The degree programmes offered at Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) are open to students from Switzerland and from abroad. Many of the degree programmes are taught in German, French or English.
If you want to study at BFH, you must meet our entry requirements. See the «Admission and Application» section for your chosen degree programme. Students with non-Swiss IDs must submit extra documents in addition to those normally required for matriculation.
You will find information about the available degree programmes and details concerning admission, matriculation, etc. in the Studies section. You can use a range of different search criteria, including study languages.
Studying at a university abroad and interested in spending a semester at Bern University of Applied Sciences? Foreign students can apply to spend one or two semesters at BFH.
BFH has extensive international links and maintains close relations with partner universities abroad, in Europe and beyond.
Within Europe, student exchanges take place under the umbrella of the EU Erasmus+ programme for education, training, youth and sport. Since the academic year 2014/2015, the funding required on the Swiss side has been provided through the ‘Swiss-European Mobility Programme’, SEMP (formerly Erasmus). The requirements for exchange semesters remain the same:
During your SEMP (work) placement, you remain matriculated at your home institution. You do not have to pay tuition fees at Bern University of Applied Sciences. During your time in Switzerland, you will continue to pay tuition fees at your home university.
Grants are issued under the SEMP mobility programme. These amount to CHF 1,900 or CHF 2,200 per semester, depending on the country of origin of your Higher Education Institution. For work placements, the grants amount to CHF 440 per month.
Erasmus Student Network (ESN) offers exchange students all-round support. It can reduce the stress of arriving in a new place, simplify things when you’re here and help you make your stay even more fun.
For subtitles: Click on Settings below the video and choose a language (German, French, English).
Erfahrungen in der Praxis sammeln, die Sprachkenntnisse verbessern und gleichzeitig eine andere Kultur kennenlernen: In einem Auslandpraktikum in der Schweiz können Sie all das unter einem Hut bringen.
Wir unterstützen Sie gerne bei der Suche einer geeigneten Stelle bei einem unserer lokalen Partnerbetrieben oder in unserer Institution. Hierzu melden Sie sich am besten direkt bei der Ansprechperson für International des entsprechenden Interessengebiets.
Studierende einer Hochschule in einem Erasmus+-Programmland, welche über eine Erasmus-Hochschulcharta (ECHE) verfügt, haben die Möglichkeit, ein Praktikum im Rahmen des «Swiss-European Mobility Programme» SEMP (ehemals Erasmus) zu absolvieren. Gefördert werden Praktika von zwei bis zwölf Monaten.
During your SEMP (work) placement, you remain matriculated at your home institution. You do not have to pay tuition fees at Bern University of Applied Sciences. During your time in Switzerland, you will continue to pay tuition fees at your home university. For work placements, the grants amount to CHF 440 per month.
Erasmus Student Network (ESN) offers exchange students all-round support. It can reduce the stress of arriving in a new place, simplify things when you’re here and help you make your stay even more fun.
For subtitles: Click on Settings below the video and choose a language (German, French, English).
Studying abroad offers a whole range of advantages and will help you to stand out in the job market. However, it requires a lot of preparation. Get a head start.
Before you can begin studying in Switzerland, you will have to make various arrangements to ensure that you are properly prepared. Requirements vary according to your home country/nationality.
First check whether or not you need an entry visa for Switzerland. This depends on your country of residence:
All you need is a valid travel document (ID card or passport) issued by your home country.
There is no visa requirement. However, before entering Switzerland or within 14 days of arrival, you must contact the immigration authorities and submit the same documents as students who do need visas.
ID and visa requirements apply to students from non-EU/EFTA countries. Before entering Switzerland, you must apply for a Type D national visa from the Swiss embassy or consulate in your country of residence. If your planned period of study is longer than 90 days, you may not enter Switzerland on a Type C Schengen visa (tourist, visitor).
Within 14 days of arrival in Switzerland and before beginning their studies, foreign students must register with the relevant municipal authority in Switzerland.
Depending on the local authority, exchange students attending Bern University of Applied Sciences must submit the following documents for registration:
Exchange students at Bern University of Applied Sciences who are going to live in the city of Bern during their stay must submit the registration documents by post within 14 days. The completed registration form and the documents listed on the registration form must be sent to the following address:
Einwohnerdienste, Migration und Fremdenpolizei der Stadt Bern
Predigergasse 5
Postfach
3000 Bern 7
Depending on the local authority, if you are planning on completing an entire degree programme at Bern University of Applied Sciences, you must submit the following documents for registration:
Because the visa application has already been checked by the immigration authorities and students are in possession of a visa or a visa confirmation, students must register in person with the relevant municipal authority within 14 days of arrival. You must bring a valid travel document issued by your home country, with the affixed visa and the documents you submitted in order to obtain the visa.
The costs vary depending on the local authority. EU/EFTA students pay around CHF 100 for registration and residence permit, non-EU/EFTA nationals pay around CHF 270 for the visa authorisation, registration and residence permit plus the collection of biometric data.
Contact the relevant local authority to find out exactly which documents you will need to present and what fees you will have to pay.
For different places of residence, contact the relevant authority’s residence services/residents’ registration office.
Find out about the different forms of insurance in Switzerland before your stay. In particular, it is important to note that health and accident insurance are compulsory in Switzerland.
In principle, individuals staying or working in Switzerland (with the exception of tourists) have to have health insurance in Switzerland. Within three months of the beginning of the compulsory insurance requirement (from the commencement of their stay/job in Switzerland), individuals must take out basic health insurance with a Swiss health insurance provider in accordance with the Federal Act on Health Insurance. It then applies retroactively. Anyone residing in Switzerland for the purposes of education or training is subject to certain conditions.
Personal liability insurance insures you against damage to personal or material incurred by third parties. Should damage occur to other people or property (such as an apartment or room), this is covered by liability insurance. There is no statutory requirement for personal liability insurance, but we recommend taking out a policy anyway. In Switzerland, this costs between CHF 100 and CHF 150 per year.
If you are involved in a legal dispute, legal costs insurance can be useful. You gain free access to legal advice without paying high court costs or attorney fees.
Contents insurance protects household possessions against theft, robbery and damage caused by fire and water. Check the coverage of your contents insurance or consider taking out a policy in Switzerland.
Old-age and survivors’ insurance (AHV), disability insurance (IV) and income compensation (EO) are an important part of compulsory Swiss social security. Everyone living or working in Switzerland is insured and must pay contributions.
You can get further information on social security from your HR contact or at:
Courses at Bern University of Applied Sciences are generally taught in German. In many of our degree programmes, lectures are also held in French and/or English. To be admitted to the university and benefit from your studies in Switzerland, you must be proficient in the study language.
Bern University of Applied Sciences offers German courses for its international students in collaboration with the University of Bern. These German courses, which begin at level A2, are run by the German as a Foreign Language unit (DaF).
Your language level will be assessed when you register for a course with DaF.
We also recommend that exchange students take the integration course shortly before the semester starts. The courses cost between CHF 200 and 400. BFH will meet the course costs for Erasmus/SEMP students. Interested students should contact their BFH department’s International Office for details.
Bern University of Applied Sciences occasionally offers further courses in German and other languages. Contact your BFH department’s International Office to find out more about courses run by BFH or other institutions.
Erasmus/SEMP students can apply to their BFH department’s International Office for part-payment of the course costs before commencing a language course. If the application is approved, up to 80% of the course costs (max. CHF 1,500) will be reimbursed.
The study languages at BFH are German and French. Some individual (master’s) degree programmes are taught in English.
Bern University of Applied Sciences’ various sites are located in the heart of Switzerland – in the idyllic canton of Bern. BFH is not a campus university as such and only has a limited supply of student accommodation. Students are responsible for their own accommodation.
Fees vary per degree programme and division.
As a student, you are permitted to work part-time for up to 15 hours a week from the first day of your residence in Switzerland. Your employer is required to report this to the authority responsible for issuing IDs. Make sure that your employer does this.
During the semester, the time you spend working must not exceed 15 hours a week. You may work full-time during the semester break, provided your employer reports this.
In the case of EU nationals from Romania and Bulgaria, your employer must submit an application before you may begin work.
Students may begin working part-time no earlier than six months after starting their education, provided:
Your employer must submit an application before you begin work.
When you take a job in Switzerland, your employer automatically provides adequate professional liability and accident insurance cover. If your contract specifies a set wage, note that the total shown is a gross payment and that social security contributions will be deducted from this. These deductions consist of:
A good knowledge of the local language is always important! If you are looking for work in a German-speaking area, first learn standard German. This will give you a sound basis for understanding Swiss German later. Depending on the job, it may be enough if you understand the language and are able to speak a little. More demanding roles will require better language skills. Check what level of language skills your potential employer is expecting.
Think about what kind of work you are prepared to do in Switzerland. Are you looking for a job that ties in with your degree programme or are you more interested in boosting your bank balance by taking other work? Looking for work isn’t always easy, especially if you are only available for fixed-term employment, so it is important to be flexible and consider work that may not match your professional interests or skill set.
Find out how to apply for a job in Switzerland.
