Entry requirements

Admission requirements: Pre-skills in Contemporary dance and Classical dance

To enter the contemporary dance program in Berlin, you should have previous experience in Contemporary dance / Modern dance, Classical dance or Jazz dance. Your technical skills must be demonstrated at one of our dance auditions or by a video audition. Your show us your natural moving talent in a solo that your prepare for the audition (not longer than two minutes). The age limit is 26 years. Exceptions may be possible under certain circumstances.

Formal requirements

a completed school education (you can hand in your intermediate or advanced school leaving certificate after your successful audition)
a Sport Fitness Certificate (can also be handed in after your successful audition)
you should be 16 years and above (under 18’s require a signed permit from their guardians)

Your application must include

a CV
Portrait photo
summarized report of dance experience
short personal statement why you want to be a dance

After a successful audition, you will need to look for accommodation in good time if you are not from Berlin!

International Applications: Welcome to Berlin!

Since our founding of our international dance program, we have welcomed dance students from all over the world and love bringing different cultures and artistic influences together at the Villa Balance.

Depending on your country or continent of origin, there are important bureaucratic steps to consider before your arrival. We have summarized the most important information for you below:

1. Applicants from the EU, EEA, and Switzerland

If you come from the EU, the European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland, you enjoy full freedom of movement. You do not need a student visa or a residence permit. Once you have found a room or an apartment in Berlin, you only need to register at the local registration office (Bürgeramt) within 14 days.

2. Visa-Free Entry (e.g., USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, Brazil)

Citizens of certain countries are allowed to enter Germany as tourists without a visa. However, you must apply for a residence permit for educational purposes at the Berlin Immigration Office (LEA) within the first 90 days of your arrival.

Important: To obtain approval, you must present your Balance 1 education contract as well as full proof of financial resources.

3. Applicants from all other countries (Visa Requirements)

If you come from a non-EU/EEA country (third country), you must apply for a National Visa for study or training purposes at the German embassy in your home country before traveling.

Important: Please allow plenty of time for this process—as a rule, you should plan for a processing time of at least 6 months!

What is required for the visa application?

Letter of Acceptance: Your signed training contract and the official certificate of enrollment from our academy.
Proof of Financial Resources: You must prove that you can cover your living expenses in Berlin for the first year. The statutory minimum amount is currently €992 per month (or €11,904 per year). This is usually proven via a so-called Blocked Account (Sperrkonto, e.g., through providers like Expatrio, Fintiba, or Coracle) or through an official declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung).
Health Insurance: Simple travel health insurance is not sufficient for a long-term stay. You will need a special German or international student health insurance policy.
Passport & Photos: A valid passport and recent biometric passport photos.
Letter of Motivation: A personal letter explaining why you want to complete your professional dance training specifically in Berlin and at the Balance 1 Academy greatly increases your chances at the embassy.
- Important Note: Please understand that asking us to call the German embassy to "put in a good word" for you is counterproductive. Consulate staff are extremely busy and explicitly request not to be contacted by phone regarding application statuses. Interventions by educational institutions or universities are not welcome and will not accelerate the processing of your application.

Language Requirements: Do you need to speak German?

Classes at the Balance 1 Academy are taught bilingually in German and English. Therefore, a good command of the English language is strictly required. If you want to live and dance in Germany, we strongly recommend attending basic German courses beforehand. In daily school life, however, our international students usually pick up the German language very quickly through close contact with their German-speaking peers.

Choosing the Right Dance Academy: An Honest Guide for Your Career

Today, there are more dance education programs available in Germany than ever before. Choosing the academy where you will spend the next three years of your life is a major decision.

This short guide will help you navigate your options and make the right choice for your future:

Does the profile match your artistic goals?
Curriculums and focus areas vary significantly between academies. Which dance styles are closest to your heart? Are these styles taught intensively at the school you are auditioning for? Use websites and social media for a first impression, but do not rely on them blindly.
Never sign a contract under pressure
We strongly recommend auditioning at several institutions. You can only truly feel the atmosphere of a school when you are on-site and talk to the people. Never let an academy rush you after an audition. If a school demands that you sign an education contract immediately, be cautious. You have every right to take your time and think about which academy best meets your expectations. The claim that "your spot will be gone tomorrow" is rarely true anymore. The market currently offers more training slots than there are applicants.
Beware of schools badmouthing competitors
If an academy tells you during your audition that all other training programs are of inferior quality, alarm bells should ring. Serious and professional academies do not need to put others down. Imagine if there were only a single good dance institute in all of Germany and all others were bad—that would be tragic for contemporary dance as an art form. Do not let such claims manipulate you. Always form your own opinion based on your personal experience.
The bureaucratic reality: Pay attention to the school's legal status
Make sure you complete your education at an officially recognized vocational dance academy (Ergänzungsschule). Since Germany is a highly bureaucratic country, this status has far greater implications than you might think—especially regarding the international validity of your final certificate.

The Subtle Difference: Why an "Approved" Academy Holds More Value Than a "Registered" One

When researching dance programs in Germany, you will notice that almost all private schools advertise that they are "BAföG-eligible" (eligible for German state student funding). While this is true, it often leads to a major misunderstanding. The Berlin School Act (Berliner Schulgesetz) strictly differentiates between two legal categories of private vocational schools (regulated under § 102 and § 103 SchulG):

1. The "Registered" Vocational School (Angezeigte Ergänzungsschule – § 102 SchulG)
The operation of these schools is merely reported (registered) to the school supervisory authority. The Berlin Senate knows the school exists and grants state funding (BAföG) to its students under certain conditions. However, the curriculums, the qualifications of the teachers, and the final examinations are not monitored, controlled, or certified by the government.

2. The "Approved" Vocational School (Anerkannte Ergänzungsschule – § 103 SchulG — Balance 1 Academy)
The status of an approved vocational academy (originally granted under § 9a of the historic Private School Act, now transitioned into § 103 of the current Berlin School Act) is a genuine government seal of quality awarded to very few schools. It guarantees:

Certified Quality: Our curriculum is officially reviewed, audited, and approved by the Berlin School Registry and Supervisory Authority.
State-Approved Qualification: According to § 103 Paragraph 2 of the School Act, our graduation certificate entitles you to bear a professional title that carries the prestigious official addition "Staatlich anerkannt" (State-Approved).

For international applicants and their families, this status provides the ultimate security that your three-year education at Balance 1 is not just a private creative project. You are completing a state-monitored, highly regulated educational path resulting in an officially recognized professional qualification.

You can read about this (only in german) in the Berlin School Law.