounds and are admitted as a student you need to reserve week 35 (25-29 August 2025) for the Design introduction week!
• Add [email protected] to your mail contact list. This way our messages won’t end up in the spam and you won’t miss any deadlines.

Deadlines

Non-EU*: ultimate deadline application Studielink + uploading portfolio: 10 March 2025 23.59hrs CET

EU/EEA: ultimate deadline application Studielink + uploading portfolio: 1 May 2025 23.59hrs CET

After the previous mentioned deadlines, it is not possible to apply anymore for study year 2025-2026. *Non-European/EEA nationality students need to have completed the entrance exam before June 1st, 2025. This is due to the immigration deadline.

Round 1 – Portfolio + Motivation

After application you will get access to Hanze Application Minerva and receive the requirements for the first round. You will be asked to upload 1 merged PDF max. 50mb containing:

• Motivation Letter
• CV 
• Portfolio

Click here for the mandatory guidelines

Round 2 - Home assignment + Interview

On the basis of your portfolio and motivation letter you will receive an invitation, you will be invited for the first available date, for the second round of the Entrance Examination or you will receive a rejection letter by email.

If you have been admitted to the second round of the entrance examination, the Admissions Committee will assess whether you are a suitable candidate for the study programme. Important is your Creative capacity, Capacity for critical reflection, Capacity for growth and innovation and Environmental focus. You will complete the home assignment (Sketchbook + Research&Design) and have an interview.

The following will be taken into account in the advice of the admissions committee of the 2nd round: the home assignment and the interview, but also the portfolio and motivation letter from the first round will be reviewed by the 2nd committee. The question is whether you have an open attitude and want to learn new things. The decisive factor is whether you show the potential to grow into a designer.