A very important admission requirement is an applicant’s creative academic qualification. It may demonstrate not only artistic skills and creativity, but also media and computational literacy, problem-solving abilities and a capacity for teamwork. We are well aware that not all applicants can be equally talented in all mentioned areas. We welcome applications from people with a strong talent in art and design as well as those more focused in other areas of study such as technology and media studies. Applicants’ creative academic qualifications are checked in an application procedure which takes place once a year between February and May. Furthermore, students need a good command of the English language. Applicants’ English language proficiency is checked throughout the application procedure. A formal certificate is not required but can be additionally provided.

Yes. All degrees are accredited by the German Accreditation Council (Akkreditierungsrat) and granted by TH Koeln – University of Applied Sciences. MA graduates in Digital Games receive 90 ECTS.

The double-degree option with Cnam-Enjmin (France) is open to students who have already been accepted into the MA Digital Games program. CGL students who successfully applied to do the double-degree complete their third semester of study at Cnam-Enjmin and undertake an internship in the fourth semester. Upon completion, they are awarded degrees by both institutions. Funding opportunities are available through Erasmus+.

Further information on the partner program is available here.

The major challenge of game development programs is to meet the demands of the constantly shifting world of the games industry in both the shorter and longer term. Job descriptions, which outline the specific competencies required for a position, vary from company to company. Whilst individual skill sets will vary according to the individual ́s blend of creative and technical skills, graduates from CGL programs will be qualified for various roles in game development, e.g.:

• Game Designer
• Game Artist
• Game Programmer
• Interactive Designer
• Concept Author
• Game Director
• Project Manager

Furthermore, the broad interdisciplinary education at CGL might qualify graduates for game-related positions in related fields of interest such as journalism, communication, education, and applied research.

The table below provides an overview of the main differences between the two programs. You can find further details about each program here >MA Digital Games or here >MA Game Development & Research

*The 12 months of work experience count from the moment the applicant obtained their Bachelor’s degree until the start of classes at CGL in September.

**In both cases a general student fee of approximately 265 EUR per semester applies. This fee provides students with a ticket for public transportation in the area of North Rhine-Westphalia, including the cities of Cologne, Bonn, and Düsseldorf. In the case of the M.A. in Game Development and Research, this general fee is added to the tuition fee mentioned in the table.

The application tasks are published on CGL’s website in the beginning of March.

Each study program has a particular task or set of tasks.´The exact details concerning these tasks can only be disclosed with the official tasks’ document.

Applicants need to upload a CV, a portfolio, and a high school diploma. Master applicants need to upload their Bachelor’s degree as well. The form also requires applicants to fill in some fields with personal information and to provide a passport photo. Finally, the application tasks will also be submitted via the CGL application form that becomes active on March 1 each year.

In the first stage of the application process applicants are asked to send game-related work samples.

We accept everything from analogue to digital works. The work samples can be sent in a PDF document, as link to a Dropbox or Google Drive folder or an online portfolio, among other options. Analogue works need to be scanned or photographed and sent in digital form.

Some CGL students have created a Discord channel to assist you with any questions about preparing your portfolios. As successful applicants, the students contributing to this group can give useful advice on how to create an impressive portfolio. Curious? – This way, please!

German language skills are not necessary to study at Cologne Game Lab.

During the course of the application phase, the admission board tests the applicant’s English language skills (min. B2 level). Therefore, an additional official certificate, e.g. TOEFL, IELTS, is not necessary to be accepted. If you should have a valid language certificate of B2 level at hand, you can, of course, also include it in the PDF of your degree documents.

If you have unanswered questions on the MA Digital Games, contact: study-madg@colognegamelab.de

International applicants need to have their qualifications pre-validated by the German academic service Uni-Assist before/while applying to CGL (Deadline: March 31).

If you went to school or have studied outside Germany, you must not only apply to Cologne Game Lab through the form on our website, but also submit a couple of documents to the Uni-Assist service in Berlin. Uni-Assist verifies the validity of your secondary school leaving certificate and university degree (if applicable) in Germany.

For more detailed information visit the following websites:

• https://www.uni-assist.de/en/?pk_campaign=332
• http://www.th-koeln.de/en/academics/uni-assist-document-review_8553.php
• https://www.th-koeln.de/en/academics/admission-requirements_5982.php

If you have any further questions don’t hesitate to contact our International Office.

You can pre-check whether your secondary school or university diploma qualifies you for studying in Germany at anabin.kmk.org (in German language).

Choose “Hochschulabschlüsse”, your country and then the diploma you have obtained in order to check if and where it enables you to study. You also need to check whether or not your university is accredited. To check that, choose “Institutionen” on the left, your country and then the university where you studied at. There you should see the university’s “status”. If it says “H+” your university is accredited. “H-” means it is not accredited.

More information on the formal requirements for studying in Germany can be found here. 

Once you have passed the artistic-scientific aptitude test and Uni-Assist has greenlit your degree documents, you will receive a letter of admission from the Students’ Office of TH Koeln. You can use this letter of admission for the visa application process.

As the visa appointment situation in most countries is very competitive, we would generally advise you to make the appointment as early as possible – at best once you are invited to the interview stage. You can still cancel the appointment if you do not need it any longer.

More information on the visa process can be found on the homepage of the German embassy in your country or on the homepage of TH Koeln’s International Office: https://www.th-koeln.de/en/international_office/visa_66058.php

There are no tuition fees for the MA Digital Games, but every student has to pay a so called semester fee that includes a public transport pass for the whole semester as well as different administrative fees. For more information incl. the current amount of the semester fee please visit the TH Website.

Living and studying in Cologne involves various expenses, including accommodation, health insurance, and everyday living costs. The International Office of TH Koeln provides an overview of the average cost of living for students in Cologne, which can be found here: https://www.th-koeln.de/mam/downloads/englisch/average_cost_of_living_for_cologne_students.pd

In addition, the International Office offers general guidance on financing options for international students, including scholarships and part-time employment:

• General financing information: https://www.th-koeln.de/en/international_office/finances_51052.php
• Information on working while studying: https://www.th-koeln.de/en/international_office/working_51056.php

German students can find further information on financing and funding opportunities here: https://www.th-koeln.de/studium/finanzierung-und-foerderung_208.php

The following websites offer information on scholarships:

For German students: https://www.th-koeln.de/studium/stipendien_224.php

For international students: www.daad.de/en 

In Germany you do not automatically receive a spot in student housing, once you are admitted into a study program. You are required to find a place by yourself in student housing or on the private market.

If you are interested in student housing, apply early for a spot. The current processing time is 6 months and more. So, if you want to have a spot in the fall, you need to apply in spring to have chance. You can apply here: https://tl1host.eu/SWK/index.html#admission

The International Office of TH Koeln provides further pointers in your search for a place to stay: https://www.th-koeln.de/en/international_office/accommodation_54136.php

As students of TH Koeln, you have access to all its student services. Th Koeln provides an overview of the most important study documents, IT basics, platforms, etc. here: https://www.th-koeln.de/en/academics/information-for-first-year-students_75721.php

In the Digital Information Forum first-semester students can find videos by various departments and on a number of services that explain their major functions and processes: https://www.th-koeln.de/en/academics/virtual-information-forum_78529.php

International students can also consult the brochure Getting Started by the International Office that is more tailored to their needs: https://www.th-koeln.de/en/international_office/getting-started-at-th-koeln_66082.php

Yes. TH Koeln provides dedicated support services for students with special personal circumstances. The Family Service offers advice on studying with children, pregnancy, parental leave, and caring for relatives: https://www.th-koeln.de/studium/studium–familie_124590.php

Students with disabilities, chronic, or mental illnesses can receive guidance on inclusive studying, accessibility, and exam accommodations: https://www.th-koeln.de/studium/studium-mit-beeintraechtigung-chronischer-oder-psychischer-erkrankung_123873.php

In addition, confidential psychosocial and psychological counselling is available for students experiencing personal or study-related stress: https://www.th-koeln.de/studium/beratung-bei-psycho-sozialen-problemen_124006.php

Yes, the Language Learning Center of TH Koeln offers language courses free of charge to all of its students. International students can, for example, take German courses with them. Also German students are welcome to take English, French, Chinese, Spanish, Italian or Portuguese with them. Here is an overview of their offers: https://www.th-koeln.de/en/international_office/language-learning-center_68235.php