Registration and admissions process

Major – MA Transdisciplinary Studies in the Arts

Thank you for your interest in the Master’s programme in Transdisciplinary Studies in the Arts at Zurich University of the Arts.

If interested in a Master’s degree applicants apply for admission to their chosen Major. Afterwards they separately choose their Minor. Both programmes Major and Minor will start in the first semester.

→ Detailed information on the Major-Minor programme structure at ZHdK
→ Detailed information on Minor Selection

→ The information days will take place mid-November. Detailed information please find on zhdk.ch/en/information-days

Admissions requirements

The requirements for admission to the degree programme and for enrolment are governed by the Regulatory Framework for Bachelor’s and Master’s Programmes at Zurich University of the Arts (RO § 19–24).

Additional admission requirements for the selected major programme, including the required language skills, are set out in the Degree Programme Regulations of the Master of Transdisciplinary Studies in the Arts at Zurich University of the Arts (StO MA Transdisciplinary Studies in the Arts § 4 ff.).

In exceptional cases, ZHdK may admit individuals without a bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification from a recognized and accredited university. → Further information (PDF).

  • Application documents

    1. Project idea or thematic idea
      We accept two types of applications: 
      1. Candidates may submit a proposal for a project idea of their own or a thematic idea that they intend to explore during the course (independently of the following profiles). The proposal should outline a research question and possible connections with other disciplines, professions or qualifications. It may be brief or already detailed in nature; it may describe a thematic constellation to be explored, or outline a specific project (scope: one to two A4 pages).
      2. Candidates may apply for one of the approaches to transdisciplinarity described on the programme website. These approaches outline thought figures and thematic fields that will be explored in theoretical and practical terms in seminars and labs with a variety of focuses. They provide guidance about the content covered in the degree programme as well as the understanding of transdisciplinarity represented in it. Candidates who apply with a focus on one of these approaches have an opportunity to position their own project idea in a thematic field that is covered in the programme. Their submitted project proposal should relate to one of these approaches (scope: one to two A4 pages).
         
    2. Letter of motivation
      Please write a letter of motivation outlining your reasons for applying for the Master of Arts in Transdisciplinary Studies. It should be no more than one to two A4 pages in length.
       
    3. Portfolio
      Please submit a portfolio consisting of a selection of work that you deem to be representative of your previous work and/or your studies. Depending on your professional or academic background, the portfolio may consist of documentation of artistic or design work, abstracts of scientific papers or descriptions of other project work. The portfolio should be submitted digitally in PDF form. It may also contain links to existing websites for film, sound, image and text examples, etc.
       
    4. Team applications
      Team applications are possible and encouraged. Team members who wish to join the MA in Transdisciplinary Studies should apply individually using the online registration tool and specify the name(s) of their team member(s) there.
       
    5. Swiss Matriculation number
      The field “matriculation number” only concerns applicants who have already studied at a university or applied university in Switzerland. Applicants who have studied abroad (not in Switzerland) are not required to fill in the field “matriculation number”. 
      All students receive a matriculation number when they register for the first time at a university or an applied university in Switzerland or at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH in the shape of a yellow sticker, which is affixed to the reverse of their qualifying diploma (e.g. baccalaureate certificate, Swiss Federal Certificate of Competence). Please provide this number when registering and submit your university entrance qualification certificate as a PDF file.
       
    6. Exmatriculation certificate / Proof of withdrawal
      Confirmation of exmatriculation or proof of withdrawal is issued at Swiss universities upon graduation or upon termination of studies. If issue of the certificate is pending, confirmation must be submitted later.
       
    7. Swiss 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. Applicants who wish to come to Switzerland to study do not yet have a Swiss social security number and therefore do not need to provide one.
    8. Personal photo as 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.
       
    9. Identity card or passport
      A PDF of the identity card (both sides) or passport must be uploaded. If a residence permit for Switzerland is available, please also submit a PDF of it.
       
    10. Resume / Curriculum Vitae
      Please submit in tabular form, no prose texts.
       

    11. 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.

    12. 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)
         
    13. Consent form from legal guardians for applicants under the age of 18
      Applicants who have not yet reached the age of 18 at the time of application must submit a declaration of consent from their legal guardians. For this purpose, the PDF U18 is available. This form must be completed, signed by the legal guardians and submitted with the application.
      This form must be completed and submitted with the signature of the parents or legal guardians in the ‘Self-declarations/Legal Notices section of the online registration.

    Documents must be uploaded in PDF (portrait) 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 generally permitted, except where it is explicitly not accepted for certain documents to be submitted. The use of AI must be declared when the application is submitted.

  • Aptitude interview and admission decision

    Candidates whose documents have been approved by the examination board will be invited to attend an admission interview.

    Admission interview

    At the admission interview, candidates must present two to three work samples that are representative of their previous work or their future studies. These samples will be discussed, along with the letter of motivation and the project idea or thematic idea, in the subsequent conversation. Interviews will be attended by at least two members of the core team of the MA in Transdisciplinary Studies.

    Admission

    The examination committee of the MA in Transdisciplinary Studies decides on admission to the programme. Candidates will be informed in writing about the decision.

  • Dates

    Information Days

    18 November 2026

    Online Application Process Begins! Major Admissions Process

    16 November 2026

    Application Deadline (incl. Portfolio) Major Admissions Process

    16 February 2027

    Application Confirmation Major

    Until 24 February 2027

    Rejection or request to pay examination fees – major aptitude test

    5 March 2027

    Rejection or Invitation to Major Aptitude Test

    12 March 2027

    Aptitude Test Major

    22/23/30 and 5/6 April 2027

    Admissions Decision Major (Acceptance / Rejection / Waiting List)

    6 April 2027

    Minor selection

    7–18 May 2027

    Minor Aptitude Test (Only if specific entry-level competencies required)

    25–29 May 2027

    Minor Allocations

    3 June 2027

    Module Registrations (Major and Minor)

    17–22 June 2027

    Programme Start (Major and Minor)

    20 September 2027

  • Registration and examination fee

    The registration fee for the admissions process is CHF 100. Registrations are valid once the registration fee has been paid. Payment is made 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 (PDF) and the corresponding fact sheet on Tuition Fees at ZHdK.

  • Entry into Switzerland

    Different rules apply for entry to Switzerland. In principle, a distinction is made between nationals of EU/EFTA countries and third-country nationals. 

    You can find all the key information on passport and visa requirements by nationality, as well as on living and working in Switzerland, at: Everyday Life and Living in Zurich 

  • Information regarding online registration

    • Login to the online registration with SWITCH edu-ID
      • To register online, you will need a SWITCH edu-ID, which must be created once. If you do not yet have a SWITCH edu-ID, you can create one during the registration process. Please ensure you use your personal email address to register.
        → How to create and use a SWITCH edu-ID

      • Each person should only have one SWITCH edu-ID. 
        If you forget your password, you can create a new password via “Reset Password”

    • 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 details have been entered and the documents submitted, you must finalise your application by clicking “Complete entry” and pay the registration fee. 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.
    • For technical enquiries and in emergencies, you can contact us on +41 43 446 44 00. 

Registration

→ From 16 November you can register online here.