Requirements, registration & admission

Important current information! 
The admission examination (academic year 2026/27) for the Master's programme in Visual Communication will be held online!

The prerequisite for admission to the Master's programme is the completion of a relevant Bachelor's degree with a focus on visual communication: e.g. in visual communication, graphic design, photography, communication design, media design, information design or time-based and interactive media.

Admission Standards
The artistic and technical aptitude of applicants will be assessed on the basis of their portfolio and an interview with the examination board.

Depending on the specialisation, the requirements profile for prospective Master's students includes specialist knowledge in the field of photography or graphic design. This includes technical knowledge of photography, lighting and camera technology – both analogue and digital – as well as experience in dealing with space, time and perspective. Furthermore, basic knowledge of workflow and pre-press as well as proficiency in professional software is required. An understanding of art and design history is just as important as an awareness of current trends. The graphic design specialisation also requires extensive knowledge and experience in typography, typesetting, and design and composition theory.

Essential for admission to the Master's programme in Visual Communication are a creative and artistic approach, conceptual thinking and an interest in positioning oneself in a creative environment.

THE ADMISSION PROCEDURE

1. Online registration 
23 December 2025 to 20 January 2026 under: Admission Examination 

2. Online submission of the portfolio
Please upload your portfolio to the application portal calls.kunstuni-linz.at by 20 January 2026 at the latest.

These include:

• Curriculum vitae: Please make sure that your CV does NOT include a photo of yourself.
• Letter of motivation: Please explain why you would like to study the Master's programme in Visual Communication and what content and artistic focus you intend to deal with in the programme. Describe which projects or topics you would like to deal with as an author of designed/artistic works. If you have already thought about a subject area or a potential project in which you would like to complete your Master's thesis, please also tell us about it. The length of the letter of motivation should not exceed 3 x A4 pages.
• Two letters of recommendation: Please upload 2 letters of recommendation. These could, for example, be from lecturers from your Bachelor's programme or from design studios/photographers where you have completed an internship.
• Portfolio: Please upload your portfolio here as a PDF (incl. Bachelor's thesis, if already available).

3. Online APPLICATION INTERVIEW
We will contact you in good time by email and inform you of the specific date (= time) of your interview, which will take place online via video conference between 10 February 2026.

In the interview with the examination board, you will present your own work related to the study profile, talk about your personal motivation for the application, what goals you have set yourself for the programme and thus demonstrate your artistic aptitude for the Master's programme.

The result of your interview will appear a few days later in the application management: calls.kunstuni-linz.at

 

Dates for the ADMISSION EXAMINATION academic year 2026/27

Online application: 23 December 2025 to 20 January 2026  
Portfolio Submission: by 20 January 2026 at the latest
Online Admission interviews: 10 February 2026

Further information
If this examination is passed, students have 20 months from that point to begin their studies. Persons whose first language is not German must demonstrate knowledge of the German language at level B1 at the latest before the beginning of the third semester. The programme can also be completed in English. In this case, knowledge of the English language at level B2 must be demonstrated before the start of the programme.

The programme is not designed as a part-time course, but as a full-time course.

Information on tuition fees and documents for international students: studien.office@kunstuni-linz.at

International Office - responsible for Erasmus students:
international.office@kunstuni-linz.at