How to apply
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Here you'll find more details on
1. Our application procedure
2. Our selection criteria
1. Application procedure
The steps you need to take to apply at h_da depend on the status of your home university. Your home university is
a partner university of h_da
not a partner university of h_da
Check our interactive world map to find out whether your home university is a partner university of h_da or not.
Your home university is a partner university of h_da
Step 1. Application at your home university:
You have to apply for a spot in our exchange program at your home university. The International Office of your home university will give you details on the selection criteria and application deadlines. If you‘re applying as an Erasmus student, your home university will tell you exactly what to do in order to receive an Erasmus grant.
Step 2. Nomination through your home university:
Once you have been selected by your home university, your home university will nominate you for a stay with us. This means they will send us your name, email address and details on your study program, so we can get in touch with you. The nomination deadlines are 15 April for winter semesters and 15 October for spring semesters (your home university knows about our deadlines, as we are in constant contact)
Step 3. Online application at h_da:
After we receive your nomination, we will get in touch with you and send you a link so you can apply online. This email is typically sent out in mid-April for winter semesters, and mid-October for spring semesters, respectively. Applying online means you will have to fill in an application form and upload certain documents such as a provisional learning agreement, a CV and a language certificate, among others.
Our application deadlines are
- 1 May for winter semesters
- 1 November for spring semesters
We will inform you about whether or not you have been accepted by the department you applied for by the end of June for winter semesters, and the end of December for spring semesters.
Your home university is not a partner university of h_da
We may be able to welcome you, even if your home university is not a partner university of h_da. In that case, you do not have to apply for a spot at your home university, but you need to apply at h_da directly. Just send us an email incoming.int@h-da.de, asking to apply online. Please note, though, that studying with us as a visiting incoming student, or “free-mover student”, you are not entitled to an Erasmus grant (if your home university takes part in the Erasmus program, that is).
Academic qualification
We do not expect a specific GPA or academic score from you. However, we do expect you to have the required academic and/or artistic skills needed for the courses you'd like to take at h_da. We will also check your application for overall consistency, i.e. the classes you select should make sense considering your study program.
Design/Media:
If you apply to the Design or Media Department, we will review your artistic skills in more detail. This is why in order to apply for the Design or Media Department, you're required to hand in a portfolio of your work.
Language requirements
We recommend a B2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in English or German (depending on whether you apply for an English-taught or a German-taught program at h_da). For more details on the CEFR, see translation of the CEFR into other languages and the self-evaluation grid available in multiple languages. Here you'll find a rough estimate about the total number of hours typically required to reach the different CEFR levels.
In some cases and for some departments, a B1 level according to the CEFR may be sufficient. Please note, though, that if you have a B1 level, your scores should be closer to a B2 level than to an A2 level.
Many (non-European) language certificates do not categorize your level according to the CEFR. Here's what they correspond to:
- CET (China):
CET-6: sufficient
CET-4: may be considered sufficient* - Cambridge Certificate:
160 (Grade C) or higher: sufficient
140-159: may be considered sufficient* - IELTS:
5.5 or higher: sufficient
4.0-5.0;: may be considered sufficient* - TOEFL iBT:
72 or higher: sufficient
43-71: may be considered sufficient* - TOEFL ITP:
543 or higher: sufficient
460-542: may be considered sufficient* - TOEIC Reading and Listening:
785 or higher: sufficient
550-785: may be considered sufficient* - TOEIC Speaking and Writing:
310 or higher: sufficient
240-308: may be considered sufficient*
*Please note: Your result should be closer to a B2 level than to an A2 level.
Partner privilege
Students from our partner universites are prioritized: You may apply even though your home university and h_da do not have an agreement/contract (you'd be what's called a free-mover student in that case), but please understand that students from our partner universities are prioritized.
Contact
Marina Zielke (she/her) &
Ronja Schneider (she/her)
Incoming exchange students advisors
+49.6151.533-68014
+49.6151.533-60022
incoming.int@h-da.de
Office: C23, 02.10