- Founded in 1834
- 8 faculties and 160 institutes
- 15,000 students
- Mid-range size among Swiss universities yet it has retained a human dimension and a warm and friendly atmosphere
- In 1908, Albert Einstein received his habilitation in physics from this university
- Home to one of the most renowned and largest law schools in Switzerland
- Located in the Swiss capital of Berne - West of the centre of Switzerland and 20km north of the Bernese Alps
Visa + Requirements|Travel advice + advisories
Partner university’s areas of study
- The law school offers approximately 10 courses or seminars each fall which are taught in English and which can be taken by exchange students.
- Students who have a B2 level in German can also take or audit courses in German. (To determine your level, please self-assess using the European Language Portfolio Global Scale)
Eligibility and Timing
Terms Offered
Who can go?
- LAW students only
Term Dates
- Semester 1: Mid September to late December
Timing
- Students are only permitted to attend one term
Credits
Course equivalency formula
- ECTS credits divided by 2 = UBC credits (i.e. 30 ECTS = 15 UBC Credits)
Credit transfer process
The transfer credit process takes approximately 16 weeks following each submission deadline. You should allow sufficient time to meet important deadlines that may affect you (e.g. application for graduation, registration in courses that require prerequisites that you took on exchange, entry to a major/honours program, etc.)
For more information about Go Global transfer credit
Grading scheme
- Visit Bern's website for information on their Grading System
Passing grade
4 or ECourse Information
* Students who have special requirements or require academic accommodation should contact a Go Global advisor regarding their needs at least six weeks prior to the application deadline.
Type of Go Global Experiences
Course information and restrictions
- The law school offers many courses in English and has put together a package of courses taught in English each fall, which will allow students from UBC Law to study, inter alia, International Intellectual Property, International Investment Law, European Data Protection Law, International Trade Regulation, International Courts, and Introduction to Swiss and International Taxation, all taught in English.
- Several specialised institutes add to the reputation of the University by publishing research, organising conferences and offering topical courses to students
- Proximity to the Federal Government adds another benefit to studying in Bern
Full course load information
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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).
Transfer Credits And Equivalent Courses At This University
Check out the courses that previous students have transferred back to UBC in the last 5 years using our Course Search Tool. If you don't see a particular course you listed, it simply means you need to submit it as a new course request through the Transfer Credit Portal while on your Go Global experience. For more information, please visit the Go Global Transfer Credit webpage.
Exchange Tuition
- 15 credits or equivalent full-time program fee per term, paid to UBC
- Some exceptions may apply
Scholarships and awards
The Go Global Award $1000
All students accepted to Go Global for Exchange, Research Abroad, or Study Abroad travel programs are automatically considered for this award. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you'll be notified of your award after you're accepted to Go Global and after you get nominated to apply to the partner university.
Additional awards
Students who are eligible for awards may receive one UBC or UBC-affiliated international learning award. If you're eligible, you are always offered the highest-value award. Unless stated otherwise, you need to meet eligibility criteria set out by the University Senate regarding awards.
Check out international learning awards and eligibility.
Information for US students:
If you are a student from the United States, please check the US Department of Education Lookup Tool to ensure that any partner institution you wish to attend on Exchange is Title IV ‘eligible’ for Federal Student Aid for the year in which you intend to study there. For institutions outside of the US, select “Foreign Country” from the “State” dropdown menu.
If you attend an eligible institution, then you may receive Title IV federal student loans while on Exchange.
If you attend an ineligible institution:
- You will not be eligible for US federal student loans,
- You may invalidate any US student aid you have previously received for your studies at UBC,
- You may be required to immediately begin repaying your US student loans, and
- You may not be eligible for any future US student aid for the remainder of your studies at UBC.
Types of accommodation available
Housing notes
- The University of Bern does not offer on-campus accommodation for students. However, there are various independent student lodging companies in Bern that rent out rooms and studios to students.Housing is not gauranteed and students should make contact with student lodging companies directly.