What are the admission requirements for the Foundation Course in Design, Film and Art?
- Applicants must have completed secondary education, preferably with a vocational baccalaureate, baccalaureate or equivalent qualification, although (unlike for the Bachelor of Arts) none of these is mandatory for the Foundation Course in Design, Film and Art; or they must pass the entrance examination.
What is the admissions procedure?
The admissions procedure is divided into two parts. In the first part, you are asked to submit your documents, a portfolio and a written assignment on a set theme. In the event of a positive decision, you will receive an invitation to sit the entrance examination consisting of two creative set tasks to be completed within circa 4 hours.
For details, see also Admissions Procedure.
What is being assessed? Do I have to be good at drawing?
The work is assessed according to the following criteria: completeness, color / shape / composition /, versatility / imagination, responding to the given task / execution of the given task, passion / creative will, development process / variations, perseverance / tenacity, independence / individuality, ability to observe, skills / choice of techniques.
When is the registration deadline?
Registration deadline for 2025/26 is Monday, 25 November 2024. Please address inquiries about later registration to Course Administrator Adriana Pozzi.
How long is the Foundation Course in Design, Film and Art?
The Foundation Course in Design, Film and Art lasts one year (full-time) or two years (part-time), always from early August to early May. (No teaching takes place from early May to early August.)
What can I expect from the Part-time Foundation Course?
For details, see Details Part-time Foundation Course.
What is on offer in addition to the regular modules?
Intensive evening classes (Painting, Photography, Silkscreen Printing, Bookbinding, etc.) are available during the Foundation Course in Design, Film and Art. Attendance is not mandatory but serves to hone insights and practical skills.
How and when do I apply for a scholarship?
Information about scholarships can be found on the Lucerne School of Design, Film and Art website under the heading General information for Students. Specific inquiries can be addressed to Adriana Pozzi.
If I have been admitted to the Foundation Course, is it also possible for me to start the following year?
Yes, acceptance of the study place may be deferred by one year.
Can I work while studying?
The one-year, full-time Foundation Course requires circa 1'600 hours of your time, half for contact (i.e. tuition) hours, half for independent study and research. Whether you can manage a job at the same time is for you to decide – but please bear in mind that attendance at 80 % of tuition time is mandatory! We recommend the two-year, part-time Foundation Course for people in employment or anyone returning to higher education after a break.
Does the Foundation Course lead to a formal qualification?
Attestation and graduation certificates are issued upon successful completion of the Course.
How high are the tuition fees for each semester of the Foundation Course in Design, Film and Art?
Further helpful information can be found in the PDF: Tuition Fees – Academic Year 2024/25.
One-off Fees
- CHF125.– Admissions procedure fee
- CHF50.– HSLU Card fee (is officially stamped once you have been accepted on the course)
Tuition Fees per Semester
- CHF803.– for students resident in Canton Lucerne or any canton signatory to the Reciprocal Agreement (incl. CHF3.– membership fee in the SUMO students’ association)
- CHF8’050.– students resident in any canton non-signatory to the Reciprocal Agreement must pay this additional fee; and also a one-off service fee of CHF60.–
Materials Fee
- Circa CHF 2'000.– is the annual fee for materials used in practical work and study trip
Why must I pay much higher fees (an additional CHF 8'050.– per semester), simply because I don’t live in Canton Lucerne or a canton signatory to the Reciprocal Agreement?
Students resident in a canton non-signatory to the Reciprocal Agreement have to pay an additional fee equivalent to the contribution made by cantons signatory to the Reciprocal Agreement. Students from the cantons LU, UR, SZ, OW, NW and ZG pay the regular fee of CHF 803.–, because these cantons have signed the RSZ: Regionalen Schulabkommen Zentralschweiz (Regional Agreement on Schools in Central Switzerland). Please contact the administrator’s office if you have any questions. Students from the cantons BS, BE, FR and VS are subject to the same fees as students from Central Switzerland – but only on condition that they obtain from the relevant authorities written confirmation (Kostengutsprache) that their home canton will pay the remainder of the total sum. These cantons (RSA, NW, EDK) are signatories to the Schulgeldabkommen Nordwestschweiz (Regional Agreement on Schools in Northwestern Switzerland).
How much do students from abroad have to pay to study?
Foreign students should address inquiries to the school secretariat: +41 41 248 64 64 or vorkurs.dfk@hslu.ch.
Which brings us to an important last question: Who can I turn to when looking for answers?
The school secretariat deals with general inquiries: +41 41 248 64 64 or design-film-kunst@hslu.ch.
Adriana Pozzi, as Administrator of the Foundation Course in Art and Design, deals with inquiries related specifically to the course: +41 41 248 62 45 or adriana.pozzi@hslu.ch.
