- Founded
- 1946
- Students
- 850
- International
- 30%
- Programmes
- 9
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.
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
Key facts
- Type
- Kunst- und Musikhochschulen
- Founded
- 1946
- Students
- 850
- International
- >30% (more than 30% of students come from other countries)
- Programmes
- 9
Study programmes
9 accredited degrees at weißensee kunsthochschule berlin.
Showing 1–9 of 9 programmes
Admissions & fees
What it costs
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).
How international applicants apply
No uni-assist. Direct online application via the KHB application portal (cms.kh-berlin.de/login) followed by an artistic aptitude procedure (portfolio pre-selection plus entrance exam in Berlin). Certificate recognition is checked in-house by the Student Affairs department (applicants can pre-check via anabin/DAAD database). APS certificate additionally required for China, India, Vietnam. Language: minimum A2 proof at application (B1 for Master/transfers); B2 certificates by enrolment for BA/Fine Art Painting/Sculpture/MA Raumstrategien, C1 for MA Design and Stage & Costume Design.
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.
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Student accommodation
What weißensee kunsthochschule berlin publishes about housing. German universities do not allocate rooms themselves, so the links below are where applications actually go.
From the university
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.
Campuses & locations
Bühringstraße 20, 13086 Berlin (Weißensee district); landmark-protected architecture
Exhibition and event space
Bronze foundry workshop facility
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.
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