Diploma in Culinary Arts · Year 1
Six months to your first professional kitchen
One year in Lucerne: a semester of culinary labs and academics with 270 logged kitchen hours, then a guaranteed six-month paid internship at CHF 2'390/month gross minimum.
The year at a glance
Half study. Half salary.
The diploma year follows the Swiss model: six months on campus — hands-on culinary labs at your own workstation plus the academic foundations of the trade — then six months in a real kitchen, in a Swiss or international hotel or restaurant, with placement guaranteed.
In Switzerland, paid internships are the law: interns from recognised schools earn a gross minimum of CHF 2'390/month under the national hospitality labour agreement (2026 rate). By the end of Year 1 you have logged 270 kitchen hours, held a paid position, and earned a full qualification — with the option to continue.
How the internship model works
Semester 1 · 270 kitchen hours
What you learn before you earn
Culinary labs at individual workstations, backed by the academics every professional kitchen expects you to know.
| Code | Module | Credits | Contact hrs |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLN 1101 | Essentials of Culinary Operations (Lab) | 12 | 60 |
| CLN 1102 | Food Preparation Techniques (Lab) | 12 | 60 |
| CLN 1105 | European Cuisine (Lab) | 12 | 60 |
| CLN 1500 | Garde Manger (Lab) | 6 | 30 |
| CLN 1753 | Cakes & Creams (Lab) | 6 | 30 |
| CLN 1754 | Bakery & Breads (Lab) | 6 | 30 |
| CLN 1600 | Nutrition | 6 | 25 |
| CLN 1651 | Food Safety | 6 | 25 |
| HMT 1350 | Certificate in Wines | 6 | 25 |
| HMT 1101 | Hospitality & Tourism Industry | 6 | 25 |
| BBA 1801 | Business Communication I | 6 | 25 |
| EGE 1900 | German or French | 12 | 50 |
| HMT 1000 | Industry Training Preparation | — | 40–60 |
| Sem. 2 | Paid Industry Training — your first internship | 24 | 6 months |
120 credits total (60 ECTS). Elective courses may substitute or amend the list — the detailed course programme is confirmed at application.
Yes, that says wine: Year 1 includes a Certificate in Wines alongside the knife work. And semester 2 is your first paid internship — six months, guaranteed placement, minimum CHF 2'390/month gross in Switzerland.
Award & admission
A full qualification — and a first rung
Your award
Diploma in Culinary Arts — 120 credits / 60 ECTS, accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission (ACFEFAC).
Finish the year with a complete qualification in hand — or continue seamlessly towards the dual-degree bachelor.
Entry requirements
- Age 17+
- Completed secondary school (10 + 2 years)
- English at IELTS 5.0 level or equivalent — the free online Duolingo English Test is accepted
- Not there yet? The Preparatory English Programme bridges the gap
Intakes: 17 August 2026 · 16 November 2026 · February 2027
Fees
CHF 39'100. One invoice. Everything in.
The diploma year is genuinely all-inclusive:
- Tuition and all culinary labs
- Shared campus accommodation
- Meals at the campus restaurant
- Swiss health insurance
- Visa administration
- Uniforms and your own knife set
And in semester 2 the money starts flowing the other way — a guaranteed gross minimum of CHF 2'390/month during your Swiss internship.
Full fees, scholarships & discounts
After Year 1
Continue: the Higher Diploma
Year 2 raises the bar — advanced technique, chocolate work, à la carte and the Chef's Table, plus cost management and supervisory skills. 335 kitchen hours, a second guaranteed paid internship, and a clear path to the dual bachelor degree with Robert Gordon University (UK). CHF 40'100 all-inclusive.
Year 2: the Higher Diploma in detail
Questions
Straight answers
How is the diploma year structured?
Six months on campus in Lucerne — 270 logged kitchen hours across culinary labs plus academic classes — followed by a six-month paid internship in a Swiss or international hotel or restaurant. Placement is guaranteed.
Is the internship really paid?
Yes. In Switzerland, interns from recognised schools are entitled under the national hospitality labour agreement (L-GAV) to a gross minimum of CHF 2,390 per month (2026 rate, before deductions for board, lodging and social insurance). BHMS is on the official recognised-school list.
What qualification do I graduate with?
The Diploma in Culinary Arts — 120 credits / 60 ECTS, accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission (ACFEFAC). It is a full qualification on its own, and Year 1 of the three-year dual-degree bachelor path.
What are the entry requirements?
Age 17 or above, a completed secondary school education, and IELTS 5.0 — the final required IELTS level is confirmed at application. Not there yet in English? The Preparatory English Programme bridges the gap, and the free online Duolingo English Test is accepted.
Three intakes a year. One decision that pays you back.
Next intakes: 17 August 2026 · 16 November 2026 · February 2027 · Lucerne, Switzerland
Every bachelor year pairs six months of study with a six-month paid internship — a guaranteed gross minimum of CHF 2,390/month in Switzerland. How the internship model works →