Would you like to register for studies in the summer semester 2025 and take part in the entrance examination?
Registration only possible from 1 October 2024.
→ Application for studies
Would you like to find out about the requirements for the entrance examination?
→ Entrance examination requirements
When does the entrance examination take place?
→ Deadlines and dates
What language skills are required for studying at the HfM Karlsruhe?
→ German language skills
Welcome to the Karlsruhe University of Music!
We are delighted that you are interested in studying at our university.
The application portal for the entrance examination for the summer semester 2025 will be activated on
1 October 2024 for your application until 1 November 2024 at 11:59 pm.
The application portal will then be closed automatically; later applications are no longer possible.
All application documents must be submitted in writing by post no later than 4 days after the application deadline. When sending application documents, we generally recommend a method of dispatch with tracking, e.g. registered post.
From the application for the summer semester 2025, the instruments that can be applied for will be divided into subjects with a video preliminary round and subjects without a video preliminary round.
Instruments (BA / MA / SO / supplementary studies)
with video preliminary round
- Wind chamber music
- Ensemble chamber music
- Voice, Master only
- Harp
- Historical keyboard instruments
- Horn
- Clarinet
- Piano
- Piano chamber music
- Double Bass
- Lied composition piano
- Oboe
- Opera, Master only
- Trombone
- Transverse flute
- Percussion
- Trumpet
- Tuba
- Viola
- Violin
- Violoncello
Instruments (BA / MA / SO / supplementary studies)
without video preliminary round
- Conducting/choir conducting
- Singing, only Bachelor and soloist exam (concert exam)
- Composition
- Song composition, singing
- Music pedagogy
- Music theory
- Opera, only Bachelor and soloist exam (concert exam)
We ask for your attention:
Applicants who apply for an instrument with a video preliminary round will not receive a visa certificate.
The Bachelor's degree programme Artistic Teaching Qualification for Grammar Schools (School Music) does not offer a video preliminary round; the entrance examination takes place directly as an in-person examination.
The entrance examination for pre-school pupils/pre-college takes place without a video preliminary round.
The requirements for the in-person entrance examination can be found in the annex to the enrolment regulations.
Information on the content and technical requirements for digital applications (video file) can be found below under the points
Technical requirements and requirements for the examination programme.
Technical requirements
- Please record the video from a fixed perspective.
- The camera must not move. It is important that you are clearly recognisable.
- You can use both a smartphone and a professional camera for recording.
- Please make sure the sound is good.
- You are welcome to record with a microphone.
- At the beginning of the video, briefly introduce yourself and state your programme while looking into the camera.
- Please speak German.
- The respective pieces should be recorded unedited in one take. The pieces may not be edited.
- Each piece may be recorded individually, but you may cut between the individual pieces and the introduction.
- Please combine videos from different pieces into one video.
- Image and sound must be recorded simultaneously; the use of a separate audio recording device is permitted.
- The recordings must not be older than one year.
- The videos can be recorded with or without piano accompaniment
- Resolution: SD (standard definition, 720x576) or HD (high definition, 1920x1080)
- File format: mp4
- Duration of the video: maximum 10 minutes
- The video file will only be uploaded to your applicant portal.
- Please name the file: Surname, first name, applicant number
- It is not possible to submit the video file by e-mail!
Requirements for the examination programme
Requirement for: Harp, piano, piano chamber music, histr. keyboard instruments, piano/historical keyboard instruments
- for all degree programmes 1 - 2 works, movements or excerpts of your choice, duration 5 - 7 minutes
Requirement: Song composition for piano
- for all degree programmes 3 songs by different composers, duration 5 - 7 minutes
Requirement for: Wind chamber music, bassoon, horn, clarinet, oboe, trombone, flute, trumpet, tuba. Please note the specific requirements for trumpet, flute, horn and percussion
- Duration of the video 5 - 7 minutes
- At least 2 pieces, movements or excerpts in different styles. Both slow and fast parts of the programme should be included.
- Excerpts can be played, e.g. 1st movement of a concerto from the beginning to the recapitulation and a cadenza, if there is one.
- The movements are played from the beginning.
- If a time indication is given, the performance is sensibly cancelled after the desired duration has been reached.
Trumpet
Examples for the main work:
- Joseph Haydn 1st movement complete with cadenza
- or 1st movement J.N. Hummel
- or 1st movement H. Tomasi with cadenza
- or 1st movement A. Jolivet up to figure 19
- or 1st movement V. Peskin with cadenza
- Another piece from a different period of your choice
Transverse flute
- A Telemann fantasy of your choice, without the last movement. A further piece (excerpts are possible) from another period of your choice.
Horn
- A first movement up to the recapitulation from the following horn concertos by Mozart KV 417, KV 447 or KV 495.
- or KV 495. A further piece (excerpts are possible) from another period of your choice.
Percussio
- 1 piece for snare drum, 1 piece for timpani, 1 piece for marimba with 4 mallets
Requirement for: Ensemble chamber music, double bass, viola, violin, violoncello, contemporary music
- Duration of the video max. 10 minutes
- At least 2 pieces, movements or movement excerpts from different epochs. There should be one slow and one fast piece.
Requirement for: Opera, Master's programme only
- Duration of the video max. 7 minutes
- 1 -2 arias of your choice from the current opera or operetta repertoire
Requirement for: Singing, Master's programme only
- Duration of the video max. 10 minutes
- 1 aria and 1 song of your choice