Study Accessories Design in Europe

This bachelor's program explores jewellery and other wearable accessories as expressions of the universal, timeless human need for ornament, treating these accessories as objects that convey status, style, and culture while serving as witnesses to broader social, cultural, and technological developments. The program prepares students for a versatile profession rooted in a rich tradition of craftsmanship while staying attuned to contemporary developments in the field, balancing artistic studio practice with theoretical study and drawing.

Students receive guidance from a team of experienced, professional artists and designers as they develop their own personal artistic practice in accessory design, with considerable attention devoted to the technical skills and practical knowledge the profession requires, including working with metals, gemstones, and other materials, understanding jewellery history, and using 3D computer drawing tools. The program encourages curiosity and imagination alongside the development of research skills, concept development, and self-reflection, supported by study visits, workshops, projects, lectures, and supervision from international guest lecturers, while research methodology, art history, and art theory provide the necessary theoretical grounding.

Graduates of the full program, including subsequent master's-level study, are prepared to work as independent designers of jewellery and wearable accessories, or to pursue collaborations within the world of jewellery design or goldsmithing.

Applicants need a secondary education diploma or equivalent qualification that provides access to higher education, with the specific accepted qualification depending on the applicant's country of education; applicants from the Netherlands need a VWO diploma or an HBO propaedeutic certificate, as a HAVO or MBO diploma does not provide access to the program, while applicants from other countries need a diploma recognized as providing access to university-level study in their home country. Applicants holding a Chinese diploma must additionally complete an APS screening in Beijing, both to verify their documents and to obtain a student visa.

Applicants must also demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the language of instruction at the B2 level. For Dutch, this can be shown by having completed at least one year of Dutch-language secondary education, having earned at least 60 credits in Dutch-language higher education, or holding a recognized B2-level language certificate; for English, this can be shown through certain qualifying diplomas from Dutch- or English-language secondary or higher education, or through an accepted language certificate such as IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge English, ITACE, or Pearson PTE Academic at the required minimum score.

Admission to the program is only possible after passing an artistic entrance exam, which begins with a digital pre-selection based on a submitted portfolio. Applicants who pass this pre-selection are invited to a multi-day artistic entrance exam, combining studio-based artistic assignments with a dedicated drawing assignment, which can be completed either in person or digitally, though in-person participation is recommended. The exam assesses the applicant's creativity and imagination, interest in general culture and in art, design, and visual culture specifically, drawing skills, and ability to express ideas both visually and verbally.

This bachelor's degree guides students in developing their own creative identity as designers of clothing and accessories, providing comprehensive training in creating and developing a full collection. Students devote a significant part of their studies to research, working to develop a personal design concept through to the construction of a complete runway collection, culminating in a sophisticated, market-ready project. Throughout the program, a strong emphasis is placed on circularity and sustainability as central drivers shaping the future of the fashion system, alongside an understanding of production costs.

From the first year, students work collaboratively to build specific skills, including conceiving and realizing collections with a strong creative component, creating designs and illustrations grounded in research into iconography, shape, and volume, applying modelling techniques to develop new details and innovative forms, and producing technical drawings and 3D illustrations for the professional presentation of clothing and accessories. Students also build digital skills, including the use of generative AI tools and specialized pattern-making and prototyping software, learning to work from initial illustration through to finished garments and digital textile prints while designing with sustainability and reduced waste in mind.

The first year focuses on developing foundational technique, including drawing, figure, and proportion, building skills gradually under close guidance. The second year centers on developing a creative idea into a personal collection reflecting each student's technical skill and design vision, incorporating hands-on tailoring experience using both traditional and experimental approaches, along with interdisciplinary collaboration with students from art, styling, and business programs. In the third year, students bring this expertise together to independently conceive and construct a complete fashion collection with a distinct creative identity, developing a professional fashion industry portfolio. At the end of the third year, a panel of industry experts selects a group of students to present their collections in a dedicated fashion show before an audience of industry professionals, journalists, and other guests, staged as part of major fashion week events.

Graduates are prepared for a range of career paths, including fashion designer, textile designer, trend forecaster, product developer, pattern maker, digital fashion designer, or fashion illustrator.

Applicants must have completed twelve years of schooling, holding a high school diploma or, if the final year of secondary school is not yet complete, a certificate of attendance or transcript for the current year. The application includes a completed application form, a signed personal statement, a passport-size photo, copies of the high school diploma and school certificates, a copy of a passport or national identity document, and proof of payment of the enrollment fee.

Applicants must also submit six creative ideas illustrating their inspiration and area of interest, which may take the form of sketches, drawings, photographs, mood boards, collages, or a combination of these, either as personal reinterpretations of objects, environments, people, or situations, or as design concepts such as outfits, fashion collections, or other relevant creative work, tailored to the course being applied for.

Non-native speakers of the language of instruction must provide a language certificate at B2 CEFR level, obtained within the two years prior to the start of the course. Recognized certificates include an IELTS overall score of at least 5.5, with no individual component below 4.0, a TOEFL overall score of at least 4.0 (scale-dependent), a Cambridge English certificate score of 160 or above, a Pearson PTE Academic score of at least 50, or an equivalent qualification from one of several other recognized test providers; for Italian-language study, accepted certificates include CILS DUE (B2), CELI 3, or PLIDA B2.