So, when I decided that I wanted to live in Switzerland & study Design, this was the first time I had to navigate the Swiss education system. If you aren’t familiar with it, let me give you a quick summary: very, very, very, (did I say very?), VERY confusing!
Maybe if you’re from here or Germany (where they have a similar system), you’ll think I’m kinda exaggerating. But trust me, as a Brazilian girl who didn’t make high school here but wanted to start a bachelor, I didn’t even know where to start. However, after a LOT of research, talks with different educators and info days at universities, I finally understood where/how to go.
I am writing this article to help someone who might be in the same situation as me, and I struggled a lot because there isn’t much reports (even less if you don’t know German) from people about this process, specially as a non-Swiss person. So hopefully I’ll be able to help someone through sharing my experience and the knowledge I got during those months of searching.
I’m gonna try to explain the steps as clearly as I can:
If you are a foreigner without a Swiss Matura (basically any type of high school they have here) and want to study Art History (ancient, modern and contemporary Art History, architectural history etc) you’ll need to apply for a Universität, which is more theoretical and traditional; However, if you wanna study something in the Design field like me, you’ll have to apply to a University of Applied Sciences.
- The major difference is: Universitäten focus on academic and theoretical education, research, and preparing students for scientific careers or PhDs. While Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) focus on practical, career-oriented training, with strong connections to industry and hands-on projects.
To apply for a UAS in the art field, you’ll need one year of experience working with the subject you want to study or a Propädeutikum course of at least one year too.
This course (which I’m gonna call Propi from now on) is basically a year of training in different areas of art. You’ll learn a little bit of everything: Photography, Drawing, Typography, Design concepts etc. This is their way to make sure you won’t go into the bachelor completely raw.
- The thing is, even though it is not a course with any diploma or degree level, you still need to apply and go through an admission process, where you need to prove you ALREADY have some knowledge and experience with art.
There are some Propis around Switzerland, so you’ll need to search and see which one fits better for you. Usually, you should go for the one close to or in your city/canton, because Propis can be quite expensive, but they have some discounts for residents and agreements with nearby cantons.
I’m currently going through the application process to get into ZHdK (Züricher Hochschule der Kunst) Propi and SfG BB (Schule für Gestaltung Bern und Biel). I sadly already got denied in the first application window of SfG BB, so this is gonna be my second attempt at the same school and the first time with ZHdK. In the beginning I just wanted to get accepted into any Propi, but now I started to care more about whether I really connect and identify with the school and what they’re teaching during this preparation year. I think this is also important when you’re choosing where you’ll study, because sometimes you’ll have more interest in abstract art, graphic design, digital art, photography and many other areas you might want to explore, so it’s good when you align your expectations and major interests with the school.
I did the homework for SfG BB and I’ll share here how it works and how it was for me. As part of the admission process for the Propi at SfG BB, you’ll need to complete a creative homework project based on a specific theme. For the 2026/27 application, the theme is “Hair.”
The idea of this assignment is not simply to produce a final artwork, but to demonstrate how you think, research, and develop ideas as a creative person. The school asks you to explore the topic from different perspectives: visually, materially, and conceptually. Hair is presented as a very open theme that can range from everyday situations (like hair in a drain) to symbolic or cultural meanings related to identity, aesthetics, and even politics.
The homework is divided into several parts. First, you need to write a short motivation letter. Then you photograph hair in a context of your choice. After that comes a research phase where you investigate hair and hair-like structures through a collection of observations and experiments using different media such as drawing, photography, video, painting, or installation. This process must be documented in a sketchbook.
Finally, based on this research, you’ll develop a main artistic project that expands your exploration of the theme. The goal is to show curiosity, experimentation, persistence, and a personal creative approach (not just technical perfection).
To be completely honest, this part of the process was also the most frustrating for me. The theme “Hair” and the way the assignment was structured felt very far from the type of work I usually create. My artistic practice is much more connected to illustration and graphic design, while this exercise pushed strongly toward conceptual and experimental art processes. Instead of feeling like I could show my strengths, I often felt like I was trying to fit into a format that didn’t really match my way of working. I understand that the goal of the assignment is to evaluate curiosity, experimentation, and process, but at times it felt strange to be judged on something that has very little to do with the kind of creative work I actually want to pursue. So this is why I think it is also very important that you look into the school to see if it really matches you.
After that, I delivered the homework at SfG BB and waited for their decision by email. If you pass, you’ll have an interview and then the final result, to know if you got accepted. All this application happens during the end and beginning of the year (usually from December to the end of spring) and all the Propis start in August/September. This means you have to prepare yourself around one year before beginning your studies. It is very important to pay attention to the dates, because there are different windows to apply during the year, but only one start date.
Here are some general highlights I think are important to know about Propädeutikum courses;
- You’ll need at least a B2 level in German (not sure if is the same for the French ones, but I’d guess so). You don’t always need to prove it with a proficiency test, but they can ask for it. Better having it already before you apply.
- The price of a Propädeutikum can vary a lot depending on the canton where you live. Since many schools are funded by their cantons, local students or those from partner regions can pay reduced tuition. For exemple, living in the canton of Bern, a Propi in Basel can reach around 20,000 CHF, while in Zurich it can cost about 3,300 CHF per semester with the subsidized fee.
- The training is usually full time. I know some people still work during their studies, but everytime I’d ask someone who works in the Schools, they’d say that they don’t recommend it. Zhdk is the only one I found which has a part-time option, so insted of 1 year you can do it 1.5, and have school only on Friday and Saturday. So be aware of your availability to full dedicate yourself or not.
- This isn’t the only way to get into a UAS. If you are 25y or older, and as a professional experience in the field you wanna study, you can also apply “sur dossier”. Is a different process, where you don’t need to have attended to a Propi. I don’t qualify for this one, but if you do, is also a good and faster alternative.
I’m excited about the future, all the possibilities that doing a Propädeutikum course will open to me! I wanna look back at this moment that I’m writing about here and be able to see how much I will grow, in terms of skills, vision, artistically, expectations and dreams! It isn’t an easy path to study design here, but it’s definitely already teaching me so much, and it is helping me grow into a better version of myself! not only artistically, but in a lot of other ways :)
If you’re also thinking about applying to a Propi in Switzerland, I hope sharing my experience helps you understand the process a little better. And maybe, in a year from now, I’ll come back here with a new chapter of this journey! Thank you for reading, and bis bald! Tchau 🧚🏼♀️