Master FAQs

The fee for all students (EU and non-EU citizens) is approximately 300 Euros per semester, which includes an unlimited regional public transportation ticket. Depending on your accommodation costs, you should calculate an additional 700 to 800 Euros per month for food, housing, etc.

Please be aware that to obtain the German student visa, you will have to prove via a bank statement that you have at least 8,700 Euros per year set aside for living costs. More information on this and more can be found in detail on the »Study In Germany« website.

If you decide to do the Double Degree abroad, you will only have to pay the normal semester fee plus any additional costs for housing etc. There are scholarships available for German citizens but any other scholarship will have to be researched independently, as KISD does not offer any financial aid for studying abroad. Check the DAAD website to search for specific scholarship options.

No. The M.A. program only begins in the Winter Term (September of every year) and we only offer the opportunity to apply to the M.A. program in the Summer Term.

Yes, but you have to be very convincing. Why do you want to study Integrated Design Research? What makes you a good fit for KISD? What can you bring from your past experiences to the program and how does studying at KISD fit into your overall goals? Please explain this clearly in your motivational letter and/or your portfolio.

You also have to apply via CaMS.
Please upload the following documents (max. 4 MB each):

• Portfolio
• Letter of Intent
• Curriculum Vitae
• One letter of recommendation signed by two KISD professors

If you are currently completing your B.A. degree, you can apply with your transcript of records but need to submit the degree certificate by the time you enroll at KISD.

Yes, it is possible to make up for the 30 missing credits with a year of full-time work experience in design or a design-related field. 

Unfortunately, we are not able to give individual feedback for the portfolio because of the large number of applications. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Choose projects and experiences that give a good overview both of your fields of interest and your design/design-related experience and qualifications. Works can come from academic, professional, or free projects.

The uploaded PDF file cannot exceed the size of 4MB. Feel free to add links in your portfolio to showcase your audiovisual works.

Usually, every university gives you information about your national credit points vs. ECTS credit points. Most programs that last three years or more cover the required amount, but you should check with your home university.

The M.A. program is full-time; however, depending on your visa, you will be able to work up to 20 hours part-time on the side. Many students also have part-time internships. That being said, your work should not interfere with your studies.

We recognize all international recognized English certificates and do not have a specific deadline for the amount of time that they need to be valid.

The following are the requirements:
CEFR: B2 level
TOEFL: B2 level – 72 to 94 Points (internet-based version, UniAssist code: 2727)
IELTS: B2 level – 6.0 Points

Please note that all M.A. students will have to write a substantial research-based Thesis in English to complete the program.

No, if you studied your Bachelor degree in English, you simply need to submit your transcript to prove that the courses were in English and write us a letter stating that your studies were in English and submit it along with your other application documents.

Please just write us a letter stating your citizenship or any other proof of native English proficiency and submit that along with your other application documents.

You can find information about student housing on the TH Köln website housing page. Additionally, there are special allocated student apartments throughout Cologne made available by StudentenWerk. Renting a room in a shared flat (called a »WG« for short, in German) can cost approximately 300 to 500 euros per month. Once you are accepted, there will be more information sent to you by the KISD main office to help you in your search.

Please note that due to the number of students in Cologne, finding accommodation can take some time. When accepted to KISD, you can contact the TH Köln International Office and KISD student Facebook groups to inquire about rooms for rent.

Please be aware that there are scams targeting international students – for this reason, we do not recommend transferring money to book an apartment before meeting the people and seeing the place in person.

Unfortunately, there are no KISD scholarships available.

There are, however, scholarships available for students by the German government and other entities. All information can be found here:
Deutschlandstipendium (First semester M.A. students)
Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD)
Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
Fulbright
Stiftungen in Deutschland

Yes, we offer German courses especially for designers at KISD. You will be able to sign up for them as soon as you arrive. Other options are free classes at TH Köln, which require you to take a language placement test upon your arrival, and the Volkshochschule, which are inexpensive.

We recommend taking a basic German course before arrival since most government and administrative documents in Germany are in German and it will help you adjust to living in Cologne.

Yes, it is possible. Please contact the Application Assessment Team: application.ma@kisd.de

Unfortunately, we are not able to give individual explanations for the rejections because of the large number of applications. We apologize for any inconvenience and encourage you to apply again next year.

uni-assist is a German government certification entity founded to standardize the application procedure for international student applicants. They act as the liaison between international student applicants and the university regarding official paperwork and eligibility. They are completely separate from KISD and TH Köln and have a different application process.

You can read more about the uni-assist process on the TH Köln page or contact the TH Köln International Office and they might be able to help you: international-office@th-koeln.de

Please note that if you hold a German degree, you do not have to apply to uni-assist. Please double check your eligibility. Specific country requirements can be found on their website.

You have to apply to uni-assist before you apply to KISD if you are an international or non-German student. They will check your national degree qualifications and let the university know if you are eligible. This year, the application to uni-assist is between February 15 and March 31, 2023.

You can apply online but please be aware that you have to send authenticated hard copies of your documents in order to be considered. Once you have paid the uni-assist processing fee, you will receive an account number. Please insert this number into your KISD application before saving and hitting send. Please note that the application for uni-assist opens to KISD M.A. students mid February.

All further questions can be answered on their FAQ website.