Application

Previous studies

Relevant previous studies (Bachelor's degree or equivalent).

It is for the selection committee to decide whether a previous degree programme is relevant.

Please send your documents to the examinations office to be checked: Bachelor's degree certificate if available, record of achievement and, if applicable, module descriptions of your achievements.

Applications can be submitted during the Bachelor's programme

If you have not yet fully completed your Bachelor’s degree at the time of applying or have not yet received your Bachelor’s certificate, it will suffice in your application to provide an up-to-date overview of your progress on the Bachelor’s programme with details of the ECTS credits you have achieved – you must have gained a minimum number – along with a provisional average grade. You can submit your Bachelor's certificate at a later stage.

The minimum number of ECTS credits required for admission is set out in the admission regulations (in German).

Artistic aptitude

Applicants with a Bachelor's degree in another subject area (not design or closely related) must provide proof of special artistic aptitude through the assessment process.

Applying through the HAWK Study Portal

Applications should be submitted online through the HAWK Study Portal (in German). The portal closes at 23:59 on the final day of the application period.

Enter the required application and enrolment information in the Study Portal.

Information sheet

You will find step-by-step instructions in the online application information sheet.

During the online application process, you upload your application documents to the HAWK Study Portal.

Mandatory documents: all applicants

• Proof of university entrance qualification
• CV in tabular form, including a passport photograph
• Certificate for your first university degree (or provisional certification with average grade and credits awarded)
• Certificate of exmatriculation
• Proof of identity
• Proof of health insurance

Additional documents with regard to international university entrance qualifications

Translation of the university entrance qualification: If your university entrance qualification is not in German, you upload:

• a copy of the original qualification; and
• a sworn translation of the qualification in English or German

Proof of German language competence: If your university entrance qualification was not acquired in German, please upload one of the following proofs of German language proficiency:

• Level 4 TestDaF issued by the TestDaF Institute
• DSH (German Language Test for University Entrance) Level 2
• Goethe Certificate C2
• telc certificate in German C1 University
• DSD (German Language Diploma of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs) Level 2

If you do not yet have sufficient proficiency in German or are unsure whether your language skills are sufficient, please consult the International applicants page.

Additional documents for specific cases

• Proof of design-related work experience after your Bachelor's degree
• Explanation in writing of your motivation for studying, maximum 1 page (for second degree applicants)
• Copy of passport and residence permit (if you do not hold German citizenship)
• Evidence of other criteria to be considered

Application for advanced semesters

• Records of achievement to enable you to be assigned to the appropriate level

Dates

Selection interviews are held:

• Winter semester: early/mid-August
• Summer semester: early/mid-February

Process

The selection interview lasts a maximum of 20 minutes and covers the following areas:

•  your personal reasons for applying
• your goals for the Master's in Design
• questions from the selection committee

Please bring your portfolio or examples of your design work with you.

Evaluation

The following three parameters are evaluated during the selection interview and are assigned a maximum of 20 points each:

• Motivation and professional goals
• Ability to reflect on complex design issues
• Design methodology and concept skills

The Design degree programme is admission-restricted. This means that if there are more applicants than places available on the programme, admission will be decided on the basis of the selection criteria.

The overview of selection criteria (in German) gives an indication of the scores that have been sufficient in previous years.

Determination of the selection criteria

Performance of the applicants is assessed on the basis of a points system. Applicants are then ranked by the total number of points they have achieved. Where applicants have the same number of points, the decision is made by drawing lots.

The following areas are assessed. The maximum number of points that can be achieved is 160.

Communication of results

Successful applicants will be sent a letter of admission by post. The letter of admission can also be viewed as a PDF on the HAWK Study Portal.

By enrolling, you accept your place on the programme. To do so, proceed as follows:

1. Letter of admission

Successful applicants will be sent a letter of admission by post. The letter of admission can also be viewed as a PDF on the HAWK Study Portal.

Your letter of admission will outline the enrolment process and specify two deadlines for applying for enrolment.

2. Apply for enrolment online

If you wish to take up your place, the first thing you need to do once you have received your letter of admission is apply to enrol online via the Study Portal – by the first deadline set out in your letter of admission.

3. Upload enrolment documents

Once you have completed the online enrolment process, upload these documents to the Study Portal within the second specified deadline:

• enrolment documents (see information in the portal)
• any other documents specified in the letter of admission

The HAWK can only enrol you once you have uploaded all the documents required for enrolment.

If you do not upload the required documents with your application for enrolment, your application for enrolment will not be considered!