In addition to the requisite diploma, registration for the Bachelor in Visual Communication (Graphic Design / Photography / Media & Interaction Design / Film Studies) or the Bachelor in Industrial and Product Design requires either:
at least 36 weeks (or nine months) of full-time certified experience in the world of work related to the chosen field;
or successful completion of the ECAL Foundation Year or of a recognized bridge year for the colleges of higher education in art*.
Professional experience or the Foundation Year diploma are recommended but not compulsory to register for the Bachelor in Fine Arts entrance exam.
* For example, in Switzerland, the Art & Design Foundation Year of CFP Arts Genève, the Art & Design Foundation Year of the édhéa (Sierre) or the Art and Design Foundation Year of Bienne/Bern. Don’t hesitate to contact the ECAL Secretariat for additional information.
No. ECAL offers a foundation year, but does not help applicants find an internship to register for a Bachelor programme.
In some cases, recognition of prior studies may be granted in the form of ECTS credits, depending on the applicant’s previous education. ECAL management makes a decision to this effect only after the admissions procedure has been completed and on receipt of an artistic application providing information on all previous studies (type, field, skills, courses, credits, grades, etc.).
Yes. ECAL may exceptionally accept applicants demonstrating extraordinary artistic talent in a Bachelor programme even if they do not meet the admission requirements. However, applicants must first send the ECAL Director a written waiver request.
NB: This concerns in particular applicants who have not completed any training and who have no diploma. Applicants who are under 25 at the time of the application and who have a CFC or a diploma from an upper secondary specialised school (école de culture générale, ECG) must first obtain a professional or specialised baccalaureate before registering for a Bachelor entrance exam.
Applicants registers online until 14 February 2024 at the latest. He·she sends a letter of motivation, a CV, a copy of an identity card, a copy of any qualifications obtained and a portfolio. If the request is accepted, he·she can then take part in the Bachelor's entrance exam in the field they have chosen.
No. If in doubt, please contact the ECAL Secretariat.
No. You are allowed to register for only one Bachelor entrance exam at a time, as it is not possible to do the practical and/or theoretical tests for two at the same time. Don’t hesitate to contact the ECAL Secretariat if you have any questions.
Yes, the successful completion of an equivalent preparatory year allows you to apply for a Bachelor's degree at the ECAL.
These are projects that can each contain several pages.
Courses and workshops are in French in the Foundation Year and at Bachelor level (some Bachelor workshops are in English). Master / MAS programmes are for the most part bilingual (English/French). Fluency in French is therefore essential for the Foundation Year and Bachelor programmes. The same applies to English at least for Master programmes.
Yes. For the Foundation Year and Bachelor programmes, non-French-speaking applicants who have not attended school in Switzerland must be able to attest that they are proficient in French at the B2 level of the European Language Portfolio. The B2 level is required on registration.
Generally speaking, language proficiency is also checked by the juries during the entrance exam.
ECAL has neither a residence nor a campus, but it can, to a limited extent, help students looking for accommodation. As the housing market in the Lake Geneva area is relatively tight, students are advised to make arrangements well in advance.
No, not at the moment.
Educational assistance (grants or student loans) is awarded by the cantons and is intended for Swiss students (nationals, foreign permanent residents and persons with refugee status). It is not available to foreign citizens residing in Switzerland for the purposes of study only. However, the Swiss Confederation offers excellence scholarships to foreign students, researchers and artists for a period of study or research in Switzerland.
Except for MAS and CAS, school tuition for students who are residents in another country (a student of foreign nationality who is not a fiscal resident in Switzerland) is more important that the one for a student who is a Swiss resident (a student of Swiss nationality or a student who is a fiscal resident in Switzerland). For more information, please refer to the page Fees & tuition for each program.
No, not at the moment.
Apart from events organised by the ECAL (various exhibitions, Open Day, etc.), no individual visits are permitted. Group visits can be organised, but should be planned well in advance. In this case, please contact the ECAL Secretariat directly at ecal@ecal.ch.
Please send the ECAL Secretariat, at ecal@ecal.ch, an advert in A4 PDF format containing all the information on the internship or job. The advert will be published on the ECAL intranet. Interested students will contact the advertiser directly.
Any other questions?
Do not hesitate to contact the ECAL secretariat for any further information.