The «Communication Design» program, developed by prominent practicing designers, is designed to train top specialists in the field of creative industries. It allows students to quickly immerse themselves in the profession, build a high-quality portfolio, and gain expertise in the field of project promotion and management.
Unique to St. Petersburg, this program enables students to gain practical design skills in graphic design, branding, typography, infographics, packaging design, and multi-page publications, provides a strong foundation in art history, and allows to develop creative project management abilities. From the very first lesson, students work on their own projects, developing systemic and conceptual thinking, mastering computer design tools, working in workshops, and attending university-wide courses. As they progress, students dive deeper into the studies and branding projects, subsequently choosing a specialization—Branding, Multi-Page Design, or Motion Design—for further development.
Students actively participate in creative exhibitions and competitions, gaining professional experience and significantly enriching their portfolios. The St. Petersburg campus of the HSE Art and Design School implements large-scale projects in collaboration with major cultural institutions in the city, including the Hermitage Museum, the Russian Ethnographic Museum, the New Stage of the Alexandrinsky Theater, the Mayakovsky Library, and many others. By participating in these collaborations, students build strong portfolios by the end of their studies, showcasing their skills and expertise in the professional community.
Upon completing the program, graduates earn an international bachelor’s degree, a portfolio of high-quality design projects, and advanced knowledge in marketing and management.
Admission to the bachelor’s program is determined through a competitive selection procedure based on the level of English proficiency and a creative project assessment.
Creative Project Requirements
When preparing a creative project, applicants must choose one of the program specializations and create a series of works (6 to 15 pieces) based on a single theme, unified by a common concept and consistent visual style.
Applicants are free to choose their project theme, as long as it showcases their creative potential and artistic thinking. The HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL provides suggested themes, but these are not mandatory. If an applicant selects a different topic, their project will still be considered, provided that it maintains cohesion, conceptual depth, and stylistic unity.
Before starting, applicants should select a theme such as a country, city, school, museum, gallery, exhibition, book, theater, club, concert, factory, airport, nonprofit organization, store, clothing brand, café, or something similar.
Based on the chosen theme, the project can take the form of:
A poster series
A set of covers (music, book, or magazine)
A collection of typographic compositions
A brand identity
A packaging series
Infographics
Outdoor advertising
Each project must be created specifically for admission to the HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL. Submitting projects that were previously prepared for other university applications, as well as diploma projects from colleges or other educational institutions, is not allowed.
Creative Project Submission
All creative projects for the HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL must be submitted online. Applicants must upload their projects to a dedicated platform page on the HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL website.
Projects can be created using digital tools or hand-crafted. If done manually, they must be scanned or photographed for digital submission. The project should consist of 6 to 15 slides in JPEG format.
A cover image will be generated automatically upon upload. If needed, applicants can include a project description of up to 700 characters.
Links to external resources can be embedded in the slides, but applicants must ensure that the links open correctly in incognito mode. If the admissions committee is unable to access the link, the project will not be reviewed.
Project Evaluation Criteria
The creative project is evaluated based on the following criteria:
Conceptual Strength — a clearly formulated project theme and idea, effective communication of the project’s core concept.
Series Cohesion — sufficient project volume, presence of a series of works, structure and dynamics within the series; in exceptional cases, a series may consist of non-equivalent parts (e.g., a final mock-up and its preliminary sketches).
Stylistic Unity — integrity, consistency, and internal harmony of the techniques and materials used throughout the series.
Presentation / Exposition — impact and professionalism of the presentation/exposition, meticulous execution of its elements, high quality of images and video for online submission.
Originality
Relevance to the Chosen Specialization
Composition — structure, dynamics, persuasiveness, and harmonious combination of individual elements within each work of the series.
Technical Execution — evaluation is based not on proficiency in professional design software, but on the neatness of presentation and the quality of realization for all elements of the work, created using any tools of the applicant’s choice.
Expressiveness of Imagery — the work’s ability to impact the viewer.
Theme Development — how well the work corresponds to its stated title/attached description.
Understanding of the Chosen Format’s Principles — comprehension of the rules and conventions governing the selected design format.
Main Dates of the 2026 Admissions Process
From December 1 to March 31, 2026 — submission of applications for the quota for international undergraduate applicants.
From April 1 to August 10, 2026 — admission for international applicants through a separate selection process for fee-paying (commercial) study places.
Open Days
The HSE University School of Design regularly holds Open Days, consultations, and portfolio reviews for applicants at all levels of education. This is an excellent opportunity to meet the curators in person, learn about the specifics of the educational process, and understand the School’s admission rules.
For those unable to attend an Open Day in person, online broadcasts and recordings of past events are available.
Still have questions about admission or submitting a project for the creative assessment? Please visit our Telegram bot