Apply for the Master in Gemstones and Jewellery

The first step of your application is to prepare a zip-file with the following: 

1. your complete CV 
   mention also your highschool education 
   Filename: CV.pdf
2. a portfolio 
   see "How-To prepare your portfolio" - non-compliant portfolios will be rejected!
   Filename: portfolio.pdf
3. a project proposal for your master study in Idar-Oberstein
   The project proposal is an important part of your application and has to be presented on a maximum of three DIN-A4 papers (less is more), describing what you would like to achieve during your MFA course.  The possible content, procedure and outcome of this project are to be presented here under the follwing aspects:
   --> The project proposal should mainly be on what you would like to do and be: your goals, aims and in which directions your professional wishes might take you - also beyond the MFA in IO.
   --> Please do NOT tell us here WHY you would like to do this but 
   --> please explain us about the development of abilities, why these are important to you and where your „dreams for your future“ will take you…!
   --> please do not focus on the result of the master programme in the sense of a body/series of works. 
   Filename: proposal.pdf
4. a letter of motivation 
   on your future studies at the Gemstones and Jewellery Campus
   Filename: motivation.pdf
5. a copy/scan/photo of your ID or passport
   Filename: ID.pdf or ID.JPG
6. a certified copy of your Bachelor Degree
   if not in English or German, supply us with a certified translation.
   Filename: BAdegree.pdf
7. a certified copy of your Certificate of higher education entrance qualification. 
   in Germany, the "Certificate of Higher Education Entrance Qualification" (in German: Hochschulzugangsberechtigung or HZB) is the official document that proves you meet the academic requirements to study at a university. For German students: This is usually the Abitur (general university entrance qualification) or Fachabitur (subject-specific entrance qualification). For international students: It refers to a secondary school leaving certificate (e.g., high school diploma, A-levels, or equivalent) that is recognized as equivalent to the German Abitur. Recognition: Your foreign certificate must be recognized as equivalent to the German Abitur by the university or the Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen (Central Office for Foreign Education). Requirements: Some programs or universities may require additional qualifications, like foundation courses (Studienkolleg) or specific grades. Where to check: The DAAD database or the ANABIN database can help you verify if your certificate is recognized /  if your country’s certificate is listed.
   Make copies of all pages of the certificate.
   if not in English or German, supply us with a certified translation.
   Filename: HEEQcertficate.pdf
8. for applicants with foreign certificates: 
   a copy/scan/photo/screenshot of the proof of payment of € 100 for the examination of foreign certificates.
   If your certificates are not acquired in Germany, you will be charged a fee of € 100 for the examination of foreign certificates. Please transfer this amount plus any transaction fees* to:
         Recipient: Landeshochschulkasse Mainz
         IBAN: DE 25 5500 0000 0055001511
         BIC: MARKDEF 1550
         Bank: Deutsche Bundesbank Branch Mainz
         Reason of payment: 6671-0966-BIR 11113/04, first name and surname, date of birth, I-O
         ^{(so for instance: 6671-0966-BIR 11113/04, Neil Armstrong, 5 Aug. 1930, I-O)}
   * Please note that your bank may charge transaction fees. Make sure that the university actually receives € 100. Please ask your bank for such fees.
   Filename: payment.pdf or payment.jpg
9. Applicants from China, India and Vietnam must submit an APS certificate for their degrees. This must be submitted at the time of enrolment. The aptitude test can be taken without an APS certificate.
10. the filled-out Declaration of Authorship. Please note: the use of any AI-generated material in your application will lead to rejection!

After preparing the documents listed above, do not forget to COMPRESS your files (e.g. pdfcompressor.com).
After compressing your PDF-files, please pack all your documents into 1 ZIP-file. Now you can

Register for the entrance examination
(please do NOT send any documents by email!)
Applications to the aptitude test that do not comply with the above mentioned will not be taken into consideration.

If your documents prove to be inadequate, you will receive a negative reply.
If your documents prove to be qualified, you will be invited to the next step:

You pass only if each part is graded at least 4.0 and your English skills are confirmed as sufficient (§ 5 of the aptitude regulations).

a) Portfolio examination

(preliminary component, § 8) You submit your portfolio of artistic work. It is assessed by every member of the Aptitude Examination Board and decides your admission to the further parts.
If your Portoflio is  graded with 4.0 or better, you wiill be invited to:

b) Interview

You present your work and your motivation and answer the board’s questions — where your artistic position and your ability to reflect become visible. In the interview, your ability to communicate in English is also checked (we do not request TOEFL or other certificates).

c) Examination of the project proposal

(§ 10) The heart of the Master’s admission: a written exposé in English of no more than five A4 pages setting out your individual ideas, expectations and goals for the Master’s degree and your intended professional activity. It is assessed on:

• Academic level — credibility/coherence/logic, creativity and originality, reflection of the contents, artistic and academic quality;
• Feasibility — within the time frame of the M.F.A. programme, and at the Gemstones and Jewellery subject area.

The board may ask for a revised version by a set deadline before the final assessment.

Grading and result

The parts are graded from very good (1.0) to not sufficient (5.0); the overall result is the average of the interview and the project proposal, truncated after the first decimal place. You are notified in writing; if you pass, you receive a certificate stating the overall result — and a confirmed project plan for your individual study planning (possibly with conditions)

If you do not pass

The aptitude examination may be repeated twice — in each case the entire examination, at the next date, with new application documents. After the second unsuccessful repetition, it is definitively not passed.

Your rights

Partial results are communicated before completion; after the examination you may inspect your examination files on written application within one month (§ 19).

You have passed the above steps 1 and 2 of the entrance examination?
and received your "Certificate on passing the Qualification test for the MFA-program Gemstones and Jewellery"? 
CONGRATULATIONS!

The 3^rd step of the application process is the online registration and matriculation.

First download the CHECKLIST of all documents you need to prepare
and after that visit our online application platform for the MFA in Idar-Obersteinto register as a student!

If you need any help in the registration process, send an email to studyservice-io[@]hochschule-trier[.]de