Master
The 4-semester, Digital Media master program, taught in English, is a joint program by the University of the Arts Bremen (Hochschule für Künste, or short HfK) and the University of Bremen (Universität Bremen or short UNI).
We offer an exciting program combining theory and technology, art and science, design and informatics. Students from both universities are encouraged to cross over to the other university respectively and take classes outside of their focus. Students do not only take classes at both institutions, they also have access to both institutions resources for a truly interdisciplinary experience.
The course of study at HfK is called Media Design and is awarded with the degree of Master of Arts (M.A), while the course of study at UNI is called Media Informatics and is awarded with the degree of Master of Science (M.Sc).
Application
Depending on your interests, preferences and qualifications you may apply either for admission to the University of Bremen ( UNI ) for a Master of Science Degree ( M.Sc ) or to Hochschule für Künste Bremen ( HfK ) for a Master of Arts degree ( M.A ) via each institution’s respective application portal.
Schedule and Application Process
Master of Arts ( HfK )
- April 1st: HfK online application portal opens; an Application Account may be created here.
- May 31st: Application deadline, all application portals will close.
- Mid June: Invitations for online interviews will be sent to HfK applicants who have successfully passed the first part of the selection process. UNI applicants will not have an interview as part of their application process.
- End June – Beginning July: Interviews with selected HfK applicants will be conducted as video calls. If the Corona situation permits, in-person interviews will be offered optionally.
Master of Science ( UNI )
- April 1st: UNI online application portal opens; an Application Account may be created here. Consult the step-by-step guide to the UNI application portal.
- May 31st: Application deadline, all application portals will close.
All Applicants
- Beginning July: Results of the selection process will be sent out by email to all applicants. A letter of admission will be sent to all successful applicants.
- October: Enrollment at either HfK or UNI. Original or attested copies of certificates have to be filed with respective Student’s Office. Details and deadlines will be given in the letter of admission.
- Beginning October: Lecture period starts
International applicants
If you have visa-related questions or if there are problems that keep you from coming to Bremen by October, HfK applicants may contact the HfK International Office at and UNI applicants may contact the UNI International Office at
General Requirements of Application Documents
All required documents have to be uploaded to the online application portals of either HfK for Media Design applications, or UNI for Media Informatics applications. This means you may need to scan some paper documents first. Please ensure that the scans are readable but not of excessive file size. A resolution of 100–150dpi is sufficient. All documents have to be in PDF format. The total size of all your documents for upload may not exceed 50MB, this includes all documents listed below, with the exception of your portfolio, which can be uploaded or submitted via a link (see details below). Make it easy for the admission committee to review your documents. Structure your portfolio well and as often less is more.
If your application is successful, you will have to hand in original documents for enrollment. Attested copies of certificates will only be accepted if they are issued by German authorities. In addition, you need a valid passport or a birth certificate for your enrollment. Only documents written in either English or German language are accepted. You are required to provide certified translations for documents written in other languages. Applicants from India, Mongolia, the People’s Republic of China, and Vietnam are required to first contact the Akademische Prüfstelle (APS) of the German embassy in their country in order to receive a certificate without which they cannot be granted a visa. In your own interest to prevent any loss of valuable documents use only the electronic submission system. Do not send original paper documents.
Documents required for the application
- Letter of Motivation
- Curriculum Vitae
- Certificate of English Language Proficiency
- Certificate of an accepted bachelor’s degree or equivalent (including transcript of records)
- Portfolio
Letter of Motivation
Tell us why you want to study in our program, tells us about your interests, background, expectations, plans and what you think you can bring to the program, anything that you feel we should know, but keep it brief. One page will usually suffice.
Curriculum Vitae
Please submit a compact curriculum vitae (CV), no autobiography. You can design your own format (we recommend as a pdf file), or use the European Union’s official Europass CV creator. The primary purpose of the CV is to give us an overview of your education, your artistic, academic and/or professional career and your skills. Be clear and complete, but keep it brief. One page will usually suffice.
English Language Proficiency
For admission, you will need to prove good skills in the English language with one of the following certificates:
- C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
- TOEFL Internet-based >= 95 points
- IELTS Band 7, Cambridge CAE/BECH, US Unicert III similar (check the full list on this website Language Center of the Universities in the Land Bremen open the register “English”)
Your certificate has to be handed in for enrollment. To ensure the timely arrival of your language certificate, do not ask TOEFL or other test providers to send it to us directly. Rather, upload a scan of the certificate in the application portals. Later, you will be asked to present the original or an attested copy. The requirement for this certificate may be waived if the former degree qualifying for this master program was taught in English or if the school education qualifying you for university entrance was in English. In such a case, please leave a remark in the appropriate comment field of the online application portal and provide proof that the instruction indeed was in English if this is not self-evident ( e.g for studies at regular universities in e.g Australia, New Zealand, the U.S.A. or in the UK ).
Certificate of bachelor’s degree or equivalent
In order to get accepted into the master program, a bachelor degree ( B.A or B.Sc ) in a field relevant to digital media ( e.g computer science, systems engineering, design, fine arts, media arts, architecture ) or an equivalent degree is a requirement. It is feasible to apply for the master program if this qualifying degree is underway and will be issued before the first of october of the same year. furthermore it is required to present proof that at least 150 ECTS were in received in that program.
To verify if the former degree(s) qualify for the entry to the master program, we rely on an official German database called Anabin. If the former degree cannot be found there, we will contact the German Central Office for Foreign Education.
Note that in rare cases the title B.Sc or B.A alone does not warrant admission. in particular, a merely two-year bachelor degree will not suffice. Please do not forget to add information about your former program of study ( such as a Web address ).
Portfolio, Work Samples
The portfolio may include any artistic, design, academic, scientific or theoretical work, as well as professional work and achievements that illustrate your interests, your ( artistic ) position, your experiences, your knowledge and skills, as well as any other aspect you feel we should take into consideration.
The choice of formats is free. There is also no definitive number of works or projects to be included, although as a default a number of 10–20 works has proven to suffice.
The portfolio can be uploaded to the online application portal ( for example as PDF ), sent via postal mail ( avoid sending original, non-digital artwork via postal mail; use digital replicas instead ) or submitted as a link to a personal website, a private upload space or repository. It is advisable to use latter option, because of the limited space available within the application portals.
Contacts
Postal Addresses
Universität Bremen
- SfS / Master Digital Media Application
- Bibliothekstrasse 1
- 28359 Bremen
- Germany
Hochschule für Künste Bremen
- Dezernat 1
- Master Digital Media Application
- Am Speicher XI 8
- 28217 Bremen
- Germany