Nursing

For admission to the programme, you must meet our academic requirements, pass the aptitude test and complete a two-month nursing internship at a healthcare clinic or social services centre before the first semester begins. You must also provide proof of language skills in German at level C1.

Academic requirements

You have earned one of the following Swiss training qualifications:

• Vocational baccalaureate
• Specialised baccalaureate (four-year)
• Baccalaureate
• Degree in a healthcare field from a professional college (see list)

Foreign qualifications are evaluated according to swissuniversities guidelines.

Language requirements

If your prior training (at least three years) was not conducted in German, you must demonstrate proficiency in the German language. We require students to have achieved level C1 in the Common European Framework of Reference.

Before beginning your studies, you must complete a two-month nursing internship (additional module A) at a healthcare clinic or social services centre. Exceptions to this requirement are individuals with a specialised baccalaureate in a healthcare-related field and those with a Swiss Federal Vocational Education and Training diploma (EFZ) and vocational baccalaureate in a healthcare-related field.
The goal of the nursing internship is to introduce you to the tasks and work environment of healthcare professions. You will be responsible for performing various nursing duties, which will give you an idea of your own resilience. You must complete this free-form internship over the course of two consecutive months, or 40 eight-hour workdays. Sick and/or days of absence must be made up. This is a chance for you to discover how well or poorly you adapt to this work environment, what you enjoy and what poses a challenge.
You are responsible for planning and securing the internship – BFH does not provide any recommendations. Please refer to the following handout for more information regarding the internship and/or get in touch with the admissions team in our Health Professions Department well in advance.

All prospective students must submit the following form by calendar week 35 to prove completion of the nursing internship (additional module A).

Certain professional healthcare qualifications are recognised in lieu of the nursing internship. The following provides an overview of eligible credit transfers for additional module A within our Health Professions degree programmes.

Grants, loans and other funding options

Financial aid. Financial aid is available through grants and loans. Grants are one-off or ongoing payments that don’t usually have to be paid back provided you complete your course. Loans are one-off or ongoing payments that must be paid back after you finish your course.

Cantonal grants

Grants and loans for Swiss students and overseas students are generally paid out by the canton where the students’ parents are tax residents.

Students who have been tax residents in the Canton of Bern for at least two years are able to apply for cantonal grants and loans. Applications should be submitted to the Financial Aid Office at the Department of Education.

Further information (incl. financial aid calculator):

The websites stipendien.educa.ch, stipendium.ch and European Funding Guide cover all the key information about grants in Switzerland and overseas.

Foundations and funds

There are also numerous private foundations and funds that offer financial support to students. The electronic foundation directory administered by the Federal Department of Home Affairs offers a comprehensive summary of these organisations and can be searched by keywords (e.g. student, research, financial aid, etc.). Other sources of funding include the foundation directories for individual cantons and private foundations.

The following foundations offer funding specifically to BFH students and students from other universities:

Bern University of Applied Sciences has various sites in the Canton of Bern. In Biel and Bern, new campus-style buildings are currently being built and will connect previously separate locations.

In principle, you are responsible for finding your own accommodation. The HAFL department has a limited number of rooms for students of BFH-HAFL who live a long way from the university.

Rooms and appartments for students in Bern:

The Bern University of Applied Sciences is a partner and member of studentlodge.ch, a non-profit association for the promotion of student living in Bern.

Living expenses

Average living costs (in CHF) per month:

Annual average living costs for students living alone or in shared accommodation. The effective yearly amount may vary between approximately CHF 18,000 and CHF 27,000.

At Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH, we promote balance between study, work and family.

A limited number of nursery places are available to BFH staff and students. If you’d like to take advantage of this offer, the relevant documents can be found on the BFH Intranet. The fees are income-based and in line with the cantonal rates described in the Verordnung über die Angebote der sozialen Integration (Decree on Social Integration Offer ASIV) issued by the Canton of Bern. You can apply for a nursery place using the online form on the BFH Intranet. If you’re a new student or member of staff and don’t have access to the Intranet, please contact Corinne Badertscher (Tel. +41 (0)31 848 33 01, corinne.badertscher@bfh.ch). There is no legal entitlement to a nursery place.

Apply online for our bachelor’s degree programmes. Speed up the application process by having all your electronic application materials ready in advance (please see checklist). We only accept applications for the bachelor’s degree programme via our online application form. We cannot accept any applications after the application deadline.

The application and aptitude test fee of CHF 300 is itemised as follows:

• Application processing fee of CHF 100 (credit card) or CHF 110 (paper invoice*). This fee is required.
• Aptitude test fee of CHF 200 (blanket charge).

* Please remit payment within 10 days. We review applications only once payment has been received.

If you are admitted to the programme following the aptitude test, please provide written confirmation that you accept our offer within 20 days. The first semester fee is due upon accepting our offer of admission.