- Founded
- 1927
- Students
- 1,600
- International
- 30%
- Programmes
- 16
About Folkwang Universität der Künste
Folkwang Universität der Künste (Folkwang University of the Arts) is a specialist arts university founded in 1927 and located primarily in Essen-Werden in the Ruhr region of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the only institution in the state that trains students across all five major performing and visual arts disciplines under one roof: Music, Theatre, Dance, Design, and Academic Studies.
The university operates on the "Folkwang idea" - a philosophy of interdisciplinary collaboration between the arts that has defined the institution since its founding. With approximately 1,600 students and over 430 teachers, it is a small, specialised institution with a high staff-to-student ratio. It produces more than 400 public concerts, exhibitions, dance and theatre performances, and interdisciplinary productions each year across its own seven stages and partner venues.
Folkwang holds memberships in major international arts education networks including AEC, CUMULUS, and ELIA, and participates actively in Erasmus+ exchanges. Over 30% of its student body comes from outside Germany, reflecting the institution's strong international orientation.
Only institution in North Rhine-Westphalia training students across Music, Theatre, Dance, Design, and Academic Studies under one roof
Over 30% international students from countries worldwide
No tuition fees for EU or non-EU students - only a semester contribution (~€357) covering public transport across NRW
High staff-to-student ratio: over 430 teachers for ~1,600 students
More than 400 public performances and events per year across seven stages
Strong Erasmus+ network; member of AEC, CUMULUS, and ELIA international arts education associations
Key facts
- Type
- Kunst- und Musikhochschulen
- Founded
- 1927
- Students
- 1,600
- International
- over 30%
- Faculties
- 4
- Programmes
- 16
Study programmes
16 accredited degrees at Folkwang Universität der Künste.
Showing 1–16 of 16 programmes
Admissions & fees
What it costs
No tuition fees are charged at Folkwang for any programme (EU and non-EU students alike). Students pay a semester contribution twice yearly: €356.80 for Summer Semester 2026, which includes AStA contribution (€23.00), student union fee (€120.00), and the Deutschlandticket for public transport across North Rhine-Westphalia (€208.80). No additional non-EU surcharge applies - unlike Baden-Württemberg or Bavaria, NRW does not charge a non-EU tuition fee.
Admission requirements
All applicants must hold a university entrance qualification (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung) equivalent to a German Abitur, and must pass a subject-specific artistic aptitude examination (Eignungsprüfung) - admission is primarily talent-based, not grade-based. International qualifications must be equivalent to a German UEQ; some applicants may need a chargeable assessment from the ZAB (Central Office for Foreign Education), which can take considerable time. Credentials in languages other than German or English require certified translations. APS certificates are required for applicants whose prior qualification is from India, China, or Vietnam (as per German embassy policy), though Folkwang does not explicitly list this on its own pages - applicants should confirm with APS India/Beijing before applying. German proficiency at the required level must be demonstrated by enrolment at the latest; applicants may submit an application before reaching the required level. The M.A. Design Futures accepts English-language applicants without German.
Application deadlines
Winter semester: applications open 15 January, deadline 15 March (31 May for some programmes). Summer semester: applications open 1 October, deadline 15 November. Incoming exchange students: 1 May for winter semester / full year; 1 December for summer semester. Programme-specific aptitude test dates and deadlines are published on each programme's page and in a dedicated PDF on the Dates & Deadlines page.
How international applicants apply
Not used - explicitly excluded. Official page for international applicants states that applicants pursuing a full degree at Folkwang apply exactly like German applicants DIRECTLY at Folkwang 'and NOT via an external body such as uni-assist' (Bewerbungsverfahren fuer komplettes Studium). Application runs through Folkwang's own portal (my.folkwang-uni.de / pruefung.folkwang-uni.de) after aptitude examination; foreign certificates are assessed via anabin/ZAB benchmarks, and a paid ZAB Zeugnisbewertung (statement of comparability) is required only in individual cases.
Languages of instruction
Almost all programmes are taught in German. The M.A. Design Futures is the only English-language programme. German language proficiency is mandatory for all other programmes; the university accepts Goethe Institute, telc, FaDaF, and TestDaF certificates. Certificates of participation are not accepted.
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Student accommodation
What Folkwang Universität der Künste publishes about housing. German universities do not allocate rooms themselves, so the links below are where applications actually go.
Rooms are allocated by
Studierendenwerk Essen-Duisburg
Not by the university. Apply to them directly, and expect a waiting list.
From the university
Housing options include student residences via Studierendenwerk Essen-Duisburg (for Essen/Duisburg campuses) and AKaFö (for Bochum); approximately 30% of students live in flat-shares.
Campuses & locations
Main campus; location of the International Office and most Music and Academic Studies programmes
Theatre Centre and Institute for Pop Music
Additional teaching location in the Ruhr region
Additional teaching location in the Ruhr region
Living in Essen
Essen is the cultural and commercial hub of the Ruhr metropolitan region in North Rhine-Westphalia, home to some 580,000 residents and around 38,000 students across its higher education institutions. Once an industrial coal-and-steel city, Essen has reinvented itself as a cultural and green city - it was named European Green Capital in 2017. The city hosts the Museum Folkwang (one of Germany's most important art museums), the Aalto Theatre, and the Zollverein Coal Mine World Heritage Site. Living costs are lower than in Munich, Hamburg, or Berlin, making it an affordable option for international students.
Student life & support
Folkwang students benefit from free admission to one ticket per production at over 400 annual university events, plus 50% discounts on additional tickets. The semester contribution includes the Deutschlandticket, giving unlimited public transport across North Rhine-Westphalia. On-campus dining is available at the Meierei canteen and Zollverein bistro. Housing options include student residences via Studierendenwerk Essen-Duisburg (for Essen/Duisburg campuses) and AKaFö (for Bochum); approximately 30% of students live in flat-shares. Students can engage in university governance through the Student Parliament (StuPa) and the AStA committee. The university offers internal scholarships (deadlines: 31 May and 15 December) and coordinates DAAD STIBET grants for international students.
Want our guides higher up in Google?
Mark GradGermany as a preferred source and Google gives our pages more room when you search about studying in Germany. Takes one tap, and you can undo it any time from the same screen.
More universities in Nordrhein-Westfalen
View all in Nordrhein-Westfalen →Alanus Hochschule
Kunst- und Musikhochschulen · 25 programmes
Bergische Universität Wuppertal
Universitäten · 291 programmes
CBS University of Applied Sciences
Fachhochschulen / HAW · 51 programmes
Deutsche Hochschule der Polizei
Hochschulen eigenen Typs · 2 programmes
Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln
Universitäten · 30 programmes
EBZ Business School - University of Applied Sciences
Fachhochschulen / HAW · 8 programmes
Interested in Studying at
Folkwang Universität der Künste?
Our team can help you with the application process, documentation, and everything you need to get started.