Registration and admissions process

Master’s Major in Fine Arts

Thank you for your interest in the Master’s Major in Fine 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 Fine Arts at Zurich University of the Arts (StO MA Fine 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. Letter of motivation incl. work project
      Explain your motivation for studying the Master’s Major in Fine Arts at ZHdK and describe your artistic interest. The letter of motivation specifies topics, questions, procedures, fields of work and possible results that you would like to deal with during your studies. 
      Length: please submit a maximum of 2 A4 pages (DE/EN) as a PDF.
       
    2. Portfolio
      The portfolio consists of selected works that reflect your artistic development. The portfolio also includes an artist statement. It must be submitted digitally as a PDF. Links with expiry date (such as WeTransfer) will not be accepted. Videos will only be considered as Vimeo and/or YouTube links. 
      Length: maximum 20 DIN A4 pages (Portrait orientation / Landscape orientation), maximum PDF file size is 10 MB, larger files must be uploaded as a ZIP file.
       
    3. Transcript of Records / Learning Biography
      Please attach a Transcript of Records / Learning Biography with all completed (passed and failed) modules with credits, in case of a drop-out from another university/college. If credit transfer of the acquired credits is desired, this must be additionally noted in the application. The decision as to whether and how many credits will be credited is at the discretion of the Head of Programme.
       
    4. 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. 
       
    5. 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.
       
    6. 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.
       
    7. Personal photo as JPG
      Please upload a current passport-quality photograph (at least 320 x 400 pixels). A copy or screenshot of your passport or identity card will not accepted. The photograph must be a frontal shot of your face and should account for two-thirds of the image.
       
    8. 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.
       
    9. Resume / Curriculum Vitae
      Please submit in tabular form.
       

    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 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.

  • Consultations

    In connection with the registration for the Master’s Major in Fine Arts, we offer a 20-minute individual consultation on selected dates (see “Dates”) regarding the portfolio to be submitted and the work project.

    To register for a consultation, please send us an e-mail with the following information: Name, address, phone number, preferred date with preferred time of day/time slot (CH time).

  • Admissions procedure

    Application for the admissions process is made by submitting the application documents, a personal statement and a portfolio. Applicants to the Master Fine Arts programme may apply for the  Master’s Major in Fine Arts, the Master’s Major in Art:ificial Studies, or for both majors simultaneously. If you are applying for a single major, please select the corresponding major in the online application. If you are applying for both major programmes simultaneously, please select both majors in the online application form. In this case, the submission of a single letter of motivation and one portfolio is sufficient. 

    The positive evaluation of all submitted application documents by the Admissions Committee is a prerequisite for being invited to an individual aptitude interview. Following the interview, the Admissions Committee will decide on admission to the Master’s Major in Fine Arts programme. Applicants will be informed of the decision in writing. 

    Aptitude interview

    The aptitude interview is usually conducted in English and takes place by video conference. During the interview, in addition to the letter of motivation (incl. work project), the artistic works and topics are discussed on the basis of the submitted portfolio.

  • Dates

    Information days

    16 November 2026 (on site, Toni Campus and online) 

    Opening of online registration – major admissions process

    16 November 2027

    Consultations (online)

    13 January 2027
    10 February 2027

    Application deadline (incl. portfolio) – major admissions process

    23 February 2027

    Application confirmation – major

    until 2 March 2027

    Rejection or request to pay examination fees – major aptitude test

    from 25 March 2027

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

    1 April – 8 April 2027

    Aptitude interviews – major

    12–20 April 2027

    Admissions decision – major (acceptance / rejection / waiting list)

    21 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

    Course commencement – 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 2026 you can register online here.