HES-SO (Haute école spécialisée de Suisse occidentale) is a network of 28 schools of higher education that teaches six fields to close to 22,000 students at the start of 2026/27, spread over the seven cantons of western Switzerland.[1][2] It is not one campus: you apply to and study at one of its member schools.
From the autumn semester 2025 the tuition fee is CHF 700 per semester for Swiss students and CHF 1,050 for foreign students, plus a one-time registration fee of CHF 150.[3] Schools may add study-cost contributions; the master’s in Life Sciences, for example, lists CHF 250 on top.[4] We could not confirm an individual QS World University Rankings 2027 position.
Key facts
| Official name | Haute école spécialisée de Suisse occidentale (HES-SO); English: University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland[2] |
| Structure | Network of 28 schools of higher education in six fields: Art & Design; Business, Management and Services; Engineering & Architecture; Music and Performing Arts; Health Sciences; Social Work[2] |
| Seat of the Rectorate | Route de Moutier 14, 2800 Delémont; HES-SO Master: Avenue de Provence 6, 1007 Lausanne[5] |
| Cantons | Serves the seven cantons of western Switzerland (the page does not name them)[2] |
| Created | January 1997, at the signing of the intercantonal concordat[6] |
| Students | Close to 22,000 at the start of 2026/27: 85.9% bachelor’s, 12.9% master’s, 1.2% MAS/EMBA[1] |
| Graduates | 5,667 diplomas in 2025 (basic training and MAS/EMBA)[1] |
| Student numbers elsewhere | HES-SO’s own history teaser says 21,000; Times Higher Education lists 17,517 students in its 2026 data[7] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | Not confirmed (no position found in the sources we read) |
| Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 | Band 1201–1500[7] |
| Tuition from autumn 2025 | CHF 700 per semester (Swiss) · CHF 1,050 per semester (foreign)[3] |
| Registration fee | CHF 150, one time, non-refundable[3] |
| Language of teaching | Set by school and programme; some programmes fully in English (e.g. International Business Management)[8] |
| Official website | hes-so.ch |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.
About HES-SO
HES-SO describes itself as a network of 28 schools of higher education offering degree programmes in six key fields.[2]
The network was created in January 1997, when the intercantonal concordat was signed.[6] At the start the Confederation limited the project to the fields it already financed: technology (architecture and engineering), economics and services, and design.[6] HES-SO’s own history teaser says it became Switzerland’s largest university of applied sciences within 20 years.[2]
How is HES-SO ranked?
We found no individual HES-SO position in the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026; the QS site blocks automated access and none of the sources we read names a position. In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 the profile page shows HES-SO in the 1201–1500 band.[7]
The profile also gives student figures that differ from HES-SO’s own: 17,517 students against about 22,000 on the HES-SO site.[7][1] The two count students differently, so use the HES-SO figure for enrolment. Rankings differ by publisher and year. How we compile rankings. For the Swiss list, see universities in Switzerland.
What can you study at HES-SO?
HES-SO teaches six fields:[2]
- Art & Design
- Business, Management and Services
- Engineering & Architecture
- Music and Performing Arts
- Health Sciences
- Social Work
Most students are in bachelor’s programmes (85.9% of the 2026/27 intake), 12.9% are in master’s programmes and 1.2% in MAS/EMBA continuing education.[1] Master’s degrees are offered by the member schools and, in some fields, as a joint HES-SO Master, for example the Master of Science in Life Sciences, which lists teaching locations at HEI-VS and HEIA-FR and a viticulture and enology track.[4]
An example of an English-taught bachelor’s is International Business Management, taught entirely in English by HEG Genève.[8]
How much does HES-SO cost?
| Item | Swiss students | Foreign students |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition fee per semester (from autumn 2025) | CHF 700 | CHF 1,050 |
| Per year (two semesters, our calculation) | CHF 1,400 | CHF 2,100 |
| Registration fee (one time) | CHF 150 | |
| Master of Science in Life Sciences, per semester incl. CHF 250 study-cost contribution | CHF 950 | CHF 1,300 |
HES-SO’s costs page and its programme pages give CHF 700 for Swiss students and CHF 1,050 for foreign students per semester from the autumn semester 2025.[3][8] The Master in Life Sciences page lists the higher totals above and an application fee of CHF 150.[4] Training sites may charge material or workshop fees, and the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne has its own fee conditions.[3]
HES-SO gives no living-cost amounts. It lists federal, cantonal, international and private scholarship sources and warns that processing is usually slow.[3] See also our Study in Switzerland guide.
How do you apply to HES-SO?
You apply to the school that offers your programme; HES-SO tells applicants to contact the admission service of that school.[9][10]
- Bachelor’s: you need a recognised school-leaving diploma or higher education degree. Holders of a Swiss maturité gymnasiale generally need at least one year of related work experience unless the programme offers a school-based route. Some fields add conditions, and design, visual arts, music and performing arts may require an entry exam.[9]
- Foreign diplomas: the diploma must be equivalent to a Swiss maturité, and you need at least one year of related professional experience or a completed preparatory year. If HES-SO does not recognise the diploma as fully equivalent, you must pass the Complementary Examination of Swiss Universities (ECUS).[9]
- Master’s: a bachelor’s degree or equivalent of at least 180 ECTS from a recognised programme. University-track bachelor’s holders also need professional experience; foreign higher-education diplomas recognised as equivalent are admitted on the same conditions.[10]
We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ by school. The Master in Life Sciences, for example, asks for a bachelor’s in a related field, six months of professional experience for other life-science bachelor’s holders, or a portfolio for university bachelor’s holders.[4]
Which language level do you need?
HES-SO’s general admission pages for bachelor’s and master’s programmes state no language level, and many regulations are published in French only.[9][10] The teaching language and the proof you need depend on the school and programme.
Two examples: the bachelor’s in International Business Management is taught entirely in English, with no test or score named on the page;[8] the Master of Science in Life Sciences requires English at level B2 at the moment of admission.[4] For a programme taught in French, ask the school which level and certificate it accepts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does HES-SO cost for foreign students?
Is HES-SO one university?
How many students does HES-SO have?
Can I study in English at HES-SO?
Is HES-SO in the QS World University Rankings?
We could not confirm an individual HES-SO position in the QS World University Rankings 2027. Times Higher Education shows HES-SO in the 1201–1500 band for 2026.[7]
More about studying in Switzerland
- Switzerland: best universities
- Study in Switzerland: complete guide
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in Switzerland
- Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH)
- EPFL
- ETH Zurich
- FHNW
- Franklin Switzerland
- Geneva Graduate Institute
- IMD Business School
- Università della Svizzera italiana (USI)
- University of Basel
- University of Bern
- University of Fribourg
- University of Geneva
- University of Lausanne
- University of Lucerne
- University of Neuchâtel
- University of St.Gallen (HSG)
- University of Zurich
- Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW)
- Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK)
Sources
[1] HES-SO: La HES-SO en chiffres (key figures) (page in French, figures for 2025 and the 2026/27 intake)
[2] HES-SO: About (page without a date)
[3] HES-SO: Coûts, bourses et prêts (costs, scholarships and loans) (page without a date; fee change from autumn 2025)
[4] HES-SO: Master of Science in Life Sciences (page without a date)
[5] HES-SO: Contact (page without a date)
[6] HES-SO Genève: Historique et archives (page without a date)
[7] Times Higher Education: HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland (World University Rankings 2026 profile)
[8] HES-SO: Bachelor International Business Management (page without a date)
[9] HES-SO: Admissions to our bachelor’s programmes (page without a date; footer 2021)
[10] HES-SO: Master’s admissions and regulations (page without a date; refers to rules from 2026/27)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.