Course options at the Folkwang University of the Arts
Information for students once you have been accepted– Before your arrival in Essen
Information for students once you have been accepted–After your arrival in Essen
We warmly welcome international exchange students who want to study at our University for one or two semesters in the fields of Music, Performing Arts, Dance, Design and Academic Studies.
Our academic year is divided into two semesters:
Summer semester: 1st April until 30th September | exact term time look here:
Winter semester: 1st October until 30th March | exact term time look here:
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The application deadline for exchange students for the winter semester 2024/2025 and the academic year 2024/2025 has been extended to 15 May 2024.
The nomination of exchange students by your home institution by e-mail is possible until 1 May 2024.
Due to technical difficulties, we had to change the application procedure for exchange students at short notice:
Once you have been nominated by the International Office of your home university, please send us your complete application documents, consisting of
1. application form
2. curriculum vitae | CV
3. letter of motivation
4. artistic work samples (as links, see explanation)
by e-mail by 15 May 2024 in ONE pdf document to international-office@folkwang-uni.de
Music and Performing Arts:
Please send us links to your video recordings (3 pieces of 3-5 minutes each).
Design:
Please upload your portfolio in pdf format (max. 30MB, named with surname, first name_degree programme) here: https://cloud.folkwang-uni.de/s/r4ae4FJgyyyKMPQ
Please note that you will not receive confirmation of a successful upload.
Faculty 1, 2, & 3 | Music, Theatre, Dance, Academic Studies:
Folkwang University of the Arts
International Office
Klemensborn 39
D-45239 Essen-Werden
Tel: +49-201-4903-307
Fax: +49-201-4903-309boje-karaaslan(at)folkwang-uni.de
Faculty 4 | Design:
Folkwang University of the Arts
Welterbe Zollverein | Quartier Nord
Faculty of Design
International Office
Martin-Kremmer-Str. 21
D-45327 Essen
Tel: +49-201-6505-1408
wallenzus(at)folkwang-uni.de
The International Office will let you know the final decision about your acceptance as soon as possible (approx. six weeks later). We will also be glad to answer any questions concerning your application and to help you through this process.
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Non-EU students who wish to study in Germany need an appropriate visa for entry. Please note: entry with a tourist or visitor visa is not sufficient for study purposes!
Please check the up-to-date German visa requirements for your home country. If you need a visa, please contact the German embassy or consulate in your country well ahead of time. Remember, you will need a student visa.
In order to enrol at any German university you must have health insurance. You can get this once you have arrived in Germany or in your home country (see below). We recommend that you will be sufficiently insured during your travel to Germany and until you actually enrol here in Essen.
Have a look at this homepage:
www.krankenkassenzentrale.de/wiki/international
We guarantee affordable student accommodation for all exchange students who are accepted for our programmes (approx. 300 Euro per month). This is offered by the Studentenwerk Essen-Duisburg.
Please apply online until July 31st for the winter semester or January 31st for the summer semester. (We recommend that you select the Essen location).
You won’t need to attach any other documents than a copy of your passport and your letter of acceptance. Four to five weeks after confirmation of your application you will receive your room offers. ATTENTION: Please do not forget to confirm the answer on your application by e-mail!
To reserve your room, you will need to transfer a deposit of approx. 400-600 euros to the Studentenwerk; they will demand the payment of you. You will get your money back after you leave, as long as your room is left in good condition. The money will be transferred to your bank account.
If you are looking for a room in a shared flat please have a look at the several homepages in the internet.
You should calculate monthly living expenses including rent of 770 Euro at the moment in Germany.
Our faculty administration officers will get your Folkwang ID ready for you ahead of time. Please send the required form with your passport photograph to the International Office.
The Folkwang Card will be your photocopying card and your regional transport ticket. You will also receive a discount in the cafeterias in Essen universities. You will receive this card once you have enrolled (see also below).
The closest airports are in Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Köln-Bonn and Frankfurt. From there you can reach Essen easily and comfortably by Deutsche Bahn. Travel time from Frankfurt Airport to Essen main station is around 2.5 hours. The airport Duesseldorf is approx. 20 minutes away from Central Station of Essen. Please have a look at our visitor’s page to find out about connections to our University.
IMPORTANT! Please inform our International Office about your precise arrival date and time.
Please come first to the International Office!
If you have booked student accommodation, please make sure you arrive at the Studentenwerk during business hours.
The Studentenwerk Essen is located on the Campus of the University of Duisburg-Essen, opposite the “Red Cafeteria” Café Rosso.
Address:
Studentenwerk Essen-Duisburg
Reckhammerweg 1
45141 Essen
Tel: +49 201-820 10 25/26
Opening Hours:
Monday: 9 am to 1 pm
Tuesday and Thursday: 1 pm to 3:30 pm
(Wednesday and Friday closed)
You can reach the campus by tram/underground 101, 103, 105 or 109 from the main station/Hauptbahnhof. Get off at “Rheinischer Platz”. From there it is a 5-minute walk to the campus. Please see also the campus map.
Once you have signed your contract in the office of the Studentenwerk, you will have to go to the student residence/Studentenwohnheim. The caretaker/Hausmeister will hand over your key. Then you can make yourself comfortable in your new room!
In order to enrol at a university in Germany, you must have health insurance. You can either take out student insurance at a German Krankenkasse (health insurance provider), or alternatively, an international insurance. Student insurance in Germany costs approx. 80 Euros a month.
If you possess an international insurance, please present it to the Krankenkasse. You will receive a certificate, which you require for enrolment (this certificate is an exemption from the compulsory insurance, stating that you can no longer receive a statutory health insurance in Germany as a student).
Essen Student Service
Friedrich-Ebert-Str. 49
45127 Essen
Telephone: 0201 2011-670
E-Mail: ass.essen(at)rh.aok.de
U-Bahn station / Tram stop: Berliner Platz (U11, U17, U18, Tram 101, Tram 103, Tram 105, Tram 109)
www.aok.de
Stadtmitte Administrative Office
III. Hagen 30
45127 Essen
Telephone: 0800 333 10 10
www.barmer.de
TK Essen
Lindenallee 43 – 45
45217 Essen
E-Mail: essen(at)tk.de
U-Bahn station: Hirschlandplatz (U11, U17, U18)
www.tk.de
Students from the EU do not need a residence permit but they will need to register their new residence. You will need to take the following documents (copy and original) to the Citizens Registration Office (Bürgeramt) and ask for registration/Anmeldung within the first three weeks after your arrival:
If your German is not sufficient you must bring a translator (your mentor) with you. You won’t be able to do these things using English.
Address:
Bürgeramt / Gildehof
Hollestr. 3
45127 Essen
Opening Hours:
Monday, Tuesday: 8 am to 3 pm
Wednesday: 7 am to 1 pm
Thursday: 8 am to 6 pm
Friday: 8 am to 1 pm
How do I get here? – The Bürgeramt is situated just 5 minutes’ walk from Essen main station.
Students from Non-EU countries must apply for a residence permit at the Foreigners’ Registration Office. Please bring the following documents:
Students who hold temporary visas must complete the visa requirements at the Foreigners’ Registration Office. It is your responsibility to make sure you are up-to-date with current visa regulations.
Address:
Ausländerbehörde
Schederhofstr. 45
45121 Essen
Opening Hours:
Mon, Tues, Thurs: 8 am to 1 pm
Mon – Tues: 2 pm to 3 pm
Thurs: 2 pm to 6 pm
Fr: 8 am to 12:30 am
Wed: closed
How do I get there? – Take bus 196 from Essen main station to “Münchener Str.”
After your arrival you should open a German bank account. You can do this at any German bank. This service is free of charge for students. You will have to present your residency registration (your invitation letter might be temporarily accepted) and your passport. The bank account will be necessary for depositing your housing deposit and monthly rent.
Main campus, Essen-WerdenSANAA Building – ZollvereinWuppertal (Design, Fuhlrottstr. 10)DuisburgBochumDortmund
You can enrol at the Folkwang University of the Arts about a week before the actual semester starts. Design students are asked to enrol at the Design Faculty on the University Duisburg-Essen campus. All other students are requested to enrol at our main campus in Essen-Werden. Please bring the following:
During your stay at Folkwang you might consider a language tandem with one of your fellow students. This means improving your German and teaching your language partner your own language. Registration form here.
You can take advantage of the sports programmes for students at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Please see the respective website for details (in German only).
As a Folkwang student you are welcome to attend the yearly 300 Folkwang performances for free. Tickets are available and to be reserved by presentation of your Folkwang Card.
The International Office welcomes you to Folkwang University of the Arts. We will be happy to help you with any academic or organisational matters during your stay in Essen.
Please remember these important matters: