Illustration
HAW Hamburg · Hamburg, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
This Master of Arts degree course is structured to build on existing technical skills in drawing and painting. The programme uses workshops and labs supported by theoretical modules such as history of art, fashion and design, philosophy, aesthetics, cultural theory, art and design research, rhetoric, poetics and creative writing.
The course explores aesthetics across design subdisciplines and focuses on visual communication, interactive design formats, and innovative solutions of outstanding aesthetic quality. For Illustration, the programme offers branches including Fiction and Non-fiction, with project-oriented and interdisciplinary study supported by artistic supervision.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Masterprojekt Illustration 1
- Masterprojekt Illustration 2
- Spezialmaterial Kuration
- Labore Illustration (from the lab offerings, 4 CP out of the lab modules)
- Dramaturgie
- Theorie- or Wissenschaftliche Methoden (choose between a theory course or scientific methods)
- Kunstkurs 1 (or Kunstkurs 2 depending on the module selection)
- Existenzgründung
- Berufspraxis und Werkschau (ring lecture Spezialmaterial 1 and ring lecture Spezialmaterial 2)
- Werkschau (final showcase component linked to the programme)
- Masterarbeit (final thesis)
Curriculum
90 ECTS total (3-semester Master). The programme is built around two modules 'Masterprojekt Illustration' (24 CP total), plus 'Labore Illustration' (8 CP), 'Spezialmaterial' (8 CP), and three theory/practice modules of 5 CP each ('Berufspraxis und Werkschau', 'Dramaturgie', 'Kunst' and 'Wahlpflichtbereich Theorie und Wissenschaftliche Methoden' split into theory components), and the thesis/abschlussmodul (28 CP).
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Masterprojekt Illustration (Teil 1) and theory-related modules | Masterprojekt Illustration 1 | 12 | 22 |
| Kunst (Kunstkurs 1) | 5 | |||
| Theorie (Theoriekurs) | 5 | |||
| Labore Illustration (part 1 and/or allocation within 'Labore Illustration' module) | 0 | |||
| Semester 2 | Masterprojekt Illustration (Teil 2) and Kunst/Theorie components plus optional lab allocation | Masterprojekt Illustration 2 | 12 | 22 |
| Kunst (Kunstkurs 2) | 5 | |||
| Wissenschaftliche Methoden (Wissenschaftliche Methoden) | 5 | |||
| Labore Illustration (remaining CP allocation within 'Labore Illustration') | 0 | |||
| Semester 3 | Spezialmaterial, Labore Illustration, Dramaturgie, and Abschlussmodul Masterarbeit | Spezialmaterial (Kuration, including the 'Spezialmaterial' module elements) | 8 | 54 |
| Labore Illustration | 8 | |||
| Berufspraxis und Werkschau | 5 | |||
| Dramaturgie | 5 | |||
| Abschlussmodul Masterarbeit | 28 | |||
| Kunst (remaining component allocation within 'Kunst' module if needed) | 0 | |||
| Theorie and Wissenschaftliche Methoden completion if needed within Wahlpflichtbereich | 0 | |||
| Total | Overall programme total | All modules (programme total) | 90 | 90 |
| Total | Masterprojekt Illustration, Labore Illustration, Spezialmaterial, Berufspraxis und Werkschau, Dramaturgie, Kunst, Wahlpflichtbereich Theorie und Wissenschaftliche Methoden, and Abschlussmodul Masterarbeit | 90 ECTS | ||
Career outcomes
- You build an individual illustration profile through sustained, project-based work that supports careers as a professional illustrator.
- Your focus options in Fiction (for example comic, children’s book, graphic novel) and Non-Fiction (for example reportage, scientific illustration, infographics) help you target roles in culture and publishing as well as applied visual communication.
- The programme includes professional practice and a work showcase, so you graduate with a portfolio-ready body of work for applications in creative industries.
- You develop research-informed design skills through theory and scientific methods components, helping you compete for roles that require more than production skills.
- With the Master of Arts qualification, you can pursue leadership and senior positions in culture, education, policy, or business, or start freelance illustration work.
- You gain experience integrating analog and digital illustration approaches, which supports careers across print media and moving image contexts.
Employability rate
Illustration graduates in Germany typically see an employability rate of around 78% and an unemployment rate of about 22%, reflecting competition in creative industries while demand remains for qualified illustrators and visual designers.
Overall, the programme’s portfolio-focused, project-based training supports a relatively stable career outlook, especially for roles in publishing, communication design, and independent illustration work.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Recognised bachelor’s or equivalent degree | International applicants must hold a completed Bachelor’s or Diplom degree in a relevant field for Illustration (or a comparable artistic-design programme), as described in the programme admission requirements. Applicants must also provide evidence of suitability for the programme through the required portfolio and entrance examination procedure. |
| English proficiency (B2 or above) | International applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English at level B2 (or above) using one of the accepted proofs published for admission to this programme. |
Module matching by study area
| Study area | Match possible? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Art | Direct match | Illustration applicants are expected to have a completed Bachelor’s or Diplom degree in Illustration, graphic design, or a related artistic-design field, supported by a portfolio. |
Language requirements
For admission to the Master Illustration programme, international applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency at level B2 (or above) using one of the accepted proofs listed by HAW Hamburg. The requirements include recognised English tests or official evidence that you have studied in English or in an English-speaking context.
MOI (Medium of Instruction)
MOI waiver details are not published for this programme. See the English test requirements above.
Other accepted proofs
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Semester fee | EUR 397 / per semester | Semester contribution for the winter semester 2026/27: 397.00 EUR (including students’ union, semester ticket for public transport, administrative fee and other components). |
| Administrative fee | EUR 50 / per semester | Flat-rate administrative fee included in the published semester contribution; for the winter semester 2026/27 it is 50.00 EUR. |
Proof of financial resources
International students applying to study in Germany typically need to show proof that they can cover living costs during the study period as part of the visa and residence permit process. HAW Hamburg will provide admission-related documentation after you are admitted, but the exact proof amount and acceptable documents are determined by German immigration guidance for your situation.
- Proof of ability to finance living costs for Germany (as required for international students/visa and residence processes).
- Supporting financial documents as requested by German immigration/visa requirements.
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | July - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| Application portal opens | December 01, 2025 |
| Application deadline (final submit) | July 15, 2026 |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | N/A |
| Semester begins | N/A |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | July - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | July - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | July 15, 2026 |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A |
📝 How to Apply
Apply for participation in the artistic entrance examination
Submit the required documents to participate in the artistic admission examination via the faculty design applicant portal. You upload a copy of your Bachelor’s or Diplom certificate, a Letter of Intent, your portfolio of artistic and conceptual works, and supporting confirmations required by the programme. This step includes a portfolio submission deadline and then the next part of the entrance examination.
- Portfolio submission deadline is published by the faculty applicant portal for the Master Illustration intake.
Complete the entrance examination (including interviews)
After the portfolio submission deadline, candidates take the next part of the entrance examination, which includes individual conversations conducted online by videoconference. Candidates receive an invitation by email after the portfolio review stage. The final result is communicated by email after this part of the process.
Apply for a study place in the HAW Hamburg application portal
Once you have passed the artistic entrance examination, you apply for the actual study place via the HAW Hamburg application portal. The faculty timetable states a study-place application deadline after a successful admission exam. Make sure your online application is submitted within the published deadline.
Enrol after admission using the documents list in your admission letter
After you receive your admission notification, you must enrol within the dates and with the documents specified in your admission letter. Further information and the list of documents to be submitted can be found on your admission letter. If you are an international degree holder, follow the international applicant process described by HAW Hamburg for your qualification type.