hamburg, germany

Hochschule für bildende Künste [HFBK]

The SFAI + HFBK Art School Alliance Scholarship was launched in 2010 with the goal of intensifying links and exchange with renowned art universities within Europe, China, and the U.S. Each spring semester, one SFAI BFA or Dual Degree MA/MFA student who demonstrates outstanding academic achievement will be chosen to travel to Hamburg and participate in an innovative work/live environment with students from six other institutions in the Karolinenstrasse District in the heart of Hamburg’s cultural scene. 

Program Details

  • Each week HFBK professors will visit students at the live/work space for lectures.
  • Courses will be taught in English on art theory and history.
  • Group tutorials will take place at the main campus.
  • Students will take part in excursions and events to help them learn about the local culture.
  • A final exhibition / open studios will take place in July.
  • Each SFAI student will be assigned an HFBK mentor to help him or her navigate the campus. In most cases, this mentor will then study at SFAI the following semester. The SFAI scholarship recipient will mentor the HFBK student when he or she attends SFAI during the fall semester.

The following institutions are partners with HFBK in the Art School Alliance network:

Boston: School of The Museum of Fine Arts
Hangzhou: China Academy of Art
London: Goldsmiths, University of London, Department of Art
Paris: École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts
San Francisco: San Francisco Art Institute
Vienna: Akademie der bildenden Künste

The scholarship recipient will receive free living accommodations. The chosen student is responsible for paying all tuition and fees associated with a full course of study.  All financial aid including any existing SFAI scholarships or fellowships may be used. In addition, the SFAI recipient is required to pay a monthly fee to maintain health insurance coverage while in Hamburg. The scholarship recipient is ultimately responsible for securing the necessary visa required to study in Germany; however, the SFAI Global Programs Office will provide support.

Eligibility

This opportunity is best suited for BFA or Dual Degree MA/MFA students studying New Genres, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, or Sculpture; however, any BFA or Dual Degree student who meets the qualifications may apply.

If a Dual Degree student is chosen s/he will study in Hamburg during the 2nd semester of the 2nd year of his/her program. S/he will participate in Vernissage and defend his/her thesis during the last semester of the Dual Degree program.

Eligible students must at the time of the semester at HFBK be in their junior or senior year in order to apply. The following academic courses must be completed prior to the semester abroad:

  • English Composition A & B
  • Humanities A & B
  • Two of three art history courses (Global Art History, Modernity and Modernism, Contemporary Art Now)

Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.25 and have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement at SFAI.

For more information about the school, please visit the HFBK website.

Language and Curriculum

The scholarship recipient will receive 15 units of credits (3 Units Lecture/Theory, 12 Units Studio). All courses will be taught in English. 

Term Dates

The chosen recipient of the prestigious Art School Alliance Scholarship will study in Hamburg for four months (April – early August)

Housing Overview

Each student will have his or her own room but will share the studio space, kitchen, bathroom, and dining room with five other students. The live/work space is on two floors of a factory building in the Karolinenstrasse, the heart of Hamburg’s cultural scene, between the St. Pauli and Schanzenviertel districts.

Application Instructions

Applications, faculty recomendation letter and portfolio pieces should be sent to international@sfai.edu, and must be received by 5 pm on Monday, April 2nd, 2012. All materials should be sent in one email.  

See the SFAI + HFBK Art School Alliance Application for details.

Faculty recomendation letter can be found here. 

About Hamburg

Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany with 1.7 million inhabitants. Economically and culturally, Hamburg is also the center of Northern Germany. As much as 14% of the city area is made up of green spaces and recreational areas. Hamburg is also the shopping metropolis of the Northern Germany. Hamburg has endless cultural venues to explore including the:

  • Kunsthalle - The Hamburger Kunsthalle on Glockengießerwall, the largest art museum in Germany. On average 20 special exhibitions are shown here annually. 
  • Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe - The Museum of Arts and Crafts is located in a neo-renaissance palace and is one of the most important museums of applied arts in Europe. The collections displayed range from the antique to the present and encompass European, Islamic, and Far Eastern culture.
  • Deichtorhallen - The Deichtorhallen are two architecturally stunning former market halls that were built between 1911 and 1914. Today, the halls house an impressive display of international contemporary art and photography.
  • HafenCity – Adjacent to the Hamburg Harbor, HafenCity is the biggest city planning project of Europe with new living spaces and monuments beside the Speicherstadt.
  • St. Michaelis Chuch - Better known as the “Michel,” this Hamburg landmark is one of the most important churches in Northern Germany. It was built between 1648-61 in the baroque architectural style.
  • Reeperbahn - Hamburg’s most popular street is home to many theaters, restaurants, music clubs, and discos.