SAC seeks applicants with a previous degree in architecture. However, the programme is at a liberty to consider candidates with other, related backgrounds that would make a contribution to the programme.
SAC offers a two-year postgraduate accredited Master of Arts in Architecture qualification which is an internationally recognized academic qualification. The degree title is called (M.A. Arch). It implies a 'post-professional' degree.
A degree from SAC does not automatically qualify individuals in professional terms. Most importantly, since the requirements for academic training for a professional qualification varies from country to country and state to state, applicants are encouraged to consult the appropriate architectural authorities in the relevant country or state.
In other words, in order to practice as an architect, one needs to consult the relevant authorities where one intends to practice to find out what are the requirements for obtaining a professional practice certificate in this country/state. Someone with a SAC Master degree may have to individually apply and possibly submit a portfolio to the local / national professional authorities for the degree to be recognized.
SAC can provide an overview of the content of the programme as recognised by the German educational authorities.
Example: A SAC graduate wishes to study in Germany where the professional licenses are issued per state. In Germany, the academic title is different to the professional title as is the case in the UK with RIBA and as such this would be the case wherever you choose to study. If in the state of Hessen, the graduate would have to apply to the Hessian Chamber of Architects and submit a portfolio with work from SAC and previous education and practice.
We accept new students only for the winter semester in mid-October every year. Currectly, the Städelschule is in the process of restructuring the architecture class and unfortunately therefore we will not be accepting applications for the winter semester 2021/22.
It is not a prerequisite for your admittance, and alternative forms of interview can be arranged on an individual basis. Usually, interviews are conducted via skype. In every case, it is advantageous to participate in person in an interview.
The tuition fees for the academic year 2020-21 are: €10.000 per year. The two-year programme thus costs €20.000.
In addition comes per semester:
Fees for public transport € 214,00
Social service contribution € 133,00
One-Off Admission Fee* € 50,00
Accident insurance € 1,50
*only payable when registering
The living costs based on previous and current students’ experience per year are:
Health Insurance (based on 2019) € 1.320,00 approx. (€ 110 per month x 12)
Accommodation
(nominal amount, shared apartment) € 6.600,00 approx. (€ 550 per month x 12)
Study trip(s) € 600,00 approx.
Material costs
(nominal: Printing, model-building, etc.) € 1.200,00 approx.
No! The two-year postgraduate programme is a fulltime programme and the curriculum of the courses does not allow a semester-based study.
Yes; laptops are the normal choice.
No, only during the summer break between the two years. The studies are very intensive and require a substantial commitment in terms of time and presence. With reference to normal student Visa, there is a legal maximum working hour per year (120 hrs full-time, 240 hrs part-time) for students.
Yes, the Architecture Class offers studios of varying sizes with 2-6 students in each room.
Before Arrival
Generally, SAC recommends all accepted applicants to immediately apply for a student visa to enter Germany. Recent experience has shown that the time needed to get an appointment at embassies or consulates for visa purposes and, likewise, for an application to be processed has greatly increased.
This is particularly true at the German Embassy in Tehran, Iran, and the General Consulate in Mumbai, India.
Applicants are required to check with the German embassy in their respective country regarding the precise procedure for obtaining the student visa and what documents are required. The list below is not complete but gives an indication of what is needed:
Please hand in your application with all the necessary documents at least four months before the date on which you plan to come to Germany. Fill in the entire application form in duplicate. Hand in the application form with all the necessary supporting documents together with a duplicate set (copies) of all documents at the embassy or consulate.
The documents you will need in order to apply for student visa are:
- A valid passport and two passport photos.
- Certificates of school examinations qualifying you to study at a university in Germany. (Certificates of university examinations, diplomas etc.)
- Proof that you can pay for all the costs of your study in Germany.
- Letter confirming your university admission.
- German Blocked Account information (Blocked Accounts for international students are only offered by Deutsche Bank or Fintiba)
After Arrival
As you are planning to stay in Germany longer than three months, you must apply for a residence permit at the Ausländerbehörde.
Ausländerbehörde Ordnungsamt
Rebstöcker Straße 4
60326 Frankfurt am Main
Phone.: +49 (0)69 212 42485
Fax: +49 (0)69 212 42216
Email: auslaenderbehoerde@stadt-frankfurt.de
Internet: https://www.frankfurt.de/sixcms/detail.php?id=3521
Once you have moved into your accommodation in Frankfurt, you must comply with the Registration Act and register in Frankfurt within two weeks. The registration is done at the Residents' Registration Office (Bürgeramt) of the City of Frankfurt and is free-of-charge. You will require the following papers and documents to be able to register:
- Lessor confirmation
- Proof of accommodation (e.g. rental contract)
- Proof of identity for all persons registering (ID card, passport)
SAC recommends applicants to inform themselves about current waiting periods and organise a registration for an appointment as early as possible. The visa procedure may take up to 3-4 months after the first appointment. We will provide you with the necessary documentation to support your visa application. This will include an official signed and stamped acceptance letter, a cost-breakdown letter and notification that all teaching is carried out in English and as such no knowledge of the German language is required.
WHAT ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE?
A health insurance policy that is valid for the entire duration of their stay in Germany is a mandatory requirement for all international students. As per law, without health insurance, institutions of higher education are not allowed to register students. Further, the immigration authorities require you to prove that you have adequate health insurance cover before they can issue a residence permit. Please note that you must have health insurance cover from your very first day in Germany. If you enter Germany on a Schengen Visa for a short-term research stay up to 90 days, you will generally be required to prove that you have travel health insurance. We recommend that you make arrangement for your helath insurance coverage for your complete stay in Germany within the first two weeks of your arrival. SAC and Staädelschule’s student office are glad to help you with the arrangements. For more detailed information, please don’t hesitate to contact either studentensekretariat@staedelschule.de, or sac.applications@staedelschule.de.
Students from EU countries
Students from EU- countries, who are already insured in their home country do not need an extra insurance in Germany. You can directly go to see the doctor with your European health insurance card.
Students from Non - EU States
As a student from a Non - EU State you must be insured in Germany. Students from countries with which Germany has a bi-lateral social security agreements (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Bosnia Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, Croatia, Macedonia, Turkey, Tunisia) can continue to be covered by their home insurance company while they are in Germany. Please check in your home country for further details.
No, Städelschule does not provide accommodaiton for its students. Most students live in the city in flats alone or on a shared basis. However the school assists its new students in finding suitable accommodation by putting them in touch with current students and student assistants. The best way is to take over accomodations from the graduating students. Everyone manages to find a place to stay within a short time.
Monthly rents for a flat or a room in a shared flat vary between about € 300 - € 600 per month depending on the area
We advise that you organise your arrival in Frankfurt at least 2 weeks prior to the semester start. Most of the owners of that rent out accommodation would want to meet you in person. Also you should visit the accommodation and check if it's suitable for you. However, you may check before your arrival availabilities on the websites for student accommodation we are suggesting below.
Most students find reasonably priced rooms or apartments from online resources. A room in a shared apartment is called a WG (Wohngemeinschaft) where each student gets a room and the kitchen, etc are shared by all. Although some of these websites are only in German, they are easy to navigate with quick word translations :
Here are some links which might be useful for your search:
Short-Term Accommodation:
Jugendherberge
Tel. +49 (0)69/ 6100150
(A hostel just a 10 minute walk from the academy offers temporary rooms for students while they are searching for permanent arrangements)
City-Residence GmbH
Tel. +49 (0)69/ 299050
Frankfurt HomeCompany
Tel. +49 (0)69/ 19445
The FIZZ Frankfurt
Long-Term Accommodation:
wg-gesucht
studenten-wg
zwischenmiete
immobilienscout24
immonet
immowelt
frankfurt.xpatrentals
thehomelike
null-provision
kaylando
quoka
frankfurt.homecompany
ABG Frankfurt Holding
GWG Gemeinnützige Wohnungsgesellschaft Hessen mbH
Nassauische Heimstätte
In case you have further questions on the admission process, please contact:
sac.applications@staedelschule.de
For general inquiries, please contact
architecture@staedelschule.de