BHMS Switzerland: a Lucerne private school awarding a UK university degree

When families research Swiss hospitality schools, the hardest question is rarely "is it any good" — it is "whose degree does the student actually end up holding?" Most Swiss hospitality schools are private, and Switzerland protects the term "university" tightly, so the answer to that question determines what the qualification is worth.

Who awards the BHMS degree

BHMS describes itself as a registered private school in Switzerland, with approval from the local government and quality agency to deliver undergraduate and postgraduate programmes validated by Robert Gordon University of Aberdeen, Scotland.

In practice: you study in Switzerland, and the award sits within the UK higher education system. This is a common and transparent model among Swiss hospitality schools — and it settles the opening question outright rather than leaving you to guess.

Which bodies regulate the school

• The Canton of Lucerne regulates it for quality standards in adult education.
• eduQua certification — the Swiss quality certification for continuing-education providers, in compliance with federal and cantonal law.

Both are worth asking about at any private institution in Switzerland, not only this one: who supervises it, and who awards the degree.

Campuses and environment

• Lucerne — Gütschstrasse 2-6, 6003 Lucerne.
• Zürich — Vulkanstrasse 106, 8048 Zürich.
• A student community drawn from over 90 nationalities.

Levels of study

• Bridging programmes.
• Bachelor's degrees (BA).
• Master of Science (MSc) and MBA.
• Postgraduate Diplomas and Graduate Certificates.

Internships

BHMS states that it provides guaranteed internships during your studies through industry partnerships. The school's own pages do not publish the duration or any pay arrangement, so this article does not quote figures for either — which makes it precisely the question to put directly before you commit, since in hospitality the internship terms materially change the real cost of a programme.

What to ask before applying

• Is the specific programme you want among those validated by Robert Gordon University?
• How long is the internship, is it paid, and who arranges the placement?
• What does the total programme cost include beyond tuition?
• What are the English language and entry requirements for that programme?

Next step

VNIS checks entry requirements, costs and the Swiss residence permit pathway against the programme you choose. See the study in Switzerland page for the wider picture on the education system and procedures.