weißensee kunsthochschule berlin

Berlin, Germany

About weißensee kunsthochschule berlin

Weißensee Kunsthochschule Berlin (Weißensee Academy of Art Berlin) is a public art academy founded in 1946 by artists with Bauhaus affiliations during Germany's post-war rebuilding. It is one of Berlin's state-funded art and design schools, enrolling approximately 850 students across bachelor's, master's, and diploma programmes in design, fine arts, and art therapy.

The academy offers programmes in Fashion Design, Product Design, Textile and Material Design, Visual Communication, Fine Arts (Painting, Sculpture, Stage and Costume Design), Art Therapy (MA), and Spatial Strategies (MA). All undergraduate design programmes include a one-year artistic and creative foundation course. Two master's programmes — MA Spatial Strategies and MA Art Therapy — are fee-based; all other programmes are tuition-free for enrolled students.

The academy maintains a network of approximately 110 international partner art academies and participates in ERASMUS+, DAAD, PROMOS, and Fulbright exchange programmes. Instruction is primarily in German; a small number of courses are offered in English.

Key facts

Founded: 1946
Students: 850

Founded in 1946 by Bauhaus-affiliated artists; celebrating 80 years in 2026

~850 students — one of Germany's smaller, specialised public art academies

Portfolio-based, highly competitive admission; all programmes include or require artistic entrance assessment

Tuition-free for most programmes (Berlin state, no non-EU surcharge); MA Spatial Strategies and MA Art Therapy are fee-based

Network of ~110 international partner art academies; ERASMUS+, DAAD, and Fulbright exchange opportunities

APS certificate required for applicants from India, China, and Vietnam

Admissions & costs

Tuition & fees

Weißensee Kunsthochschule Berlin is a public academy in Berlin; tuition is free for most programmes regardless of nationality (no non-EU surcharge applies in Berlin state). A semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag) is charged each semester; the exact current amount is not published on the website — students should confirm with the admissions office. MA Spatial Strategies and MA Art Therapy are explicitly fee-based programmes; fees for these two programmes are not listed on the public website and must be confirmed directly with the academy.

Admission requirements

International applicants must hold a foreign qualification recognised in Germany (verifiable via anabin.kmk.org or the DAAD admissions database). Admission to all programmes is portfolio-based and competitive; bachelor's and fine arts programmes require an artistic entrance examination held in mid-February each year. German language proficiency: at application stage, bachelor's applicants must show at least A2, master's applicants at least B1. Final certificates (B2 for undergraduate/Fine Arts/MA Spatial Strategies; C1 for MA design programmes and Stage and Costume Design) must be submitted before studies begin. APS certificate: applicants whose prior qualifications are from India, China, or Vietnam are required to submit the original APS certificate confirming pre-verification of academic documents by the Akademische Prüfstelle (APS). Design bachelor's programmes additionally require a homework assignment submitted after the initial application. All applications are submitted via the academy's online portal (cms.kh-berlin.de).

Application deadlines

Bachelor's and Fine Arts diploma programmes: applications open 1 November and close 5 January (noon CET) for the following October start; artistic entrance exam takes place in mid-February. Master's design programmes (MA Fashion Design, MA Product Design, MA Textile and Material Design, MA Visual Communication): 1 March – 15 May (noon) for winter semester start. MA Spatial Strategies: deadline extended to 31 May. MA Art Therapy (part-time): 1 March – 1 September. Transfer/lateral entry: 1–31 May (winter semester) and 1 December – 5 January (summer semester).

Languages of instruction

Instruction is primarily in German. Bachelor's programmes and Fine Arts diplomas are German-taught; applicants must demonstrate at least B2 German (telc B2, TestDaF 3, DSH 1, or Goethe B2) before enrolment. MA design programmes (Fashion Design, Product Design, Textile and Material Design, Visual Communication) and Stage and Costume Design require C1 German (TestDaF 4, DSH 2, telc C1 Hochschule, or Goethe C1). Incoming exchange students may attend some English-medium courses; B2 English is recommended for exchange applicants. No fully English-taught degree programmes are offered.

Campuses & locations

Main Campus — Bühringstraße

Bühringstraße 20, 13086 Berlin (Weißensee district); landmark-protected architecture

Kunsthalle am Hamburger Platz

Exhibition and event space

Bronzegießerei Johannisthal

Bronze foundry workshop facility

Begegnungsstätte Sauen

Off-campus retreat and workshop venue

Living in Berlin

Berlin is Germany's capital and largest city, with a population of approximately 3.7 million. It is a major European centre for art, design, culture, and technology, hosting numerous galleries, museums, and creative industries. The cost of living is lower than in Munich or Hamburg, and the city has a large international student community. Berlin is well connected by public transport, and the semester ticket issued through the university covers local travel.

Student life & support

The academy's main campus in the Weißensee district offers studios, workshops (printmaking, woodworking, metalworking, ceramics, textiles, photography, digital labs), a library, a Mensa (cafeteria), and an Aula for events. Student advisory services cover general academic guidance, support for students with disabilities or chronic illness, and studying with children. The International Office (Leoni Adams, [email protected]) assists international students with study-related queries, visa and residency questions, and exchange programme applications. Housing is not arranged by the academy; students are expected to find private accommodation or apply through the Berlin Studierendenwerk (studentenwerk-berlin.de) for halls of residence. German language courses for enrolled students are not detailed on the public site — the International Office is the point of contact for this.

International Office: [email protected] International students page →

Accredited Programmes