Design and media courses with an education voucher
18 design and media courses with an education voucher: graphic design, Adobe software, UX/UI, web design, video and photography. Online with support.
Here you will find courses for people who work creatively or want to move towards the creative and media industry. Some courses are designed for beginners, others expect basic skills and go deeper into a specific program or field. All 18 courses are online distance courses with tutor support that you can take full-time, part-time or alongside work.
Broadly, there are three groups. Software courses such as graphics software: Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, the advanced courses in Illustrator and InDesign, image editing with Adobe Photoshop, video editing with Adobe Premiere and motion design each take about five weeks full-time. Specialist courses such as typography, illustration, photography, cross-media design, UX/UI design, 3D design, game design and game development or video production take between about five and ten weeks. The most extensive programmes are graphic design, product design, web design and fashion design, with 17 to 20 weeks full-time, some ending with a final project. In addition, there is the short portfolio course for anyone applying for a degree in design, art or architecture.
The courses can be funded with an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein, § 81 SGB III). Whether you receive one is decided by your employment agency (since 2025 also if you are supported by a Jobcenter), typically with a view to your professional background and goals. Check software and equipment in advance, as many courses require specific programs or devices. Our advice is free: we help you find the course that matches your prior knowledge and prepare the meeting with your adviser.
Funded courses in this area
19 courses
AZAV-certifiedEducation voucher
Graphics software: Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign
Course code KB-7811
View details
AZAV-certifiedEducation voucher
Portfolio course for creative degree programmes
Course code KB-9753
View detailsWhat to look for when choosing a course
- Clarify the software: many courses require access to Adobe programs, 3D design needs a Windows computer for 3ds Max, and product design needs the 3D software Rhino.
- Beginner or advanced: the advanced courses in Illustrator and InDesign and UX/UI design expect prior knowledge, UX/UI design even solid skills in a graphics program.
- Check your equipment: photography needs a digital camera, tripod and simple lighting, game design and game development a computer powerful enough for game engines.
- Weigh the scope: a software course takes about five weeks full-time, graphic design or product design about 20 weeks, and up to twelve months alongside work.
Frequently asked questions about this area
Do I need to be able to draw for a design course?
For most courses, no. Drawing skills are explicitly not required for graphic design, and cross-media design can be completed without strong Adobe skills using PowerPoint, Keynote or Google Slides. It is different for illustration, fashion design and the portfolio course: drawing plays a central role there, and you need drawing materials or a drawing program.
Will I be given the Adobe software for the course?
The course details state that you need access to the relevant programs, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere or After Effects. We clarify with you before enrolment how you can get a licence for the specific course. For Autodesk 3ds Max in the 3D design course a free education licence is available, but only for Windows.
Does a course replace vocational training as a media designer?
No. The courses end with a certificate from the training provider and are state-approved distance learning courses (ZFU). They do not replace a recognised vocational qualification. They do, however, document concrete skills, for example in Adobe software, UX/UI design or web development with HTML and CSS, which you can show in applications and with your own work samples.