Mobilität Incoming

Studying as an Exchange Student at the University of Bern Law Faculty

The University of Bern's Law Faculty welcomes students from both Europe (through the SEMP program, formerly called Erasmus) and from other international law schools with which the law faculty has exchange agreements. In addition, students from other Swiss universities may participate in an exchange with Bern through the Mobility program. On this website, you can find information about academics, the University of Bern in general, tips on living in Bern, and how to apply to study abroad at the University of Bern Law Faculty.

Exchange Student Coordinator

Ms. Monika Scherler
University of Bern
Law Faculty
Dean's Office, Room no. D034 (ground floor)
Schanzeneckstrasse 1
Postfach
CH-3001 Bern

Walk-In Hours: Monday and Thursday afternoons from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m., no appointment necessary

• Swiss Mobility Students
• BeNeFri Program (between the universities of Bern, Neuchâtel, and Fribourg)

• SEMP/Erasmus Students
• University of British Columbia Law students must apply through their Go Global: International Learning Programs, details here
• Georgetown University Law Center Students must apply through Georgetown's Semester Abroad program with the University of Bern Law Faculty, details here
• Cornell Law School Students must apply through Cornell's International Exchange Program, details here
• University of Illinois College of Law students must apply through their law school's study abroad program, details here

• Saint Louis University School of Law students must apply through their law school's study abroad program, details here

• Students from other International Partner Universities

Courses, Exams, Grades & ECTS

Courses

All of the courses can be found on the KSL online system, by clicking here and then clicking "English" at the top of the page. Please note that KSL can also be sorted to list the language of instruction of the various courses, so you can display courses available in English, for example, for the semester in which you are interested. Students who want to take classes at the law faculty conducted in English should start their search by choosing “Advanced Search” and then dropping down under “Faculty” to “Faculty of Law”, then sorting the “Language” column and paging through until they see classes in “EN” for English. Note that HS 2022 denotes the fall semester (Herbstsemester 2022) and spring semester is denoted as “FS” (Frühlingssemester).

For courses taught in German, students should have at least a B2 level of German under the Common European Framework of Languages in order to enroll. Courses taught in German are taught in High German, so students have no need to be familiar with the Swiss German dialect in order to study here.

At the law school, there are generally three types of courses, lectures (Vorlesungen), tutorials (Übungen), and seminars. Lectures conclude with a written or oral exam, seminars and tutorials are graded based on a written paper. Tutorials often involve a paper which solves a certain case study or legal hypothetical.

Both local and exchange students are entitled to take classes (Master level) and sit for exams at the nearby universities of Neuchâtel and Fribourg within the scope of the BeNeFri program. Note that Fribourg is a bilingual French-German university and Neuchâtel is a French-speaking university. Both offer some English lectures as well. Please note that the University of Bern does not have any influence over the rules regarding exchange students at other universities, for example, whether early exams are given. The BeNeFri program has a compensation fund for travel costs between Bern and the other BeNeFri universities. If you are interested, you must register by using the self-service facility here. Students must register separately for each partner university before the specified deadline. Please note that a central BeNeFri registration with the Admissions Office of the University of Bern is a prerequisite for a valid registration for examination and thus for the recognition of attended lectures. For the reimbursement of travel costs to attend classes at the other BeNeFri universities, you must download the travel costs form and have it signed by the instructor each time you travel to the other university. The form must be submitted to the University of Bern Admissions Office by no later than June 30 for the spring semester and January 31 for the fall semester.

Exams

Students do not have to register to attend most classes at the University of Bern Faculty of Law (unless it is specifically noted in KSL, for certain seminars), but students do have to register to take exams and must do so by the required deadlines. Please note that students who have not completed their secondary schooling in the German language may ask for 30 extra minutes to complete their written (not oral) exams (in German), but they must do so when registering for the exam. Later requests cannot be accommodated. Compulsory registration for exams must be done through the KSL system. The deadlines for exam registration are listed on this webpage (see English PDFs).

Exams for the fall semester are held in January, and exams for the spring semester are held in June. SEMP and other international exchange students staying in Bern during the fall semester can either request to take their fall semester exams before Christmas or they can just take them in accordance with the standard University of Bern schedule, if they would prefer to have the standard amount of study time and are willing to stay in Bern through January. SEMP and other international exchange students staying in Bern during the spring term can request to take their spring semester exams during the last week of classes, which is normally last week in May, or they can just take them on the standard University of Bern schedule. If exchange students stay for the whole academic year they can only request to take earlier exams after the spring term. Failed exams can only be retaken at the end of the next term.

ECTS/Credits

The University of Bern uses the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) to calculate credits. The University of Bern does not require a minimum or maximum amount of credits per semester, but the student’s home university may have credit requirements, so students should double check the rules with their home universities. For local University of Bern students, the university recommends a 30 ECTS course load per semester. One ECTS credit generally corresponds to 25-30 hours of workload. The total workload includes class attendance, readings, other assignments, and study for the exam or writing a paper. Depending on their language proficiency, of course, non-native speakers may have to invest more time. The University usually advises that exchange students take approximately 20-25 ECTS per semester.

Generally, for Bachelor’s classes, students who successfully pass the exam or paper are awarded 1.5 ECTS for 1 weekly hour of classroom time. Master’s classes count as 2.5 ECTS for 1 weekly hour of classroom time, provided students pass the exam or paper.

Grading System

Academic Calendar
 

Academic Year 2024 – 2025

• Orientation for Exchange Students: Date to be announced (usually the week before classes start)
• Fall Semester 2024, Classes in Session: September 16, 2024 - December 20, 2024
• Spring Semester 2025, Classes in Session: February 17, 2025 - May 30, 2025; Spring Break Vacation (No Classes): April 7 - April 20, 2025

Academic Year 2025 – 2026

• Orientation for Exchange Students: Date to be announced (usually the week before classes start)
• Fall Semester 2025, Classes in Session: September 15, 2025 - December 19, 2025
• Spring Semester 2026, Classes in Session: February 16, 2026 - May 29, 2026; Spring Break Vacation (No Classes): April 4, 2026 - April12, 2026

Tuition Fees

As a SEMP (ERASMUS) incoming student, you will receive a mobility grant from the Swiss government. This ranges between CHF 360 - 420 a month depending on your country of origin. Your online application for a SEMP (ERASMUS) stay at the University of Bern is also an automatic application for the grant.

Language of Instruction

Classes at the University of Bern Law Faculty are taught either in High German or English (or occasionally, French), so students should not worry if they want to take classes in German but are not familiar with the Swiss German dialect. We do recommend at least a B2 level of German under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in order to attend law classes taught in German.

Exchange students can sort class offerings by language of instruction on the KSL website. Choose “Advanced Search” and then choose “Faculty of Law” under “Faculty”. Afterwards, you can sort the courses which appear by language, DE for German, EN for English, and FR for French.

Students who have some German knowledge but who do not feel confident enough to sit for German exams and earn credits for law courses taught in German could also sit in on/audit some courses in German, while officially taking and registering for exams only for other courses taught in English.

Students who want to further improve their German may also take separate classes in German as a Foreign Language, if space is available.

Library, IT & Sports

The University’s modern facilities include:

• An Extensive Library System
• Computer and IT Support
• Sports Facilities and Courses

Moving to Bern

The University of Bern’s UniBE International provides information on its website regarding:

• Residence Permits
• Health Insurance
• Budget/Finances
• Housing Options

Telecom

Students may want to buy a local SIM card or prepaid plan for cell phones. Comparisons of different options (as well as price comparisons for other goods and services), can be found on https://en.comparis.ch/.

Transport & Free Time Ideas

The UniBe International has additional tips on cultural activities and entertainment in Bern at https://www.unibe.ch/studies/mobility/incoming/general_information/ausgehen_reisen/index_eng.html.

Getting to Bern/Travel within Switzerland

The easiest way to travel to Bern is by train. There are good train connections from all major European cities as well as from the airports of Basel (90 minutes), Geneva (120 minutes) or Zurich (75 minutes). You can also fly to the small Bern airport and take a shuttle to the city center. If you plan to drive to Switzerland, remember that one needs a motorway sticker to drive on Swiss highways, which costs about 40 CHF once a year. In general, students tend to take public transit or ride their bicycles to and from the university.

If you plan to take the local transit system in Bern city (trams, buses, local trains) frequently, you may want to consider buying a monthly ticket, which is 60 CHF per month for students under 25 years old, see https://www.mylibero.ch/de/abos. Schedules for local trains can be found both online at https://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html or at www.rbs.ch (the Bern railway site).

If you plan to travel around Switzerland in your free time, you can save a great deal of money by buying a “Halbtax” card, which reduces your fares on most train and bus networks throughout Switzerland. See https://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-and-tickets/railpasses/half-fare-travelcard.html.

Another option to save money is the Night GA Travelcard, which allows passengers under 25 years old to travel unlimited in second class from 7 p.m. until 5.a.m. during the week and from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. on weekends. See details here: https://www.sbb.ch/en/tickets-offers/travelcards/ga-travelcard/night-ga-travelcard.html. There are also sometimes “Supersaver” tickets available at a reduced price, http://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-and-tickets/tickets-for-switzerland/supersaver-tickets.html. For other train fares and schedules, see http://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html.

If you go on one-day trips, you might also consider buying a one-day travel pass, sold by the train company or some municipalities and some private organizations. With one of these, you can take Swiss trains and buses for approximately 50 CHF a day. For students living within the city of Bern see http://www.tageskarte-gemeinde.ch/en-us/.

Please note that even though Swiss trains and buses operate on the honor system, i.e. you buy a ticket and it is only checked when and if controllers come through, most intercity trains are controlled, and trams and buses are also often spot checked. If you are found to be traveling without a ticket, the penalty fee can be quite high, and you will be asked to pay it on the spot.

Shopping & Meals

Grocery Stores

Most consumer goods, including food, are somewhat expensive in Switzerland. On the other hand, the quality and variety tends to be very good. The two largest supermarket/department store chains, Coop and Migros, have branches near the university in the Post Parc on Schanzenstrasse and on Bubenbergplatz, as well as in the main train station. Discounter chains like Aldi, Denner, and Pickpay are also available, but often in less convenient locations to public transit. Note that most stores are closed on Sundays, but there is an exception for stores in the main Bern train station (Bahnhof), which have longer hours and Sunday hours. If you want to make a larger grocery order and have it delivered, you can do so via delivery services Coop at Home or Migros Le Shop.

University Cafeterias

The least expensive option to eat out for students is to eat at the university cafeterias, where a main course tends to cost under 10 CHF and where coffee and drinks are also a little less expensive than elsewhere. The university cafeterias are called “Mensa”, and they tend to offer a choice of two daily menus each. See https://www.gastro-unibern.ch/menueplaene.

Restaurants

Cheaper fast food options exist, especially in the main train station nearby the university, but in a casual sit-down restaurant in Switzerland, plan on paying about 20-25 CHF per person for a basic meal with a drink. Although the drinking water is safe in Switzerland, it is uncommon to get free water automatically on the table with a meal. Tipping in Switzerland tends to vary from elsewhere, also because wait staff are paid better wages. Usually, customers round their bill up to the next franc or two, basically leaving a tip of 1-2 francs maximum, unless you are in an expensive restaurant and have a very high bill.

Emergencies

If you have an emergency in Switzerland, you should be aware of the emergency telephone numbers. For general emergences, call 112; for an ambulance, call 144; for police, call 117, and for fire, call 118. Swiss Universities do not have student health clinics, but if you need medical care outside of regular doctors’ hours, you can also go to the Emergency Room (Notfall) at the Inselspital hospital or other nearby hospitals, or if you have a less urgent illness, there is a “City Notfall” walk-in clinic near the University at Schanzenstrasse 4A (Postparc Area),  which accepts walk-ins without appointments from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The pharmacy in the main train station is also open longer hours.

In Fall 2023, the University of Bern's Faculty of Law welcomed 20 new exchange students. Pictured here, on the staircase in the Uni-S building, are new exchange students from Australia, Canada, China, Finland, France, Italy, Norway, the Russian Federation, South Africa, South Korea, and the U.S.A.

In Spring 2023, the Faculty of Law at the University of Bern welcomed exchange students from Antwerpen (Belgium), Bologna (Italy), and Helsinki (Finland). They are pictured here, standing on the university campus, with the neighboring High Court of the Canton of Bern in the background.

In Fall 2022, the Faculty of Law at the University of Bern welcomed exchange students from Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Spain, Ukraine, China, South Africa, the Republic of Korea, as well as from the U.S.A. (Georgetown Law).  They are pictured here, standing on the university campus with the neighboring High Court of the Canton of Bern in the background.

In the Spring Semester 2022, the Faculty of Law at the University of Bern welcomed exchange students from Germany, Hungary, Spain, Finland, and Italy. They are pictured on the university campus in February 2022.

In Fall 2021, the Faculty of Law at the University of Bern welcomed exchange students from Spain, Sweden, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and South Africa, as well as from the French-speaking part of Switzerland. They are pictured here, standing on the university campus with the neighboring High Court of the Canton of Bern in the background.

Spring 2021: No photo available.

Fall 2020: No photo available.

The University of Bern's Faculty of Law welcomes its Spring 2020 exchange students from Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, India, Spain, and Sweden.

The University of Bern's Faculty of Law welcomes its Fall 2019 exchange students from Belgium, China, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the U.S.A., and Turkey.

Exchange students who will be studying law at the University of Bern during Spring Semester 2019, from Finland, Australia, Belgium, Germany, and India.

Dean of the Faculty of Law, Peter V. Kunz, welcomes international exchange students studying at the law faculty during the 2018 fall semester. This semester, our exchange students come from Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Mexico, Turkey, the U.S.A., and Zimbabwe.