Registration and admissions process

Thank you for your interest in the Bachelor's programme in Fine Arts at Zurich University of the Arts.

Bachelor students must first register for a major. They begin their degree programme with the selected major and choose a minor during their first year of study. They begin studying the selected minor in their second year of study. 

→ Detailed information on the Major-Minor programme structure

Admissions requirements

For admissions and matriculation requirements, please refer to the Regulatory Framework for Bachelor’s and Master’s Programmes at Zurich University of the Arts (RO § 19–24).

For additional terms (including the language skills) required for admission to the chosen major, please refer to the Programme Regulations of the Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts at Zurich University of the Arts (StO BA Fine Arts § 4 ff.). 

Suitability

On the part of the applicant, we expect:

  • Artistic skills and artistic potential
  • Individual ideas / topics / questions 
  • Interest and basic knowledge of historic and contemporary art 
  • Motivation
  • Independence and personal responsibility
  • Reflexion ability and self-assessment
  • Communication skills 

  • Please ensure you submit the following documents when submitting your application:

    1. Motivation letter
      Explain your motivation for studying in the Major Fine Arts at ZHdK . Which artistic practices you have been involved with so far and which you would like to focus on during your studies is of particular interest to us.

    2. Portfolio
      The submitted work should show own ideas, topics, questions as well as independence and originality.
      The portfolio must be submitted digitally as a PDF. Links with an expiry date (e.g. WeTransfer) will not be accepted. Videos will only be considered as Vimeo and/or Youtube links. The maximum PDF file size is 10 MB, larger files must be uploaded as a ZIP file.

    3. Transcript of Records / Learning Biography
      Please attach Transcript of Records / Learning Biography with all completed (passed and failed) modules with credits if a drop-out occurred at another university/college. If credit transfer is desired, this must also be noted in the application. The decision as to whether and how many credits will be counted is at the discretion of the director of studies. 

    4. Matriculation number
      When registering for the first time at a Swiss university, you will be issued a matriculation number. If you have already been enrolled at a Swiss university, university of applied sciences or tertiary college, please state your matriculation number. This eight-digit code (for example: 18- 001-001) is printed on a yellow label, which is affixed to your  University entrance qualification (upper secondary school-leaving certificate- Baccalaureate, Vocational Baccalaureate, Specialised Baccalaureate or Federal VET Diploma).

    5. Ex-matriculation certificate
      Confirmation of ex-matriculation is issued at Swiss universities upon graduation or upon termination of studies. If issue is pending, confirmation can be submitted later.

    6. Social security number
      If you live or work in Switzerland, you will find your Swiss social security number (756...) on your AHV card or on your Swiss health insurance card.

    7. Photograph JPG
      Please upload a recent passport quality photo – no copies/screenshots of the passport page or identity card. The photo must be a frontal shot of the face that is 2/3 of the frame and at least 320 x 400 pixels.

    8. Identity card or passport
      A copy of the identity card (both sides) or passport must be uploaded. If a residence permit for Switzerland is available, please also submit a copy of it.

    9. Resume / Curriculum Vitae
      Please submit in tabular form, no prose texts.

    10. Language skills
      The language skills required are listed for each degree programme in the programme regulations. Language skills can be demonstrated as follows:
      —   Native speaker (does not have to be proven)
      —   Required language as a subject in the educational certificate, passed or at least grade 4 (submit the upper secondary education transcript as a PDF)
      —    Recognized certificate (according to the list «Recognized Certificates for Language Requirements»)
      —    University degree (Bachelor's/Master's) in a degree programme where the language of instruction corresponds to the language skills required by the study regulations (submit diploma supplement or official confirmation from the university as a PDF)

      Note: The language certificates should usually be no more than five years old. The decision on whether the admission requirements regarding language skills have been met is made during the formal review of the documents.

    11. Further documents
      Please submit the corresponding transcripts, diplomas and certificates to provide evidence of your:

      • Educational qualifications
      • Professional activities (relevant to your degree programme/chosen specialization)
      • Internships (relevant to your degree programme/chosen specialization)

    Documents must be uploaded in PDF format. If you wish to upload several individual PDF files, you may do so one after the other.

    The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is permitted and must be stated when submitting the registration.

  • The application for the admission procedure is made by submitting the application documents, a letter of motivation and a portfolio. The Admissions Committee's positive assessment of all the documents submitted is a prerequisite for being invited to an individual aptitude interview. Following the interview, the Admissions Committee will decide on admission to the Bachelor's Major in Fine Arts programme. Applicants will be informed of the decision in writing. 

    Aptitude interview

    The aptitude interview can be conducted in German or English and takes place via Zoom video conference. During the interview, in addition to the letter of motivation, the artistic works and topics will be discussed on the basis of the submitted portfolio.

  • Information days – major

    19 November 2024 (on site, Toni Campus) 
    21 November 2024 (online)
    25 November 2024 (Portfolio Insights and Tutorial)

    Opening of online registration

    18 November 2024

    Application deadline (incl. portfolio)

    30 January 2025

    Application confirmation

    until 5 February 2025

    Rejection or request to pay examination fees

    from 3 March 2025

    Invitation to aptitude interview (subject to settlement of examination fee)

    from 6 March 2025

    Aptitude interviews

    17–21, and 24 March 2025

    Admissions decision (acceptance / rejection / waiting list)

    from 27 March 2025

    Module registrations

    11–22 June 2025

    Course commencement

    15 September 2025

  • The registration fee for the admissions process is CHF 100 Registrations are valid once the registration fee has been paid. Payment should be effected online by credit card, TWINT or PostFinance Card. Applicants who are invited to the second part of the aptitude test (interview or examination) pay an additional examination fee of CHF 200 for participation in the second part of the aptitude test. The payment request is sent by e-mail. Once the payment has been transferred, the invitation with the examination dates will be made available in the online registration.
    Fees are based on the Directive on Tuition Fees of Zurich University of Applied Sciences and the corresponding fact sheet on Tuition Fees at ZHdK.

  • Different rules apply for entry to Switzerland. In principle, a distinction is made between nationals of EU/EFTA countries and third-country nationals. An overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality can be found on the webpage of the State Secretariat for Migration SEM.
    Third-country nationals who require a visa to study in Switzerland must apply in person for a student visa at the relevant Swiss consulate abroad (embassy or consulate-general). Visa applications should be made about 3 months before the envisaged entry to Switzerland. International students from countries that do not require a visa to study (stays of more than 90 days) may apply for their residence permit directly at their place of residence in Switzerland after entering the country.

    You can find the checklists to prepare your entry into Switzerland at: www.zhdk.ch/migration

    • Login with ZHdK or SWITCH edu-ID

      • If you do not have a ZHdK login, you will need a SWITCH edu-ID to register online. This ID has to be created once.
        → How to create and use a SWITCH edu-ID

      • If you have a ZHdK login, you may apply with your ZHdK login, provided that it is still valid until the end of the admission procedure. The ZHdK login must be valid until the end of the admission procedure. The ZHdK login remains valid until the end of the studies.

    • You may interrupt your application at any time and continue at a later stage. Any information entered will be stored.
       
    • Compulsory fields are marked with an asterisk (*).

    • Once all the data has been entered, the registration must be completed by clicking on ‘Complete entry’ and the registration fee must be paid. The registration cannot be changed afterwards. The registration is only considered to be submitted and checked once the registration fee has been paid.

    • If the registration has not been completed, including payment of the registration fee, the data will be deleted after the registration deadline.