Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover
Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany
- Founded
- 1897
- Students
- 1,427
- International
- 35%
- Programmes
- 25
About Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover
Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover (HMTM Hannover) is a public university of the arts (Kunsthochschule) located in Hannover, Lower Saxony. It specialises in music, theatre, and media, with approximately 1,427 students enrolled as of 2024. The institution holds the status of a state-funded arts university and is a member of the network of German music and performing-arts universities.
The university traces its origins to 1897, when a private conservatory was established in Hannover. It was transferred to public ownership in 1911, and in 1950 merged with the private Hannover Drama School to add theatre training. The current name - incorporating media studies alongside music and theatre - dates from 2010. Close institutional partnerships exist with the Hanover State Opera (Staatsoper Hannover), Hannover Philharmonic, NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, and Hanover State Drama Theatre (Schauspiel Hannover).
Academic activity is organised around music (instrumental, vocal, conducting, composition, jazz/rock/pop), theatre performance, music education, and media/journalism studies. Specialist centres on campus include the European Centre for Jewish Music (relocated to the university in 1992), the Institute for Music Psychology and Musician Medicine, the Institute of Journalism and Communication Research, and the Institute for Early Advancement of Highly Gifted Musicians (established 2001).
Public arts university founded in 1897; one of Germany's longer-established performing-arts conservatories
Approximately 1,427 students (2024) - a small, specialist institution with intensive individual tuition
Formal cooperation with Hanover State Opera, NDR Radio Philharmonic, and Schauspiel Hannover
Home to the European Centre for Jewish Music, the only institution of its kind in Europe
Admission is talent-based: entrance examination (Aufnahmeprüfung) is the central selection criterion across all programmes
Located in Hannover, Lower Saxony - no non-EU tuition fees; semester contribution covers public-transport pass
Key facts
- Type
- Kunst- und Musikhochschulen
- Founded
- 1897
- Students
- 1,427
- International
- ~35%
- Faculties
- 11
- Programmes
- 25
Study programmes
25 accredited degrees at Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover.
Showing 25–25 of 25 programmes
Admissions & fees
What it costs
HMTM Hannover is a public university in Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen). Lower Saxony does not charge tuition fees for non-EU/EEA international students at public universities (unlike Baden-Württemberg or Bavaria). All students pay a semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag) each semester, which typically covers student services, the AStA student union, and a Hannover public-transport semester ticket (Semesterticket). The exact Semesterbeitrag amount for the current semester should be confirmed on the official admissions page, as it is revised periodically.
Admission requirements
HMTM Hannover is an arts university: admission to all programmes is governed primarily by an entrance examination (Aufnahmeprüfung) that assesses artistic ability, not academic grades alone. The entrance examination typically covers principal instrument/voice/acting performance and may include music theory, ear-training, or other subject-specific components depending on the programme. For German-taught programmes, applicants must demonstrate German language proficiency (typically DSH-2 or TestDaF TDN 4, or equivalent). Applicants from India, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), and Vietnam are required to hold an APS certificate (Akademische Prüfstelle) before applying for a student visa; Indian applicants must have completed at least one year of a recognised bachelor's degree or hold a Class XII with ≥70% to be eligible for APS. An Abitur-equivalent school-leaving certificate or a completed higher-education entrance qualification is required alongside the artistic entrance examination. The university does not participate in the centralised Hochschulstart.de allocation; all applications and artistic examinations are handled directly by HMTM Hannover.
Application deadlines
Application deadlines vary by programme and intake. Arts universities typically hold entrance examinations once per year, generally for the winter semester (beginning October). Specific audition registration deadlines and examination dates must be checked directly on the HMTM Hannover admissions pages, as they differ by subject area (music, theatre, journalism). The university's official website is the authoritative source; no published deadlines could be confirmed from the sources reviewed.
How international applicants apply
No uni-assist. Applications for entrance examinations (Aufnahmepruefungen) are accepted exclusively via the muvac online portal: music and music-related programmes (except M.A. Musikwissenschaft/Musikvermittlung) open 15 Feb - 15 Mar for a winter-semester start; the M.A. Musikwissenschaft und Musikvermittlung window is 20 May - 15 Jun (winter) / 20 Dec - 15 Jan (summer). Admission is decided by the entrance examination, results communicated via muvac.
Languages of instruction
Instruction is primarily in German. The university is a specialist arts institution; most degree programmes (Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, Diplom, state examination programmes) are conducted in German. Applicants from non-German-speaking countries are required to demonstrate German proficiency. A small number of courses and visiting-artist masterclasses may be conducted in English, but there are no full English-taught degree programmes listed on the official site.
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Student accommodation
What Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover publishes about housing. German universities do not allocate rooms themselves, so the links below are where applications actually go.
Rooms are allocated by
Studentenwerk Hannover
Not by the university. Apply to them directly, and expect a waiting list.
From the university
Housing in Hannover is available through the Studentenwerk Hannover (student services organisation), which operates subsidised halls of residence; international students are advised to apply early. German-language preparatory courses are available through Studentenwerk and private language schools in the city.
Campuses & locations
Primary campus building constructed 1970-1973, located near the Eilenriede forest in central Hannover.
Historic villa acquired in 2006 and restored; opened in 2012 as the home of the European Centre for Jewish Music.
Living in Hannover
Hannover is the capital of Lower Saxony and the 13th-largest city in Germany, with approximately 540,000 residents. It is a major transport hub - Hannover Hauptbahnhof is a key rail interchange connecting northern and southern Germany, and Hannover Airport serves international routes. The city hosts Leibniz University Hannover and Hannover Medical School alongside HMTM, giving it a significant student population. Cultural life is rich: the city maintains 40+ theatres and concert venues, the internationally respected Herrenhausen Gardens, and is home to the NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and Hanover State Opera, both of which are direct academic partners of HMTM.
Student life & support
Students at HMTM Hannover benefit from direct access to the city's leading performing-arts institutions - the Hanover State Opera, Schauspiel Hannover, and NDR Radio Philharmonic - through the university's formal cooperation agreements, providing opportunities for professional practice alongside study. The university has an International Office that coordinates Erasmus+ partnerships with music and arts universities across Europe and beyond. Housing in Hannover is available through the Studentenwerk Hannover (student services organisation), which operates subsidised halls of residence; international students are advised to apply early. A semester transport ticket (Semesterticket) is typically included in the semester contribution, providing regional public-transport access. German-language preparatory courses are available through Studentenwerk and private language schools in the city.
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