University in Germany
Essen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
University profile
Folkwang University of the Arts (Folkwang Universität der Künste) is a state arts university in the Ruhr region of North Rhine-Westphalia, with its main seat in the former Benedictine abbey at Essen-Werden. It teaches music, theatre, dance, design and academic subjects under one roof and builds its profile on the Folkwang idea, the unity of the arts and interdisciplinary teaching, learning and production. It was founded in 1927 as the Folkwangschule für Musik, Tanz und Sprechen.
Teaching is spread over campuses in Essen-Werden, the Zollverein World Heritage site in Essen, Duisburg, Bochum and Dortmund. Essen-Werden houses instrumental training, voice and music theatre, physical theatre, vocal ensemble direction, music theory, composition, music teaching, music education, musicology, musical and jazz, together with the Institute for Contemporary Dance. Design is taught at Zollverein, early music, chamber music and piano in Duisburg, acting and directing in Bochum, and the orchestral master in Dortmund.
The university is organised in four faculties (Fachbereiche): Fachbereich 1 covers artistic-musical practice (instrumental training, jazz, composition, orchestral playing, instrumental specialisation, popular music); Fachbereich 2 covers artistic-academic, pedagogical and scholarly music programmes (music teaching, music education, musicology, integrative music theory, direction of vocal ensembles); Fachbereich 3 covers the performing arts (voice and music theatre, musical, physical theatre, acting, directing, dance, dance composition, dance pedagogy); Fachbereich 4 covers design (photography, industrial and product design, intermedia design, art and design science). Cross-faculty institutes include the Institute for Contemporary Dance (IZT), the Institute for Computer Music and Electronic Media (ICEM), the Institute for Art and Design Science, the Institute for Pop Music in Bochum and folkwang junior, the institute for early talent promotion.
About 1,600 students were enrolled in April 2026, 62.8 per cent of them German and 37.2 per cent international. The teaching staff numbers 437, including 101 professors. Studies lead to Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Arts, Master of Music, Master of Arts, Master of Education, Artist Diploma and certificate qualifications such as the Konzertexamen. Student life centres on the studio, rehearsal room and stage, with concert series, the Pina Bausch Theatre in the abbey, student representation through the AStA and a Deutschlandsemesterticket included in the semester contribution.
The language of instruction is German for almost all programmes; the M.A. Design Futures can also be taken with an English-language track. International applicants apply directly to Folkwang rather than through uni-assist. Degree programmes are exempt from accreditation under section 7 of the North Rhine-Westphalia Arts Universities Act (Kunsthochschulgesetz).
Folkwang charges no tuition fees. Each semester students pay a semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag), which is not tuition: 374.80 euros in the winter semester 2026/27, made up of 23.00 euros for the AStA, 125.00 euros for the Studierendenwerk and 226.80 euros for the Deutschlandsemesterticket for local and regional public transport across Germany. Re-registration payment windows are 15 June to 15 September (winter semester) and 15 January to 15 March (summer semester).
Awarded to enrolled students of any nationality; about 65 scholarships for 2026/27 at 300 euros per month, paid half by private donors and half by the federal government, from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027. Selection considers study performance, awards, commitment and personal circumstances, with particular consideration for students with children and students with impairments. Applications for new students for winter semester 2026/27 closed on 12 July 2026 and require a form, admission letter, CV and a reference. Doctoral, guest and exchange students are excluded. Details: Deutschlandstipendium.
For particularly gifted music students from Central, Eastern and Southern European countries (Germany included) in instrumental training, voice | music theatre or musical, in bachelor semesters 1 to 4 and aged 23 or under at the start of funding. Total annual funding is 12,000 euros, at least 125 euros per month for one year from April, up to two years. Application by e-mail to [email protected] with letter, CV, enrolment certificate and a teacher's reference, followed by an audition of about 20 minutes. Page: Pott scholarship.
Funded by the Federal Foreign Office through the DAAD for international students and doctoral candidates who hold a foreign entrance qualification. Folkwang awards a scholarship for greater equity (for students with a refugee background, children, caring duties or a chronic illness or disability from degree of disability 50) and a degree-completion scholarship for students finishing within a year. Applications need a form, CV, enrolment certificate, evidence and a teacher's reference. Page: STIBET I.
The Folkwang Hilfsfonds, financed by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, gives a one-off 500 euros to enrolled music students in financial difficulty (average income under 1,000 euros per month and account balance below 1,200 euros at the start of the month); a maximum of three grants per student, applications online without deadline. The GFFF Notfonds of the Society of Friends and Sponsors gives up to 300 euros once for hardship or study-related projects such as master classes, equipment or printing of theses. The DAAD Prize of 1,000 euros is awarded annually to an outstanding international student.
Students can be nominated for or apply to national programmes including the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (at least 300 euros per month, on nomination by teachers), Cusanuswerk, Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit and PE-Förderungen für Studierende der Musik e.V. Internal scholarships are announced in November/December for the summer semester and in May/June for the winter semester. See Scholarships.
Non-EU/EEA applicants must show proof of financing of 861 euros per month (10,332 euros per year) for the visa, as stated by the university (status 1 January 2021). BAföG, loans and student job advice are available from the Studierendenwerk Essen-Duisburg and AKAFÖ in Bochum. Exchange students apply through the International Office by 1 April (winter semester or full year) or 1 November (summer semester), and Erasmus+ and PROMOS support study abroad.
Browse the scholarships listed for Folkwang University of the Arts and check each award’s eligibility.
View scholarships for Folkwang University of the Arts →Admission to the artistic programmes requires a university entrance qualification (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung) and proof of artistic or programme-specific aptitude through Folkwang's own aptitude test (Eignungsprüfung); tests from other institutions are not recognised. In some undergraduate programmes a missing school-leaving qualification can be offset by proof of exceptional artistic talent, meaning an overall aptitude test grade of at least 1.7. Foreign qualifications must be equivalent to the German general higher education entrance qualification, as assessed against the anabin database and the ZAB; in some cases a paid ZAB assessment is required. Documents must be in German or English or officially translated.
In music, the test usually has several practical, oral and written parts, with prepared works and sight-reading in the main subject and a music theory test at Bachelor level; pedagogical programmes also test teaching aptitude. Performing arts tests run over several rounds, and design programmes use a normally two-stage procedure with a portfolio. Some programmes begin with a digital first round (video or portfolio link) submitted in the application portal by the deadline. Results of a digital round are given about four to five weeks after the deadline. The Central Examination Board decides on places on the basis of the subject commissions' ratings.
Everyone, including international applicants, applies directly to Folkwang through the Folkwang application portal, not through uni-assist. Applications for the summer semester are possible from 1 October to 15 November; for the winter semester from 15 January to 15 March (31 May for certain programmes such as the Master in Art and Design Science and Photography Studies and Research). Musical, Physical Theatre, Acting and Directing begin in the summer semester with a deadline of 15 November of the previous year; Master programmes in music and the Konzertexamen accept applications for both semesters. Documents must be uploaded by the deadline; late documents cannot be added. An application fee of 50 euros per application and semester applies to all programmes except those of Faculty 4 Design; it is not refundable.
German proficiency must be proved at enrolment at the latest (end of September for the winter semester, end of March for the summer semester), not at application. Required levels: A2 for Instrumental Training (B.Mus. and M.Mus.), Instrumental Specialisation, Popular Music and the Jazz programmes; B1 for Integrative Composition and the German-French musicology programme; B2 for B.Mus. Music Education, B.A. Musicology, Musical, Acting, Directing, Product Design and the English alternative for M.A. Design Futures; C1 for M.Mus. Integrative Music Theory, M.A. Direction of Vocal Ensembles, M.A. Music Education, M.A. Musicology, Intermedia Design and Photography; DSH 2 for teaching degrees (B.A. and M.Ed.) and the M.A. Art and Design Science; A1 for Dance and the Dance Master programmes and for the Konzertexamen where required; A2 for Physical Theatre and Voice | Music Theatre; B1 for M.A. Professional Media Creation. Accepted evidence is a CEFR-graded certificate such as Goethe-Institut, telc or TestDaF, or the DSH; attendance certificates are not accepted. The M.A. Design Futures may be studied in an English-language track with B2 English.
Master programmes require a first higher education degree (for the Master of Education and subject Masters, a relevant Bachelor) and a passed aptitude test. Enrolment in some Masters is possible under reservation, with the first degree handed in later. The M.A. Design Futures also welcomes graduates of related engineering, social science and humanities fields. Programme pages list the specific documents.
Doctoral candidates must find a supervising professor and agree a topic. Doctorates (Dr. phil.) are offered in musicology, music education, design science and the theory and history of photography. Admission to musicology or music education doctorates requires a relevant Master or equivalent degree of at least eight semesters not awarded as a Bachelor. The dissertation is written in German, in English on application to the doctoral committee, and ends with an oral defence.
Enrolment is in person at the end of September or March. Required are an identity document, proof of health insurance status transmitted by a statutory health insurer (sender number H0001139), proof of entrance qualification (with certified German or English translation), language certificate where required and, for Masters, proof of the qualifying degree. Applicants from outside the EU/EEA need a study visa depending on nationality and, after arrival, a residence permit for study purposes.
Library sites also exist at the Folkwang Theaterzentrum and the Zollverein reading room. Students can live in halls of the Studierendenwerk Essen-Duisburg or, in Bochum, the Akademisches Förderungswerk (AKAFÖ).
Study programmes offered at Folkwang University of the Arts.
Experiences shared by students of Folkwang University of the Arts.
Studied here? Share your experience to help other applicants.
Book a free consultation with our expert counsellors and take the first step towards your dream university.
Copyrights © 2026 StudyMapped. All rights reserved.
Enter your credentials to continue.
Join us and start your study abroad journey.
