Examination and Tuition Fees

 

Application Fee CHF 100.00
Upon receipt of an application, the university issues an invoice claiming the application fee. This fee has to be paid for the application to be considered and for the applicant to be allowed to participate in the aptitude test. The fee will not be reimbursed, if an applicant decides to with-draw his/her application or does not, for whatever reason, participate in the aptitude test. If an application is successful and the student is matriculated, the application fee will count as the matriculation fee.

 

Registration for the admission procedure CHF 150.00
This fee will be invoiced upon registration. It must be paid before the exam or interview date; this is a condition of admission to the tests. No waiver or refund of this sum is permitted – such as in the event of the candidate withdrawing his or her application.

 

Immatriculation CHF 100.00
Students matriculating at the Bern University of the Arts for the first time must pay this fee at the beginning of their studies. The application fee counts as the matriculation fee.

 

Tuition fees CHF 750.00 per semester (from the spring semester 2012 on)
Students who attend courses at the Bern University of the Arts as part of a cooperation (e.g. University of Bern, Gymnasium Hofwil) or an exchange programme (Erasmus) pay the tuition fee at their home university.

 

Fees for social and cultural institutions and for sport CHF 24.00 per semester
This fee will be invoiced each semester together with the tuition fee.

 

Fee for the Students’ Association VSBFH CHF 15.00 per Semester
This fee will be invoiced each semester together with the tuition fee / leave of absence fee. The sum goes to the VSBFH in its entirety.

 

Leave of absence fee CHF 100.00 per semester
Students who intermit their studies must pay a leave of absence fee (together with the VSBFH fee) for each semester.

 

Module examination fees (Bachelor and Master) lump-sum fee of CHF 80.00 per semester, irrespective of the number of module exams actually taken. It is paid each semester, up to a maximum of CHF 500.00. No additional fees are charged for final exams or thesis.

 

Guest students pay CHF 150.00 for each hour a week per semester and module.
Guest students may only attend classes (lectures, seminars, no individual tuition).

 

Additional costs
In addition to tuition fees, students should expect to pay for excursions, visits to exhibitions and concerts, books etc. Printing and copying are charged according to usage.

A large number of students at the Bern University of the Arts live in difficult financial circumstances. This can even threaten the completion of their studies, since the amount of time they need for their studies does not leave them much scope for earning money at all. The BUA Grant Fund was set up to help students with problems of this kind.

 

Fund Regulations (in German)

 

The BUA is an international university with students from more than 30 countries. Due to the limited number of places on the degree programmes, applicants are subject to a rigorous selection procedure before they take up their studies. The studies themselves place equally exacting demands on the students. This means that students who do not receive a state grant only rarely have the opportunity to work next to their studies.

 

Foreign students, in particular, generally have only a very limited budget at their disposal, since they have virtually no access to public funding. The BUA Grant Fund was set up to ensure that, for instance, a simple visit to the dentist does not result in a student incurring major debts. The Grant Fund is financed by donations. After an individual examination of each request and a personal consultation, the Grant Fund provides targeted support for students by paying their compulsory tuition fees and, in the event of hardship, makes contributions to special expenses or helps in cases of material need.

 

If you, as a student of the BUA, require support and advice from the Grant Fund, please click on the link to the Application Form Grant Fund.

 

Supporting the Scholarship Fund 
Apart from various fundraising events, the fund is primarily financed by private donations. If you are interested in supporting the fund with a donation or even a partial or full sponsorship, please fill out the following form and send it to the address below.
 
Form for donations (in German)
 
Bern University of the Arts
Information
Fellerstrasse 11
3027 Bern
T +41 31 848 38 38

E-Mail

Cantonal scholarship
Scholarships and loans, in principle, are issued by the canton, where the students` parents have their primary residence. This counts for Swiss as well as foreign students.

 

Students who have been resident in the Canton of Bern for at least two years may apply for cantonal grants and loans. Applications should be submitted to the education office's grants office (“Abteilung Ausbildungsbeiträge der Erziehungsdirektion”).

 

Further information (in German and French):

Erziehungsdirektion des Kantons Bern (including a prognostic calculator)

Stipendienstellen der Kantone

 

The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) supports, as mandated by the Swiss Federal government, young scientists and basic research in all scientific disciplines:

Swiss National Science Foundation promoting scientific research

 

Further national contact points:

Scholarships for foreign students and artists in Switzerland - State Secretariat for Education and Research SER

Association promoting Education for Young Swiss Abroad (AJAS)

 

Foundations and funds
Apart from public funding, there are numerous foundations and funds that offer financial support for students. The electronic directory of foundations of the “Eidgenössisches Departement des Innern” offers a comprehensive overview with a keyword search function (for example: students, research, funding etc.).

 

Scholarship for BUA students

The Bern University of Arts BUA and the Ministry for Culture of the Canton Bern (Amt für Kultur des Kantons Bern) offer a scholarship designed to aid outstanding students finishing their studies at the BUA with the entrance into their chosen profession.

BEST-Trächsel Scholarship

Master's Scholarship "TanzTheater" of the Beatrice and Otto Tschumi Foundation Bern

 

Specific Scholarship

Since 2007, the Cantonal Theatre and Dance Commission has been awarding grants of the Canton of Bern on an annual basis to professionals engaged in theatre and dance in Bern.

OFFSTAGE grants (in German)

 

The Fritz Gerber Foundation for talented young people makes financial contributions to initial training, advanced training and further education.

www.fritz-gerber-stiftung.ch

 

The Swiss Study Foundation supports gifted, dedicated, widely interested students at universities and universities of applied sciences, whose personality, creativity and intellectual abilities promise extraordinary achievements in the fields of science, business, culture and politics. The Swiss Study Foundation confers the Ernst Göhner scholarships for artists in education (all disciplines).
www.studienstiftung.ch/goehnerstipendium

 

Hirschmann Scholarship for Master's Students (all subjects)

Foreign students university, fine arts and music school scholarships

 

The following institutions provide support through their culture sponsorship:

 

Federal Office of Culture (BAK)

The Swiss Arts Council PRO HELVETIA

Migros Culture Office

Artists in Residence

Database of Cultural Sponsorship Addresses in Switzerland

Like all people who spend more than three months in Switzerland, students are required to be insured with an illness and accident insurance scheme. A clear overview of the Swiss health and insurance systems is given at www.comparis.ch  – together with a price comparison.

 

As of 1^st January following their 20^th birthday, Swiss students and foreign students with their legal domicile in Switzerland are required to pay insurance contributions of CHF 475 per year (minimum contribution) to the AHV, IV and EO social insurance schemes. For persons in employment, these contributions are payable as of 1 January following their 17^th birthday (exception see Leaflet in German).

 

Students with income in the calendar year in question from which contributions of less than CHF 475 (minimum contribution) have been deducted can have these contributions count towards the CHF 475 and need only make up the difference between these payments and the CHF 475.

 

If you have questions regarding these payments, you should contact: Ausgleichskasse des Kantons Bern, Zweigstelle der Stadt Bern, Schwanengasse 14, 3011 Bern.

 

You can obtain detailed information on the liability for contributions on Tel. 031 321 77 61 or by E-Mail.

Please note that missing years of contributions can lead to a reduction in your pension.