About Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Trossingen
Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Trossingen (State University of Music Trossingen) is a public music conservatory founded in 1946, located in Trossingen, Baden-Württemberg. It is one of 24 state music conservatories in Germany and, with approximately 378 enrolled students (Summer Semester 2023), is among the smaller but highly specialised institutions in the country.
The conservatory offers Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes in instrumental and vocal performance, school music (including jazz and popular music), church music (evangelical), and historical performance practice. A dedicated centre, the Landeszentrum Musik-Design-Performance, has been operational since 2017. The institution has a concert hall seating 400 and a library holding approximately 26,500 books, 60,000 scores, and 7,000 audio recordings.
The conservatory is a member of the International Lake Constance University (IBH) since 2009 and coordinates an Erasmus network of over 40 European music conservatories. A partnership with California State University has been active since 1997. Since 2006 the institution co-hosts an off-festival for emerging composers alongside the internationally renowned Donaueschingen Music Days.
Key facts
- Founded
- 1946
- Students
- 378
Founded 1946; one of 24 state music conservatories in Germany.
Coordinates an Erasmus network of over 40 European music conservatories.
Member of the International Lake Constance University (IBH) since 2009.
400-seat concert hall on campus; library with ~60,000 music scores.
Co-hosts an off-festival for emerging composers alongside the Donaueschingen Music Days (since 2006).
Located in Trossingen, Germany's historic harmonica-manufacturing city (Hohner founded 1857).
Admissions & costs
Tuition & fees
As a public state university in Baden-Württemberg, the conservatory charges non-EU/EEA international students a tuition fee of €1,500 per semester under the Baden-Württemberg Higher Education Fees Act (LHGebG BW §3), introduced from Winter Semester 2017/18. EU/EEA students and German nationals are generally exempt from this fee. A semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag) covering student services, public transport, and student union fees is charged to all students regardless of nationality; the exact current amount should be confirmed on the official website.
Admission requirements
Admission to all degree programmes requires an entrance audition (künstlerische Eignungsprüfung); academic qualifications alone are not sufficient. Applicants must hold a university-entrance qualification (Abitur or equivalent recognised foreign school-leaving certificate). Indian applicants whose highest qualification is a Class XII certificate should verify APS certificate requirements with the German Embassy in New Delhi before applying, as APS is mandatory for Indian nationals applying to German higher education. Specific language thresholds and entrance examination dates are published on the official website (mh-trossingen.de); the official site was not accessible at time of data collection due to SSL issues.
Languages of instruction
Instruction is primarily in German. Programmes are structured around practical performance training; international applicants are generally expected to have sufficient German language competence for daily academic interaction. Specific English-taught programmes are not documented on the official site; prospective students should confirm language requirements directly with the admissions office.
Campuses & locations
Single-campus institution; main building constructed across four phases (1978, 1984, 1991, 2006/2007) with a 400-seat concert hall completed in 1991.
Living in Baden-Württemberg
Trossingen is a small city of approximately 17,500 residents on the Baar plateau in the Tuttlingen district of Baden-Württemberg, situated at an elevation of around 699 metres. The city is widely known as a Musikstadt (music city): the Hohner harmonica manufacturing enterprise, founded here in 1857, made Trossingen a global centre for instrument production. Today, approximately one in five local jobs is music-related. Beyond the conservatory, the city is home to the Bundesakademie für musikalische Jugendbildung and hosts the World Harmonica Festival every four years.
Student life & support
The conservatory's compact size (under 400 students) means a close-knit academic community with direct access to professors. The institution participates in the Erasmus+ programme, enabling student mobility to partner conservatories across Europe. An international partnership with California State University supports transatlantic exchanges. Student housing options in Trossingen are limited given the city's small size; students typically arrange private accommodation in Trossingen or nearby Tuttlingen. Specific details on international office services, German language courses for incoming students, and on-campus housing should be confirmed directly with the conservatory.
27
Accredited Programmes
19
Master
8
Bachelor/Bakkalaureus
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