Registration and admissions process

MA Design

Thank you for your interest in the Master's programme in Design 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 Programme Regulations of the Master of Design at Zurich University of the Arts (StO MA Design § 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).

The admissions process for the autumn semester of this year has been completed.
Information on the next admissions process will be published here in mid-November.

  • Application documents

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

    1. Letter of motivation
      Please explain your motivation for applying to the MA Design (max. 1 A4 page). If you have no previous design education, please describe your previous professional activities and education and explain why you wish to pursue a Master’s degree in Design (max. 2 A4 pages). Generated letters of motivation will not be considered.
       

    2. Project idea
      Please outline a research-oriented project idea relevant to your chosen major (max. 2 A4 pages). The project description should identify your interests, provide a situation analysis, and clarify your approach. If necessary, please submit additional documents to support your project idea and note the specific requirements of your major in the next section. The submitted project idea may, but need not, be part of your future Master’s programme.

      Please note the explanations on the project idea for your major:

      Game Design
      Outline your considerations regarding the game mechanics and the function of the planned artifact (game) as well as the intended target group. In addition, describe how the artifact will contribute to the research project and, conversely, how your research will advance the artifact.

      Interaction Design
      Please outline a research-oriented project idea relevant to your chosen major (max. 2 A4 pages). The project description should identify your research interests, provide a situation analysis, and clarify your designerly approach. Please refer to appropriate literature and similar projects. If necessary, please submit additional documents to support your project idea, such as sketches, visualizations, photography or illustrations. The submitted project idea may, but need not, be part of your future Master’s studies.

      Knowledge Visualization
      Please outline a research-oriented project idea relevant to your chosen major (max. 2 A4 pages). The project description should identify your research interests, provide a situation analysis, and clarify your designerly approach. Please refer to appropriate literature and similar projects. If necessary, please submit additional documents to support your project idea, such as sketches, visualizations, photography or illustrations. The submitted project idea may, but need not, be part of your future Master’s studies.

      Industrial Design
      Outline your major-specific research interest on a maximum of two A4 pages. Describe how you would like to deal with your research topic in a creative and practice-oriented way. If necessary, supplement your submission with additional visual media, such as process visualizations, mood boards, etc. In addition, suggest which possible minor programs would strengthen your interest in design.

      Trends & Identity
      Try to make the project idea (or several) tangible using concrete phenomena. Locate the project proposal in the central concepts of the subject area and give examples of the scope for development. In addition, suggest which potential minor programs would strengthen your project idea(s). Process visualizations, mappings and moodboards, which visually describe the research-oriented design concerns, are welcome as visual argumentation.

      Visual Communication
      Please outline a research-oriented project idea relevant to your chosen major (max. 2 A4 pages). The project description should identify your research interests, provide a situation analysis, and clarify your designerly approach. The research aspects of the project idea must be clearly worked out and specified. Please refer to appropriate literature and similar projects. If necessary, please submit additional documents to support your project idea, such as sketches, visualizations, photography or illustrations. The submitted project idea may, but need not, be part of your future Master’s studies.

    3. Portfolio/reference list
      Please enclose a list of design projects or projects from your previous field of activity in which you were significantly involved. These can be:
      –   Projects from your previous studies
      –   Projects from your design practice, undertaken either while you were employed at a design agency or as a self-employed designer
      –   Research projects
      –   Projects with a theoretical orientation

      The portfolio must be uploaded as a single PDF file with a maximum size of 10MB (no ZIP files). If 10MB is not sufficient, a link to cloud storage such as Google Drive, Dropbox, etc. can be included in the PDF, containing additional material. The link must not be password-protected and must not have an expiration date. References to websites are also possible in the PDF. If you would like to include other file formats, please insert hyperlinks into the PDF. This allows you to store links to websites, large images, audio, and video files.

      The portfolio/reference list must be submitted digitally (PDF) – except for the Master Major in Visual Communication, where submission can be digital or physical. Physical portfolios should be sent to the address below by the application deadline.

      Zürcher Hochschule der Künste
      Sekretariat Master Design
      Pfingstweidstrasse 96
      Postfach
      8031 Zürich

      For information about collecting the portfolio please contact Gloria Bilz.

    4. Letter of recommendation
      Please upload one letter of recommendation (no reference) if you are applying for a place on our MA Design. Letters should be issued by a relevant individual or institution (e. g. employer, university).
       
    5. 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. Ex-matriculation certificate
      Confirmation of ex-matriculation is issued at Swiss universities upon graduation or upon termination of studies. If issue is pending, confirmation must be submitted later.
       
    7. 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. 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.
       
    9. 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.
       
    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)

    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.

  • Aptitude test

    The ZHdK Master of Arts in Design offers six majors, each enabling an in-depth engagement with design. Please select your major. Your application will then be reviewed by the appropriate experts. If you wish to apply for two majors, please contact Gloria Bilz.

    Aptitude interview

    Aptitude interviews are held at ZHdK’s Toni Campus in Zurich. Interviews are attended by the relevant experts from the chosen major and last a maximum of one hour. It is also possible to conduct the aptitude interview via video conference. Please contact Gloria Bilz.

    Admission

    Admission decisions are taken by the MA Design examination board. Successful applicants will receive written notification of their admission.

  • Dates

    The dates for the next admissions process will be published here in mid-November.
     

    Information day – major

    21 November 2025

    Opening of online registration – major admissions process

    18 November 2025

    Application deadline (incl. portfolio) – major admissions process

    27 February 2026

    Application confirmation – major

    13 March 2026

    Rejection or request to pay examination fees – major aptitude test

    2 April 2026

    Aptitude interviews – major

    13–24 April 2026

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

    4 May 2026

    Minor selection

    7–18 May 2026, until 23:59 h

    Minor aptitude test
    (only if specific entry-level competencies required) **

    26–30 May 2026
    ** The PDFs ‘More about this minor’ linked on the minor pages indicate whether an initial aptitude assessment is required.

    Minor allocations

    4 June 2026

    Module registrations – major and minor

    17–22 June 2026

    Course commencement – major and minor

    Mid September 2026 (Week 38)

  • 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 the 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.
    • You will receive an e-mail with details about the next steps (see Dates). If you do not receive a message, please check your spam folder.
    • If the registration has not been completed, including payment of the registration fee, the data will be deleted after the registration deadline.