Art and Design Schools in Europe: How to Judge English-Taught Programmes, What Portfolios Are Actually Asked For, and What the Tuition Fee Covers

How to tell an English-taught degree from a local-language one

The first check is the language-of-instruction line published on the official programme page. Design Academy Eindhoven's master admissions page states plainly that "a MA at DAE is a two-year programme and is taught in English." Aalto University's New Media master's programme page carries an explicit "Language of instruction: English" statement and adds that "the language of instruction is English. Students can write their Master's Thesis in English, Finnish or Swedish."

A second check is the fee statement, because the two are linked. Aalto University's scholarships and tuition fees page states that "tuition fees apply to degree programmes taught in English" and that "tuition fees do not concern doctoral / PhD studies or bachelor's and master's degree studies that are taught in Finnish or Swedish." In other words, a published English-taught label and a published tuition-fee liability for non-EU/EEA students travel together. Where a programme page publishes the local language as the language of instruction, the same fee page confirms that those programmes do not carry the English-taught tuition fee. Reading the language line and the fee line on the same official page is the reliable way to separate an English-taught offer from a local-language one.

What admissions committees actually assess in a portfolio

The portfolio is a designed object in itself, not a gallery of finished pieces. Design Academy Eindhoven's master admissions page specifies that the portfolio "should be one single document, with images and written examples of projects, research and processes. It should reflect your creative and critical position as a designer" and may include "sketches, unfinished and conceptual work." The academy's master portfolio Q&A confirms the same permission — the work "may also include sketches, unfinished and conceptual work" — and adds that "the quantity of work you should include is left to your own discretion," so the committee is judging position and process, not volume.

Aalto University's New Media programme page is more prescriptive about format. The portfolio "should be submitted as a .pdf file... Maximum size of the portfolio is 100 MB" and must be named "Portfolio-lastname-firstname.pdf"; links for videos or interactive content may be included. On content, Aalto asks applicants to "demonstrate the applicant's artistic, design, research, and/or technical practice" and explicitly welcomes technical or research portfolios as much as artistic ones, provided the applicant "clearly mention[s] your own role for each work sample" and does "not include all the details of the work" but can "explain the most important aspects of each project in a condensed way."

The interview tests whether the portfolio is genuinely the applicant's and whether they can speak to it. At Design Academy Eindhoven, the one-minute MP4 introduction movie exists so the "committee needs to see and hear the applicant speak," and shortlisted candidates are invited to an online interview in MS Teams. Aalto's selection runs in two stages; those reaching phase II are invited to "a 20-minute interview where 10 minutes is reserved for general interview questions and 10 minutes for discussing the applicant's portfolio or other previous work and projects," alongside two assignments. Aalto describes the overall selection as "a holistic review of the application, including proven artistic/design talent, motivation, and personal development potential as well as the applicant's academic history, cultural activities, and previous activities in the field of new media."

Published entry requirements, including routes without a design degree

Design Academy Eindhoven's master admissions page sets the minimum entry as a completed higher-education course "to BA level or equivalent, preferably in design, architecture, art or science." Its master portfolio Q&A widens this: "Applicants with a BA in art, architecture, art history, or the humanities, with a demonstrable affinity with design, can also apply." Deviation from the two-year MA and the completed-BA rule is restricted — DAE states that "only in extremely exceptional cases will DAE deviate from the rule that the MA is a two-year course and that a completed BA programme is a requirement for admission." Applicants also submit a motivation letter covering why DAE, why that programme, potential thesis topics, and professional expectations, plus a CV and a digital portrait photograph; the route runs through Studielink and then the Osiris application form.

Aalto University's master's admission requirements page states general eligibility as "a bachelor's degree that grants eligibility for master's level education," accepted proof of language proficiency, and all required documents by the deadline, and it is explicit that "you cannot apply on the basis of a previous master's degree. Only bachelor's degrees give eligibility." For applicants without a higher-education degree, Aalto provides a field-specific route: "In the field of art and design, if you do not have a higher education degree you may apply on the basis of sufficient knowledge and skills, gained by means of other studies and/or work experience, that correspond to a relevant bachelor's degree." The same page notes this route falls away once a completed eligible bachelor's degree is held.

How the tuition fee is structured

The two example systems use different fee architectures, and both publish the split explicitly. Design Academy Eindhoven's tuition fees and living expenses page describes a two-tier structure: "The statutory tuition fee is set by the Dutch government, while the institutional tuition fee is established by the DAE board." Who pays which tier is defined by residency and prior study — the statutory fee "applies to students from the Netherlands, EU/EEA countries, Switzerland, and Suriname," while the institutional fee "applies to students from non-EU/EEA countries and those who have already obtained a degree from a Dutch government-funded program." The published master's rates are € 2.694 statutory and € 19.762 institutional for 2026-2027, and € 2.601 statutory and € 19.080 institutional for 2025-2026; DAE notes fees "are subject to annual indexation adjustments" and that "these fees change annually." On top of tuition, a master's graduation fund of € 210 per year (2026-2027) and an instalment administration fee of € 24.00 are billed, and the academy's Q&A adds that the tuition fee "will be published in December."

Aalto University uses a single published fee per English-taught programme rather than a statutory/institutional split. Its New Media programme page states "the tuition fee for this programme is 20 000 euros per academic year" and that "citizens of European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland do not pay tuition fees." Aalto's scholarships and tuition fees page confirms the principle: fees "apply to degree programmes taught in English" and "do not concern... bachelor's and master's degree studies that are taught in Finnish or Swedish," and the university "reserves the right to change the tuition fees."

In both systems, living costs are billed separately from tuition. DAE lists a single student's monthly Eindhoven costs — rent and public utilities € 635, food/clothing/personal services € 453, books and other study materials € 343, transport € 67, other expenses € 239 — and its Q&A says international students "might need to prove they can pay these expenses," with the fees page noting this proof may be required "in advance as part of their visa application." Aalto's scholarships and tuition fees page states plainly that "in addition to tuition fees, students need to finance their living expenses." Neither institution's published pages present materials, equipment, or studio costs as included in the tuition fee.

Scholarships and fee waivers as an official category

Both academies publish scholarships as a distinct, competitive category rather than a routine discount. Design Academy Eindhoven's master portfolio Q&A answers the scholarships question directly: "Yes, via the NL Scholarship programme (formerly known as the Holland Scholarship)." Aalto University's New Media page states it "offers a small number of scholarships in the form of tuition fee waivers to fee-paying students" awarded "to the highest-achieving applicants based on the programme's evaluation criteria," and its scholarships and tuition fees page describes these as "a limited number" that are "highly competitive and granted to the top applicants." In both systems the waiver is framed as a tuition fee reduction for eligible fee-paying students, decided through the programme's own evaluation, not as an entitlement attached to admission.

Frequently asked questions

How do I confirm a programme is genuinely taught in English?

Check the official language-of-instruction line on the programme page and cross-reference the fee statement. Aalto University states that tuition fees apply to programmes taught in English and do not apply to those taught in Finnish or Swedish, so the two statements should agree. Design Academy Eindhoven's master admissions page simply states its MA is taught in English.

What should a portfolio actually contain?

A single document showing projects, research, and processes that reflect your creative and critical position, including unfinished or conceptual work if relevant. Aalto's New Media page requires a named .pdf up to 100 MB that demonstrates artistic, design, research, or technical practice, with your own role stated for each sample. DAE leaves the quantity of work to your discretion and judges position and process.

Can I apply without a design or art bachelor's degree?

Yes, through published alternative routes. Aalto allows art and design applicants without a higher-education degree to apply on the basis of sufficient knowledge and skills from other studies or work experience, while DAE accepts applicants with a BA in art, architecture, art history, or the humanities showing demonstrable affinity with design. DAE notes that waiving the completed-BA rule is extremely exceptional.

Who pays the statutory versus the institutional tuition fee in the Dutch system?

The statutory fee applies to students from the Netherlands, EU/EEA countries, Switzerland, and Suriname. The institutional fee applies to students from non-EU/EEA countries and to those who already hold a degree from a Dutch government-funded programme. The rates differ sharply, with the 2026-2027 master's statutory fee at € 2.694 and the institutional fee at € 19.762.

Are scholarships guaranteed to cover the full tuition fee?

No. Both academies describe scholarships as limited and highly competitive, granted to top applicants through the programme's evaluation criteria rather than as a standard part of admission. Aalto awards them as tuition fee waivers to fee-paying students, and DAE offers access through the NL Scholarship programme.