- Founded
- 2009
- Students
- 600
- International
- 19%
- Programmes
- 1
About SRH Berlin School of Popular Arts (SoPA)
The Berlin School of Popular Arts (SOPA) is a state-recognised private university of applied sciences (Fachhochschule) located in the Schöneberg district of Berlin. Originally founded in 2009 as the SRH Hochschule der populären Künste (hdpk), it was renamed SOPA in 2019 following a merger with other SRH Berlin institutions. It is now an integrated school within SRH University of Applied Sciences.
SOPA specialises exclusively in the creative and cultural industries, offering bachelor's and master's programmes in popular music, audio design, music production, classical music, world music, creative writing, media management (with event, music, PR, and social-media specialisations), film and television, and creative industries management. Programmes are offered in both German and English. The school is particularly focused on practice-oriented, project-based learning aligned with real industry workflows.
With approximately 600 enrolled students - around 19% of whom are international - SOPA is a small, specialist institution. Being part of SRH University gives students access to wider SRH Berlin infrastructure including career services, an international office, and the main Sonnenallee campus facilities, while SOPA's own teaching takes place at its Potsdamer Strasse campus.
Specialist creative-industries school founded in 2009; one of very few German universities exclusively focused on popular music, audio, media, and creative industries
Both German-taught and English-taught bachelor's and master's programmes available
Rolling admissions via online portal - no fixed national deadline cycle
Practice-oriented CORE learning principle: real projects, studio access, and industry workshops from semester one
Small cohorts (~600 students total) allow close mentorship and ensemble-based study
Situated in Berlin-Schöneberg, close to the city's music, media, and creative-industries ecosystem
Key facts
- Type
- Fachhochschulen / HAW
- Founded
- 2009
- Students
- 600
- International
- approximately 19%
- Programmes
- 1
Study programmes
1 accredited degree at SRH Berlin School of Popular Arts (SoPA).
Showing 1–1 of 1 programme
Admissions & fees
What it costs
SOPA is a private university; there is no tuition-free status. Tuition fees vary by programme and student origin. EU/EEA students pay approximately €690-790 per month depending on programme. Non-EU/EEA students pay approximately €4,140-4,950 per semester depending on programme. These fees are fixed for the entire duration of the study contract. Berlin is not Baden-Württemberg and does not apply the €1,500/semester non-EU surcharge applicable at public Baden-Württemberg universities.
Admission requirements
SOPA is a private institution; admission is rolling and does not follow the centralised hochschulstart.de process. Applications are submitted year-round via the SRH online portal (apply.srh.de). Entry requirement is a German Abitur or recognised equivalent higher education entrance qualification. Music and audio programmes additionally require submission of portfolio works (e.g. three performance videos or audio recordings) and a practical entrance examination. English-taught programmes require IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL iBT 80 / Duolingo 95 / PTE Academic 58 or equivalent; German-taught programmes require documented German proficiency (typically B2/C1). APS certificate is required for applicants whose prior qualification was obtained in India, China, or Vietnam before the German consulate will issue a student visa. One-time enrolment fee on acceptance: €750 (EU/EEA) or €1,000 (non-EU/EEA).
Application deadlines
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis year-round. Most programmes start on 1 October (winter semester); the Audio Design programme additionally offers a 1 April start (summer semester). There is no single fixed application deadline; early application is recommended as places are limited and entrance examinations must be scheduled.
How international applicants apply
Not used - direct application only. Applicants apply at any time via SRH University's own online portal (apply.srh.de); documents are then reviewed by the admissions team. Music programmes additionally require an entrance examination: three videos of the chosen main instrument or vocals (1-4 minutes each, MP4/WebM/AVI), plus proof of English and CV. No uni-assist and no hochschulstart involvement.
Languages of instruction
German and English. Several bachelor's programmes (Audio Design, Music Production, Popular Music, Creative Industries Management) are fully English-taught. Media Management and some creative writing programmes are taught in German.
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Student accommodation
What SRH Berlin School of Popular Arts (SoPA) publishes about housing. German universities do not allocate rooms themselves, so the links below are where applications actually go.
The university's housing page
Deadlines and application forms are published here, and they change every intake.
Open housing pageRoom types mentioned
What that page describes. Availability varies by intake.
From the university
Being part of SRH University gives access to career services, an international office for visa and residence support, a language centre, accommodation assistance, and campus sports.
Campuses & locations
Potsdamer Str. 188, 10783 Berlin - the primary teaching campus for Berlin School of Popular Arts programmes
Sonnenallee 221 A-F, 12059 Berlin - shared SRH University infrastructure; SOPA students have access to central services here
Living in Berlin
Berlin is Germany's capital and largest city, with a population of around 3.7 million. It is one of Europe's leading creative and cultural capitals, offering a dense ecosystem of music venues, recording studios, media companies, film production houses, and creative agencies - directly relevant to SOPA's programme focus. The city has a large international student community, relatively affordable living costs compared to Munich or Frankfurt, and excellent public transport. Berlin's tech and startup scene also provides strong internship and employment pathways for creative-industries graduates.
Student life & support
SOPA students benefit from small class sizes and a tight-knit creative community. The school organises practical events including the annual SOPA Bandcamp (off-campus residential workshop for music students), student concerts, and industry workshops. Being part of SRH University gives access to career services, an international office for visa and residence support, a language centre, accommodation assistance, and campus sports. Berlin's broader cultural life - clubs, galleries, festivals, and concert venues - is an integral part of the student experience for creative-arts students.
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