Educational requirements

International applicants need a qualification for entrance to German universities (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung) or a school qualification recognized as equal. If the secondary school degree from your native country is comparable to the German “Fachhochschulreife” or “Allgemeine Hochschulreife”, you have direct access to higher education.

Status of applicants can be determined after the International Office has reviewed the complete application dossier (consisting of certifications of high school, col-lege/ university, university entrance tests and transcripts…). We urge you to submit your complete dossier as early as possible in order to avoid disappointments for all parties involved in this process.

 

Applicants must not be younger than 18 years or must have completed their 18th year by the end of the application year.

 

Special entrance regulations

In exceptional cases, applicants without university entrance qualifications showing outstanding artistic ability may also be admitted. A selection commission will assess the presence of exceptional artistic ability by examining the homework and portfolio submitted.

 

Internship

A prerequisite for the study is an internship of 12 weeks which must be completed before the begin of study (in exceptional cases within the first two years of study).

The purpose is to familiarise the student with his future profession. The internship must be completed in fields of creative careers such as film, moving image, animation, special effects, games design, media, graphic, photography, edition, television industry design software design, construction, exhibition design, architecture, interior design or related fields. Applicants can be exempted from the internship if they have successfully completed an apprenticeship in the fields of work mentioned above.

 

Application procedure

Artistic Aptitude Test

The Artistic Aptitude Test is administered only once a year. New students are admitted only in the winter semester of an academic year, beginning in October.

The Artistic Aptitude Test for studying Communication Design consists of a pre-selection (homework review) and an examination interview with the examining board.

 

Homework

From 15 April onward, applicants can download the homework from the website of the HBKsaar.

The completed homework (practical sample of works) must be submitted by 31 May.

 

Homework review

The examining board reviews the submitted homeworks. It selects the candidates who reveal the artistic qualification for the requested subject. For the successful applications the aptitude test carries on with an interview.

 

Examination Interview

The examination interview is conducted in form of a conversation. Particular aspects for evaluation are basic questions related to artistic creation as well as technical problems in the presentation of works related to painting, graphic, sculpture and space, considering the desired course of study.

A portfolio with about 15 samples of work must be brought along to the interview.

At the interview it is absolutely necessary that applicants have sufficient knowledge of German language.

 

Applicants are notified in writing about their admission or rejection.

Passing examination results will remain valid for two years.

The application process begins with the application for admission to the artistic aptitude test. The application form (Antrag auf Zulassung zur Eignungsprüfung) can be downloaded here.

Applicants must submit the completed application form (Antrag auf Zulassung zur Eignungsprüfung) and the artistic portfolio together with supporting documents by 31 May.

If 31 May is a weekend or holiday, deliveries will be accepted on the next working day.

 

Application must also include the following material and documents:

Completed homework

 

Documents:

  • Curriculum vitae (in German) with passport photograph
  • School-leaving certificates
  • Certificate of qualification for university entrance
  • Other certificates of education, vocational training and university degrees
  • Official academic transcripts and/or reports
  • All copies of original documents and their translated transcripts must be authenticated.
  • Completed application form “Antrag auf Zulassung zur Eignungsprüfung” (PDF-download)

 

The HBKsaar takes every care to practical works with the utmost care. However the HBKsaar is not liable for possible damage or loss to the artistic works submitted. Applicants may pick up their works in person or person with a written authorization. Portfolios will be discarded 3 months after the end of the aptitude test. The HBKsaar does not return portfolios.

 

Language requirements

In addition to the artistic and academic requirements, applicants from non-German speaking countries are required to give proof of sufficient German language skills at least at B2 level.

We accept the following certificate: TestDaF( level TDN4 in all four skills)

 

 

Chinese applicants

Chinese applicants are requested to have their academic transcripts approved by the academic examinations office of the cultural affairs department at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Peking (APS). For more information please visit the website: www.aps.org.cn

 

Portfolio advice day

Each year the HBKsaar organizes Infotage (Information Days) which provide applicants best opportunities to meet staff and to show their portfolios to professors from the area they are interested in.