A higher education degree is required to be admitted to the Master study programme »Fine Arts« with the degree title Master of Fine Arts. Applicants who do not have a higher education degree at the time of application but who will acquire one in the three months following the end of the application period may also apply.

Applicants must also demonstrate an independent artistic position during an entrance exam.

Applications may only be made for the winter semester of an academic year, usually beginning in October. To apply, please pursue the following steps during the limited application periods mentioned below.

Step 1: Online Application

From 4th February to 5th March, 2020: Please create your applicant account on CampusNet »
As soon as you initiate the application process, you will be given a tracking number to refer to. Please write your tracking number on the outside of your portfolio.

Step 2: Portfolio Submission

The following documents are to be submitted:

• Applicants for the Master study programme in the departments »Sculpture«, »Graphic Art/Typography/Photography«, »Painting/Drawing«, »Time-based Media«,»Design«, and »Stage Design«, must submit as documents for the entrance examination:
  a) an application portfolio or documentation of work and planned projects from the last two years (not more than 20 of your artistic works) clearly demonstrating the artistic position of the applicant (no original works required; please print out the portfolio - DVDs or USB sticks are only accepted for digital works or films; all work must have your name and the date of origin written on it), as well as
  b) a written concept for an artistic project which is to be the main focus during the study programme.
• Applicants for the Master study programme in the »Film« department submit film work of all kinds completed in the last two years as DVD video. Draft scripts, storyboards, photographs, drawings, collages, sketchbooks or anything else that clearly shows the working style of applicants should also be submitted. A draft for an artistic project which is to be the main focus during the study programme should also be submitted. All work must have your name and the date of origin written on it.
• Applicants for the Master study programme in the department »Theory and History« must submit a portfolio or documentation of artistic work or projects. Furthermore, a written statement 3 to 5 pages long (DIN A 4) in German or English language, demonstrating their ability to formulate and express ideas. This statement must include why they have chosen the Master study programme, the details of their scientific study plans and their personal goals. The name and address of the applicant must be attached to the written statement. In cases of doubt, the applicant may be invited for a 15-minute interview to explain the written statement.

All applicants must also submit the following documents:

1. The printed-out online application
2. Curriculum vitae in German or English language
3. An accredited copy of the first university degree certificate (Bachelors, Diploma, an officially accredited academy certificate) and an accredited translation into German or English.
   Chinese applicants are requested to have the translation approved by the academic examinations office of the cultural affairs department at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Peking.
4. A portrait photo

Please write your tracking number on the outside of your portfolio.

All documents must reach the HFBK by 16.00 h on 5th March 2020 at the latest. If you submit your portfolio by mail, please send it not earlier than on the 3rd February, 2020. We cannot consider applications submitted late and/or by email, or documents submitted at a later stage.

Address
Hochschule für bildende Künste
Lerchenfeld 2
22081 Hamburg, GERMANY

For portfolios sent from foreign countries: Please claim »no commercial value« on the customs sticker in order to avoid delay!

The receipt of your portfolio at HFBK will be indicated in your CampusNet account.

Personal submission
On the 3rd, 4th and 5th of March, 2020, application portfolios can be dropped off personally. They will be accepted between 9.30 and 12.00 and between 13.30 and 16.00 h.

The address is HFBK Hamburg, Lerchenfeld 2, 22081 Hamburg. The rooms for submission will be indicated by signs during this period. We would like to point out that applicants should expect to wait a long time, especially on the final day.

Step 3: Pick-up of portfolios

As soon as you have received your selection results in your CampusNet account, please pick up your portfolio at the HFBK Hamburg (please bring the notification of acceptance or rejection) together with the Waiver of Right of objection.

The pick-up dates will be published in due time.

Portfolios that have not been picked up by the last date will be deleted.

If you send any other person to pick up your portfolio, they must bring a written mandate and their identity card.

Application portfolios will not be sent back by mail!

And on:

You will find your notification of acceptance or rejection in your CampusNet account by the beginning of May at the latest.

Your data will be stored for a maximum of 12 months.

After the end of the application period, an entrance examination commission will assess the application portfolios. The commission consists of 3 faculty professors and 2 members of the academic staff with voting rights, and 2 students without the right to vote.

The commission grades the application portfolios into categories: A to E. Applicants who are assigned an A or B can begin their studies in the following winter semester. Applicants who are assigned a C or D have the option of taking part in a clearing procedure.

In such cases, when an evaluation by the contents of the portfolio alone is not possible, applicants will be invited to attend an interview. Interviews will generally take place by the end of April.

Clearing procedure

If students who have been offered a study place do not take it, the HFBK offers a clearing procedure. Students whose portfolios were graded C by the selection commission will be the first to be considered. If more portfolios have been graded C than there are places available, fate will decide.