International – Business School

If you are interested in completing an exchange period at the BFH Business School, consult our Mobility Factsheet for further information.

How to Apply

Contact your Erasmus/Exchange co-ordinator and request to be nominated. Once we receive the official nomination, we will contact you to complete the online application.

Nomination Deadlines

for the autumn semester:  31 March
for the spring semester:  30 September

Application Deadlines

for the autumn semester:  15 April
for the spring semester:  15 October

Required Documents

To submit the online application successfully, you will need to upload following documents:

• Photo (JPG-format, coloured, min. 196 x 245 Pixel)
• Copy of your Passport
• Transcript of Records of past semesters at your home university
• Confirmation of English language skills (strong B2 level or higher)

Learning Agreement

We require all exchange students to conclude a Learning Agreement stating their choice of modules. The module selection and the consequent Learning Agreement must be approved the student’s home university and the BFH Business School alike.

Please note that acceptance of your application does not guarantee you a spot in particular modules.

Module Offer for Bachelor's Level Students

To see the bachelor’s level modules taught in English, available in the upcoming semester and open to exchange students, please consult the tentative module list below under ‘Downloads’. There you can also see a module list of the ongoing/a previous semester. The required level in English skills is a solid B2 (on the CERF scale). Interested exchange students have the chance to take a course in beginner’s level German in addition to their other modules.

German-speaking exchange students have the possibility to choose modules taught in German (choosing some or all their modules from those taught in German). The required German language level in this case is C1. Accepted German-speaking exchange students receive information on modules taught in German directly by email.

Module Offer for Master’s Level Students

We also welcome master’s level students for an exchange semester at our Business School. The required language level is C1 (in English or in German, depending on the chosen degree programme). For more information on our English-speaking module offer in MSc Digital Business Administration, please see the module list and module descriptions below under ‘Downloads’. For more information about the the master’s level module offer in German, please contact us directly.

Provided that their home university approves, master’s level students are welcome to complement their module selection with modules from bachelor’s level studies. Choosing exclusively bachelor’s level modules is also possible, in which case the student is simply enrolled as a bachelor’s level student for their exchange semester.

Are you looking for a challenge? Studying abroad will definitely be enriching and offers you a unique experience. It is a fantastic opportunity to develop new skills, in and out of university, and to meet new people from all over the world.

Once a semester we host a Study Abroad Fair, where students have the possibility to inform themselves about all their exchange possibilities.

For more information please read the Study Abroad Guide and have a look at the wide range of partners.

Study your last year at BFH and get a degree from two universities! This not only enhances your employability prospects but provides you with the opportunity to work and learn in an international environment. Consult the Double Degree Incoming Brochure for further Information or contact our Incoming Mobility & Double Degree Coordinator.

At Bachelor level, a Double Degree Programme involves studying towards two university degrees in parallel and completing them in the time that it would take to earn one degree.

Within our MSc Business Administration and Digital Business Administration programme, students may add one additional semester in Australia to graduate with two diplomas. Master of Digital Business Administration students also have the option of completing their third or fourth semester in South Korea, to graduate with two diplomas.

Students that benefit from our Double Degree Programmes will not only be granted degrees from two different universities, but also acquire deeper experience of multicultural studying and business environments, better cross-cultural communication and language skills, wider professional partner networks, new opportunities for further education as well as stronger competitive advantages in the European job markets. 

For further information, please have a look at our Double Degree Handbook for outgoing students or contact our Outgoing Mobility & Double Degree Coordinator.  

Our Double Degree Partners:

University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia

HAMK Häme University op Applied Sciences, Finland

LNU Linnaeus University, Sweden

HEG Arc, Switzerland

Thomas More, Belgium

SolBridge International School of Business, South Korea

In addition to a regular exchange semester or a Double Degree abroad, the BFH Business School also offers students the possibility to gain international exposure in so-called short term mobility.

In Summer or Winter Schools, either offered by us or selected partners, students can participate in international programs and gain international exposure during a short time frame, for example in their summer break. Besides Summer and Winter schools, we also offer various international exposure integrated in international modules throughout the regular semester.

For more information about Summer and Winter Schools, please contact the International Team.

It is mandatory for all international students to attend the Welcome Days. This orientation event offers you a great opportunity to settle in to Switzerland and learn more about university life before studies start. During this week you’ll be able to find out essential information, make new friends, meet members of staff and find your way around the university and local area.

We have an International Family Mentor Programme (IFMP) for foreign students. Each exchange and international degree student will be assigned to a so-called “International Family”. These groups consist of two mentors and approximately four international students. The mentors help international students in their “family” to become familiarized with the BFH, the city of Bern, the Swiss culture and assist them through the first weeks in the new surroundings.

Prior to departure, each student will receive an e-mail with the name and contact information of the international family members. It is important that you get in touch with the mentors to provide them with information about arrival.

ESN is an organisation which provides Swiss Mobility Programme/Erasmus students staying in Bern with a multifaceted semester programme. Be it karaoke parties, international dinners, trips to the Ticino, speed dating evenings or visits of a chocolate factory: there is something for every student from abroad. Check out the latest semester programme on this website and register for one of the trips.

The Global Engagement Office provides further information about living in Switzerland with regards to:
•    Entry
•    Residence permit
•    Insurance
•    Languages 
•    Accommodation
•    Costs
•    Working 

The certificate is available to all Bachelor or Master students, as long as they include it early enough in their study plan. 

You achieve portfolio points rather than credits for the Certificate of Global Competence.  

To obtain the certificate you need to create a personal Portfolio of Global Competence. The portfolio comprises 100 points based on the following four components:

• Knowledge (30 Points)
  You gain specific skills such as the ability to use conceptual frameworks and methodological approaches to analyse cultural aspects which enable you to operate professionally in international and transcultural contexts. 

• Activities & Engagement (30 Points) 
  You expand your personal and professional horizons through intercultural and transcultural networking and participating in specialist international forums.

• Language (20 Points)
  Acquiring foreign languages enables you to handle language diversity with sensitivity and actively participate in professional discourse in international contexts.

• Personal Reflection Report (20 Points)
  Based on an encounter you had, you reflect on your experience and apply the theoretical knowledge you have gained.