• 1773–1789 Lambert Krahe
• 1789–1806 Johann Peter von Langer
• 1819–1824 Peter von Cornelius
• 1826–1859 Friedrich Wilhelm von Schadow
• 1859–1867 Eduard Julius Friedrich Bendemann
• 1867–1870: Hermann Altgelt [de]
• 1868–1895: Hermann Wislicenus
• 1895–1908 Johann Peter Theodor Janssen
• 1908–1924 Fritz Roeber
• 1924–1933 Walter Kaesbach [de]
• 1933–1937 Peter Grund [de]
• 1937–1945 Emil Fahrenkamp
• 1945–1946 Ewald Mataré
• 1946–1949 Werner Heuser
• 1949–1954 Heinrich Kamps [de]
• 1956–1965 Hans Schwippert [de]
• 1965–1972 Eduard Trier [de]
• 1972–1981 Norbert Kricke
• 1981–1988 Irmin Kamp [de]
• 1988–2009 Markus Lüpertz
• 2009–2013 Tony Cragg
• 2013–2017 Rita McBride
• 2017–2022: Karl-Heinz Petzinka
• Since April 2023: Donatella Fioretti [de]

A

• Tomma Abts (2010–present Professor)
• Aljoscha (Student)
• Andreas Achenbach (1827–1834 Student)
• Oswald Achenbach (1835–1841 Student; 1863–1872 Professor)
• Sonja Alhäuser (1989–1994 Student)
• Peter Angermann (1968–1973)
• Karl Aegerter (1888–1969)
• Ernst Aufseeser (1912–1933 Professor)

B

• Hermann Heinrich Becker (1817–1885), student
• Bernd Becher (1976–1996 Professor)
• Hilla Becher, born Wobeser (1958–1961 Student)
• Joseph Beuys (1947–1952 Student, 1961–1972 Professor (kicked out), Visiting, 1980–85)
• Edward Beyer (1820–1865)
• Albert Bierstadt (1830–1902 Student)
• Paul Bindel (1930–1960 Professor of painting)
• Wolfgang Binding (1959–1963 Student)
• Anna and Bernhard Blume (1960–1965 Students)
• Arnold Böcklin (1827–1901 Student)
• Christian Ludwig Bokelmann (1844–1894 Student)
• Gottfried Brockmann (1926–1932 Student, 1933 Professor)
• Christoph Büchel (1992–1997 Student)
• Maria Buras (1980–1985 Assistant Professor)
• Michael Buthe (1944–1994 Professor)

C

• Max Clarenbach (1894–1901 Student, 1917–1945 Professor)
• Gregory Coates (1985–1987 Student)
• Otto Coester (1938–1967 Professor)
• Tony Cragg (1979–1988 Assistant Professor, 1988–2001 Professor, 2010 Director)
• Siegfried Cremer (1977–1994 Professor of Drawing Technique)
• Abraham David Christian (1976–1978 Lecturer)
• Rolf Crummenauer (1952–1967 Lecturer, 1967–1990 Professor)

D

• Thomas Demand (Student)
• Eugen Denzel (Student)
• August Deusser (1890–1897 Student under Peter Janssen d.Ä., 1917 Professor)
• Jan Dibbets (1984–2004 Professor)
• Thea Djordjadze (1994–2001 Student)
• Peter Doig (2005–present Professor)
• Max Dudler (2004–present Professor and Vice Dean)
• Eugen Dücker (1872–1916 Professor)
• Udo Dziersk (1983–1988 Student, 2002–present Professor)

E

• Adam Eberle (1819–1825 Student under Peter von Cornelius)
• Tatiana Echeverri Fernandez (1997 – 2001 Student)
• Alfred Eckhardt (1947–1952 Student, 1961–1977 Professor of Drawing Technique)
• Franz Eggenschwiler (1981–1995 Professor)
• John Whetton Ehninger (c. 1848–1849) – (Student)
• Joseph Enseling (1938–1952 Professor)
• Elger Esser (1991–1997 Student under Bernd Becher)

F

• Helmut Federle (1999–2007 Professor)
• Anselm Feuerbach (1845–1848 Student)
• Eduard Frederich (1836–1843 Student)
• Katharina Fritsch (1977–1984 Student, 2010 present Professor of Sculpture)

G

• Rupprecht Geiger (1965–1976 Professor)
• Isa Genzken (Student)
• Emily Gernild (Student)
• Karl Otto Götz (1959–1979 Professor)
• Bruno Goller (1949–1964 Professor)
• Eugen Gomringer (1977–1990 Professor)
• Kuno Gonschior (1957–1961 Student)
• Paul Good (1983–2008 Professor for Philosophy)
• Martin Gostner (2004– Professor)
• Günter Grass (1948–1952 Student)
• Gotthard Graubner (1954–1959 Student, 1976–1992 Professor)
• Michael Growe] (1983–1989 Student, master-student of Gotthard Graubner)
• Durs Grünbein (2005– Professor of Poetry)
• Thomas Grünfeld (2004– Professor of Sculpture)
• Andreas Gursky (1981–1987 Student, master-student of Bernd Becher, since 2009 Professor)

H

• Johann Peter Hasenclever (1827–1829 Student)
• Erwin Heerich (1958–1965 Student, 1969–1988 Professor)
• Sophie von Hellermann (Student)
• Georg Herold (Professor for sculpture)
• Anatol Herzfeld (Student, 1964–1972)
• Werner Heuser (1926–1938 Professor for drawing, 1946–1949 Director)
• Robert Alexander Hillingford (Student)
• Hans Hollein (1967–1965 Professor)
• Candida Höfer (1973–1982 Student)
• Ottmar Hörl (1979–1981 Student, 2005– President Akademie Nuremberg)
• Bernhard Hoetger (1874–1949 Student)
• Oskar Hoffmann (Student, 1872–1877)
• Hans Hollein (1967–1976 Professor)
• Nan Hoover (1986–1996 Professor)
• Julius Hübner (1826–1828 Student)
• Alfonso Hüppi (1974–1999 Professor of painting)
• Johannes Hüppi (1984 bis 1990 master-student of Dieter Krieg)
• Axel Hütte (1973–1981 Student)
• Gerhard Hoehme (1960–1984 Professor)

I

• Jörg Immendorff (1963–1969 Student, 1996–2007 Professor)
• Christoph Ingenhoven (1980–1981 student at Hans Hollein)

J

• Georg Jabin (1850–1855 Student at Johann Wilhelm Schirmer)
• Renata Jaworska (2000 – 2006 Master Student at Jörg Immendorff)
• Johann Peter Theodor Janssen (1858–1864 Student, 1877– Professor)
• Peter Tamme Weyert Janssen (1923–1925 Student)
• Rudolf Jordan (1833–1840 Master Class)
• Julius Paul Junghanns (1904–1945 Professor of painting)
• Helmut Jürgens (1924–1926, student)

K

• Stanislaus von Kalckreuth (1846–1849 Student)
• Arthur Kampf (1879–1891 Student and Professor)
• Ernst Kasper (Architekt, 1971–2000 Professor for Architecture)
• William Keith (1869–1870 Student)
• Hubert Kiecol (since 1993 Professor for Integration Fine Arts and Architecture)
• Anselm Kiefer (early 1970s, Student)
• Luise Kimme (1976–2002 Professor)
• Konrad Klapheck (1954–1956 student, 1979 professor)
• Ludwig Knaus (1845–1852 Student)
• Karl Kneidl (1974–2008 Professor of stage design)
• Imi Knoebel (1964–1971 Student at Joseph Beuys)
• Paul Klee (1931–1933 Professor)
• Georg Klusemann (1964–1968 Student)
• Louis Kolitz (Academy Professor Kassel)
• Klaus Köhler-Achenbach (Professor)
• Heinrich Christoph Kolbe (dates unknown, Student; 1822–1832 Professor)
• Attila Kotányi
• Walter Köngeter (1952–1967 Professor of Constructive Arts)
• Kasper König (1985 Professor at the Institute art and the public)
• Ralf König (1981–1986 Student)
• Dieter Krieg (1978–2002 Professor of Painting)
• Jannis Kounellis (1993–2001 Professor for Sculpture)
• Wilhelm Kreis, 1920–1926 Professor of Architecture)
• Norbert Kricke (Professor, Director)
• Dieter Krieg (1978–2002 Professor of painting)

L

• Ants Laikmaa (1896–1899 Student)
• Rainer Maria Latzke (1972–1976 Student of G.Richter, 1976 Master Student, 2008 Professor)
• Johann Peter von Langer (Student at Krahn, 1784 Professor, 1789–1806 Director)
• Wilhelm Lehmbruck (1902–1906 Student)
• Emanuel Leutze (1840–1842 Student)

M

• August Macke (1904–1909 Student)
• Josef Mages (1938–1961 Professor of Sculpture)
• Rita McBride (2003–present Professor, 2013–2017 Director)
• Lucy McKenzie, Professor
• Patrick Meagher (artist), student
• Christian Megert ((1976–2002 Professor for Integration Fine Arts and Architektur)
• Georg Meistermann (1928–1933 Student, 1955–1959 Professor)
• Carlo Mense (1906–1908 Student at Peter Janssen)
• Gerhard Merz (1991–2004 Professor)
• Orlando Mohorovic (1970–1974 master-student of Joseph Beuys)
• John Morgan (2016–present Professor of Typography)
• Adolf Mosengel (1854–1857, student)
• Heinrich Mücke (1844–1848 lectureship, 1848–1867 Professor for painting)
• Andreas Müller (1856– Professor)
• Norbert Müller-Everling, 1973–1979 Student at Erwin Heerich)

N

• Yoshitomo Nara (1988–1993 Student)
• Heinrich Nauen (1921–1937 Professor)

O

• Albert Oehlen (2000– Professor)
• Markus Oehlen (1976–1982 Student)
• Carl Oesterley junior (1857– Student)
• Laurids Ortner (1987– Professor)
• David Ostrowski (2004–2009 Student)
• Teo Otto (1959–1968 Professor of stage design)

P

• Nam June Paik (1979–1996 Professor of Video Art)
• Blinky Palermo (1962–1967 master-student of Joseph Beuys)
• Otto Pankok (1947–1958 Professor)
• Jürgen Partenheimer (1985 visiting Professor)
• A. R. Penck (1988–2003 Professor)
• Heinrich Ludwig Philippi (1857–1860 Student)
• Alois Plum (1955–1957 Student)
• Sigmar Polke (1961–1967 Student)

R

• Willy Reetz (1920–1924 Student)
• Gerhard Richter (1961–1963 Student, 1971–1993 Professor)
• Ivo Ringe (1972–1977 Student), master-student of Professor Rolf Sackenheim
• Klaus Rinke (1974–2004 Professor)
• Römer + Römer (Torsten and Nina Römer, master students of A. R. Penck)
• Ulrike Rosenbach (1964–1970 Student)
• Hannes Rosenow (c.1946–1948 Student)
• Rudolph von Ripper (c.1920 Student)
• Rissa (1959 Student, 1969–1975 and 2004–2007 Lecturer, 1975–2003 Professor for painting)
• Thomas Ruff (Student, Professor)

S

• Rolf Sackenheim (1963–1985 Professor)
• Jörg Sasse (1982–1988 Student, master-student of Bernd Becher)
• Adolf Schill (1880–1911 Professor of decoration and ornamentation)
• Johann Wilhelm Schirmer (1826 Student, 1834 assistant teacher, 1839–1854 Professor for Landscape Painting, first Director of Karlsruher Kunstschule)
• Christoph Schlingensief (1986 Lecturer)
• Johann Heinrich Schmidt Professor of Art History)
• Jürgen Schmitt (1970–1976 Student, master-student)
• Bruno Schmitz (1874–1878 Student)
• Michael Schmitz-Aufterbeck (Lecturer in Theatre Studies)
• Gregor Schneider, 1990–1994 Student)
• Andreas Schulze, (since 2008 Professor)
• Felix Schramm
• Rudolf Schwarz (1953–1961 Professor)
• Marcus Schwier (1993–1998 Student)
• HA Schult (1958–1961 Student)
• Thomas Schütte (1973–1981 Student)
• Rudolf Schwarz, 1953–1961 Professor
• Fritz Schwegler (1973–1975 Assistant Professor, 1975–2001 Professor)
• Peter Schwickerath (1966–1968 Student)
• Hans Schwippert (1959–1965 Professor and Director)
• Adolf Seel (1844–1850 Student)
• Dirk Skreber (1982–1988 Student)
• Karl Ferdinand Sohn (1826 Student, 1859–1863 Professor)
• Wilhelm Sohn (1867 Professor)
• Willy Spatz (Student, 1897–1926 Professor for painting)
• Werner Spies (1975–2002 Professor of the history of arts)
• Pia Stadtbäumer (1981–1988 Student)
• David D. Stern (1980–1982 Student)
• Thomas Struth (1973–1978 Student)
• Zoltan Székessy (1952–1964 Professor)

T

• Adolph Tidemand (1837–1841 Student)
• André Thomkins (1971–1973 Professor)
• Johan Thorn Prikker (1923–1926 Professor of monumental painting)
• Myriam Thyes (1986–1992 student of Rissa and Nan Hoover)
• Catharina Treu (1766- Professor)
• Rosemarie Trockel (1998–present Professor)

U

• Günther Uecker (1953–1957 Student, 1976–1995 Professor)
• Oswald Mathias Ungers

V

• Jana Vizjak (1991–1993 Student)
• Heinrich Vogeler (1890–1895 Student)
• Max Volkhart (1848–1924 Student)
• Wolf Vostell (1955–1958 Student)
• Nathalie de Vries (2013–Present Professor of Constructive Arts)

W

• Rebecca Warren (2014–present Professor)
• Marie Wiegmann (born Hancke, about 1843 Student)
• Rudolf Wiegmann (1838–1865 Professor for Architecture and perspective)
• Oswald Wiener (1992–2004 Professor for Aesthetics)
• Christopher Williams (since 2007 Professor for Photography)
• Karl Ferdinand Wimar (c. 1851 Student)
• Karl Wimmenauer (in the 1960s Professor for Architecture)

Z

• Herbert Zangs, 1945–1949 Student