Application Visual Communication

You may apply to study in the Visual Communication program if you have passed a university exam (for instance, Abitur or master’s examination) and can demonstrate your artistic aptitude.

You may also be admitted to the Visual Communication program at the Kunsthochschule Kassel without a university exam if you are invited to the entrance examination and can demonstrate exceptional artistic/design talent there. 

It is only possible to begin the program in the winter semester.

Admission requirements

• Proof of artistic/design aptitude (portfolio with work samples)
• Proof of a general university exam
• An application without a university exam is possible if you are invited to the entrance examination and can demonstrate exceptional artistic talent
• If you do not have your Abitur certificate yet, you can provisionally include a simple copy of your last semester’s school report; the Abitur certificate need only be presented after successfully completing the entrance examination

If you received your school diploma outside of Germany and want to apply, please follow the instructions found at Application for foreign students.

Application process (updated on February 15, 2023)

In order to be invited to the entrance examination you must register in time, by March 15^th of that year, and then submit your application by April 15^th at the latest. All documents for the application, including the artistic/design portfolio, must be submitted online.

Stage 1 – Registration

Registration for application must occur by e-mail between February 15^th and March 15^th. You can download the registration form here or in the Info Column. The form contains all further information relevant to registration.

Stage 2 – Application with a digital portfolio

In the next step you will receive an e-mail at the beginning of April inviting you to upload your digital portfolio (PDF). In this e-mail we will give you all further relevant information for submitting your digital portfolio.

Please check your inbox by April 4^th at the latest, as well as the spam folder linked with the e-mail address. The invitation e-mail will be sent to the address that you used to register. Your portfolio and all other application documents (see also “Application documents” and “Portfolio preselection”) must be submitted by April 15^th.

Stage 3 – Qualifying examination

We will review your application by mid May and will select the applicants to be invited to the acceptance examination, which takes place at the beginning of June. The invitation to the entrance examination will be sent by e-mail. Applicants not accepted to the entrance examination will also be notified by e-mail by mid May.

Application documents

• digital portfolio with work samples (as PDF, max. 25 MB)
• CV
• Cover letter (1 one page)
• Copies of university exam results (if the certificate is not yet available, please submit a copy of your last semester’s school report)

Portfolio preselection

You will be applying with a digital portfolio (PDF). This portfolio should contain a selection of around 15 to 25 of samples of your own artistic and/or design work. There are no specifications from the side of the program. We recommend emphasizing and clarifying your particular interests and skills when assembling the works.

Submission of a conventional portfolio or a data medium has been discontinued.

Questions on the application process

Answers to many questions on the admissions process in the Visual Communication program, on the portfolio, the entrance examination, the Kunsthochschule and studying here can be found in the FAQ PDF (Link) in the Info Column.Questions not answered in the FAQ can be directed to this e-mmail address: aufnahme-viskom[at]kunsthochschulekassel.de.