Bachelor’s degree

The Master's programme in Preservation and Presentation of the Moving Image is open for application to students with a Bachelor's degree in the humanities or social sciences from an accredited university, with a minimum of 60 ECTS credits (in most cases, the equivalent of one year of academic studies) in the field of media history and theory, art history and theory and/or library or archival studies modules.

Pre-Master's 

If you do not meet the entry requirements above, for example if you have a degree from a Dutch University of Applied Sciences (HBO) or an equivalent thereof, you might be eligible to eliminate your deficiencies by completing the pre-Master’s programme in Media Studies first. The Admissions Board will determine if your academic background is sufficient for admission to the (pre-)Master’s programme. Admission to the (pre-)Master’s programme is not guaranteed.

The dual Master's programme in Preservation and Presentation of the Moving Image is selective; in the selection process, study performance, work experience and motivation will be considered.

English language requirements

New Master's students should be able to speak, read, write and understand English at an advanced academic level. Please check carefully on the page below whether:

• you already meet the English language requirements based on your prior education; or
• you need to arrange to take an official English language test. If you have serious reasons to believe you should be exempted from taking an official English language test, you will need to file a strongly motivated, official exemption request at the Graduate School of Humanities’ Examinations Board. Please note that there is a strict deadline in place for such a request, which is one month prior to the Master's application deadline.

Selection procedure

All prospective students of selective Master's programmes are subject to a selection procedure. The selection committee for the MA in Preservation and Presentation of the Moving Image looks at a prospective student’s full application dossier, which includes their academic transcripts (applicants are advised to take into account the grade requirements specified below), their motivation (see ‘Motivation form’), their educational and professional background (curriculum vitae) and an English-language writing sample of around 5,000 words.

If you wish to apply for this Master's programme, you are advised to consider that incoming students generally have a grade average of at least:

• 7.0 (Dutch educational system)
• B/3.3 (American system)
• 2:1 (an upper second class degree in the British system)
• C (ECTS-system)”

All students applying will need to start their application by submitting an enrolment request in Studielink, the Dutch online system for students applying for a degree programme at a Dutch university.

Applicants for Preservation and Presentation of the Moving Image need to submit an enrolment request in Studielink for the Master's in Media Studies 90 EC (Dual). When asked, select Preservation and Presentation of the Moving Image as the track you intend to follow. Please note: even if you believe your prior education does not grant direct access and you think you need to take the pre-Master's programme to compensate for deficiencies, you must start your application by submitting an enrolment request for the Master’s Media Studies 90 EC (Dual). 

It is extremely important that you register in Studielink at least 48 hours before the application deadline (see above). This is to ensure that you receive your login information (UvAnetID) in time to fill in your UvA application in MyInfo (see next step).

All students applying for a Master’s programme with a non-Dutch degree must pay a non-refundable application fee of €100.  The UvA cannot start processing your application until this fee has been paid. You can pay the application fee via SIS by credit card (Master or Visacard) or iDEAL.

You do not have to pay the application fee:

• If you have obtained or will obtain a Bachelor’s degree from a Dutch research university or university of applied sciences (HBO);
• If you have already applied and paid the application fee for another Master’s programme at the UvA for the academic year 2024-2025;
• If you have already applied and paid the application fee for a Master's programme at the Graduate School of Humanities for the academic year 2023-2024;
• If you are applying through the Foundation for Refugee Students (UAF).

Please note that the application fee is non-refundable. You are not entitled to a refund even if you do not submit your application form, if you submit an application form after the deadline (which will not be taken into consideration) or if you submit an incomplete application.

After enrolling in Studielink, you will automatically receive an email with a link to your MyInfo UvA application form. To log in to MyInfo you need your UvAnetID. Please fill out the application form, upload the required documents and submit your MyInfo application form before the application deadline.

Please make sure that in Studielink (step 2) you have selected Preservation and Presentation of the Moving Image as the track you intend to follow, and it is the selected track in your MyInfo application. Applications for selective programmes that have been selected as a second track will not be processed.

Application documents

Make sure you are well prepared before you start your application, and you have all necessary documents ready. You are asked to upload the following documents:

• curriculum vitae;
• proof of language proficiency (if required, see language requirements);
• transcript of records, up-to-date and issued by your home institution (if you are already a student at the UvA, a screenshot from SIS is sufficient);
• diploma (if already obtained)* or list of courses yet to complete;
• translation of your diploma and transcript of records (if they are not in English, Dutch, German or French);
• motivation form (PDF);
• programme specific documents (see below).

*Please note: If you have not yet obtained your diploma but are in possession of all other application documents, you may proceed with your application - as long as you obtain your Bachelor's degree before 1 September. If you have a non-Dutch prior education, please bear in mind that you must submit your certified documents before 1 August.

Programme-specific documents

In addition to the application documents that must be submitted for all Humanities Master’s programmes, applicants are expected to submit an English-language writing sample of around 5000 words (either a single paper, a combination of shorter essays, or a section from a longer thesis) that demonstrates their ability to use theory and handle sources in building up a sustained argument on a topic relevant to the programme. (If their first degree was not in English, they may also translate a text originally written in another language.).

This programme does not require any other documents, such as a reference letter. Only the above-mentioned documents are taken into consideration by the Admissions Board.