How to Apply to Design Programs in Germany: Methods and Process

I just graduated from a German university this year, so while it's still fresh in my mind, I want to share what studying design in Germany was like. I hope it helps:

🔸How do you apply to a design program in Germany?
Unlike other majors, design programs usually require a separate portfolio, and Germany is no exception. Every school's application process is a bit different, so be sure to check the details online. Still, most of them involve several rounds, so you usually apply 3-6 months earlier than for other majors. Below I'll use the industrial design programs I applied to as an example.

🔸Application timeline for industrial design at German universities (for the winter semester starting in October)
The process can be split into four stages:
receiving the assignment brief, submitting your portfolio and assignment, the interview and exam, and admission and enrollment.

🔸Assignment brief, method 1: sent to you
Some universities ask you to register online in advance to say you intend to apply to the program. When the application process opens, the school automatically sends you the assignment brief, and you have to finish it by the deadline, roughly within 4-5 weeks, and send it back together with your personal portfolio.

🔸Assignment brief, method 2: posted online
Other universities post the assignment brief on the program's official website, and you put the assignment straight into your portfolio and submit them together. The brief is usually posted about 3-6 months before the portfolio deadline, so you have enough time to think it through and prepare your work.

🔸Entrance exam:
After you submit the assignment and portfolio, you'll get an invitation to the entrance exam in June, July or August. There are many kinds of entrance exams: some have you draw on the spot to test your drawing skills, some have you make something on the spot to test your creativity, or your ability to make a piece of work. I'll share more details on this later.

🔸Interview:
The interview is usually combined with the entrance exam, but it may be separate and scheduled for the day after the exam. There are two formats: individual interviews and group interviews. In my case, three of us were interviewed by the professors together, including one German and one Chinese applicant. I'll share that experience separately later.

🔸Admission and enrollment:
Once you pass the exam, you get an admission letter from the department (in German: Zulassung). Enrollment is also a bit different from Taiwan, because the department's administrative system is separate from the university's. The admission letter comes from the "department", which gives you the right to enroll, but to actually enroll you have to prepare other documents yourself and register at the "university's" international office.

🧡Debby's honest take:
Applying to design programs at German universities is a fairly tedious process, but it's also a great chance to get to know the school better. The interview with the professors in particular lets you judge early on whether you and your future professors are a good fit. So don't put too much pressure on yourself. Go in with a "why not try" attitude, give it your all, and you'll end up with the result that suits you best.

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