FAQ: Increase in tuition fees
Why is BFH increasing its tuition fees?
On 19 November 2025, Bern’s Cantonal Government decided to increase university tuition fees, thus implementing a political request made by the Grand Council of the Canton of Bern. Students at BFH and the University of Bern are affected by the increase.
When will the new tuition fees take effect?
The higher tuition fees will be implemented for the first time at the start of the autumn semester 2026/27.
When will the new registration fee take effect?
The new registration fee of CHF 150 will be implemented for registrations for the spring semester 2027.
Who is affected?
All bachelor’s and master’s students at the University of Bern and BFH are equally affected by this measure.
I am already a student at BFH. Do the new tuition fees apply to me?
The higher tuition fees will apply to all those studying at BFH in the 2026/27 autumn semester. An exceptional transitional provision applies to foreign students: those that started their degree programme at BFH before the autumn semester 2026/27 will now pay fees of CHF 1,050 until the completion of the respective bachelor or master’s degree programme. In accordance with the Regulation Governing Bern University of Applied Sciences, switching from a bachelor to a master’s programme is classified as starting a new degree programme, which is why the new fees (CHF 2,550) apply in this case.
Why am I classified as a foreign student?
International students are defined as persons of foreign citizenship who at the time of obtaining their university entrance qualification were domiciled under civil law neither in Switzerland nor the Principality of Liechtenstein.
Example: a German national has completed a bachelor’s degree at a Swiss university and would now like to enrol on a master’s degree programme at BFH. As they obtained their baccalaureate (which entitles them to study at a university) in Germany, they are considered a foreign student.
The duration of residence in Switzerland is therefore irrelevant for the classification, the decisive factors being the nationality and the place of residence under civil law at the time of obtaining the university entrance qualification.
Why are foreign students facing a more substantial tuition fee increase?
On 19 November 2025, Bern’s Cantonal Government decided to increase university tuition fees. This means BFH is implementing a cantonal government decision by increasing tuition fees. In addition to the increase, it also adopted a transitional provision for foreign students. This applies to foreign students who began their degree programme at BFH before 2026/27.
The new tuition fees are more than I can afford. What are my options?
Various financial aids are available for BFH students, such as grants, loans and other funding options.
To what extent is the tuition fee increase linked to the federal relief package 27?
The increase in tuition fees is not directly related to the measures of the relief package 27, which are to be discussed soon in Parliament and will not be adopted until spring 2026 at the earliest.
