Bern Academy of the Arts (HKB)
Bern, Switzerland
Quick facts
- World rank
- Unranked
- Acceptance rate
- —
- Students
- 7,900
- International students
- 10%
- Institution type
- Public
- Founded
- —
Overview
The Bern Academy of the Arts (HKB) is a public university of the arts and a school of Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) located in Bern, Switzerland. As Switzerland's first transdisciplinary university of the arts, HKB offers Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes across five divisions: Design and Fine Arts, Conservation and Restoration, Music, Theatre, and the Swiss Literature Institute. It is an international multilingual institution with students and staff from over 30 countries.
Fields of study
- Fine Arts
- Art Education
- Visual Communication
- Design
- Transformation Design
- Multimedia Communication and Publishing
- Multimedia Production
- Conservation and Restoration
- Literary Writing
- Music
- Music Pedagogy
- Music Performance
- Sound Arts
- Theatre
- Contemporary Arts Practice
Accreditation: Swiss Accreditation Council
Admissions requirements
- IELTS (minimum)
- —
- TOEFL iBT (minimum)
- —
- GPA (minimum)
- —
- Intakes
- Autumn Semester, Spring Semester
- Application deadlines
- Varies by program
- Rolling admissions
- No
Requirements differ between programs. Check the program page and the university's admissions office for the latest criteria.
Tuition & costs
International students
CHF 850 – CHF 2,550 / semester
From about $1,921 / year
Domestic students
CHF 850 / semester
Fees valid from autumn semester 2026/27. Domestic students: CHF 850 per semester. International students (stay for study purposes at start of studies): CHF 2,550 per semester. International students (other residence reasons when starting studies): CHF 850 per semester. Transitional arrangements for students who started before autumn 2026: CHF 1,050 per semester. Examination fee: CHF 80 per semester. Application fee: CHF 150 per application (plus CHF 10 processing fee if paying by invoice).
Tuition varies by program. Confirm with the university before applying.
Official fee source (opens in a new tab)Programs
| Program | Level | Duration | Tuition | Deadline | Intakes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor Art Education (opens in a new tab)German, French · Full Time | Bachelor's | 3 years | CHF 2,550 / semester | Mar 2, 2026 | Autumn Semester 2026 |
| Bachelor Conservation (opens in a new tab)German, French · Full Time | Bachelor's | 3 years | CHF 2,550 / semester | Mar 16, 2026 | Autumn Semester 2026 |
| Bachelor Fine Arts (opens in a new tab)German, French · Full Time | Bachelor's | 3 years | CHF 2,550 / semester | Mar 2, 2026 | Autumn Semester 2026 |
| Bachelor Literary Writing (opens in a new tab)German, French · Full Time | Bachelor's | 3 years | CHF 2,550 / semester | Mar 16, 2026 | Autumn Semester 2026 |
| Bachelor Music Classical (opens in a new tab)German, French · Full Time | Bachelor's | 3 years | CHF 2,550 / semester | Mar 16, 2026 | Autumn Semester 2026 |
| Bachelor Visual Communication (opens in a new tab)German, French · Full Time | Bachelor's | 3 years | CHF 2,550 / semester | Mar 2, 2026 | Autumn Semester 2026 |
| Master Contemporary Arts Practice (opens in a new tab)English, German · Full Time | Master's | 2 years | CHF 2,550 / semester | Mar 16, 2026 | Autumn Semester 2026 |
Information last verified Oct 4, 2026. Last updated Oct 14, 2026. Fees, deadlines and requirements change — always confirm with the university.