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Enrolment at the HGK Basel

We are delighted that you have decided to study at the Basel Academy of Art and Design FHNW. On this website you will find useful information about your studies.

Once you have passed the aptitude test, the enrolment process begins and new students are definitively enrolled at the university. You will receive an information email from the Central Student Administration Office (ZSA) approx. 3 months before the start of your studies with all the information about enrolment and a deadline by which the relevant documents must be submitted.

Please also refer to our FAQs on the enrolment procedure at the HGK Basel.

Please upload the copies via the online platform and send the original documents by post to

Basel Academy of Art and Design FHNW
Central Student Administration ZSA
Freilager-Platz 1
4002 Basel

Alternatively, you can drop the documents, which must be submitted in the original, in person in the letterbox or hand them in at reception.

Enrolment documents

You will receive an e-mail from the Central Student Administration with information on the documents required for enrolment.

For Bachelor's programmes

Original matura certificate (high school diploma, vocational baccalaureate, specialized baccalaureate or equivalent). The original will be returned to you at the start of the semester.
Complete the personal data form online and submit the original (no manual changes may be made to the printout afterwards). Please note the FAQs.
Enclosure to the personal data form (can be found on the second page of the personal data form).

For Master's programmes

Original Master's or Bachelor's diploma (highest degree). Only applies to prospective students who were NOT enrolled at a university/university of applied science in Switzerland. The original will be returned to you at the start of the semester.
Complete the personal data form online and submit the original (no manual changes may be made to the printout afterwards). Please note the FAQs.
Enclosure to the personal data form (can be found on the second page of the personal data form).

For Bachelor's programmes

High School Diploma (Baccalaureate, Federal Vocational Baccalaureate, Specialised Baccalaureate or equivalent). Only applies to prospective students who have already previously been enroled at a higher education institution/university in Switzerland.
Certificate of proficiency or certificate from a technical secondary school (if available, only applies to Swiss applicants).
Certificates of exmatriculation (statement of account) and transcript of records showing the ECTS credits from all previous studies, even in the case of discontinuation of studies (if available). This certificate shows the sum of all academic achievements in ECTS credits.
Declaration of consent HGK FHNW (pdf). Please note the FAQs.

For Master's programmes

Master's and/or Bachelor's diploma (all degrees).
Matura certificate (Matura, BM, FMS or equivalent certificate). Only applies to prospective students who have already been enrolled at a higher education institution/university in Switzerland.
Certificate of proficiency or certificate from a technical secondary school (if available). Only applies to Swiss prospective students.
Certificates of exmatriculation (statement of account) and transcript of records showing the ECTS credits from all previous studies, even in the case of discontinuation of studies (if available). This certificate shows the sum of all academic achievements in ECTS credits.
Declaration of consent HGK FHNW (pdf). Please note the FAQs.

If you do not have access to the documents from mid-June or are unable to send them in via the online platform or by post, please ask someone close to you to do so and prepare the documents accordingly. Please note the deadlines and dates communicated by the Central Student Administration.

Once we have received all the necessary documents from you, we will create your FHNW account, with which you will receive a students.fhnw.ch e-mail address. You can then use it to access “My studies” on the intranet.

Please also note our FAQ on enrolment at the HGK Basel.

FAQ on enrolment

Information for international students

Please note the federal requirements on the FDFA website

If you are a citizen of one of the following EU and EFTA countries as well as Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Australia, Brunei and the United Kingdom, you are exempt from the visa requirement:

EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
EFTA countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway

If you are a student from one of these countries, please follow the instructions below:

Although you do not need a visa to enter Switzerland, you will need a residence permit (see below) for enrolment, which you must apply for by law within 14 days of entering Switzerland at the relevant municipal authority (residents' registration office, residents' services) in your new place of residence in Switzerland.

If you arrive shortly before the start of the semester, you may not be able to submit your residence permit to us within the required period for enrolment. We therefore ask you to contact the cantonal migration authorities in advance and request a provisional confirmation of your residence permit. ATTENTION: Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft require an application for this, which must be submitted at least two months before the start of your studies.
You can also make an appointment with the Migration Office online in advance.

Canton of Basel-Stadt: Submit the requested documents in a PDF via the contact form.
Canton of Basel-Landschaft: Send the requested documents in a PDF to YWZtYkBibC5jaC4=

Please note: The information on this page is for information purposes only and is non-binding. The underlying regulations may have changed since the last update. For binding information, please consult the website of the State Secretariat for Migration or contact the Swiss representation in your home country.

If you are a citizen of a so-called third country (all countries except EU and EFTA states as well as Australia, Brunei, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom), you need a national type D visa to enter Switzerland (for long-term and regulated stays in Switzerland of more than 90 days).

Important
It is of the utmost importance that you do not enter Switzerland on a tourist visa. Please note that a tourist visa CAN NOT be converted into a residence permit after entry!

When to apply
Please submit your visa application in person to the relevant Swiss representation abroad (embassy or consulate general, not consulate) at your place of residence as early as possible but no later than 3 months before the planned date of entry. If the application is approved by the competent migration or immigration authorities, the requirements for entry and study-related stay are met.

Requirements
Students from third countries who wish to complete education or training in Switzerland can obtain a residence permit if

there is confirmation from the school management or the university that the training or further education programme can be taken up;
suitable accommodation is available;
the necessary financial means are available; and
the return journey appears to be assured.

Documents
The documents to be submitted with a visa application and the procedure depend on the country of residence of the visa applicant. Information on the conditions for submitting a visa application can be found on the relevant country pages.
Please note that the absence of a single document can lead to considerable delays.

Decision
Your application for a student visa will be forwarded by the embassy or consulate general to the competent cantonal migration office in Switzerland, which will decide on your application. The migration office reserves the right to request additional documents and information.

Please note that the decision of the Migration Office will be made independently of your admission to the HGK Basel. The HGK Basel has no influence on this decision and is not informed about your visa application.

The HGK Basel cannot speed up the process. If you have submitted your visa application more than 6 weeks ago and have questions about your visa, please contact the responsible migration office directly.

Reasons for refusal
Please note that there is no guarantee that a visa will be issued and that the decision lies solely with the responsible migration office. As a rule, visa applications are rejected from students who already have a degree in the intended field of study, as well as from incomplete visa applications. Please check the financial requirements in particular.

You will in any case need a residence permit to study in Switzerland - regardless of whether you need a visa to enter the country. You must register with the residents' registration office at your new place of residence within 14 days of entering the country, and you will have to pay a fee for registration and the associated documents. Please note that the HGK does not cover the costs.

he residence permit for study purposes does not entitle you to gainful employment. The following therefore applies to EU/EFTA students: apply for a work permit at the same time as your residence permit so that you can work part-time while studying (see information sheet "Part-time employment").

As soon as you have registered at the residents' registration office in your municipality of residence, the Office for Migration will be asked to issue your residence permit. Please prepare the following documents before travelling to Switzerland, which you must then present to the Residents' Registration Office or the Migration Office in Switzerland:

a valid identity card / passport
Confirmation of study
Tenancy agreement
Valid health insurance
Proof of sufficient financial means: Proof is a bank statement or (for students from the EU/EFTA) a letter from your parents/guarantor resident in Switzerland confirming that you will receive financial support of CHF 1,750 per month.
Cash to pay the fees:
- CHF 40 (confirmation of registration)
- CHF 70 (EU countries) / approx. CHF 250 (non-EU countries) (identity card fee)

The residence permit is usually issued for one year and can then be extended for longer periods of study. Please note that the extension of the residence permit is subject to a further financial contribution.