Your future as an independent fine artist

  • Bachelor
  • Full-time
autonome beeldende kunst academie minerva

Fine Art

Level
bachelor
Form
full-time
Duration
4 years
Language
English
Locations
Groningen
Degree
Bachelor of Arts
Credits
240 ECTS
Startmonths
Start: September

The bachelor of Fine Art will guide you on the road to becoming a professional visual artist. An artist is driven by curiosity and the desire to create things that haven't been seen before. An artist is curious and eager and strives to take an independent and autonomous position in the world. Do you recognise that ambition and are you passionate about art? Do you want to work in multiple disciplines, with a wide range of artist-teachers in a highly international studio environment? The Fine Art bachelor's programme at Minerva Art Academy welcomes you.

About this programme

To become an independent visual artist, you need an open mind. You ask questions and you don't take the world at face value. You want to learn to express your ideas in new and exciting ways. As an artist you want to show your ideas to the world. You will work individually or with others in shared studios and in our technical workshops. You create your journey, making your way in the world of art.

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Course overview

The bachelor's programme Fine Art is a four-year programme. An academic year consists of two semesters of 16 teaching weeks each, each with a final assessment and a project week or excursion week. The programme is structured around work in the studio. The studio programme focuses on the development of your own visual work. You will learn to look at your own work and that of others in a professional manner.

  • Year 1 Propedeuse

    During the first year, you will be given assignments that will help you start an artistic process to create independent work.

  • Year 2 Main phase

    In the second year, you will learn to initiate and keep the artistic process going yourself.

  • Year 3 Independent work and positioning

    In your third study year, you can spend a semester studying at an academy abroad. You can also follow a Minor or take part in (Honours) projects and practical assignments at the Project Bureau and research assignments for the Research Centre Art & Society on your own initiative.

  • Year 4 Graduating

    In your fourth year you prepare for your graduation. You write a final paper (research paper) and a thesis. You are also part of a joint exhibition showing your work as well as that of your fellow students.

After your studies

With your Bachelor’s degree you can go on studying a Master of Arts in Fine Art and Design consisting of the programmes Media, Art, Design and Technology (Madtech) and Painting at the Frank Mohr Institute of Minerva Art Academy.

Professional future

After graduating you will build a practice as an independent fine artist in your own workshop or together with other artists in a joint workshop.

Admission & application

Application

Admission for academic year 2023/2024 is closed. Admission for 2024/2025 will open on October 1st in Studielink.

You can apply for the Bachelor Fine Art through Studielink (digital application form) until May 1 2024. If you are a Non-European/non-EEA nationality candidate you can apply until April 1 2024. 

IMPORTANT: we strongly advise Non-European/non-EEA nationality candidates to read the information about residence permits or visa, which can be found here

Documents 

After your application in Studielink you will get access to Hanze Apply.
You will be asked to upload the following documents:

  • Certified copies of all diplomas and certificates
  • A copy of your valid passport
  • For the bachelor Fine Art proof of a sufficient level of English is required:

- an IELTS score of at least 6.0 (maximum 2 subscores of 5.5, average score of at least 6.0);
- a TOEFL (iBT) score of 80;
- Cambridge ESOL level C (CAE-C)

For more information about language requirements and reasons for being exempt from submitting language test scores, click here

Previous education

For admission, a distinction is made between sufficient and insufficient preliminary education. Your previous studies should be of a high enough level to study at a Dutch university of applied sciences. The student administration or Nuffic assesses your diplomas/certificates.
Even with insufficient preliminary education, you may still be admitted to the bachelor Fine Art on the grounds of 'exceptional talent' and a good performance in a test. This test indicates whether or not you can function at higher professional educational level. You will have to pay the costs of this test yourself.

Entrance examination

The entrance examination for the Fine Art programme consists of two steps:

  1. For the first step we ask you to upload the following in Hanze Apply (you receive the login codes after your application in studielink) in 1 merged PDF file of maximum 50 MB:
    - your portfolio (view portfolio requirements)
    - your home assignments (the assignments can be found in Hanze Apply)
    - a letter of motivation
    - your resume/bio
    You will be invited for the second step based on completeness of the submitted documents.
  2. The second step is an online interview with the admissions committee. The interview is conducted by two fine art tutors and a fine art student. It will take about 10 minutes and will be addressing the work, your motivation for studying fine art at Minerva and your interest and ambition in the visual arts. The interview will be in English.

Within two weeks you will receive the results of the entrance examination by email.

Entrance examination criteria

Based on the online interview and your submitted portfolio, home assignments, letter of motivation and resume/bio the admissions committee will assess whether you are admissible. They will examine whether you show sufficient (aptitude for):

  1. visual capacity
  2. reflective capacity
  3. analytical skills
  4. cultural awareness
  5. communicative ability

For questions

Fields of interest

  • Arts and Culture
Apply for this programme