Registration and Deadlines for the Bachelor’s Programme in Health Promotion and Prevention

Detailed administrative information on the Bachelor’s degree programme in Health Promotion and Prevention at a glance.

Entry requirements

Applicants are admitted to the degree programme if they meet the admission requirements according to federal and cantonal law.

In addition to a vocational baccalaureate (Berufsmaturität), a specialised baccalaureate (Fachmaturität), or an academic baccalaureate (gymnasiale Maturität), proof must be provided of at least one year’s work experience in a profession related to the field of study. For the Bachelor’s degree programme in Health Promotion and Prevention, this includes additional modules for a total of 12 months. These modules take place either before (additional module A = at least two months) or after (additional module C) the regular study programme.

Completed vocational training	Evidence of professional experience
Specialised baccalaureate in Heath Care Specialised baccalaureate in Health and Natural Sciences Specialised baccalaureate in Social Work Specialised baccalaureate in Communication and IT Specialised baccalaureate in Applied Psychology	Add. modules A/B/C - met
Other specialised baccalaureate	Additional module A - Two months’ experience in the extended health field must be completed Additional modules B/C - An internship as part of a specialised baccalaureate is counted as four months towards experience in the rest of the professional world - Proof of six months’ experience in the extended health field must be provided
Vocational baccalaureate + Federal VET Diploma in Health Care	Additional module A - The apprenticeship counts as two months in the extended health field Additional modules B/C - The apprenticeship counts as six months in the extended health field - Proof of four months’ experience in the extended health field (outside the apprenticeship) or in the rest of the professional world must be provided
Vocational baccalaureate + another Federal VET Diploma	Additional module A - Proof of two months’ experience in the extended health field must be provided Additional modules B/C - The apprenticeship counts as four months in the rest of the professional world - Experience of six months’ experience in the extended health field must be provided
Swiss Red Cross diploma / Degree from a College of Higher Education and Training in a health profession	Additional module A - The Swiss Red Cross diploma/A degree from a College of Higher Education and Training in a health profession counts as two months’ experience in the extended health field Additional modules B/C - The Swiss Red Cross diploma/A degree from a College of Higher Education and Training in a health profession counts as six months’ experience in the extended health field - Evidence of four months’ experience in the extended health field (outside a Swiss Red Cross diploma/A degree from a College of Higher Education and Training in a health profession) or in the rest of the professional world must be provided
A degree from a College of Higher Education and Training (or another tertiary B qualification) in another discipline	Additional module A - Evidence of two months’ experience in the extended health field must be provided Additional modules B/C - The degree from a College of Higher Education and Training counts as four months’ experience in the rest of the professional world - Evidence of six months’ experience in the extended health field must be provided
Academic baccalaureate	Additional module A - Evidence of two months’ experience in the extended health field must be provided Additional modules B/C - Evidence of six months’ experience in the extended health field and another four months either in the extended health field or in the rest of the professional world must be provided

Vocational apprenticeships without a baccalaureate do not fulfil the admission requirement. In this case, a baccalaureate or vocational baccalaureate must be completed beforehand. (Information can be obtained from the vocational school in your area or a career guidance office.)

In this context, please note that documents providing proof of work experience must not date back more than five years from the start of your studies, after which they expire. The head of the degree programme decides on exceptional cases. Certificates of proficiency (Fähigkeitszeugnisse) do not expire.

International students

Knowledge of English and Deutsch

To enrol in this programme, applicants need to have a good knowledge of German and English. English language skills must be at Level B2-C1 according to the European Framework of Reference (CEFR), which corresponds to a very good Cambridge First Certificate in English (Grade A) or a Certificate in Advanced English (Grade C). Applicants need to be native speakers of German or have German language skills at Level C1.

Students are expected to read German and English academic texts (abstracts, reports, and case studies) and follow classes in German and English.

Students who fail to meet the above basic language requirements are strongly recommended to attend a language course before starting their studies (German) or during their studies (English).

“I want young people to feel at home and take responsibility for themselves and their environment. It is gratifying to see the beaming faces of young people after a workshop."

Annina Brühwiler, Project Manager, GORILLA Workshops, Schtifti Foundation
Video Clip about Annina Brühwiler's working life

Admission procedure

The Bachelor’s degree programme in Health Promotion and Prevention is limited to 66 study places a year. All potential students have to undergo a fee-based aptitude test, which consists of three parts and is used in the final admission decision-making process.

Aptitude test and interview

The evaluation of the formal admission requirements by the Programme Administration Office is followed by a fee-based aptitude test that consists of two stages:

a written cognitive test in the first part
mini interviews (MMI) and a psychological test, in which the candidates are judged on their social and communicative competencies as well as their collaborative skills and perceived self-efficacy in the second part.

The Academic Office decides on the final approval of candidates based on the results obtained in the aptitude test.

If you fail to achieve the minimum score in the aptitude test, you get one more chance to try again.

How to Enrol

After passing the aptitude test, you will receive the enrolment documents from the ZHAW Programme Administration Office by post.

“The semesters are well-structured, and everything builds on each other. The course becomes more and more practice-oriented as the semesters progress: First we learn the basics, and later we learn how to apply the knowledge in practice.”

Alexander Curle, former Health Promotion and Prevention student

Course fees / Expenses / Compensation

Description	Frequency	Cost
Registration fee for admission process [1]	once	CHF 100.–
Enrolment fee for Bachelor's and Master's programmes [2]	once	CHF 100.–
Tuition fees for Bachelor's and Master's programmes [3]	per semester	CHF 720.–
Fixed charge for students on leave of absence [4]	per semester	CHF 300.–
Additional tuition fees for students who are not Swiss residents [5]	per semester	CHF 500.–
Membership of the Academic Sports Association Zurich (ASVZ)	per semester	CHF 35.–
Membership of the ZHAW Students Association (Alias)	per semester	CHF 20.–
Fees for guest auditors (depending on the number of courses attended)	per semester	CHF 100.– to 600.–

[1] Fee according to § 2 ordinance on tuition fees
[2] Applicants are exempt from paying the registration fee for the admissions process if they pass the admissions assessment/test and enrol for the next available programme start date.
[3] According to §4 of the regulations on tuition fees
[4] According to § 25, paragraph 5 of the general examination regulations for Bachelor's and Master's programmes at the ZHAW, students on leave of absence are exempt from paying tuition fees. According to the regulations on fees and contributions (in German), they pay a fixed charge per semester of CHF 300.– to cover their e-mail account, campus card, use of the University Library and general administration costs. This fixed charge also applies to students on the Bachelor’s programmes at the School of Health Sciences who attend the additional module C and to students who do delay the completion of their programme (e.g. by postponing submission of their thesis).
[5] Under Swiss law, non-Swiss nationals who come to Switzerland to study are not considered residents of Switzerland (Art. 23 Swiss Civil Code). In addition to the regular tuition fee, they pay an additional tuition fee of CHF 500.– during the entire duration of their studies (even if they move their official place of residence to Switzerland after commencing their studies). Official residency under civil law is not possible if the residence permit was issued for study/educational purposes.

Additional costs

Item	Recurrence	Fees
Aptitude test (part 1 CHF 300, part 2 CHF 300)	one-off expense	CHF 600.–
One-off fee for scripts	per semester	CHF 35.–

Remuneration for clinical placements

Remuneration for clinical placements is regulated by the canton and is at the discretion of the individual providers. Usually, it is CHF 1,500 per month for a full-time contract (as recommended by the industry association OdA G ZH).

Notebook computer

All students are required to purchase a notebook computer at their own expense.

"As Head of Basel-Stadt Medical Services, where public health services ranging from prison medicine to health promotion in schools are all under one roof, I see how diverse this profession can be."

Thomas Steffen, Cantonal Physician and Head of the Preventive and Social Medicine Division of the Basel-Stadt Health Department

Additional information

Studying in Switzerland

Switzerland supports students from other European countries studying at the ZHAW.

Studying in Switzerland

International Studies

Spending a semester or a clinical placement abroad is a priceless experience for any student and offers the opportunity to learn how professions are taught and practised in other countries.

International Studies

Brochure International Relations

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