News · 14 October 2026
BHMS Switzerland fees for 2027, in US dollars
The 2027 BHMS fees for the culinary and pastry programs in Lucerne, in Swiss francs and in dollars, with what each fee includes.
Swiss culinary school fees at BHMS for 2027 start at CHF 40,200 for the first-year Diploma in Culinary Arts, about $48,390 at the Federal Reserve's 9 October 2026 rate.[1][5] One number covers the whole year: tuition, a shared room, meals, insurance, and your uniform and knives.[1]
What are the BHMS Switzerland fees for 2027?
The Federal Reserve published 0.8308 Swiss francs per US dollar for 9 October 2026, which works out to $1.2037 per franc.[5] Every dollar figure below uses that rate, rounded to the nearest $10. The franc amounts are what BHMS charges, so treat the dollars as a guide.
| Culinary program, Lucerne | CHF, 2027 | About, in USD |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate in Culinary Operations (10 weeks) | 23,025[1] | $27,710 |
| Diploma in Culinary Arts (Year 1) | 40,200[1] | $48,390 |
| Higher Diploma in Culinary Arts (Year 2) | 41,200[1] | $49,590 |
| BA in Culinary Arts (Year 3) | 42,200[1] | $50,790 |
| Postgraduate Diploma in Culinary Arts (one year) | 41,200[1] | $49,590 |
| All three bachelor years, approximately | 123,600[1] | $148,770 |
Each year is priced on its own. Through the bachelor years the price climbs by CHF 1,000 a year.[1][2]
What does the yearly fee include?
The fee pays for your shared accommodation and meals. It also covers the mandatory health insurance, internship placement, visa and B-permit support, internet and airport pickup, plus uniforms and knife sets on the culinary programs.[1] For Year 1, tuition is CHF 29,800 ($35,870). Operating costs add 2,750 ($3,310), living expenses 6,150 ($7,400), the application fee 1,000 ($1,200) and uniforms and equipment 500 ($600).[3]
What isn't in the fee?
- Room upgrades. You get a shared standard room. Anything nicer costs extra.[1]
- Pocket money. Plan on roughly CHF 500 a month ($600) for laundry, phone and local travel.[1]
- The room deposit. You'll pay a CHF 1,500 ($1,810) deposit, and it comes back to you.[1]
Is pastry priced the same as culinary?
Pastry is its own set of programs, not a variation on the culinary ones. If you want to become a pastry chef, you'll want the Diploma in Pastry, Chocolate and Bakery or the 10-week Certificate in Pastry, Chocolate and Bakery.[3]
| Pastry program, Lucerne | CHF, 2027 | About, in USD |
|---|---|---|
| Diploma in Pastry, Chocolate and Bakery (one year) | 40,200[3] | $48,390 |
| Certificate in Pastry, Chocolate and Bakery (10 weeks) | 23,025[3] | $27,710 |
The totals match the culinary Diploma and Certificate. The postgraduate diploma in the first table is culinary only. There's no pastry version.[3]
What does the paid internship change?
Every year-long program includes a six-month paid internship, in Switzerland or abroad.[3] In Switzerland it pays CHF 2,390 a month gross, about $2,880. Room and board, social security and other deductions come out of that.[4] The same rate holds for 2027.[2] The 10-week certificates have no internship.
Think of that pay as income during the placement, not a discount on the fee. We haven't put a net cost on it, because what you keep depends on your placement, your housing and your deductions.
What this means for you
- Budget by year, not by program. A first year is about $48,390 plus pocket money. Later years cost a little more, so allow for the CHF 1,000 step.[1]
- Dollars will move. BHMS sets the fee in francs. If the dollar weakens against the franc, your bill grows in dollars even when the price itself hasn't moved.
- Know which track you want. Cooking and pastry cost the same, but they're separate programs, each with its own path to a degree.
Next, go through each year on the fees page, see how placements work on the internships page, and compare programs on the programs page.