The Master's in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage is open to students with a Bachelor’s degree from the UvA, or an equivalent recognised degree from another university, in:

• the humanities, preferably with a minor in Conservation and Restoration;
• the sciences, preferably with a minor in Conservation and Restoration.

Bachelor’s degrees in Art History, Cultural Studies, History, Archaeology, Materials Science and Chemistry provide a particularly suitable basis, but the Admissions Board may also regard other degree certificates as being suitable.

Hbo-bachelor: not eligible

It is not possible to apply to this programme with a degree from a Dutch University of Applied Sciences (hbo), unless you have eliminated your deficiencies during your hbo programme. For further information, please contact our study adviser (studyadviser-cr-fgw@uva.nl).

We do not currently offer a pre-Master's programme (schakelprogramma) for Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage.

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

The Master's in Conservation and Restoration has a selection procedure. Please follow the procedure outlined in the following documents: 

Literature and practice tests

Students applying for the Master's in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage who did not participate in the minor programme will need to take the Canvas tests in Principles of Conservation, Basic Chemistry and Preventive Conservation.

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.

You need to submit an enrolment request in Studielink for the Master's in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage.

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.

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

We ask you to upload an example of academic written work in English, so that the Admissions Board can get an impression of your academic writing skills. If you do not have an example of academic work written in English - for example, if all your written work so far is in Dutch or another language - translate or rewrite 3-5 pages of a paper or your thesis in English and upload this as your example of academic written work.

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.

After you have uploaded all required application documents and have submitted your UvA application form in MyInfo (step 4), you will go to the first round of the selection procedure.

Students applying for the Master’s in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage who did not participate in the minor programme, or who participated in the minor before the academic year 2019-2020, will need to take the Canvas tests in Principles of Conservation, Basic Chemistry and Preventive Conservation (for the relevant study materials, see step 1: Check entry requirements - Literature and practice tests). All candidates must complete a writing assignment, take a colour recognition test and upload a portfolio.