Key Visual Application phase 2026/27, Photo: Maïmouna Nele Diop
Update May 26, 2026
We are no longer accepting applications for Product Design, Exhibition Design & Scenography, Communication Design, and Media Art.
- Applications for Art History and Media Philosophy will be accepted until June 15, 2026!
General information about the application process is available here: https://hfg-karlsruhe.de/studium/bewerbung/
And click here to go directly to the application portal: https://h1.hfg-karlsruhe.de
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From March 1 to April 30, the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design will once again be accepting online applications for the 2026/2027 winter semester.
Interested applicants can find general application information at the following link
As one of the few universities in Germany, the HfG Karlsruhe still offers Diplom and Magister programs, which, compared to Bachelor’s and Master’s programs, allow for a significantly higher degree of freedom and personal responsibility in organizing and prioritizing the content of the curriculum. The close proximity of four Diplom programs (Media Art, Exhibition Design and Scenography, Communication Design, Product Design) and one Magister program (Art History and Media Philosophy) is characterized by a high degree of interdisciplinary collaboration, in which artistic and academic freedom complement and reinforce one another.
More information about the degree programs:
The curriculum includes an introductory and orientation program, a wide range of transdisciplinary courses, and intensive group and individual guidance. Students are encouraged to think and create independently, particularly in the context of their final theses, but also at various stages along the way. They receive multidisciplinary support as they develop their own self-directed research, art, and design practices.
Close collaborations with local and regional partner institutions, particularly with the neighboring ZKM | Center for Art and Media, underscore and expand the university’s interdisciplinary focus. In their largely project-based work, students are supported by excellently equipped in-house studios (film, video, photography, sound, games), workshop facilities (2D printing, 3D printing, screen printing, textiles, wood, metal, electronics, ceramics, plastics, model making) and labs (Biodesign Lab, Digital Sovereignty Studio), as well as the library operated jointly with the ZKM.
Students can participate in artistic and academic research projects, as well as contribute to numerous event programs and student-led initiatives. Throughout the year, there is a vibrant scene of exhibitions and performances featuring individual and collective student projects, often in collaboration with national and international partner institutions, taking place across numerous locations within the building, throughout the city, and beyond.
The HfG Karlsruhe is one of the few universities in Germany that still awards the Diplom and Magister Artium degrees; both are equivalent to a Master’s degree and confer the same qualifications as Master’s degrees from universities and other institutions of higher education with equivalent status. In contrast to highly modularized degree programs with Bologna degrees, the Diplom and Magister degrees represent a course of study centered on individual projects, offering a higher degree of student autonomy and responsibility.
If you are interested in one of the master’s degree programs, we strongly recommend that you attend a portfolio consultation before submitting your application. To apply for a spot in the Master’s program in Art History and Media Philosophy, you must submit a statement of purpose. You may also submit a portfolio if you wish. If you have any questions, you can schedule a consultation through the Art History and Media Philosophy office. https://hfg-karlsruhe.de/studium/bewerbung/studienberatung-und-mappenberatung/
