Study start

Note

The events in Cologne are open to all first-semester students, regardless of campus or department.

Monday, October 5, 2026

• 1:00 p.m. – approx. 5:00 p.m. | Foyer
  Central Student Advising Information Booth
• 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | Foyer
  IT Consultation Hours
• 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM | Chamber Music Hall, Cologne
  Welcome for First-YearStudents
• 3:30–5:30 p.m.
  Information Sessions / Academic Organization, Part 1
  All the important information about your studies and your points of contact. Stop by, get informed, and get to know us.
• 3:30 p.m. | Chamber Music Hall
  Academic Organization—Ilias, Asimut, Course Catalog
• 4:30 p.m. | Chamber Music Hall
  Advising Services—All contact persons will introduce themselves
• approx. 5:30 p.m. | Meeting point: Foyer
  City scavenger hunt with the ZSB student team and the AStA
  Registration required!

Tuesday, October 6, 2026

• 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Room 14
  Freshman breakfast with the Central Student Advisory Service team
  Registration required!
• 11:30 a.m. – approx. 4:00 p.m. | Foyer
  Information booth of the Central Student Advising Office
• 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Foyer
  IT consultation hours
• 11:30 a.m. | Meet at the information booth in the foyer
  Campus tour with the Facilities Management Department
  Registration required!
• 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. | Room 14
  Information Sessions / Academic Organization, Part 2
• 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Room 14
  Registrar’s Office / Exam Office – Information on the Student Handbook / Academic Plan
• 1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Room 1
  Relaxation session with our psychologist Isa Matthes
• 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. | Room 14
  Presentation of professional development opportunities
• 2:30–3:30 p.m. | Room 14
  Study Abroad and Scholarships
• 2:30–3:30 p.m. | Library
  Library tour; meet in the library foyer
  Registration required!
• 3:30 p.m. – approx. 4:30 p.m. | Room 14
  Info Workshop for International Students – We’ll explain everything to you in English!

Students in the woodwind, string and piano instrument groups are required to take several semesters of chamber music.

Students of all locations of the woodwind, string and piano classes can find all information and the registration form for chamber music lessons here:

https://ilias.hfmt-koeln.de/goto.php?target=crs_76657_rcode49J8eRhaDW&client_id=HFMT

Please log in to the ILIAS chamber music course with your HfMT access data (HfMT e-mail address and password).

Important dates for the start of the semester

07.10.2026 von 11-13 Uhr, Kammermusiksaal Köln:
Speed dating chamber music: find ensembles, meet chamber music teachers, clarify questions

If you have any questions, please contact the Chamber Music Office:

kammermusik@hfmt-koeln.de

0221-28380 222

Room 102 in the HfMT main building Cologne

Students with a Bachelor of Music degree for all orchestral instruments or a Master of Music degree for all orchestral instruments are required to play in the university orchestra.

Requirements for the degree are

• 21 ECTS points in the Bachelor's degree
• 9 ECTS points in the Master's degree
• 3 ECTS points are awarded for participation in the opera
• 1.5 ECTS points for each orchestra phase

In the winter semester 2026/27, the following orchestra phases will take place in Cologne:

will be added later

If you would like information on the university orchestra's planned projects and would like to register for a phase, please send an email to: Orchesterbuero-Koeln@hfmt-koeln.de

There are also orchestra projects at the Aachen and Wuppertal locations, please get in touch with the following contact persons if you have any questions.

• Wuppertal location: Ursula Willsch via Orchesterbuero-Aachen@hfmt-koeln.de
• Aachen location: Marc Vogler via Orchesterbuero-Wuppertal@hfmt-koeln.de

All rooms at the university in Cologne are managed exclusively online through Asimut, a software for room bookings and event management.

• FAQs/Tutorials

The language of lessons is German.

We offer various German courses, especially for new students who have not yet obtained the relevant language certificate.

• Intensive week A2 - especially for Master's students in their first semester
• Intensive day for Bachelor students - information on language level, learning tips, placement test
• A2 exam preparation course
• Beginners' course A2/B1
• Further workshops

All information, dates and registration via Ilias .

The university offers numerous advisory and service offers to support you in all phases of your studies and even before.

There are plans to introduce the Deutschland-Semesterticket for the 2024/25 winter semester. The Deutschland-Semesterticket is a special ticket for students that allows them to use public transport throughout Germany. It offers travel on regional trains, buses and trains within the area of validity and is included in the semester fee.

The Deutschland-Semesterticket is available online for students who are successfully enrolled or re-registered.

For the 2025/26 winter semester, a link to the new ticket shops for downloading the Deutschland Semester Ticket was implemented. All eligible students were informed about the new procedure by email. If you did not receive an email, please contact: studiensekretariat@hfmt-koeln.de 

An overview of all IT services and how you can use them can be found on this Ilias page.

You will receive the access data for Ilias via muvac from the Student Administration Office. Instructions on how to access the information page of our IT department are enclosed with your student handbook.

If you have any questions, please contact our IT support: it-support@hfmt-koeln.de

After enrollment, you will get  your study book at the study secretariat (no later than one week before the start of your studies). The study book is important for the smooth execution of your studies.

For a successful start to your studies, you will find the following in the study book

• Student ID card
• your matriculation certificate
• an overview of the forms of examination
• your study plan
• your test sheets and the relevant examination protocols

We offer an information session on the study book during the introductory week. If you have any questions or uncertainties, please contact the Central Student Advisory Service.

At the start of your degree programme, you will receive your student ID card with your student handbook when you enrol (see student handbook). This is your card for everything and you should always have it with you. The student ID is a blue chip card that has several functions. For example, it is your

• Card for using the room booking system Asimut
• Library card

In addition, the chip card allows you access to the main building in Cologne through the rear entrance, access to the IT room in the library and access to the overrooms at the Aachen location.

IMPORTANT: Every semester, after your re-registration, you have to revalidate the card to make it valid for the semester. You will find the machine for this next to room 2 at the rear exit of the university at the Cologne location. In case of defects, loss or for the creation of the chip card, please contact the IT department. You can reach them by e-mail at chipkarte@hfmt-koeln.de.
Consultation hours are also Tuesday and Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in Theodor-Heuss-Ring, 2nd floor, room 204. Please ring HfMT Personal/Finanzen/IT.
If you have any problems gaining access via your smart card, please contact: zutritt@hfmt-koeln.de.

On the back of the chip card is your borrowing number for the library. You can use it to borrow books and sheet music on site or order them online. More information is available at the library on the 4th floor or at the site libraries in Aachen and Wuppertal.