Application deadline for BA programmes for the school year 2017-18 is open January 21st - March 31st.

Application deadline for MA programmes in design for the school year 2017-2018 is from January 21st to April 21st.

Bachelor's programmes

Important information for Bachelor's programmes

  • Application deadline March 31st 2017
  • Results of applications end of May
  • Portfolios can be retrieved at the department office in June
  • Application fee is ISK 5000
  • Tution fee is ISK 490.000 for the school-year 2016-2017
  • The Autumn semester begins August 22nd 2017

An application is not valid until the applicant has payed the application fee and IAA has received the following documents.

  • Successfully submitted electronic form
  • Signed print-out of the electronic form
  • Certified copy of degree certificates and school transcripts
  • Portfolio of works

The application process is in three steps, first you submit the application, then you pay the application fee and finally you print the application.

Admission procedures in Bachelor's programmes

Admission to the Department of Design and Architecture is determined by a special admissions committee, comprised of three practicing professionals, who select students from the body of applicants. At least one member of the admission committee is not a permanent employee of the IAA. Admittance is based on an evaluation of submitted portfolios of works, interviews and an examination. Separate applications must be submitted for each program of study.  To qualify for admission into the department, applicants must have completed a secondary school exam (in Iceland “studentsprof”) and submit a portfolio of their own work. It is recommended that applicants in the field of architecture should have completed a 35 credit program in design or visual arts at the secondary level, but this is not a requirement.

The application form and the portfolio of art works must be received by the IAA before the announced deadline. All enclosed documents, e.g. school transcripts and letters of reference, must be certified copies. Applications and portfolios sent by mail must be postmarked no later than the advertised deadline. Submitted works can be retrieved at the office of the Academy at Thverholt 11, 105 Reykjavik.

The admissions process for bachelor programmes

  • After the applications have been evaluated with respect to formal and specific admission requirements (above), each admissions committee reviews the submitted portfolios. The assessment criteria are professional knowledge and artistic value.
    Special emphasis is placed on evaluating the applicants’ work in which they have worked independently and on their own terms. Applicants who meet the admissions committee’s requirements move on to a selected group.
  • Those who move on to the selected group are invited for an interview. The purpose of the interview is to evaluate the applicants’ interest in the potential study, their views and position towards design, their understanding of the world of design and the ideas that lie behind their works. The applicant should expect to have to express himself/herself about his/her submitted works during the interview.  Applicants must also be prepared for the fact that some interviews take place in English.
  • Finally the admissions committee may ask candidates to complete an examination if necessary. The examination is in two parts: a general knowledge exam as well as an assignment. The general knowledge exam, which is a multiple-choice exam, attempts to explore the applicant’s general knowledge of the arts and its context. The assignment entails tasks which are intended to demonstrate the applicants’ artistic thought.
  • Admissions notifications will be mailed in May 2016. Applicants who are offered admission must confirm to the Department office before the end of May and pay the confirmation fee. The fee is non-refundable.
  • All applicants receive written notification of the admissions results. The decision of the admission committee is final and no justification is required. The decision of the admission committee is an assessment of the applicant’s ability to benefit from the program of study offered by the department, and not a judgment of the applicant’s capability of working in a chosen field of design.

Portfolio

The portfolio is a collection of the applicant’s work to date, presented (on paper) with the formal application papers. The works should give insight into the student’s personality and shed light upon his/her main areas of interest. The collection of works should illustrate the student’s potential for creativity and expression of ideas.
It is not a requirement that all the works be fully developed or completed. On the contrary, it is important that the portfolio be diverse, including sketches and drawings at various stages of development, photographs, texts, and/or audio-works.
In fact, any piece of work or representation of an idea or concept, which the applicant him/herself feels portrays his/her artistic talent and expressive capabilities should be a part of the portfolio.
All portfolios must be in a printed format.  There are no rules regarding  format sizes but electronic  portfolios (CD’s, USB keys, references to websites etc) cannot be submitted, and will not be looked at.  Should the applicant want to present a moving image a printed reference must be submitted supported by a “storyboard” with still-images from the project.

Language of Instruction

Please, notice that the instruction on the Bachelor level at the Iceland Academy of the Arts takes place in ICELANDIC, with the exception of classes taught by foreign guest teachers.

 

Masters programmes

Practical information

  • 120 ECTS two-year full-time study.
  • The MA in Design studio is on the 4th floor, Þverholt 11.
  • Maximum number of students is 12 students per year.
  • The Autumn semester begins 21st of August 2017.
  • Tuition is ISK 796.000 for the academic school year 2016 – 17.

ADMISSION

  • Open for applications from January 20th to April 21st 2017.
  • Application fee is ISK 5000.
  • Results of admissions by the end of May 2017.

Application requirements

The application process is in three steps, first you submit the application, then you pay the application fee and finally you print the application. An application is not valid until the applicant has submitted the application, payed the application fee and IAA has received the following documents via email madesign [at] lhi.is (Attention: These information will be updated in January 2017):

  • The successfully submitted electronic application form – see also up to the right,
  • scanned and signed print-out of the electronic application form (PDF),
  • certified copy of degree certificates and programme / course transcripts (PDF),
  • letter of motivation (PDF, see further description below),
  • individual project proposal (PDF, see further description below),
  • portfolio of works (PDF / URL, see further description below),
  • curriculum vitae (PDF),
  • references from at least two referees who are ideally 1) academic, and 2) job related (PDF).

Applicants will have completed BA/BS Degree or equivalent and it is desirable that they have acquired work experience in a field related to the occupational sphere of designers. In assessing applications, applicants‘ work experience is taken into consideration along with submitted original material (portfolio). Furthermore, interviews are conducted with applicants where attention is paid to how well the relevant individual is likely to absorb the teaching and the methodology of design.

A specially appointed admission committee assesses the applications on the grounds of assessment of submitted material and interviews. If the applicant is considered for acceptance the required documents will be discussed, in English, with the applicant in interview following review by the application committee.

Letter of motivation

Applicants for the MA in Design must write a short explaination about their decision to apply for this specific programme, and this place; Iceland, and how they see the programme's emphasis tie in with their aims towards a future professional role as designers. The Letter of motivation can be viewed as a short introduction to the Individual project proposal.

Individual project proposal

The proposal for an Individual project is an opportunity to indicate each applicant’s interests and intended self-direction. The Individual project proposal may take into consideration the goals and focus of the Department’s Research labs and/or specialisation of a member of faculty, but applicants are welcome to submit any proposal suited to their individual interest and artistic character. The proposal should give a clear description of a subject of design research, which will then be explored further during three or four semesters of study. In the proposal the applicant has an opportunity to explain a subject the she or he would like to focus on in Individual project I, II, and III, which constitutes one third, approximately, of her / his time in the program (MA in Design: ca. 1/3 Individual project, 1/3 Design team, 1/3 Design Theory, which cumulate in an MA project divided into three parts). The Individual project proposal, should indicate a focus of study and research, rather than an end result or design outcome. The proposal must, in its initial stage, include space for research, growth and learning. The Individual project can become the basis for the MA Project (3rd, and 4th semester, total 30 ECTS: Thesis 6 ECTS, 4 ECTS Thesis analysis, 20 ECTS Design work), as can work created in Design team and/or theory courses.

Portfolio

Applicants for the MA in Design must gather prime examples of their work into a portfolio, which they submit with their formal application. The submitted work should reflect the applicant's character, shed light on main interests, demonstrate skills and competences, and from these, and make it accessible to comprehensively read the applicants ability for original creation and communication of ideas.

Language requirements

The Masters Programme in Design is an international programme conducted in English. Students must be proficient in spoken and written English in the academic context. If English proficiency is in doubt applicants may be required to submit results from the TOEFL test.