University Profile
The Dresden University of Fine Arts looks back on a long tradition of teaching art, artistic craftsmanship and the preservation of cultural heritage, restoration and conservation. A key aim of the educational program is to pave the way for talented creative personalities whose skills extend beyond their respective core discipline.
The individual fields of study are spread across four different locations in Dresden: Faculty I (Fine Arts) is divided between three locations, while Faculty II is centred around the campus at Güntzstraße. The 23 laboratories and workshops associated with the disciplines are located across all three locations. The Dresden University of Fine Arts also has three exhibition spaces and an excellently equipped theatre laboratory. The Oktogon gallery presents mainly exhibitions of contemporary art in the reconstructed historical rooms on 800 square meters. Central facilities include the archive, the historical anatomy collection, the library, the exhibition department, the career service and the IT center. The university is also widely networked with international universities and artistic and scientific institutions.
There are two faculties at the Dresden University of Fine Arts with the following fields of study:
- Faculty I (standard period of study:10 semesters, degree: diploma)
- Fine Arts
- Faculty II (standard period of study: 10 semesters, degree: diploma) with the following study subjects
- Art Technology, Preservation and Restoration of Artistic and Cultural Assets with the following specializations:
- Art technology, conservation and restoration of paintings on mobile media
- Art technology, conservation and restoration of pictorial works and room furnishings
- Art technology, conservation and restoration of wall painting and architectural colouring
- Stage setting and costume design (standard period of study: 10 semesters, degree: diploma)
- Theatre Design (standard period of study 8 semesters, degree: graduate designer) with the fields of study:
- Costume Design
- Make-up design
- Scenic painting
- Theatre Sculpture
- Post-graduate studies
Postgraduate courses are offered for graduates in the following disciplines:
- Fine Arts (master degree)
- Stage and Costume Design (Master Degree)
- Postgraduate studies in Art Therapy (Diploma)
Faculty I
Studies at Faculty I in the degree programme Fine Arts are structured by different studios. In the application you can indicate in which studio you would like to study. As a first-year student, you will be assigned to a studio on the basis of your work. You will be informed by email before the start of the semester which professor’s studio you will be studying in. Each studio does individual projects and class meetings, which usually take place weekly. Students are nevertheless free to work in all media, regardless of the assignment to a specific studio. In addition, you can independently choose practical workshop courses and theory classes to attend. There is no fixed, regular timetable. Further information on the programme, including an overview of the professors and focal points of the respective studios, can be found here.
Faculty II
Studies at Faculty II are divided into degree programmes, which are structured differently.
In the study programme Stage Setting and Costume Design there are studios of different professors who deal with certain topics each semester. Students can choose a different studio each semester. The programme, especially the participation in the studios, is particularly suitable for English-speaking students. In addition, there are practice-related basic courses, e.g. in lighting technology or image editing. Further information on the degree programme can be found here.
In the degree programme in Restoration (Art Technology, Conservation and Restoration of Art and Cultural Objects), there are various specialised classes divided into mural painting, mobile image carriers and pictorial works. There are both overarching courses and courses specifically designed for the subject area. Erasmus students are classified individually according to the year of study. Knowledge of German is highly recommended for this degree programme. Further information on the degree programme can be found here.
The Theatre Design degree programme offers specialisations in costume design, make-up design, scenic painting and theatre sculpture. In addition to acquiring the basics of visual and sculptural design, the degree programme consists of attending theory courses and acquiring subject-specific, technical skills. Further information on the programme can be found here.
At Faculty II there are workshops that are used by students from all degree programmes and subject-specific as well as general theory courses (of which some are offered in English) open to all students from both faculties.
If possible, all students are given their own workspace in a studio space and choose individually which materials, ideas, courses or workshops they would like to focus on and design for the semester.
Faculty I consists of two main locations (Pfotenhauerstraße and Brühlsche Terrasse) and one secondary location (Weiße Gasse). At Brühlsche Terrasse the graphical work shops and studios based in painting are located, while at Pfotenhauerstraße you can find the sculptural workshops and most of the sculpture oriented studios. Inter-mediaoriented studios are distributed across all three locations. Faculty II is located at the campus at Güntzstraße.
The winter semester begins on October 1 and ends on March 31. The summer semester begins on April 1 and ends on September 30. The last two months of each semester are lecture-free periods. This means that there are no more classes, but students have access to the buildings and can work in their studios.
Step 1 - Nomination by the home university
Your home university must first select you for the Erasmus programme and nominate you to us.
The nomination should be send via mail by June 1 for the winter semester and by December 1 for the summer semester.
Step 2 - Your application for the University of Fine Arts Dresden
Deadlines for digital applications from selected students nominated by their home university are:
- June 15 for the winter semester
- December 15 for the summer semester
Required application documents are:
- Erasmus application form
- CV
- Letter of motivation (max. 1 page)
- A digital portfolio (max. 30MB) with 5 examples of artistic works (for Fine Arts, Stage Setting and Costume Design) or representative examples of projects in the field of conservation and restoration of paintings, sculptures or murals within the framework of previous studies (for Restoration).
Please note:
Not all applications can be accepted due to the limited space available in the specialist classes.
Fine Arts: The Faculty I for Fine Arts decides on the basis of the portfolio in consultation with the professors in the case of approval in which studio the students will be admitted, therefore a portfolio is required together with the application. You are welcome to refer to the preferred Studios in your letter of motivation.
Stage Design: The application is supplemented by a personal interview with a professor. Each semester, the specialist professors offer studios with different topics. These are presented at a plenary session before the start of the semester. After your application you will receive an overview and choose a studio. The interview will be conducted by the professor of the chosen studio.
Restoration: In addition to the application, a personal interview is held with the professor of the chosen field of study.
The decision on admission will be announced by e-mail approximately 4 weeks after the application deadline
Course offer in English
HFBK-M0/1 German as a Foreign Language (3 ECTS)
This language course is primarily intended for students in the Erasmus programme. The aim of the course is to repeat and deepen your language skills. The students will train their competences in reading, writing and listening in equal measure. During the lessons you will discuss everyday topics that will lead to their helpful application in everyday life. At the end of the course you will have to pass a test to receive the credit points.
HFBK-M0/2 Topics of German Art I-IV (4 ECTS)
Four block courses consisting of lectures and excursions around topics of German art history offered in English.
BK-M3/7 Workshop Courses (4 ECTS)
Various workshops are offered at the HfBK Dresden. Early registration is often required for participation in workshop courses. Registration deadlines and specific information on courses can be found in the brochure on workshops in the download section on the bottom of this page.
BK-M0/3 Studio work (15 ECTS)
Independent work in the studio, group consultations in the studio, project-based work with different focal points. International Students in the field of Fine Arts are assigned to a studio and are automatically enrolled for 'studio work'. (This doesn't apply for the studies in Restoration and Conservation.)
HFBK-M0/4 Erasmus Exhibition (5 ECTS)
At the end of the semester, Erasmus students have the opportunity to organise a final exhibition in the university’s exhibition spaces. This exhibition is organised together by all Erasmus students. You will receive more specific information and dates during the first half of the semester automatically. The annual exhibition of the Dresden University of Fine Arts only takes place at the end of the summer semester in July. Erasmus students can participate in the exhibition within their respective studios.
Information on lectures and workshops
If the language skills are sufficient, you can enrol in theory and practical courses offered in German language. This is only possible after you officially enrolled as an international student and received the individual login data to the online course registration system, where you can find the german course catalogue.
In the course catalogue (Vorlesungsverzeichnis) you can also find courses taught in English under the point → ‚Angebot für Internationale Studierende‘. In this online system you only need to register for any additional theory courses which are not listed above and any workshop course. The course offer listed above is specifically designed for international students and you can add it to your Learning Agreement while being sure that it will be possible to enrol in these courses. It should be possible to get a spot in at least one workshop course as well.
You might have received an email with detailed info and forms already
- Send all the necessary documents (matriculation form, copy of health insurance card, a passport photo, digital Learning Agreement signed by your university) until 1st of March (summer semester) or 1st of September (winter semester) to → international@hfbk-dresden.de
- transfer semester fee until 1st of March (summer semester) or 1st of September (winter semester)
- apply for the access card and transfer deposit
- contact your mentor
- Find a place to stay → Housing
- Enrol for workshops and courses → HIS online system for course registration (you find more details on this topic in the Information brochure in the download section)
Student mentors are available for incoming students to help with arrival, orientation, questions about daily life and studying. Each incoming exchange student is assigned to one mentor. At the beginning of each semester, we offer a Welcome Day for all incoming students. It includes an introduction to the university, a tour through all three buildings on the campus and allows space for questions and getting to know each other.
Helpful Information
You can find an overview of all workshops, their opening hours, course offers and locations all contained in the PDF on workshops.
The most important information for international exchange students you can find in the PDF 'Information for International students'. It contains detailed information on the University and it's locations, enrollment, logins, course registration, access cards, library and the school canteen as well as loads of information on the life in Dresden, such as hoursing, registration, working and taxes, doctors, public transport, shops for materials, museums and other cultural institutions and emergency contacts.
Leistungsschein (ECTS Certificate)
