Requirements for Bachelor and Master
Here you can find the information about entrance examination requirements and examples of tasks. The official overview of all the requirements can be found in the enrollment bylaws (in German)
Please pay attention to the differences between programs with and without a prescreening phase.
To-do | Deadlines and dates | Process | Tuition fees | International applicants | Information services
Instructions for the Entrance Audition in Trossingen (in German)
Bachelor of Music - Music
Bachelor of Music - Music and Movement
Bachelor of Music - Early Music
Bachelor of Music - Church Music B
Bachelor of Music - Music Design
to the examination tasks for the Music Design Program
Bachelor of Music - Secondary Education (including with emphasis in Jazz and Popular Music)
Master of Music & Master of Art
Examples of music theory and aural skills (PDFs in German)
Requirements for the Youth Class Programme (Jugendklasse)
Conditions for acceptance in the youth class (in German)
Aptitude Test
You can study at our conservatory even if you do not have a German Abitur or equivalent. In that case, you will have to take an aptitude test.
The exam consists of:
- Written exam - duration: 2 hours
- Oral examination - duration: approx. 10 to 15 minutes
Aptitude Test Requirements and Examples
(please note that the aptitude test is conducted in German)
There are three topics to choose from in the written exam. You must choose one and write a short essay (legibly and in German). For example: "What role does the performer play in music?"
- You need to give reasons for your statements, for example:
"The musician plays exactly what is written in the notes because..."
Or: "The musician plays according to their own ideas because..."
- You need to use technical terms such as “score,” “composer,” “interpretation,” “epoch,” “form,” etc.
In the oral examination, the examiners will talk to you about music. You must answer in comprehensible German and demonstrate your knowledge about music. Sample questions:
- Why do you want to study music?
- Why did you apply to the Trossingen University of Music?
- What career goal would you like to achieve by studying music?
- Do you have a favorite composer? Why?
- In instrumental lessons, do you talk about the music you play?
Furthermore:
- Show interest in music and culture in Germany and demonstrate knowledge about the job of a musician
- Classify your audition pieces by epoch and demonstrate knowledge about the composers
Profile selection in BA I-III and V
After the start of the bachelor degree BA I,II, III and V programs, you have to choose a profile. It is recommended to do this by the beginning of the third semester. At the very latest, you need to make your decision by the fifth semester and pass an entrance examination for the chosen profile. At the start of the fifth semester, each bachelor student needs to have chosen a profile and passed the entrance examination. It is usually possible to study more than one profile.
More information on the different profiles
Enrollment Bylaws
Enrollment Bylaws (in German) - Here you will find all the current information on entrance auditions, aptitude tests, admission, enrollment, re-registration, leave of absence, and disenrollment.
Tips and Instructions for the Prescreening Video:
- Video is up to date (not older than 12 months)
- 10-15 minutes in length
- Corresponds to the instructions for the program with respect to selected major.
- Contains only the repertoire required for the entrance audition.
- Hands and face of the applicant must be visible at all times.
- All recordings are unedited.
- No cuts are allowed within individual pieces. Cuts between pieces (also to shorten the length) are allowed.
- Available via an accessible link to a video portal (e.g., Youtube, Vimeo) or permanently as an MP4, MOV, AVI in the cloud.
For the Music Design programme, there is a special process for the digital prescreening.