The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (KADK)
The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (KADK) in Copenhagen is one of the oldest art academies in the world, founded in 1754. Along with the Aarhus School of Architecture, it is one of Denmark's two internationally renowned architecture and art academies. The academy has a rich history of producing influential designers and architects, combining traditional architectural education with innovative and contemporary approaches to design.
Related Program List
The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (KADK) offers a variety of master's programs in architecture and design, all of which are taught in English. Below are the programs available:
School of Architecture:
- Architecture and Extreme Environments – Duration: 2 years
- Architecture, Strategic Design & Entrepreneurship – Duration: 2 years
- CITAstudio: Computation in Architecture – Duration: 2 years
- Urbanism & Societal Change – Duration: 2 years
- Political Architecture: Critical Sustainability – Duration: 2 years
School of Design:
- Graphic Communication Design – Duration: 2 years
- Spatial Design – Duration: 2 years
- Fashion Design – Duration: 2 years
Admission Requirements
1. General Requirements:
- Applicants must have successfully completed their Bachelor's degree prior to the start of the program.
- Students enrolled in programs that only lead to master's degrees must provide documentation from their school/university confirming that they have or will have completed studies equivalent to a bachelor's degree according to the Bologna model.
2. MA in Architecture:
- To be eligible, applicants must have a Bachelor's degree in architecture or architectural studies from a nationally recognized school of architecture. This means the degree must be recognized by the national architectural association as qualifying for professional certification as an architect.
- Applicants with a degree in a major-minor system must have their major in architecture. Applicants with a minor in architecture or architectural studies are not eligible.
- Applicants with degrees in other subjects such as design, interior architecture, landscape architecture, urban and rural planning, construction, or engineering are not eligible.
- For degrees from Danish institutions, only applicants with a Bachelor's degree in architecture from KADK or Aarhus School of Architecture are eligible.
3. MA in Design:
- Bachelor's degree in design or equivalent from an accredited university or design school.
- Bachelor's degree from KADK or Aarhus School of Architecture.
- The undergraduate degree from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts's Design School (now KADK) under Executive Order No. 617 of 2003.
- The basic education from Design School Kolding under Executive Order No. 617 of 2003.
- The 3-year degree in Arts & Crafts from Danish Design School Bornholm (now KADK) with 37.5 ECTS credits in design theory.
Language Requirements:
- TOEFL iBT (internet-based): Minimum score of 90
- IELTS (academic version): Minimum score of 6.5
- Cambridge English C1 Advanced: Minimum score of 180
- Cambridge English C2 Proficiency: Minimum score of 180
- TOEFL/IELTS tests are valid for 2 years and must be valid at the time of applying. Please ensure to inform the TOEFL test center of KADK’s institutional code: 6398.
- A scanned copy of the official test result is acceptable, provided it can be validated in the test provider’s database.
Application materials
- Portfolio
- Copy of Transcript of Records from your Bachelor’s studies
- Copy of Bachelor’s Certificate
- Proof of English or Danish Proficiency
- Letter of Motivation
- CV/Resumé
- Copy of the Photo-page of Passport
- Credits from Courses at Master's Level
File Formats Accepted: pdf, doc, docx, jpg, jpeg, mov, mpeg, png
Portfolio
Technical Requirements:
- Must be in a single document
- Maximum size: 10 MB
- Optimized for viewing on a standard computer screen
- Uploaded at the time of application
Content Requirements:
Include your most important and representative design and/or architecture work
Relevant work from your BA study and professional experience
Oriented towards the programme you are applying for
Include a brief text for each project
Clearly identify and describe your contributions to group work
Hand drawings and sketches are acceptable
Process work showing the development of ideas is encouraged
No specific requirements for the number of projects or pages
- Translation of Transcript of Records
Accepted languages: English, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, German, French, Italian, and Spanish
Transcripts in other languages must be translated into English or Danish by a certified translator or the university. - Copy of Bachelor's Degree Certificate
Applications from students who have already completed or are about to complete their Bachelor's degree are accepted Degree certificate must be submitted by 1 August if not completed by the time of applying - Letter of Motivation
Explain your motivation for applying to the program and how your background qualifies for admission - CV
List your educational qualifications and relevant work experience - Copy of Passport (photo page)
A scanned copy is required to validate your identity - Credits Transfer
If applicable, you must submit documentation for any previous Master's level courses to evaluate their transferability
For more information on credit transfer, refer to KADK Credit Transfer Information - Documents That Should Not Be Included
Reference letters are not considered during the general admission assessment, so please do not include them.
For Applicants with a Bachelor's Degree from Other Institutions:
Visit Applying for a Master's with a BA from Other Institutions for more information.
Important Notes:
1. Application Process
- You can only apply to one programme at KADK.
- Once your application is submitted, you cannot change the programme.
2. Assessment of Applications
- Applications are reviewed by academics from the program you are applying to.
- As part of the admissions process, you may be contacted for an interview (e.g., via Skype/telephone), but you may also be granted admission without an interview.