Art, design and media realities are characterized by cross-media and cross-cultural convergences. This is reflected in the structure of our educational system. HFG Offenbach's cross-media strategy is innovative and future-oriented. It aims to set new national and international standards, keep pace with new technological developments and train artistic talents that will be able to meet the demands of a landscape of constantly changing occupational profiles, think in cosmopolitan ways and find interdisciplinary problem-solving approaches.

• to successfully compete in the areas of teaching, research and the advancement of art and design on an international level and to further develop the university’s individual profile.
• To prepare university graduates for the challenges of a global job market and to educate them as cosmopolitan individuals,
• to create an international environment for all university staff and students.

Hochschule für Gestaltung (HfG) Offenbach's internationalization is not an end in itself but rather is being implemented to satisfy the demand for the highest academic and artistic quality.

International partnerships

HfG Offenbach is strengthening its international network with renowned partners. In this regard, the principles that apply are that collaboration has to be between equals and that research and teaching are mutually defining. The goal is to establish cooperation based on mandatory quality standards.

International studies

HfG Offenbach is purposefully orienting all of its study paths internationally, while taking each individual field’s specific academic culture into account. The Internationalization of Hochschule für Gestaltung Offenbach is the guiding principle in this.

International agents

HfG Offenbach provides additional training for its staff and actively seeks to recruit internationally experienced staff: outstanding academics and artists that have international networks at their disposal as well as interculturally competent personnel for the administrative sector. The recruitment of particularly suited international students is also being fostered. 

International mobility

HfG Offenbach encourages the international mobility of its undergraduate and graduate students as well as of its staff.

International structure 

HfG Offenbach supports the internationalization process on all levels and actively seeks to attract external funding. 

The guidelines for the internationalization strategy are coordinated by the International Office and implemented in collaboration with the Executive Board and the individual departments. 

Australia

• Hessen-Queensland 
• Queenland University of Technology (QUT) ​

Belgium

• Karel de Grote-Hogeschool, Katholieke Hogeschool Antwerpen
• School of Arts University College Ghent (KASK & CONSERVATORY)

Brazil

• Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói
• Escola de Artes Visuais do Parque Lage, Rio de Janeiro

• Instituto Europeo di Design (IED), Rio de Janeiro

China

• Tongji University Shanghai College of Design and Innovation & College of Communication and Art

• Xi`an Academy of Fine Arts

• Cheung Kong School of Art and Design, Shantou University  

• Nanjing University of the Arts 

• Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), Peking 

• Chongjing Jiaotong University 

• PolyU School of Design, Hong Kong 

England

• Camberwell College of the Arts, London
• Faculty of the Arts, Design and Media - Birmingham City University 

Estonia

• Eesti Kunstiakadeemia Tallinn (Estonian Academy of Arts)

Finland

• Kurvataideakatemia Helsinki (Finnish Academy of Fine Arts)

France

• École Nationale Supérieure d'Art de Bourges
• École supérieure d'arts & médias de Caen (ésam)
• École nationale supérieure d'Art de Nancy (ENSA)
• École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (EnsAD)

Greece

• Athens School of Fine Arts

Iceland

• Iceland Academy of the Arts, Reykjavic 

Italia

• Academia di Belle Arti di Brera Milano

Japan

• Japan Association of National Universities (JANU), Japan Association of Public Universities (JAPU), Federation of Japanese Private Colleges and Universities Associations (FJPCUA)

New Zealand

• Auckland University of Technology (AUT), Faculty of Design and Creative Technologies

• Southern Institute of Technology (SIT), Invercargill Campus 

The Netherlands

• Design Academy Eindhoven

• Maastricht Academy of Media Design and Technology ​

Norway

• The Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO)
• Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (HIOA)

Austria

• Akademie der Bildenden Künste, Wien

Poland

• Academia Sztuk Pięknych im. Jana Matejko w Krakowie (Academy of Fine Arts)
• Akademia Sztuk Pięknych w Warszawie (Akademie der Bildenden Künste Warschau)

Portugal

• Escola Superior de Artes e Design, Matosinhos (ESAD)

Russia

• Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Design and Applied Arts 

Sweden

• Lund University

Spain

• Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Facultad de Bellas Artes
• Universidad de Granada, Facultad de Bellas Artes 

South Africa

• Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Faculty of Informatics & Design 

• Michaelis School of Fine Art ​

Taiwan

• National Taipei University of Technology, Department of Industrial Design

Turkey

• Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Mimar Sinan Güzel Sanatlar Üniversitesi, Istanbul 
• Istanbul Technical University, istanbul Teknik Üniversitesi 

• Gazi Univrsity, Ankara

USA

• Brooks Institute, Ventura

• Hessen-Massachusetts 
• Hessen-Wisconsin

Cyprus

• Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol ​

To make your stay abroad a success timely and comprehensive preparation is essential, and not only regarding the language. The following links provide you with specific information on the education and university systems of your destination, and offer general travel information and facts about the country itself.

DAAD Country Information worldwide 
Country and travel information Federal Foreign Office 

The German Academic Exchange Service or DAAD is a national agency responsible for implementing and executing the program in Germany.
In addition, BAföG aktuell also provides very extensive information on the Erasmus Plus Program on its Website.
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• Erasmus+ PIC number 946324629
• Erasmus-Code D OFFENBA01
• Erasmus Charter for Higher Education 2021-2027
• Erasmus Policy Statement 2021-2027

If you are studying for a diplom you can take out a maximum of 24 months for an Erasmus program of your choice. Those studying towards a doctorate can spend twelve months abroad on the Erasmus Plus program. You can divide this time as you wish between study and internship. Moreover, it is possible to obtain funding first during diplom studies and subsequently during doctoral studies, making for a total of 36 months spent abroad through the Erasmus Plus program!
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• Studying abroad between three and 12 months (between July 1 of any year and  September 30 of the following year) at one of the HfG partner universities
• Internships abroad or Erasmus placements from two to 12 months
• Countries participating in Erasmus are the 28 EU member states plus Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, Turkey, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
• Students pay no fees at their guest universities
• Students can attend a language course at their guest university 
• Before travelling abroad students must check with their department whether the academic achievements gained abroad will count as part of their studies
• Students will receive monthly financial support – including those receiving a BAföG grant 
• Special funds are available for students with special needs to cover the additional expenses incurred abroad

The Erasmus program is to be made more sustainable. Therefore, there is now the possibility to travel green and get a bit closer to the EU Green Deal - to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Erasmus+ students can apply for a grant of 50 euros for traveling by sustainable means of transport (bus, train, carpool). Travelers by ferry (e.g. to Scandinavia) will also receive the grant if the rest of their trip is by bus, ferry or carpool. Travelers by air, on the other hand, do not receive funding. The 50€ will be paid out after the mobility is completed.

More information on the EU Green Deal is available from the DAAD here.

The Franco-German Youth Office (DFJW) offers several programs for students destined to strengthen cooperation between universities, promoting young people’s experience of mobility and consequently improving their linguistic, social, intercultural and professional skills.
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Students can currently apply for the following grants:
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• Franco-German university seminars
• Grants for study-related internships in France (students who have completed no more than six semesters)
• Grants for collecting material in France
• Grants for studying in France for students at universities for Music & Theater / Visual Art Academies / Art and Design universities
• Grants for intensive language courses in France​

The Fulbright Commission fosters academic and cultural exchange between students and between academics. Every year some 700 German students have the opportunity to study at a US university as a guest student.

Students participating in this DAAD program can receive partial monthly grants and/or travel allowances.

Grants are offered for the following visits of German students/foreign students studying in Germany

• Studying within the EU (1 month min. to 6 months max.)
• Internships outside the EU (6 weeks min. to 6 months max.)
• Stays abroad at universities or in firms to complete a dissertation project (1 month min. to 6 months max.)

A special grant commission selects students according to specific selection criteria.

The DAAD awards grants to highly qualified students of Music, the Visual Arts /Design/Film, the Performing Arts (Dance/Acting/Directing/Musical) for further artistic education abroad. The program is offered for all regions of the world. 

The Hessen-Queensland, Hessen-Massachusetts and Hessen-Wisconsin programs aim to promote the exchange of students and university staff between Hessen and Queensland, Australia, Massachusetts, USA and Wisconsin, USA.
They are based on agreements between universities in Hessen and universities in the state of Queensland, Australia and the states of Massachusetts and Wisconsin, United States. These national cooperations are instrumental in making Hessen universities more international.

Students can apply for a special BAFöG grant (Auslands-BAFöG) to finance their studies abroad. As with the grant for students studying in Germany the amount they receive is based primarily on their parents’ income or their own income should funding not be based the parents’ income.
However, unlike grants for home study those for study abroad also cover travel costs, the costs incurred for health insurance and any additional costs that might arise in non-EU countries. 

This may mean that even if you are not eligible for a domestic grant, you might receive BAFöG allowances during your study period abroad.

Are you interested in an internship abroad? We also recommend doing an internship in addition to your studies abroad.
We wish you every success in planning your internship abroad!

Internships in Europe for students
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The EU’s Erasmus Placements Program offers students diverse options for doing an internship within Europe. Funding is available for students who undertake an internship for at least three months in an EU member state, an EU candidate country (also Turkey) or in Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland. The Erasmus Placements Grant constitutes a monthly allowance of EUR 350 and should last at least three months and not exceed 12 months.

Internships in Europe for Graduates
​

Graduates can receive funding for an internship in Europe (excluding Germany) with the Leonardo da Vinci Program. The Leonardo ad Vinci Program is ideally suited to bridge the period between completing studies and beginning work. Depending on the country in question allowances vary between EUR 700 and 1,000 per month. The duration for the placement abroad should be between two and six months.
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For either program students are obliged to participate in online training on intercultural skills. By accessing an alumni forum, students can get tips and information from former internees regarding flat-hunting, life in their selected country etc. Naturally, after completing the placement you will receive a certificate testifying to participation in the program.​

Where students already have an internship place they can arrange a consultation with a special advisor to determine whether the place can be funded via the Erasmus Placement or the Leonardo da Vinci Program, or whether other programs could be considered for this internship. Following consultation you need to submit your application documents to the International Office. Should your application be considered suitable a report is drawn up for you and you will be added in principle to the program.

Internships for Students outside of Europe ​
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Under the PROMOS Program of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) stays abroad either for study purposes or placements can be funded with partial monthly grants and/or allowances for travel expenses.

Reports by HfG students on their stays abroad.

Are you studying art or design at a university abroad and you would like to spend a semester at the university of art and design in Offenbach city? Then please contact the International Office of your home university to check if we already have a cooperation within ERASMUS+ or another cooperation agreement. International Offices can contact the HfG International Office directly to nominate you as an Incoming: MS Elena Rentsch, rentsch@HfG-offenbach.de

More information here.

Dear incoming students,
We are pleased that you are interested in spending an exchange semester/year at HfG! On this page we have assembled the most important information you will need to make your planning easier. If you have further questions on the application procedure, studying at HfG, life in Germany or anything else, you are welcome to contact the International Office at HfG.
The following information is for exchange students, who would like to study one or two semesters at HfG. If you would like to study more than two semesters at HfG please contact the Registrar’s Office.
Further information: Studying at HfG.

Here you will find a short film about university life in Germany. In the pocket guide for incomings you will find more helpful information. On the website www.study-in-germany.de international students will find further information and impressions about living and studying in Germany. And here you will find important information about health insurance in Germany.

To apply for HfG Offenbach exchange program, your home university must first nominate you to HfG. Once nominated, HfG will provide you with the details about the application procedure.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

• Student application form (signed by you and your department coordinator of your home university)
• Letter of Motivation (free essay in English or German)
• Curriculum Vitae
• Copy of passport
• Copy of university entrance qualification (i.e. A-level, high school diploma, gao kao)
• Transcript of records from your home university
• Learning Agreement
• Portfolio

All documents should be in English or German! The documents have to be uploaded via upload-link send by the International Office of HfG. Not via e-mail!

The selection of exchange students is made mainly on a portfolio basis. There is no automatic acceptance of nominated students.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

We expect a good command of English that enables incoming students to cummunicate well at an academic level. We also recommend acquiring basic knowledge of German language as it is the primarily language of instruction. HfG offers German language courses for exchange students. You can apply for the German course with this application form.

The Buddy program is a collaborative initiative by HfG Offenbach’s international office and the AStA department for intercultural matters.

It aims to help international exchange students settle in to the country and university as pleasantly as possible. Here, current students play a crucial role as they function as cultural intermediaries and friends – buddies – before, during and after the international students’ arrival. They offer their time and knowledge in order to help with unexpected problems. All buddies work on a voluntary basis.