Application deadline for Master in Design and bachelor programmes in design and architecture was March 15 2013.

Iceland Academy of the Arts - Department of Design and Architecture, seeks talented and creative individuals with a solid basic education, practical skills, and a fundamental knowledge of art.

Application form for the Department of Design and Achitecture

Admission procedures
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 is as follows
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Admissions notifications will be mailed in May 2013. 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.
5. 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.

Further information: Department of Design and Architecture