Art is a universal language... right?

January 14, 2015 2:32 PM

Mefites, do you know of any master's/postgraduate opportunities in art for an international student who doesn't know any European languages?

Asking for a friend. She's a Turkish citizen and will graduate with her BA in fine arts this year. She paints and draws. Foreign language education is expensive and often low-quality in the Kurdish region of Turkey where she lives. (She currently speaks Kurdish and Turkish). She wants to get an art degree somewhere interesting and learn a new language while she does it. Her priorities:

-A program that also has opportunities for language study or one that simply doesn't have language requirements for admission.

-Scholarship opportunities. I found listings of scholarships for students from developing countries at this website, but a lot of programs seem to require TOEFL or another language certification.

-She's particularly interested in being in Europe or Latin America.

Do you know of any art graduate degree programs anywhere in the world that are suited to international students like my friend? Maybe ones with scholarship opportunities for students from places affected by conflict and economic inequality?

posted by a sourceless light to Education (7 answers total)

I think your friend should look into the Erasmus Exchange programme. This is offered by many or most European universities. It seems the website or rather its search function is not working right now, so here also the wikipedia article. Basically it is an exchange, which she needs to apply for through her current uni.

For example The Hochschule für Bildende Künste Hamburg has an Erasmus Exchange with two Turkish universities (scroll to end of list, links are there to websites in Turkish).

But I am sure there are many more, she should speak to the Erasmus advisor at her current uni, or contact this office:
THE CENTRE FOR EUROPEAN UNION EDUCATION AND YOUTH PROGRAMMES (TURKISH NATIONAL AGENCY)
Mevlana Bulvari N°181, Balgat
06520, Ankara
Turkey
Tel: [phone]

Web:
www.ua.gov.tr
eMail: [e-mail]

The language issue maybe a hurdle, but perhaps she can start on a language now? I think at many unis they have pre-sessional courses, or English for academic purposes for those with basic skills. She would need some basic language skills in the country's language in any European country anyway, due to visa restrictions.
posted by 15L06 at 3:48 PM on January 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

I think you need to pass some language tests (such as TOEFL) in order to qualify for Erasmus. They may be different from country to country. Scholarships are probably all private, in the sense that your friends needs to find trusts or other sources of money for international exchange. From experience, this is not nearly as hard as meeting the language requirements.
Last year, my uni refused a really bright student who spoke perfect English because he failed the TOEFL. I tried to get him an exemption, because I speak his native language and we can get nearly all the relevant literature in his native language. NO.
posted by mumimor at 5:32 PM on January 14, 2015

Best answer: The DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) offers funding opportunities for artists. They also offer other scholarships that might be more relevant for what she's looking for, such as a Scholarship for Foreign Graduates of Fine Art, as well as intensive language courses for foreign graduates.

Edit: I haven't read the fine print for those, so I'm not sure whether it would be detrimental to her application that she speaks no German.
posted by kinddieserzeit at 7:23 PM on January 14, 2015

It's fairly inexpensive to learn Spanish in latin america, as long as you're okay with living in the developing world. It's total immersion, so you don't need to know any Spanish and they don't need to speak your language. For a few hundred dollars a week, you can get room and board and 5 days of one on one lessons. A few months of that is probably enough to get by in spanish, and then school should be a lot easier to deal with.

Also, duolingo has free english lessons in turkish.
posted by empath at 8:35 AM on January 15, 2015

I met a couple of Japanese girls who studied fashion or baking or something similar in Paris and didn't speak more than minimal French. That said, Paris is super expensive. Personally, I'd also be scared to live alone in a country where I couldn't even communicate with anyone if I had a problem.

I don't like to suggest this after my recent experience (see history if you want), but maybe being an au-pair could work for her?
posted by LoonyLovegood at 12:19 PM on January 15, 2015

The DAAD requires proof of knowledge of German. This is why I think Erasmus may be marginally easier as some of the unis offering erasmus exchange will offer pre session language classes for beginners.

without trying to put a damper on enthusiasm, I think it will be impossible to study within the EU unless she knows some other language beside Turkish and Kurdish. Visa requirements in all EU countries demand language tests, including for students. If she starts some language class now (even an online course ), she will have an easier time to find an opportunity / programme.
posted by 15L06 at 12:51 PM on January 15, 2015

15L06, I think that the info at your link relates to university courses offered in German. There are courses offered in Germany in other languages, such as English.

And some programmes, eg Schloss Solitude in my first link above, need you to speak either English or German or French, not necessarily all of the languages.

Some German knowledge is definitely an advantage, but the OP/OPs friend will need to do some research to see whether there are options that are available without German knowledge. Germany has a large Turkish community, some of whom speak little German.
posted by kinddieserzeit at 11:41 PM on January 15, 2015