Incoming to FHNW School of Education

Institutional details and contacts

Semester dates

First term September 01 – January 31

• Let's get started! Collaborative and intercultural experience: beginning of September
  
• International Student Activity (ISA): one week before the start of the semester courses
  
• Semester courses: mid September – penultimate week of December
• Examination week: Second week of Jan

Second term February 01 – August 31

• Let's get started! Collaborative and intercultural experience: beginning of February
• International Student Activity (ISA): one week before the start of the semester courses
• emester courses: mid February – first week of June
  
• Examination week: Second week of June

For more details (in German)

Nomination, application procedures and course booking

• We ask partner universities to nominate exchange students to the institutional coordinator by the dates given below (aW50ZXJuYXRpb25hbC5waEBmaG53LmNo)
• We send the partner universities a nomination link for the Mobility Online database.
• Nominated students will receive an application link and instructions. They must go through the registration process by the dates given below:
• Incoming students can attend courses at all three campuses. We recommend Muttenz (near Basel), as most of the courses in English usually take place there.
• Nominated students will receive an application form that must be sent to the receiving institution by the dates given below:
  
  • First term: Nomination May 31, Application June 15, Course booking June 25
    
  • Second term: Nomination Nov 30, Application December 15, Course booking December 25
    

The PH FHNW will send its decision of acceptance within 10 days after the application has been completed. On acceptance incoming students will also be informed about registration.

Incoming students receive all course information and access to the internal sites after completed application and acceptance.

The PH FHNW welcomes students and staff members with disabilities; however acceptance requires approval. For more information (in German)

International Programme – Courses in English at the School of Education FHNW

The programme includes courses of the regular study programme and is open to students at the PH FHNW as well as to international exchange students.

More information

Courses

Recommended language skills

As the language of instruction of most undergraduate courses is German, the recommended minimum language competence level is generally B2 (according to the “Common European Framework of Reference for Languages”). For participation in the English-language “International Programme” courses we recommend at least B2.

Transcript of records and grading system

A Transcript of Records will be issued by the receiving institution no later than 5 weeks after the semester has finished.

In many courses there is no grading system, but there is a pass/fail system.

If you need grades for the Transcript of Records, please clarify the possibility of receiving a grade at the beginning of the semester and have the decision made in writing (email is sufficient).

Grades are awarded from 6 (best) to 1, with 4 being the minimum score required to pass:

1 semester: 30 ECTS credits

1 full academic year: 60 ECTS credits

Visa

• Nationals of EU/EFTA-countries: No visa required to enter Switzerland.
• Nationals of non-EU/EFTA countries: Check visa requirements with the Swiss Embassy in your country of residence. The embassy site generally posts a list of documents to bring along to the visa appointment. Schedule visa appointments early.

The sending and receiving institutions will provide assistance, when required, in securing visas for exchange students, according to the requirements of the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education. See also the information on visa requirements by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mandatory health insurance

In Switzerland a health and accident insurance for stays of longer than three months is mandatory. A basic insurance plan covers medical care in the case of sickness or accident.

After arriving in Switzerland and registering with your municipality of residence, you have three months in which to take out health insurance. Provided you register within this time, you are insured from the time you enter Switzerland.

Students are responsible for taking out health insurance themselves. Learn more about the health insurance

Exemption from mandatory health insurance

Persons from the EU/EFTA area who have a European health insurance card can, on application, exempt themselves from the duty to take out health insurance. This is also true of students from non-EU countries whose health insurance schemes are recognised by the Swiss authorities. Find out from your health insurance organisation whether your scheme covers you in Switzerland.

Accomodation

Near campus Muttenz (Basel)

• University of Basel - board of ads
• WG Zimmer
• University of Basel - Matching service for housing
• University of Basel - Student housing «Studentenheim»
• Borromaeum
• Student housing «Studentenhaus»
• Student housing «Alumneum»
• Student housing «Studienhaus»
• Pro Filia

Near campus Brugg-Windisch

• Association for Student Housing Region Brugg-Windisch
• I-Markt Apartment search
  
• Association Housing for Students
  
• Maximilianeum - Student dormitory in Zurich
  
• St-Justinus-Werke - a House in Zurich
  
• Student house Sonnegg in the middle of Zurich
  
• Youth Housing Network JUWO
  
• Livingscience in Zurich
  
• Student Village – where great minds live together
  
• Student living in Winterthur 
  

Travel to and from Switzerland: Green Travel Top-Up

All students (outgoings and incomings) who decide to travel there and back by a means of transport that emits less CO2 than an airplane can apply for financial support of a flat rate of CHF 100.

More background information why FHNW shares the idea of the green travel top-up

Public transportation in Switzerland: Subsidy for the SBB Half-Fare travelcard (Halbtax)

All incoming students can apply for a financial support of CHF 100 for the Half-Fare Card (Halbtax = 50% reduction in travel costs). Please contact: aW50ZXJuYXRpb25hbC5waEBmaG53LmNo

Buddy system and experiences of our exchange students

The School of Education FHNW provides every Incoming student with a Buddy of the European Student Network ESN. ESN organises activities for all Incomings of FHNW. More information

During the semester, International Student Activities (ISA) for all FHNW schools take place.

See also experience reports

General information

• The FHNW School of Education is one of nine schools of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW). More information
• Studying in Switzerland+ – a website published by “swissuniversities” (swissuniversities works to strengthen and enhance collaboration among Swiss institutions of higher education and promotes a common voice on educational issues in Switzerland)

University sports at the FHNW

FHNW Sports offers an attractive and diverse programme of sporting activities for regular exercise as well as providing access to lesser-known sports and the opportunity to make new friends.

FHNW Sports includes regular training sessions during the semester, workshops, online training, a weight room and much more. In most cases, FHNW Sport is free of charge. For the weight room, you can pay a subscription for half a year or a whole year.

Unfortunately, the sports programme is only available in German.

Language Centre of the University of Basel

The Language Centre offers a wide range of different languages and courses.

The International Office of the PH FHNW covers the costs of a German or Swiss German course for international exchange students. When registering, please state that you are an international exchange student at the PH FHNW

Language centre