The Gerrit Rietveld Academie is an independent university of applied sciences with approximately 850 students.

The Rietveld Academie offers the degree programme Art & Design which incorporates the various specialisations. The specialisations are led by coordinators who are responsible for the study programme and day-to-day affairs. In addition, the academy offers two master's degrees and a variable number of temporary master's programmes provided by the Sandberg Instituut. Some two hundred lecturers are affiliated with the academy. Lecturers all work on a part-time basis and are also independent artists or designers.