Title: Bachelor of Graphic Storytelling (GS)

Duration of the program: 4 years (240 ECTS), full time

Program start: August every two years (odd years only)

Language: English

Finances: Danish students can apply for SU. For more information on finances go to the 'Fees and finances'-section.

Study program: See the full study program here (PDF)

More information:

• Graduate Survey (PDF)
• Follow-up on Student Satisfaction Survey (PDF)

First year: Craft fundamentals and shortform storytelling

The first semester is all about the fundamentals of comics, from various approaches to drawing and story to digital and traditional tools. The second semester focuses on clarity in visual storytelling and short narratives, culminating in a collaborative anthology magazine project. 

Second year: Illustration, world-building, and long-form storytelling

The third semester focuses on illustration for books, magazines, and newspapers, as well as world-building and IP generation. 

The fourth semester explores a range of different storytelling genres and methods, culminating in a graphic novel pitch featuring 10 sample pages and a comprehensive synopsis, marking your first stab at a long-form story.  

Third year: Related fields, interactive media, and Applied Cartooning

The fifth semester focuses on fields outside of comics, including background design, storyboarding, and video games. Furthermore, you will be introduced to interactive comics and start to create your professional portfolio. The sixth semester deepens into more advanced sequential storytelling, including advanced writing techniques. The semester also features a five-week production where you and your fellow students will create Applied Cartoons together with outside clients.  

Fourth year: Internship and Bachelor Project

During the seventh semester, you get hands-on experience from the industry in a relevant internship for at least three months. The eighth semester is dedicated to the Bachelor Project, where you create original comics, illustrated books or story bibles.

Read Cathrin's diary from her internship with Ed Piskor

We only admit students to Graphic Storytelling every second year in September - odd years only. This means that the next admissions round is in March 2021.

Admission to The Animation Workshop’s bachelor programs is talent based. We are looking for students with excellent drawing and storytelling skills. Therefore, all applicants must participate in an entrance test to show whether they qualify for admission. 

In addition to the entrance test, you are required to have an upper secondary diploma as well as documented English skills corresponding to Danish B-level.
Applicants who meet these criteria and who pass the portfolio entrance test, are invited to an admissions test.

Find more in depth information about requirements, procedures etc. on our admissions page

Important dates

• Application deadline: March 15, 2021 11:59 am (CET – midday)
• Test and interview: May 2021
• Program start: Mid/late August 2021
• Next Open House with review sessions: October 8, 2020 

Quick overview of the application procedure

1. You apply through the page www.optagelse.dk (comprehensive step by step-guides are available in Danish and English from the page). The page opens on February 1st and closes on March 15, 2021, at 11:59 am (CET - midday). Latecomers are not accepted!
2. With the application, you submit your entrance test portfolio. The required hand-in format is a single PDF-file
3. You receive a receipt for your application and are invited to log on to VIA’s admissions portal, where you can keep track of your application
4. After the deadline, we evaluate the tests. Applicants who passes the first entrance test are invited to an admissions test and interview in Viborg in May 2021
5. The results of the admissions test are announced in June
6. The final enrolment is completed on the last workday of July

More information

• Go to the Admission page to get more information about requirements, procedures etc.
• Need help to figure out www.optagelse.dk? Download our Five step application guide
• Download the Admissions checklist to make sure you have all the right documentation
• Check out VIA's How to apply guide for non-Danish applicants

NB: We reserve the right not to create classes in the event of too few applicants.

All teaching and extracurricular activities at TAW are held in English. The student body as well as the teachers, community, and staff count many with an international background.

Read more about living and studying in Denmark

Applying to the educations with international background

International applicants apply on equal terms with Danish applicants, following the same deadlines and procedures. Please refer to our admissions pages for more information about application procedures, requirements and deadlines.

Interested in an exchange semester at The Animation Workshop?

Please visit the Exchange students section under the admissions pages to see more about availability, application procedures, requirements and deadlines.

Visa and residency

Coming to Denmark from a Nordic or EU/EEA country, including Switzerland, you are free to live, study and work in Denmark. However, you must register with the Danish Immigration Service as well as the local municipality, if you intend to stay more than 3 months.

If you are coming to Denmark from outside the EU, you need a tourist visa (valid up to 3 months) or a residence permit (for stays exceeding 90 days). Normally, you must apply for visa or residence permit prior to your arrival in Denmark. Applying for a visa is a part of the enrollment process for the bachelor educations and is initiated by the school after you have been admitted to the program.

For detailed information about the application process and requirements, please visit the website of the Danish Immigration service.

Registering for Danish Social Security number (CPR) and Danish Health Insurance scheme

You must register in order to receive a Danish CPR-number. It is a social identity code which is key to all public registration and services, including tax, opening a bank-account, etc. Furthermore, the CPR-number will guarantee free public health insurance for the entirety of your stay (after a quarantine for the first six weeks for non-EU citizens).

Tuition fees

Students coming from countries outside of EU/EEA must pay tuition fees, unless they hold a permanent Danish residence permit. Paying the first year’s fee is a precondition for obtaining a student’s residence permit.

The fee for students matriculating in 2020 is € 7,300 per semester (€1,100 for the internship semester).

Payment schedule for Graphic Storytelling (PDF)

There are no tuition fees for students coming from Denmark, the Nordic countries, EU/EEA countries and Switzerland.

Materials fee

All students must pay a materials fee of 2200 DKK (300 EUR) per month, except for the internship semester.

• Total fee for Bachelor in Graphic Storytelling:
  - 42 months x DKK 2200 = DKK 92,400 

The fee covers costs and services which students at other institutions are expected to pay for themselves, and include:

• Individual work stations including an industry standard computer and Wacom board
• Animation drawing table
• Various animation supplies: specialty pencils, paper, books and readers, sketch books
• Study trips to animation film festivals
• Software and materials related to creating the productions
  and much more.

See full Material list (PDF)

Living Costs

You should expect average monthly living costs between 5000-7000 DKK (roughly 650-900 EUR), including accommodation.

Financial support for Danish students

The bachelor program is approved for SU for the official duration (4 years or 46 months). 

Apply for SU

Financial support for students from EU/ EEA countries 

Foreign students are not eligible for the Danish educational support scheme (SU). Some exceptions are made for refugees and relatives of refugees and for other foreign citizens. EU citizens may be eligible for SU if they have a contract for 10-12 work hours per week.

More information about SU for foreign students

Scholarships for highly qualified students from outside the EU and the EEA

Each year, VIA awards a limited number of scholarships to highly qualified students from countries outside the EU and the EEA. The scholarship can be applied for by all current, international and tuition-fee paying students who have completed the first year of studies at VIA (2 semesters). A maximum of two full semesters can be awarded during studies at VIA. 

You can read more about the scholarship (selection criteria and application dates) and find the application form here.

Shortly after you have been accepted into TAW, you will be contacted by the school’s Housing Coordinator with specific housing information.

TAW itself has no accommodation. The school's role is to provide various opportunities for housing and help create contact between housing providers and new students - and to assist with language barriers if necessary. If you need language assistance, please contact taw.housing@via.dk. Students can choose to apply for a dorm room - or make arrangements with private housing providers - for example for shared apartments with fellow students.

Cost of Living 

Dorm rooms in Viborg typically cost between 2500-3500 DKK (250-470 EUR) per month depending on size and whether you are willing to share facilities. Utility expenses, like electricity, internet and heating, are often paid separately and cost around 600 DKK (80 EUR) per month. Private rooms in shared apartments can range depending on size, location and other factors, but aren’t drastically different from the cost of student accommodation.

Camp Logos 

The dormitory Camp Logos is located across the street from the school and houses many of our students. Rooms at Camp Logos come with basic furniture. The availability in Camp Logos is very limited at this point. However, a new wing is under development and expected to be completed in August 2018. The school will contact you with further information about Camp Logos, prices and availability, shortly after you have been accepted into TAW.

The Merkur dormitory 

Merkur Kollegiet (The Merkur dormitory) is located in a newer residential area in Viborgs eastern district, 3.8 km from The Animation Workshop. All rooms are furnished with bed and desk and all have cable TV and free internet access. Each room has a storage room.

Shared apartments

It is our experience that the majority of our students prefer to move into a shared flat in the city. Join our Facebook Housing group to team up with other students looking for roommates and new tenants for the apartments, they are leaving themselves.

These websites may also be helpful:

• Boligselskabet Sct. Jørgen(Camp Logos and various rentals across city) 
• Boligselskabet Viborg(Merkur Kollegiet and various rentals across city)
• Danhousing (many large apartments in the city – suitable for sharing) 
• BoligPortal
• Boligdeal.dk 

If you have questions about housing or need language assistance, please contact taw.housing@via.dk