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Find all the information you need about the application process and how to enrol on the Sound, Music and Production BA study programme at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences.
Sound, Music and Production BA
Entry requirements
Here we provide information on the entry requirements, the documents you’ll need and the application process.
If you wish to study with us, you must meet the academic and personal requirements set out below. In addition to the application documents listed below, you will also need to pass our aptitude test in order to be admitted to the study programme.
Personal requirements
You enjoy using your ears. You take pleasure in listening actively and with dedication. The world of sounds, the spoken word and tone fascinates you and inspires you to develop your own acoustic ideas.
You are interested in literature, music and contemporary developments in media, art and culture. You listen to radio plays, audiobooks, radio documentaries or audio collages and have a vivid imagination when it comes to telling stories through sound or creating a mood. You take a critical approach to the spectrum of musical expression and imagine what the music of the future might sound like.
You listen consciously to the noises and sounds of everyday life and imagine what would change if these sounds were enhanced and redesigned. You are passionate about bringing worlds to life through sound: using sound alone, or within films, games or on websites.
It is not essential that you play an instrument yourself or already have prior knowledge of Computer Science. However, both can be an advantage both in your application and during your study programme.
Formal requirements
University entrance qualification (HZB)
Proof of the required educational qualifications in accordance with Section 5(1) of the BBPO, in the form of a certificate of university entrance qualification valid in Hesse or the last two half-yearly school reports. This requirement for proof does not apply if an application is made to demonstrate outstanding aptitude for the study programme. This application is submitted as part of the application for admission (Section 2(2)).
Proof of a six-week basic work placement. This basic work placement is not part of the study programme; no credit points are awarded for it. As the basic work placement can be completed by the start of the third semester at the latest, proof is provided by means of a corresponding work placement certificate only after admission to the study programme. We nevertheless recommend completing the work placement before starting your study programme, if possible.
Summary
- Application deadline: 1 April to 1 June 2026, midnight
- Online application portal: my.h-da.de
- Upload your work samples to our cloud (password: Portfolio_WiSe2026)
- The submission form for your work samples is available here
- Portfolio assessment between 22 and 26 June 2026
- Aptitude test at the Media Campus (to be confirmed)
- A 6-week introductory placement must be completed by the start of the 3rd semester
Application documents
Applications should be submitted via my.h.da.de and via our Nextcloud.
A) The following documents must be uploaded to my.h-da.de ( please submit them as PDFs, ideally all in a single document in the correct order)
1. University entrance qualification certificate or your last two half-yearly school reports
2. A tabular CV
including musical, artistic and academic interests, descriptions of any relevant experience and skills in the field of study, and a description of any social engagement;
3. Statement of reasons for choosing the degree programme
Please write a short, coherent text by hand, without going into too much detail (max. half a Din A4 page).
4. Declaration of consent
Declaration of consent from the parent or guardian, provided the applicant is a minor at the time of application or the aptitude test.
Once you have registered on my.h-da.de, you will receive your application number, which you will need for the work samples.
B) The work samples are uploaded to Nextcloud (see the summary for entry requirements)
1. Three work samples
The three work samples must be submitted in digital form only and must not exceed 90 seconds in length each. Suitable examples include: self-produced audio recordings, film clips or animations set to music, radio plays, video impressions of installations or programmed apps, your own music productions, and the like. Longer music tracks or radio plays may be submitted in excerpts.
We recommend that you produce no more than one of the work samples using pre-made samples and loops. The other two work samples should be created using sounds or instruments you have recorded yourself, as this allows us to better assess your abilities.
Please submit audio files in .wav format with a sampling rate of 48 kHz and a bit depth of 24 bits. Name your work samples according to the following pattern:
Example: 123455_SamplePerson_Maxi_Title.wav
The three audio samples must be zipped together with the written comments into a single .zip file (see point 2)
2. Written comments on the samples
This document must be submitted alongside the work; it must be completed by hand and provide brief information on the following points:
Title or idea
Your own role/contribution to the project
Design techniques used
Technologies used (self-recorded or samples)
The declaration of originality at the end of the document must be signed!
IMPORTANT: Before you upload your files, please compile them into a single zip file (3 work samples plus the declaration). Name this zip file using the following format:
Application number-Surname-Portfolio.zip
If you are unable to create a ZIP file, you may also upload all files individually. Please ensure that you name each individual file as specified above.
PLEASE NOTE: If your files are corrupted or not clearly labelled, you will not be admitted. The upload must be completed on Nextcloud by midnight on 1 June (see above for entry requirements).
Aptitude test
The aptitude test consists of two sections:
Part 1:
Assessment of the portfolio you have submitted to evaluate your artistic and creative aptitude. Applicants who score fewer than 60 points in the first stage of the examination will not be admitted to the second stage and will therefore have failed the aptitude test.
Part 2:
A written test and a specialist interview, both taking place on the same day. The aptitude test is held once a year during the summer semester, in person at the Dieburg Media Campus. You can find the dates in the summary above. Applicants will be invited individually.
In the written examination and the technical interview, you will be required to complete set tasks under supervision. In addition to questions on the design of media productions, you can expect scientific and technical tasks, as well as an assessment of your basic musical knowledge. The examiners on the aptitude test committee will ask you questions about your results, as well as about specialist topics in the field of Sound, Music and Production BA, your practical experience and your motivation for the study programme you wish to pursue.
Based on the written test, the interview and the practical work, the Aptitude Test Committee will assess whether you are suitable for the Sound, Music and Production BA study programme. You will receive written notification of the result. If you pass, you can enrol on the study programme by 1 September. If you do not pass, you may retake the aptitude test twice. At the candidate’s request, the interview may be conducted in English.
Please note: Applicants who are under 18 require the written consent of their parent or guardian to take the aptitude test.
Frequently Asked Questions
I have a vocational baccalaureate from a technical college specialising in design or technology. Can I use this to submit applications for the Sound, Music & Production course?
Yes. A Fachabitur is a valid qualification for entry to higher education.
Is my school English good enough for the study programme?
Oh yes, I’m pretty sure it is. To process your application, your English grade on your most recent school report should have been at least ‘Satisfactory’, or we’ll assess your English skills during an interview conducted in English.
Do I need to be proficient in recording techniques before I start my study programme?
No, we’ll teach you how to use this equipment during the first two semesters.
Can I expect lots of purely scientific and technical subjects with no practical application?
We usually teach theory in conjunction with practical project work. There are a few purely theoretical subjects, but there is no project work in which you could succeed without any interest in the theoretical foundations.
Can other people be involved in the production of my demo tracks?
Of course you can, for example, record other musicians – you don’t have to play all the instruments yourself. Similarly, you can contribute to a film production where others, for example, handle the camera work, directing, etc., whilst you might just be responsible for the Foley sounds or the on-set sound. It’s important that you specify exactly which tasks you carried out on the sheet accompanying the demo recordings. You mustn’t take credit for other people’s work.
Is the aptitude test difficult?
Most applicants imagine the aptitude test to be worse than it actually is. We’re keen to get to know you and look forward to hearing about your ideas and talents. It’s best if you’re looking forward to meeting us too. That’ll make things a bit easier.
What happens during the technical interview?
During the technical interview, we’d like to get to know you and your talents personally, and you’ll have the opportunity to comment once more on the work, concepts and ideas you’ve submitted.
How will I be notified after the aptitude test to find out if I’ve been accepted?
You’ll receive this information by post.
Application process
Here’s how to apply for the study programme:
To apply for the Sound, Music and Production BA study programme, you must first register via my.h-da.de. Online registration opens on 1 March of the current year. At the end of the online registration process, you will be given an application number.
You will then need to upload your work samples to the study programme’s Nextcloud server (see the detailed instructions at the top of this page).
The application deadline is 1 June at midnight.
Once your application documents have been received and assessed, you will receive an invitation to the aptitude test; please see the summary above for the dates.
Visiting address:
Student Service Centre
Schöfferstrasse 3
Building C23
64295 Darmstadt
PLEASE NOTE: International applicants and applicants with an international university entrance qualification must submit their applications via Uni-Assist (the Co-ordination and Service Centre for International University Applicants in Germany).
Please note the information and deadlines for applicants with a foreign school leaving certificate.