The FAQ section answers the most common questions—saving you valuable time before you apply.
No, all candidates must take the exam, regardless of their prior education.
Registration is available only through an online form (the link will be available starting Tuesday, November 17, 2026)
When you click on this link, you must enter a valid personal email address, and the system will automatically send you a password within 24 hours. Please be sure to check your inbox and your spam or junk mail folders.
You will then be able to log in using only the username and password that were sent to you by email.
From Tuesday, November 17, 2026, through Monday, March 1, 2027, at 5:00 p.m. CEST (Swiss time).
For Special Admissions, the deadline is Tuesday, February 15, 2027, at 5:00 p.m. CEST (Swiss time).
No application forms may be submitted or accepted outside of this period.
Details on the expected contents of personal files are available on the dedicated section.
This profile-based on a few questions is designed to highlight various aspects of your background, personality, motivations, and interests.
The creative exam is an exercise designed to allow candidates to demonstrate their expressive and imaginative potential. The instructions for this exam, which is administered remotely, vary by program. Please refer to the dedicated section for details on when the creative exam materials will be released.
Admissions interviews must take place at HEAD – Genève for all applicants whose address is in Switzerland or the Rhône-Alpes region, unless there are circumstances beyond our control. Other applicants may choose between an in-person interview at HEAD – Genève and a videoconference interview.
The cost is CHF 150.– per program selected. You may select up to two programs; in that case, the registration fee will be doubled to CHF 300.–. This amount is non-refundable, even if the application is deemed ineligible during the administrative review.
Yes, applicants who have completed one (or two) years of study in equivalent subjects at an institution of a similar level to HEAD–Geneva may apply for credit equivalence by following the procedure outlined in the “Special Conditions and Procedures for Admission to Bachelor’s Programs” section under “Admissions.”
Competition results are posted on the dates listed in the dedicated section, exclusively on the application portal assigned to you. You will receive an email notifying you that a message has been posted on your application portal.
Candidates who have passed the competition have until May 31 to confirm their enrollment at HEAD – Genève.
Each candidate is allowed a total of three attempts. If a candidate registers for two exams in a given year, this dual registration in the same year counts as one attempt.
Applicants must hold one of the following degrees or be on track to obtain it by September 1, 2026:
General information on admission requirements for the Bachelor’s program is available on the HES-SO website.
Aplicants must have one of the following diplomas or be able to obtain it before 1 September 2026:
General information on admission requirements for the Bachelor’s program is available on the HES-SO website.
Please consult the brochure published on the HES-SO website at the following pathway: Admissions to our Bachelor's programmes.
Please consult the Bachelor admissions application documentation (in French)
Yes, provided certain conditions are met:
See details in the Bachelor special conditions and procedures under Bachelor Admissions.
Bachelor's studies at HEAD – Genève are in French.
Candidates whose upper-secondary level qualification has not been issued by a French-speaking institution must, once they have been admitted, submit a B2-level French certificate by 31 August.
Candidates do not have to submit this B2-level French certificate if they hold:
No translation is required for diplomas in English, German, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.
For all other languages, the documents must be a certified translation, i.e. a translation that bears the seal and signature of an accredited translator and must be sent directly by the translation office to admission.head@hesge.ch.
Yes, you also have to submit an application directly to CFP Arts or EBAG.
Yes, it is possible to do a preparatory class outside Switzerland. You can do your preparatory year in the country of your choice.
The pre-enrollment internship agreement is an official document provided by HEAD–Genève, enabling candidates to complete an internship at a company or institution to gain the required professional experience before enrolling in the Bachelor’s programme in Design at HEAD. This internship must meet specific criteria regarding duration, namely 9 to 10 months full-time at minimum, and must be relevant to the candidate’s chosen field/major at HEAD.
Candidates who wish to enroll at HEAD – Genève but lack professional training directly related to their chosen field/major, or those holding a high school diploma (federal maturity or equivalent), may need prior professional experience to qualify for admission to the Bachelor’s design programme. To acquire this experience, they can request a pre-enrollment internship agreement to complete an internship relevant to their intended field of study at HEAD.
The internship agreement is provided to candidates once the admissions office has confirmed the applicant's eligibility and confirmed that they need to acquire professional experience before applying for admission to the Bachelor’s programme in design.
Before issuing the agreement, we verify that the applicant has an internship offer and we ask to receive a job description in order to confirm its relevance to the intended programme.
You must submit your request by email to the HEAD Admissions Office at admission.head@hesge.ch, attaching your secondary school diploma, the internship offer from a company, and a job description. After your eligibility has been assessed, and if you meet the requirements, the Admissions Office will guide you through the process and provide you with the necessary documents.
The agreement establishes a legal and administrative framework between the intern, the employer, and the school, ensuring that the internship is formally recognized by HEAD – Genève and that the experience gained will be recognized as meeting the admission requirements.
The internship must last a minimum of 9 to 10 months full-time. It aims to provide candidates with significant professional experience.
Your application will be rejected if you have less than 9 months full-time professional experience.
Finding an internship is entirely the applicant’s responsibility. HEAD – Genève does not arrange internships or provide recommendations for potential employers. It is therefore important to begin your internship search as early as possible to ensure that you meet the admission requirements.
When applying for the HEAD – Genève admissions process, if your internship is still in progress, you must submit a letter from your employer confirming that you are currently completing the internship. If you have already completed the internship, you must provide a letter from your employer confirming its completion.
You may combine multiple professional experiences to meet the requirements. However, we recommend completing no more than two internships to ensure continuity in your learning process. If your experience is too fragmented, it may hinder your ability to acquire the skills required in your intended field of study.
Tuition fees amount to CHF 775 per semester. – for Swiss students (i.e., individuals with Swiss citizenship or tax residency in Switzerland, as well as cross-border workers) and CHF 1,125 for international students.
Details can be found here: Tuition Fees
No, it is not possible to be exempt from tuition fees. However, one-time financial assistance may be requested through the University of Geneva’s financial aid program.
You should budget approximately CHF 1,000 to 2,000 per year for supplies, travel, museum visits, etc.
You should contact the scholarship office in the canton where you live. In Geneva, this is the Service des bourses et prêts d’études.
Please see the sections on scholarships and financial aid.
Yes, in certain courses. A compulsory internship is included in the study plans of the Bachelor in Fashion Design and the Bachelor in Jewelry and Accessory Design at the end of the second year. An optional internship is also included in the study plan of the Bachelor in Film for students in the Editing and Sound options. This internship takes place during the third year.
No, Bachelor’s studies at HEAD – Genève are full-time. The workload leaves some time for a student job but not, e.g., for a part-time job.
Yes, but only during the Open Days, which are held every year in mid-January.
Need additional information that isn't available on the website? You can contact the Admissions Office by filling out a form.