FAQ

Applicants should be 21 years old at the beginning of their studies. Practical experience or academic degrees in related fields are not requirements, but increase the chance of admission.

To enrol in studies at the DFFB, candidates must go through a comprehensive application process. The DFFB invites a small proportion of applicants to attend a one-week entrance examination at the academy. This examination is overseen by an examination board.

All graduates receive a DFFB certificate.

The DFFB does not offer master’s or bachelor’s degrees. For directing, producing, cinematography and editing students, the curriculum ends with the production and completion of a graduation film. For screenwriting students, it ends with the completion of a graduation screenplay.

The DFFB is a fully state-funded academy owned by the state of Berlin. The degree is comparable to artistic or artistic-scientific training programmes at a state university (e.g. Berlin University of the Arts, HFF Potsdam, HFF Munich). However, the DFFB does not offer any state-recognised degree courses such as Bachelor's or Master's programmes.

September: The DFBB publishes the application information for the preselection process on its website.

September–December: The DFFB opens the period for the online application process; the deadline for all applications is at the beginning of January.

February-March: Applicants are informed of the decisions of the examination board, and a small number of applicants are invited to attend the entrance examinations

March-April: The entrance examinations take place at the DFFB in Berlin.

The candidates will be informed in advance regarding the precise dates and structure of the examination week.

Applicants should be 21 years old at the beginning of their studies.

Please note that good written and spoken German is required to study at the DFFB.

International applicants have to prove their German language skills in the form of the Goethe Certificate B2 (or equivalent), which must be presented at the start of their studies in autumn. Applicants can submit their written application in English and the oral/practical exam can be taken in English if an applicant’s German language skills are not yet sufficient.

The second language spoken at the DFFB is English. We require good English skills from all applicants.

The DFFB charges a fee of €225.00 per academic year for enrolment/re-registration and equipment insurance, plus the cost of purchasing a Germany semester ticket (participation in the German regional transport system) for the first four years of study, currently totaling € 208,80 per semester.

The Germany semester ticket allows students to use public transport in Germany at a reduced price. The cost of purchasing a Germany semester ticket is currently €208,80 per semester and is compulsory for students in their first four years of studies.

Information about financing your studies can be found at the Social Guidance Office of the studierenden WERK BERLIN.

Also, there are various ways to apply for scholarships. Helpful information can be found on the following sites, among others: Stipendium Plus, DAAD und Stipendien Ratgeber.

The DFFB does not have any student residences.

Information on student residences and other useful tips on the subject can also be found on the pages of the studierendenWERK BERLIN.

Every student in Germany needs to have a proof of health insurance. By having a student ID and a registered home adress you can go to any public health insurance company to receive a student contract. You can find more infos here. 

Students of the DFFB can use opportunities for university sports at other universities, e.g. at the TU Berlin.

Yes. Attendance is mandatory during the Grundstudium (first two years), as most seminars are taught in small groups as well as interdisciplinary. 
During the advanced studies phase (Haupstudium - third year onwards), attendance is mandatory on all days when seminars take place for which students are registered.

You can find useful information and tips about studying and living in Berlin on the website of the Studierendenwerk Berlin.

No. What matters most to us is the applicant’s CV, especially with regard to their artistic practice. It is important to list all experiences where the applicant has engaged with the medium of film. Copies of certificates, academic degrees, etc., are not required as part of the application.

If you have found an apartment or a room in Berlin, you must register your address at a local Bürgeramt (citizen’s office). To do so, you need the completed registration form and a confirmation from your landlord (or the main tenant).