Ingrid Westendorp, programme coordinator
Available for whatsapp on weekdays between 11.00 and 12.00h
E-mail WhatsAppOur society, climate, technology, and the way we humans use our cities are facing immense changes. The purpose of urbanism is to respond to these changes and create futureproof, climate resilient, and inclusive cities through our research, design, and practical processes. In this master’s program, you’ll learn how to effectively combine design intelligence with a reflective attitude and practical skills. The competence-based curriculum is geared towards mastering seven crucial competences: design, research, collaboration, communication, entrepreneurial skills, organization, and professional practice. You’ll gain experience and education beyond the school curriculum by combining your study with employment in a professional environment. Additionally, the Academy itself is a laboratory for spatial assignments from real stakeholders, and the studio is the perfect place to apply new skills and methods to create design proposals for complex spatial problems.
The programme focusses on skills, design, and theory. Due to the nature of our profession, a theoretical basis is important. Our theory classes will help you to broaden your mind and understand the underlying process of our society, so naturally, these classes include the history of urbanism. Philosophy, Economy, and Entrepreneurship are other theory classes that provide you with a different perspective to your possible role as an urbanist.
Project-based learning lies at the core of the study programme. Your assignments will tackle a particular challenge or issue that you’ll work on individually or in teams. For example, you may want to create a more inclusive city or develop a vision on the relation between the city and surrounding landscape. The studio work will be combined with various research courses to provide a strong foundation.
The philosophy of the Academy is based on study combined with working in an architect’s firm. This concurrent, practical structure offers you experience and education beyond the school curriculum, which is essential to your growth as a professional urbanist. In addition, it allows you to unleash the pioneer within by learning about the importance of design for current and upcoming issues.
Take a look at our graduates projects (download)
The course is carried out in a 40-week intensive program. You’ll work in the Design studio at Fontys in Tilburg one day per week. Alongside this, self-study comprises 10 hours and practical work 20 hours per week. You’ll follow theory classes once a week.
Kenny Vink, firstyear student“the symbiosis between practice and the educational program is amazing”
Admission requirements for the master’s degree program:
- Bachelor (B/BSc) Architecture
- Bachelor (B) Art Academy (Architectural design/Interior design)
Is your study not mentioned? Contact us and we can talk about possibilities.
According to the Code of Conduct regarding International Students, international students seeking admittance to an English-taught study programme must be able to prove that their command of the English language is at least equal to the following scores:
IELTS | 6.0 |
TOEFL paper | 550 |
TOEFL computer | 213 |
TOEFL internet | 79/80 |
TOEIC | 670 (provided the student has passed 'Speaking and writing' and 'Listening and Reading' components) |
Cambridge ESOL | FCE-C (minimum of 169) |
Applicants are required to:
Work a minimum of 20 hours a week in a relevant practice (Architect’s firm or related). The Academy offers alternative practice studio’s for students who are temporarily unable to find a regular job. In these alternative practice studio’s students will work on assignments by real stakeholders and will be supervised by practitioners. There is usually no remuneration for participating students.
Admission requirements for the master’s degree program:
- Bachelor (B/BSc) Architecture
- Bachelor (B) Art Academy (Architectural design/Interior design)
Is your study not mentioned? Contact us and we can talk about possibilities.
According to the Code of Conduct regarding International Students, international students seeking admittance to an English-taught study programme must be able to prove that their command of the English language is at least equal to the following scores:
IELTS | 6.0 |
TOEFL paper | 550 |
TOEFL computer | 213 |
TOEFL internet | 79/80 |
TOEIC | 670 (provided the student has passed 'Speaking and writing' and 'Listening and Reading' components) |
Cambridge ESOL | FCE-C (minimum of 169) |
Applicants are required to:
Work a minimum of 20 hours a week in a relevant practice (Architect’s firm or related). The Academy offers alternative practice studio’s for students who are temporarily unable to find a regular job. In these alternative practice studio’s students will work on assignments by real stakeholders and will be supervised by practitioners. There is usually no remuneration for participating students.
Admission requirements for the master’s degree program:
- Bachelor (B BSc) Architecture
- Bachelor (B) Art Academy (Architectural design/Interior design)
Is your study not mentioned? Contact us and we can talk about possibilities.
Language requirements
For the English taught programmes, the minimum English language proficiency required. As an applicant with a Dutch MBO-4, HAVO- or VWO-diploma you can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test.
Applicants are required to:
Work a minimum of 20 hours a week in a relevant practice (Architect’s firm or related). The Academy offers alternative practice studio’s for students who are temporarily unable to find a regular job. In these alternative practice studio’s students will work on assignments by real stakeholders and will be supervised by practitioners. There is usually no remuneration for participating students.
The tuition fees indicator helps you to determine the tuition rate for your situation. The information and tuition rates from this indicator are without engagement.
A distinction is made between statutory tuition fees and institutional tuition fees. Only if you satisfy all statutory requirements regarding your nationality and if you have not yet been awarded a degree, will you be eligible for statutory tuition fees. Via the tuition fees indicator, you can secure an indication of the type of tuition fees that will be applicable in your situation. To do so, please make use of the indicator above.
Distinctions are made between the following types of Institutional Tuition Fees:
These different types of tuition fees and the Exemption Regulations are fully detailed in the:
The amount to be paid may vary in accordance with the following situations:
Some Fontys study programmes offer the Holland Scholarship to their students. Check out the link to see if this study pogramme participates and for more information.
You might also be eligible for other scholarships not provided by Fontys. These can be found on Grantfinder.nl.
Master Architecture and Urbanism offers 2 Holland Scholarships (HSP) to talented and motivated candidates for our MSc in Architecture and MSc in Urbanism programmes. The HSP is only available to non-EU students in the form of a €5,000 grant to be received during the second semester of the first year.
Holland Scholarship
The Holland Scholarship provides a partial scholarship for the first year of your studies within our Master of Architecture/Master of Urbanism programme. The scholarship of €5,000 is financed by Fontys University of Applied Sciences and the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.
General application criteria Holland Scholarship
• Non-EU/non-EEA nationality
• You’re applying for a full-time bachelor’s or master’s programme at one of the participating Dutch higher education institutions
• This is your first time studying at an educational institution in the Netherlands
• You have read the general conditions of the Holland Scholarship Programme*
• You agree that your application details may be shared with EP Nuffic and the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
Additional programme criteria of Holland Scholarship
• You’re registered for the Fontys Master of Urbanism at www.studielink.nl
• You meet the general admission requirements of the programme of your choice (to be determined by the admission office).
• Students have to hand in an essay of 750 words on the topic of “the importance of concurrent education”, using academic sources. Please send your essay to fhkmau@fontys.nl
• To be eligible for the Holland Scholarship Programme, you need to fill in the application form after 1 November and before 1 June.
Applying for the scholarship is a different procedure than the application for a study programme, which has to be processed via studielink.nl. For more information on how to apply, please select the programme of your choice.
Link to the form Holland Scholarship
Collection will take place in a maximum of ten equal instalments on or around the 26th of the month. Depending upon the processing time required after your enrolment, the direct debit may need to be moved to the following month. If so, the amount outstanding will then be divided and added to the remaining instalments to be executed until and including the June instalment.
If you commence your studies on 1 September, the direct debit pertaining to your Tuition Fees will be executed on or around 25 September. If you commence your studies after 1 September, the direct debit will be executed on or around the 26th of the month in which you commence your studies.
Incoming Non EU students will receive a payment letter from their study department which must be paid before the deadline. In the following academic years payment can be done by direct debit.
If you have a Bank account number, of which the bank is not situated in one of the SEPA countries, and you are a national of a country outside the EEA without an address in The Netherlands, then you will receive a paymentletter from Fontys via your course department.
The Dutch currency unit is the Euro (i.e. abbreviated to ‘EUR’ or ‘€’).
The average living expenses per month for a foreign student living and studying in Holland are between EUR 900 and EUR 1,100 per month. These living expenses cover rent, insurance, food, public transportation, books, clothing and other general costs.
Dutch Immigration Service (IND) requires non-EEA students to proof they have access to € 11,520 per year (€ 5,760 per semester)
Costs within the first months upon arrival will be higher than all other months due to a housing deposit, intro week and books. Study books are usually bought at the start of the semester and therefore it is wise to reserve and have direct access to an amount at the start of the semester which can cover the price of all study books and the living expenses for the first two months.
Before starting your study at Fontys, you must find suitable housing. Unfortunately, it is not easy for international students to find accommodation in the Netherlands due to the housing crisis. Start your accommodation search early. Please be aware that finding a place to live is your own responsibility. However, we are happy to assist in any way we can.
Graduates from this programme will be able to take an integrated, design-led approach in tackling complex issues of their environment in a national and/or international context. This gives them a variety of career prospects in urbanism and other related fields.
All graduated architects and urban designers will receive the title Msc.
Your enrolment for an FHK bachelor or master begins at www.studielink.nl. If you officially live in the Netherlands, you need a DigiD to login. If you don’t have a DigiD because you have a foreign address, you create your own account in Studielink (if you don't already have one).
• Once logged in to Studielink, complete or make sure your personal details are entered correctly (i.e. capital letters where required, according to your passport/ID card), and check or add your previous education.
• Choose the study programme you wish to apply for (or select the option "Add new enrolment application" in your dashboard). You can enter one or more search queries and select Fontys university of applied sciences to select your programme.
• Choose the correct start date: September 1, 2023, answer the institutional questions and confirm.
Two working days after the request for enrolment via Studielink you will receive an e-mail (sender fhksa@fontys.nl) with a link to the admission form.
NB: This is a different e-mail then the one you receive from no-reply@fontys.nl, stating your PCN number and password. You will need both e-mails.
When we received your application, you will get a confirmation. At the latest one week before the admission date, you will receive an invitation or more information. If you don't receive the e-mails, please check your spambox and add our address to your address book.
Sign up for one of our events. There's no better way to find out if this study programme is right for you! Visit a webinar from the comfort of your home or meet us live on campus. Whichever you choose, we hope to meet you soon.
Save the date, so you can experience our campus atmosphere during our upcoming Open Day. Whether you prefer informative presentations or campus tours by our teachers and students, there will be something for everyone. Interested? Let us know, and we will notify you as soon as registration opens.
Save the dates below for our Open Days: