If you want to study design, the Faculty of Design at Hochschule Niederrhein (HSNR) in Krefeld is the right place for you. For over 120 years, creative minds have been apprenticed here to shape the world of tomorrow. In the ADC University Creative Index 2025, the Faculty of Design was ranked 1st in North Rhine-Westphalia and 8th in the D-A-CH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) - a distinction for outstanding creative excellence.
Prospective students can now register for the artistic-design aptitude interview, a prerequisite for the Communication Design and Product and Object Design degree programmes. The registration deadline is 15 March.
Aptitude interview and portfolio advisory service: the first step towards studying design
After the application deadline, applicants receive an invitation to an aptitude interview at the beginning of April, where they have to present their creative portfolio with their own work. Those who successfully pass this interview have the opportunity to apply for one of the design degree programmes.
The Faculty of Design offers free portfolio advisory services to help prospective students optimise their preparation. These consultations are aimed specifically at applicants for the Communication Design and Product and Object Design degree programmes and offer a valuable opportunity to show their own work and receive feedback from experienced lecturers.
"We are very pleased to be able to support prospective students in advance with the portfolio advisory service. This individual consultation is an excellent opportunity to optimally prepare for the aptitude interview and to further develop your own portfolio," says Prof Dr Erik Schmid, Dean of the Faculty of Design.
New area of specialisation "Game Design"
From the winter semester 2025/2026, the Faculty of Design will be expanding its range of design courses to include the new area of specialisation "Game Design". Students from the fields of product and object design as well as communication design will learn to develop digital games that are more than just entertainment. They design serious games and indie games that creatively address societal, social and ecological issues and encourage positive change.
The area of specialisation combines artistic and conceptual skills with modern technologies and a clear foundation of values. Topics such as climate protection, social justice, inclusion and digital ethics are creatively integrated into the game worlds.
Further information on the Communication Design and Product and Object Design degree programmes can be found at: www.hs-niederrhein.de/design/design-studieren-in-krefeld/
