Questions and answers about the central entrance examination.

The central entrance examination of Burg Giebichenstein Kunsthochschule Halle will not take place on site in 2021, but will be conducted digitally. This FAQ answers the most important questions about the entrance examination. Please contact the Enrollment Office at Elena Pastjan (ed.ellah-grub@najtsap) if your questions have not yet been answered here.

>>>Application<<<

What is the general procedure for applying at the BURG?

First, you register for the entrance examination on the portal azul.burg-halle.de until March 1, 2021. After you have registered, you will receive a PDF including a code number and all important information, the "BURG sheet", which asks for general data, as well as a document explaining your desired course of study. Then, starting March 2, 2021, you can upload all documents (the completed PDFs received during registration, your CV, certificates) as well as your portfolio to the portal ep.burg-halle.de. On the portal, you can change your uploads until March 15, 2021, or adjust and check them again. You will then receive information from us by e-mail on how to proceed.

Until when is it possible to apply for a study program at the BURG?
The registration for the entrance examination is possible until Monday, March 1, 2021.

Can I change my choice of study again after registering for the entrance examination?

Even if you have registered online for a specific course/field of study, you can still change your selection until 1 March, 2021.  To do so, please contact Elena Pastjan (ed.ellah-grub@najtsap) from the Enrollment Office by e-mail and mention the code number you received via registration at AZUL. Please do NOT register again online at AZUL. Afterwards you can't change your selection anymore.

>>>Submission of the portfolio<<<

Until when can I submit my portfolio?
The digital portfolio submission is possible from March 2 to 15, 2021 in the upload portal ep.burg-halle.de. Before that, you must register at azul.burg-halle.de by March 1.

Where do I upload my digital portfolio and documents received after registration?
After you have registered on azul.burg-halle.de, a PDF document is automatically generated that you have to download and print. Fill out all documents completely and scan them back in or take photos with your smartphone.
Then call up ep.burg-halle.de. You can log in there with your AZUL credentials (the code you received when you registered and as password your date of birth in the form YYYY/MM/DD). On the platform ep.burg-halle.de you will also find instructions (titled "Please read first"), which you should read through first.
In addition to the PDF you received after registering with AZUL (BURG sheet as well as the statement of intended study), you can upload your certificates and CV here, as well as in the folder "Portfolio", your works.
Foreign applicants please also upload your preliminary examination documentation from uni-assist.

I have forgotten my access data for uploading my portfolio to ep.burg-halle.de, what are they?
Your AZUL access data are also your access data for the upload portal ep-burg-halle.de. They consist on the one hand of the identification number you received when registering on AZUL and on the other hand of a password. The password is always your date of birth in the form YYYY/MM/DD.

What exactly does digital portfolio mean?
We need digital images of your work. We recommend that you scan or photograph them. You will find out which tools we recommend for uploading in the following questions. Also digitally, your portfolio should contain at least 20 samples of your work. The work must have been made by you. The digital portfolio should consist of drawing work as well as other artistic and/or design work that reveals individual interests, working methods, and representational skills, and demonstrates interest in your chosen field of study. For applications in the BA Multimedia|VR Design and Diploma Time-Based Arts programs, moving images or audio files can also be submitted. How this is done in a purely digital way is explained in the following question.

*For MM|VR design and time-based arts applicants only*.
What do I do with larger files like moving images or audio files?
Please refrain from uploading such files due to space limitations! Instead, we ask you to submit moving images, audio files, etc. exclusively via download link (e.g. Google Drive, Dropbox or links to YouTube or Vimeo). To do this, enter the links in a Microsoft Word, PDF or Open/LibreOffice document and upload this to the folder („Mappe“). Please make sure that the content is still accessible via the links after a few weeks.

How can I still upload my work from my portfolio and all other documents without a professional scanner?
You can also take photos of the work with a smartphone or digital camera and upload them in jpg format. Alternatively, we recommend the smartphone app Nextcloud (avaible at Android or Apple iOS). With the app Nextcloud you can connect directly to the upload portal ep.burg-halle.de and upload photos of your documents (PDFs of registration, CV, certificates) as well as photos of work from your portfolio. You can find out exactly how Nextcloud works on the upload portal ep.burg-halle.de in a separate description on the homepage.

Do I have to use the Nextcloud app to upload my documents?
No, you can simply take scans and photos of your documents on your own and upload them. We recommend the app only as a tip for convenience, or in case you don't have the means to scan documents.

What size can my digital portfolio be?
Each person has a maximum of 200 MB at their disposal.

What do I do if the colours and materials of my work in the photos or scans do not look like the original?
We are aware that photos or scans do not exactly reproduce the original. This fact will be taken into account by the examiners. You do not have to incur any additional expenses to have your portfolio professionally digitized.

Is it still possible to send portfolios to the BURG by mail?
No, unfortunately this is not possible. The portfolios can only be submitted digitally.

What do I do with works that I cannot simply scan?
Try, for example, to take photos with different perspectives of your works and supplement them with notes on the materials used.

How do I know if my digital folder has arrived?
You can access your digital portfolio yourself via ep.burg-halle.de with your access data until March 15, 2021 and see whether everything is online. Your AZUL access data are also your access data for the upload portal ep-burg-halle.de. These consist on the one hand of the identification number you received when registering on AZUL and on the other hand of a password. The password is always your date of birth in the form YYYY/MM/DD.

Can I upload my portfolio again?
Yes, you can delete, change and re-upload your portfolio in the "Mappe" (Portfolio) folder at any time until March 15, 2021 via ep.burg-halle.de and with your access data. Your AZUL access data are also your access data for the upload portal ep-burg-halle.de. These consist on the one hand of the identification number you received when registering on AZUL and on the other hand of a password. The password is always your date of birth in the form YYYY/MM/DD.

Will the deadline be extended if I have not yet received my portfolio back from another university?
Unfortunately, the deadlines cannot be extended. In exceptional cases, please contact Ms. Pastjan ed.ellah-grub@najtsap. 

Who will inform me about the current status of my application?
You will be informed about the ongoing status of your application by e-mail. Therefore, please check your e-mail box regularly.

About the procedure of the entrance examination
The exact procedure of the entrance exams will differ in the two departments of art and design. You will be informed in time by e-mail about the procedure, so please check your mailbox regularly.

>>>Questions and Support<<<

Who can help me with questions about the required documents?

If you have any questions regarding the required documents, the Enrollment and Examination Office at BURG will be happy to assist you:

Who do I contact with technical questions about the upload portal?
If you have technical questions about the portal ep.burg-halle.de, please contact the Computing Center:

>>>Information<<<

From now on, please read your mails regularly to make sure that you receive all information regarding the entrance examination.