Merz Akademie Hochschule für Gestaltung, Kunst und Medien, Stuttgart - Staatlich anerkannt
Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- Founded
- 1918
- Students
- 205
- International
- 18%
- Programmes
- 2
- Taught in English
- 1
About Merz Akademie Hochschule für Gestaltung, Kunst und Medien, S
Merz Akademie - Hochschule für Gestaltung, Kunst und Medien is a state-recognised private university of applied arts in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. Founded in 1918 as the Free Academy for Cognition and Design by Albrecht Leo Merz, it received formal state accreditation in 1985 and institutional accreditation by the German Council of Science and Humanities (Wissenschaftsrat) in 2008. It is operated as a non-profit GmbH within the broader Merz Bildungswerk educational group.
The academy positions itself deliberately between a classical art academy, a technical college, and a humanities faculty, integrating design, art, technology, and theory. It offers a Bachelor of Arts (7 semesters) across Film and Video, New Media, Visual Communication, and Theory, and an English-taught Master of Arts (3-4 semesters) with seven specialisation tracks including Photography, Film, Graphic Design, Illustration, 3D/Interaction/Games, Media Art/Digital Folklore, and Artistic Research.
As a small specialist institution, Merz Akademie is known for its close individual supervision, practice-oriented study in small groups, and well-equipped facilities including VR lab, sound studio, green-screen/video suites, print studios, and bookbinding workshops. It maintains active international partnerships through Erasmus+ and hosts incoming exchange students each semester.
Founded 1918; state-recognised since 1985; institutionally accredited by the Wissenschaftsrat (2008)
Unique positioning between art academy, technical college, and humanities faculty
English-taught Master of Arts with seven specialist tracks (Photography, Film, Graphic Design, Illustration, 3D/Interaction/Games, Media Art/Digital Folklore, Artistic Research)
Small class sizes with close individual supervision and project-based learning
Active Erasmus+ partnerships and DAAD-funded STIBET I scholarships for international master's students
Fully equipped specialist labs: VR, sound studio, green-screen, print studios, bookbinding workshops
Key facts
- Type
- Fachhochschulen / HAW
- Founded
- 1918
- Students
- 205
- International
- 18%
- Programmes
- 2
Study programmes
2 accredited degrees at Merz Akademie Hochschule für Gestaltung, Kunst und Medien, S, 1 of them taught in English.
Showing 1–2 of 2 programmes
Admissions & fees
What it costs
Merz Akademie is a private institution and charges tuition fees. Bachelor: €479/month. Master: €595/month plus a one-time enrollment fee of €250. Semester contribution (Studierendenwerk Stuttgart + VVS StudiTicket) is approximately €96.50 per semester (from WS 2024/25). As a private university, the Baden-Württemberg non-EU surcharge of €1,500/semester (applicable at public state universities) does not apply here; tuition is uniform and set by the institution.
Admission requirements
Bachelor: Applicants must hold a higher education entrance qualification (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung); international applicants need a recognition confirmation from the Studienkolleg Konstanz. German language proficiency at B2 level (DSH or TestDaF) is required. Admission involves a portfolio/work samples review and an interview with a practical assignment. APS certificate is required for Indian, Chinese, and Vietnamese applicants as a prerequisite for the German student visa. Master: A Bachelor's degree or equivalent (Diplom) with 210 ECTS (or 180 ECTS with a mandatory preliminary semester) in artistic, design, humanities, or sciences fields is required. English proficiency at B2 level minimum is required. Application materials include CV, degree certificates, project outline (2-3 pages), motivation letter, and portfolio of 1-3 works.
Application deadlines
Bachelor WS 2026/27: June 11, 2026 (application test: June 25, 2026). Further deadlines announced per semester capacity. Master WS 2026/27: July 6, 2026 (applicants not requiring a visa); Master SS 2027: September 7, 2026 (all applicants). Both programmes accept applications for the next three upcoming semesters.
How international applicants apply
No uni-assist. Direct application via Merz Akademie's own online portal (documents also accepted at [email protected]). Bachelor applicants with a foreign school certificate additionally need a recognition certificate for their HZB issued by the Auslaenderstudienkolleg Konstanz (per Immatrikulationsordnung par. 2(2); the Regierungspraesidium Stuttgart handles German applicants) plus German B2 (DSH or TestDaF); original APS certificates are required from APS countries. Master applicants need a first degree (180/210 ECTS) and English B2. Recognition runs through Studienkolleg Konstanz / Regierungspraesidium, never through uni-assist, and the Merz Akademie is not on the uni-assist member list.
Languages of instruction
Bachelor programmes taught in German. Master of Arts programme taught in English (B2 level required at application).
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Scholarships at Merz Akademie Hochschule für Gestaltung, Kunst und Medien, S
13 schemes run or administered by the university. Always confirm current amounts and deadlines on the official page.
ASEM-DUO-Korea Fellowship Programme (DAAD / Korea)
Tandem-Förderung: Merz Akademie-Studierende und koreanische Partnerstudierende erhalten gemeinsam Förderung für Austausch. Beispie...
Amount: Monatliche Pauschale (ca. 600-800 €/Monat) + Reisekosten für beide Par...
Deadline: Jährlich (über DAAD / International Office)
Bachelor, Master
Baden-Württemberg-Stipendium (für Auslandsaufenthalte)
Landesstipendium für Auslandsaufenthalte von Studierenden baden-württembergischer Hochschulen. Merz Akademie-Studierende wurden ge...
Amount: Monatliche Pauschale (länderabhängig, ca. 500-700 €/Monat) + Reisekost...
Deadline: Jährlich ca. März (für Folgejahr)
Bachelor, Master
BAföG (Studierendenwerk Stuttgart)
Studierende an der staatlich anerkannten Merz Akademie sind BAföG-berechtigt (teils Zuschuss, teils zinsloses Darlehen). Max. 992...
Amount: Max. 992 €/Monat (teils Zuschuss, teils Darlehen)
Deadline: So früh wie möglich (rückwirkend ab Antragsmonat)
Bachelor, Master
Deutschlandstipendium an der Merz Akademie
Förderer der Merz Akademie ermöglichen die Vergabe von Deutschlandstipendien. 300 € monatlich für 12 Monate, verlängerbar bis Rege...
Amount: 300 €/Monat
Deadline: 31.08.2026 (für WS 2026/27)
Bachelor, Master
Erasmus+ (EU-Austauschprogramm)
EU-Förderung für Auslandsaufenthalte an europäischen Partnerhochschulen der Merz Akademie. Monatliche Pauschale (länderabhängig) +...
Amount: Monatliche Pauschale (ca. 300-500 €/Monat länderabhängig) + Reisekoste...
Deadline: Jährlich (meist Januar für Sommersemester / Juni für Wintersemester)
Bachelor, Master
Hinweis: Insolvenz in vorläufiger Eigenverwaltung (August 2026)
Die Merz Akademie hat im August 2026 Insolvenz in vorläufiger Eigenverwaltung angemeldet. Der Lehrbetrieb wird fortgeführt (Zustim...
Amount: Nicht zutreffend (Hinweis)
Deadline: Nicht zutreffend
Bachelor, Master
KfW-Studienkredit / Bildungskredit
Staatliche Kreditprogramme: KfW-Studienkredit (bis 650 €/Monat), Bildungskredit (ab 3. Semester, bis 300 €/Monat). Für Merz Akadem...
Amount: KfW: bis 650 €/Monat; Bildungskredit: bis 300 €/Monat
Deadline: Laufend
Bachelor, Master
Merz Bildungswerk Stipendium (intern)
Internes Stipendium des Trägers (Merz Bildungswerk) für Studierende der Merz Akademie. Details über Studienbüro. Auf myStipendium...
Amount: 300 € (vermutlich Studiengebührenermäßigung/Monat)
Deadline: Intern / über Studienbüro
Bachelor, Master
PROMOS – Förderung von Auslandsaufenthalten (DAAD / Merz Akademie)
Förderung von Auslandssemestern/-praktika an Partnerhochschulen der Merz Akademie. 400 € monatlich (Teilstipendium). Bewerbung übe...
Amount: 400 €/Monat (Teilstipendium) + evtl. Reisekosten
Deadline: Jährlich (je nach Partnerprogramm: Baden-Württemberg-Stipendium ca. Mä...
Bachelor, Master
STIBET I – Equal Opportunities Scholarship (DAAD / Auswärtiges Amt)
Für internationale Masterstudierende, die aufgrund persönlicher Lebensumstände, familiärer Verpflichtungen oder struktureller Bena...
Amount: 500 €/Monat
Deadline: 31.08.2026
Master
STIBET I – Final Thesis and Project Scholarship (DAAD / Auswärtiges Amt)
Für internationale Masterstudierende in der entscheidenden Schlussphase des Studiums (Abschlussarbeit/Projekt). 250 € monatlich fü...
Amount: 250 €/Monat
Deadline: 15.07.2026
Master
Stipendien-Datenbanken (Merz Akademie-Empfehlung)
Die Merz Akademie verweist auf weitere Stipendienportale: Studierendenwerk Stuttgart (Stipendienübersicht), DAAD-Stipendiendatenba...
Amount: Je nach gefundenem Stipendium
Deadline: Je nach Stipendium
Bachelor, Master
Weiterbildungsstipendium (SBB/BMBF)
Für junge Menschen mit besonders erfolgreichem Berufsausbildungsabschluss, die sich durch berufsbegleitendes Studium (z. B. Master...
Amount: Bis zu 8.100 € Gesamtfördersumme über 3 Jahre (monatlich ca. 253,75 €)
Deadline: Laufend
Master (berufsbegleitend)
Student accommodation
What Merz Akademie Hochschule für Gestaltung, Kunst und Medien, S publishes about housing. German universities do not allocate rooms themselves, so the links below are where applications actually go.
From the university
On-campus housing options are referenced, and the broader Merz Bildungswerk campus in Stuttgart provides a mixed educational environment.
Campuses & locations
Main campus at Teckstraße 58, 70190 Stuttgart
Living in Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of Baden-Württemberg and one of Germany's major economic hubs, home to the headquarters of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. It has a compact, hilly city structure with strong cultural infrastructure including the Staatsgalerie, Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, and a lively independent art and design scene. The public transport network (S-Bahn, U-Bahn, buses) is covered by the VVS StudiTicket included in the semester contribution. Cost of living is moderate relative to Munich or Frankfurt, with student accommodation available through the Studierendenwerk Stuttgart.
Student life & support
Merz Akademie's small size fosters a close-knit student community with direct access to professors and staff. The student committee (AStA) is active on campus. Students have access to specialised labs including virtual reality, sound studio, green-screen, print, and bookbinding facilities. Exhibitions, symposia, and public screenings are held regularly. On-campus housing options are referenced, and the broader Merz Bildungswerk campus in Stuttgart provides a mixed educational environment. Incoming exchange students participate each semester under Erasmus+ and Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM programmes.
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