Design Schools and Programs in Switzerland

Design Studies in Switzerland

Design in Switzerland is taught at the universities of applied sciences and arts. According to the Study in Switzerland+ portal, degrees in music, theatre, film, art and design are available only at this type of institution, not at the traditional universities. Studies are practical: students work in studios and workshops, and admission depends on an aptitude assessment as well as on school qualifications.

Our directory lists two institutions in Switzerland for this subject. The main example on this page is the Hochschule Luzern (Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, HSLU), whose Lucerne School of Design, Film and Art is based in Lucerne-Emmenbrücke.

How the degree is organised

Switzerland has 9 universities of applied sciences and arts, with around 95,000 students in total. Degrees follow the European structure: a bachelor's degree has 180 ECTS credits and takes three years of full-time study, and a master's degree has 90 or 120 ECTS credits and takes one and a half to two years.

The HSLU follows this pattern. Its bachelor's degrees in design, film and art take three years and are specialised from the start. Its master's degrees take one and a half to two years. The school describes its workshops as the centre of learning and teaching. It also runs a Foundation Course in Art and Design, a preparatory year for people who want to apply for a degree in design, film or art.

Design programmes at the Hochschule Luzern

The Bachelor of Arts programmes in design include:

• Graphic Design
• Object Design
• Spatial Design
• Textile Design
• Data Design + Art
• Design Management, International
• Digital Ideation, which combines computer science and design

At master's level, the school offers seven Master of Arts programmes, four of them in design: Design, Eco-Social Design, Digital Ideation and Service Design. They build on the school's bachelor's degrees but are also open to candidates with a bachelor's degree from elsewhere.

Admission and language

Switzerland does not have a centralised admission procedure. The main requirement for a bachelor's degree is an upper secondary school-leaving certificate considered equivalent to the Swiss Matura, and universities of applied sciences and arts usually add an aptitude test in arts subjects. At the HSLU, each design programme has its own admission procedure.

Design Management, International is the programme most accessible to students who do not speak German: its language of instruction is English. Applicants need English at level C1 to be accepted for the entrance examinations. Candidates may go through several selection rounds and may be invited to an interview. The programme lasts three years (six semesters) full-time and leads to a Bachelor of Arts in Product and Industrial Design with a specialisation in Design Management. For the 2027-28 academic year, the application deadline is 21 March 2027 and classes start on 20 September 2027.

For other programmes, applicants should check the language of instruction on the programme's facts page. All Swiss universities require a good knowledge of the language of instruction.

Costs, visa and work

At public institutions, tuition fees are between CHF 500 and CHF 2,000 per semester, according to Study in Switzerland+; some charge slightly more for international students. The HSLU publishes its design study fees for each academic year as a fee sheet on its information page for prospective students. Design students should also budget for materials.

Students from outside the EU and EFTA must apply for a visa at the Swiss embassy or consulate in their country of residence; the portal states that issuing it takes at least eight weeks. Foreign students may work at most 15 hours per week during their studies, and students from outside the EU and EFTA only after six months.

Design in hospitality studies

The second institution in our directory is IHTTI – School of Hotel Management, known for combining hospitality and design management. Its website now redirects to the Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS), which states that IHTTI is now part of SHMS: students and staff moved to the Leysin and Caux campuses in 2019, and in 2021 the IHTTI design courses were integrated into SHMS degree programmes. Students interested in interior design within hotel management should therefore look at the current SHMS programmes.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study design in English in Switzerland?

Yes, in some programmes. At the Hochschule Luzern, the Bachelor in Design Management, International is taught in English and requires level C1.

How long does a design degree take in Switzerland?

A bachelor's degree takes three years of full-time study (180 ECTS credits). A master's degree takes one and a half to two years.

Do I need a portfolio or entrance exam?

Usually yes. Universities of applied sciences and arts normally apply an aptitude test in arts subjects, and the Hochschule Luzern has a separate admission procedure for each design programme.

When does the academic year start?

At the Lucerne School of Design, Film and Art, the autumn semester of 2026-27 runs from 14 September 2026 to 19 February 2027 and the spring semester from 22 February to 16 July 2027.