Your application to the Max Reinhardt Seminar

To be admitted to study at the Max Reinhardt Seminar, participation in an entrance examination is required. The entrance examination takes place in several selection rounds with various tasks. A committee of teaching staff uses this to assess your suitability for the degree programme. After each round, you will find out whether you have passed and are therefore invited to the next round. Once you pass the final round, you will be offered a study place at the Max Reinhardt Seminar.

Taking part in an entrance examination can be exciting and sometimes requires a bit of effort. The information on this page can help you prepare your application in the best possible way. And even if it doesn't work out straight away: failing the entrance exam is not a judgement on your talent. Taking part can still be an important experience on your journey.

We look forward to meeting you.

The prerequisite for studying is a successfully passed entrance examination.

The general university entrance qualification (Matura/Abitur) is for the directing degree programme not required.

The language of instruction is German. Proficiency in the German language is a prerequisite for the degree programme. Further information can be found in the mdw Language Proficiency Regulations

For the directing entrance examination with a start date of October 2026, discussion of stagings for two plays was required. You can choose between two groups (A or B).

GROUP A (2026)

1.)
Sophocles: Antigone
In the translation by Friedrich Hölderlin

2.)
Lucy Kirkwood: The Firmament
Translated by Corinna Brocher

GROUP B (2026)

1.)
Henrik Ibsen: Hedda Gabler
Editors: Julius Elias, Paul Schlenther

2.)
Ferdinand Schmalz: The Thermal Resistance

We make the texts available as a download link.

Step 1: Registration

The Max Reinhardt Seminar is an institute of mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. During the registration period, the mdw online form unlocked. There you create a basic account, and enter your desired degree programme.

Step 2: Confirmation of participation

After the registration deadline has passed, you will receive an email from the Max Reinhardt Seminar. You will be asked to confirm your participation in the entrance examination. In the following days, you will receive an invitation to the examination.

Step 3: Check-in for the exam at the Max Reinhardt Seminar
At last, the time has come: your entrance exam is just around the corner. You arrive at the Max Reinhardt Seminar at the agreed time and check in with our study services secretary. 

First round:

The day begins with a written examination of theoretical and historical knowledge in the fields of theatre, literature and culture. This is followed by a staging discussion, in which you converse with the committee about one of the prepared plays (drama analysis, scenic solution). You will find out the result of the first round by email and via a notice on-site.

Second round:

In a further staging discussion, you will present your thoughts and staging ideas for the second prepared play. You will find out the result of the second round via email or on the noticeboard on site.

Third round:

Now you will complete various tests involving scenic tasks, which you will bring to the stage together with acting students from the Max Reinhardt Seminar. This could be, for example, a short scene that you will direct spontaneously. You cannot prepare for this separately. You will find out the result of the third and final round – and therefore whether we can offer you a study place – by email via the StudienCenter.

How many times am I allowed to sit the entrance exam at the Max Reinhardt Seminar?

You can apply again every year. For this, there are none Restrictions.

Do I need to have read the plays, or is a summary enough?

To be able to make an informed decision about which group of pieces (A or B) you would like to present to the committee with, we recommend reading all four pieces. You should know the two pieces of your chosen group very well in order to be able to talk about the characters, the content, the form, the world and language of the piece, and above all your personal, artistic view of the pieces.

What happens if I fail the written part of the exam?

The written part of the exam gives the committee the opportunity to gain a short, additional impression of the applicants and their prior knowledge beyond the staging interviews. In the second and third rounds, the committee can refer to some of your answers and ask questions about them. This test does not determine whether you pass the exam.

What is …

... a staging rehearsal?
The commission will ask you questions about your personal, artistic approach to the respective piece. This will result in a conversation about your comprehensive understanding of the text and your staging concept. If you wish, you are welcome to bring notes in whatever format suits you best.

… a staging concept?
You are considering how and why you want, or even have to, stage a particular piece today. You should be able to describe where your main focuses lie and how you want to tell the piece in your very own way.

… a drama analysis?
To be able to work on a piece, you must first thoroughly understand it and how it works. There is no universal recipe for this, but there are a few formal criteria you can look at. For example, the structure of the narrative, the language, the character constellation, etc.

 ... a dramatic solution?
Many plays sooner or later confront the director with staging challenges. How, for example, do you depict changes of location, leaps in time, violence or sexuality on stage? The scenic solution would be the concrete implementation idea for the stage.

Do I need drawings such as costume and set design sketches?

We would like to enter into a dialogue with you and get to know you as an artistic personality. You do not necessarily need to bring drafts with you. However, if you happen to create sketches, a mood board or similar during your preparations anyway, please feel free to bring them along. In any case, you should be able to describe to the committee what the set design/costumes for your staging would look like.

Can I use a data projector / computer for my production analysis? Should I make a handout?

We would like to have a conversation with you. Therefore, a presentation with a projector/computer is not possible. You are welcome to bring a handout for visual support, but it is not necessary.

If you have any further questions, you can find our contact details below.

If you have any questions about our entrance examinations: We are here to help!

Log in to mdw online form

For questions regarding registration on mdw-Online, as well as study law matters:
Study Centre of the mdw
University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna
Anton-von-Webern-Platz 1, 1030 Vienna
+43 1 711 55-6900
studiencenter@mdw.ac.at
Link to the Study Centre

All information regarding on-site check-in and the examination procedure:
Max Reinhardt Seminar Administration Office
Penzinger Straße 9, 1140 Vienna
ANITA NAGL
+43 1 711 55-2802
bewerben-mrs@mdw.ac.at