Admissions
MA PROGRAMME ADMISSION INFORMATION
Applications for entry in the 2025/26 academic year will open on 1 February 2025.
Click here to begin the application process via DreamApply (for international students) or SAIS (for applicants who have obtained a previous degree in Estonia ).
The admission deadline for international applicants is 3 March 2025.
Admission assignment will take place on 17-18 March 2025 via e-mail.
Admission interview will be held on 26-27 March 2025 via Zoom.
WHO CAN APPLY?
The interaction design program is open to anyone who is passionate about design. No previous professional experience or degree in design is necessary — we value diversity and our students come from very different places and backgrounds.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
NB! All the required documents, including the English language proficiency certificate, have to be submitted with the application by 3 March 2025.
— Application (submitted via Dream Apply/SAIS between 01.02–03.03.2025)
— 80€ application fee (paid via bank transfer)
— Copy of your bachelor’s degree certificate or equivalent, and its translation into Estonian or English (both the copy and translation have to be attested)
— Copy of your transcript of records, and its translation into Estonian or English (both the copy and translation have to be attested)
— English language proficiency certificate, please check the requirements HERE
— Copy of the data page of your passport or ID-card
— CV
Your CV should contain the following information:
1. Personal and contact information.
2. Overview of your education. The higher educational facility field of study, degree earned and the graduation work/project theme should be highlighted.
3. Work experience, including the employer’s name, the job title, and description of the candidate’s responsibilities at any listed job.
4. Hobbies, interests, volunteering experience.
— Display of Previous Experiences
Your display of previous experience should contain a few samples of work, showing your past and present experience, interests and professional capabilities. Design projects, development projects, art and hobby pieces, articles, abstracts of scientific papers, short descriptions of business or volunteering projects, etc. can be included. Essentially, we want to see what you’ve been doing in your previous life, and how you create, think, and solve problems.
- Each sample should be illustrated and shortly described. In case of team efforts, your contribution should be clearly stated. In addition to the solution, briefly describe the work process as well.
- The document should be presented in PDF-format or as a web portfolio. Feel free to use any file download service (WeTransfer, Dropbox, etc). If you add web links (pointing to web projects, articles, etc.), please ensure the links work and do not expire throughout the application process.
- Please add your display of previous experience to your online application.
— Motivational video
The motivational-letter video is a short recording where you introduce yourself and your motivation to join the programme. The video should be presented in English and be a maximum of 2 minutes long, elaborating on the following themes:
- Who are you?
- How did you find your way to design?
- How do you see the present and the future of interaction design, and how do you see your role in this?
- What do you hope to learn during the master’s programme?
- What would you like to do after the completion of your studies?
ASSESSING CRITERIA
The display of previous experience will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- The extent and content of the applicant’s experience (60%)
- Presentation skills (40%)
Evaluating the video the following criteria will be taken into account:
- Relevance of applicant’s thoughts and motivations towards the content of the MA rogramme (50%)
- Applicant’s preparation, knowhow of the design field (25%)
- Skills in analysis and argumentation, spoken English language (25%)
ADMISSION ASSIGNMENT
Based on the applicant’s motivational video and the required set of documents the eligible candidates will proceed with the admission assignment. They will be given instructions to start the assignment via e-mail during the previously announced exam dates (2 days). Once candidates start the assignment, they will receive a brief (problem description) and have to complete the task in two hours. The solution to the problem should be presented visually, accompanied by explanatory text. Applicants who complete the assignment successfully will be invited to the interview.
Evaluating the admission assignment the following criteria will be taken into account:
- Problem solving skills (20%)
- Context analysis skills (20%)
- Logical thinking (20%)
- Creativity, the novelty of the proposed solution (20%)
- Presentation skills (20%)
INTERVIEW
The exam board will ask additional questions of the applicant based on the presented documents, the motivation video, and the admission assignment. The questions may also refer to the candidate’s work experience, etc. Applicant’s motivation and knowledge of the general matters of interaction design will be tested. The interview will be conducted in real-time via the Internet (Zoom). The exact interview time for each applicant will be announced to him/her via e-mail a few days ahead.
Evaluating the interview the following criteria will be taken into account:
- Relevance of applicant’s thoughts towards the content of the MA programme (50%)
- Knowledge of the Interaction Design field (25%)
- Oral presentation and communication skills (25%)
Do I need to be a designer to apply?
No, it’s quite the opposite! We at IxD.ma value interdisciplinary diversity and specifically admit people with various backgrounds to assemble an unique team each year. Project managers, computer scientists, product and fashion designers, marketers, teachers, researchers — these are just a few examples of people we have had the honour of working with so far. Peer to peer teaching is an important part of the studies in IxD.ma, each member complements the team with their unique background, skills, and a point of view. The one common denominator we do look for, is passion for design.
What is a “Display of previous experiences?”
While your CV tells us where and who you have been, the collection of works should show us what you have been doing there. It can be a portfolio, a short list of projects, essays, software… Basically, we want to see what you’ve been up to so far in your professional life, what kind of problems you’ve been tackling, and how you have gone about to solve them.
Are there any scholarships available?
Yes, but there are only a few options available:
- For Estonian citizens and residents, EKA provides numerous smaller stipends based on performance, needs and other criteria.
- Many of our students are financing their studies with scholarships given by institutions in their home countries.
Can I see the students' work somewhere?
Yes, you can! Check out and follow our page on Medium.
Will I get a job after graduation?
You’ll probably get one before graduation. A well-paying one that allows you to pursue your passion. In addition to the mastery and experience gained during studies, we’ll put great emphasis on building up your internationally competitive portfolio. Fun fact: most of our team members have changed their jobs and taken higher positions during their studies.
You’ll be able to work as, for example:
Interaction Desginer
Service Designer
UX/UI Designer
Digital Product Designer
UX Researcher
Product Owner
Innovation Specialist
Should I apply?
Absolutely! Do it now, there’s only so much time left!
