Master Type and Media at KABK

KABK Master Type and Media is a one-year, full-time master's programme at the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, dedicated to type design and typography. Students work in a small group on letterforms for print, screens and interactive media, covering contrast, rhythm, proportion and weight alongside type history, font technology, digitising and the development of their own tools. Applications for the 2027 intake close on 2 March 2027. Tuition fees are published on the KABK website rather than on the programme page, so check there before you apply.

What sets the programme apart is its breadth in a short time. In a single year it combines drawing letters, understanding where typefaces come from historically, and the technical side of turning drawings into working fonts. The inclusion of tool development is worth noting: students are encouraged to think about the software and scripts behind type, not just the shapes on screen. For a designer who wants to move from using fonts to making them, that combination is the core appeal.

What You Will Learn

The programme page lists the main areas of study. In plain terms, you can expect to work on:

• Type design for print, for screens and for interactive media
• Typography: how letters behave in text and in layouts
• The fundamentals of letterform design: contrast, rhythm, proportion and weight
• The history of type and how it informs new work
• Font technology, from file formats to how fonts behave in use
• Digitising drawn letterforms into usable fonts
• Developing your own tools for designing and producing type

Who Is KABK Master Type and Media For?

The KABK Master Type and Media suits designers who already have a solid grounding in graphic design or typography and want to specialise in type design. It is a natural next step for graphic designers who keep drawing custom lettering for projects, for lettering artists who want to build full fonts, and for typographers who want to understand the inner workings of the typefaces they use every day.

It is less suited to complete beginners. A full-time year in a small group is intensive, and the programme assumes you can already discuss and judge typography. If you are curious about type design but have never drawn a letter, a short online workshop is a better way to test your interest first. Good Stuff Weekly also lists Type@Cooper's online workshops, which make a sensible stepping stone.

Programme Structure

The programme runs for one year, full-time, in The Hague. The official page describes the areas of study rather than a term-by-term timetable, so treat the outline below as a summary of themes, not a fixed schedule:

• Foundations of form: contrast, rhythm, proportion and weight in letter design
• History: the development of type and its influence on contemporary practice
• Technology: font technology, digitising and production
• Tools: building your own tools to support the design process
• Application: type for print, screens and interactive media

Because the group is small, expect close contact with tutors and frequent discussion of work in progress. For the exact course content, start date and teaching calendar, consult the official KABK programme page.

How to Apply

The application deadline for the 2027 intake is 2 March 2027. The KABK website sets out the admission requirements, so read them carefully before you start preparing. As general guidance for any type design master's, a strong application usually shows:

• Drawing ability: sketches of letters, not only finished digital work
• Typographic judgement: layouts or editorial projects where type choices matter
• Process: early sketches, iterations and dead ends, which tell a tutor more than a polished final image
• Motivation: a clear statement of why you want to design type and what you hope to explore
• Curiosity about tools: any experiments with scripting, font editors or code are worth including, given the programme's interest in tool development

Give yourself several weeks to assemble a portfolio, and ask a typographer or tutor you trust to review it before you submit.

Price and Access

The programme page does not state tuition. Fees are published on the KABK website and can differ depending on your circumstances, so check the current figures there. Remember to budget for living costs in The Hague for the full year as well as tuition.

Things to Consider

• Commitment: this is a full-time, in-person year in The Hague, which is difficult to combine with a job.
• Deadline: 2 March 2027 comes round quickly; start your portfolio in the months before.
• Prerequisites: check the official admission requirements for the degree and language level expected.
• Alternatives: compare it with the University of Reading MA Typeface Design and the ECAL Master Type Design, which differ in length, location and focus.
• Testing the waters: an online type design workshop is a low-risk way to check that type design suits you before applying to the KABK Master Type and Media.
• Housing: look for accommodation early once you have an offer.

Apply to the Programme

Interested in studying with the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague?

Apply to Master Type and Media

For admission requirements, fees and the full programme, visit the official KABK website.

Looking for more ways to learn? Browse all courses and learning resources on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: November 12, 2026