The general Hochschulreife (higher education entrance qualification, in Germany: Abitur) or an equal preparatory qualification recognised by the agency responsible is required to be admitted to the Bachelor study programme »Fine Arts« with the degree title Bachelor of Fine Arts. Applicants without the general Hochschulreife showing outstanding artistic ability may also be admitted.

A selection commission will assess the presence of exceptional artistic ability by examining an application portfolio submitted by the applicant (for those who have completed the Abitur, e.g. high school graduates) or outstanding artistic ability (for applicants who have not completed the Abitur or other university entrance qualifications).

Applications are only possible for the winter semester. The following application steps are required during the application period from February 1 to March 6, 2023, 4 p.m. (deadline):

Step 1: Online application

Please create an applicant account in CampusNet. As soon as you start your application, it will receive an application number to which you can refer if you have any questions.

Step 2: digital application folder

If you have sent your online application, you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing an upload link.

Upload your digital artistic application portfolio with works including PDF files, videos, films, documentation of performances (for the "Film" department, cinematic works of all kinds should be submitted, ideally in full running time, not in the form of trailers. Also welcomed are script drafts, storyboards, photographs, drawings, collages, sketchbooks, or similar examples) from the past two years along with the documents listed below. They should be summarised in ONE PDF document:

• Curriculum vitae in German or English language
  
• A proof of school and if applicable university education; foreign applicants must submit a certified copy of a school or university leaving certificate with a translation in German or English, unless the original certificate was issued in German or English. If you do not receive your certificate until after the application period, please submit a copy of your semi-annual report. Chinese applicants are requested to have the translation of their certificates certified by the Academic Evaluation Centre (APS) of the Cultural Department of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Beijing.
  
• Proof of sufficient knowledge of the German language.
  (Proof is provided by presenting the certificate of completion of school or university education at a German-speaking institution or by presenting the certificate of one of the language examinations for university attendance recognized by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder (Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder). Certificates of participation in German courses in accordance with the "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages" up to and including level A2 (approx. 360 teaching hours) at the Goethe-Institut or another language school are also accepted as sufficient proof. In this case, these language skills must be intensified during the first two semesters in an intensive language course. If you are still attending a language course at the time of application and only complete it after the application deadline, please indicate this in your application folder.)

The file size is limited to 8 GB. It is no longer possible to submit a physical application portfolio. Late, incomplete and/or by e-mail received applications or subsequently submitted documents cannot be considered.
You don't have to spend any extra money to have your application portfolio professionally digitized. Simply use your smartphone or photo camera to document your work.

All documents/work uploaded with the digital application portfolio will be considered for your application to the HFBK Hamburg. Links to external platforms will not be considered.

And further:

The decision on admission to the program is made by the end of April of the application year at the latest. If the admission committee is not already able to make a clear decision based on the digital portfolio, you may be invited to a short personal interview with your physical application file (application file with the original artistic works). The interviews usually take place from mid to late April. Please refrain from making inquiries until then!

You will find all information and decisions in your applicant account in CampusNet.

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

At the end of the application period, an entrance examination committee will examine the application folders. The commission is composed of three professors, one member of the intermediate academic staff with voting rights and two students without voting rights.

The commission evaluates the application portfolios in categories from A to C. Applicants who are rated A can start their studies in the following winter semester. Applicants who are rated B have the possibility to take part in a postponement procedure.