Valuable information about your studies

You would like to study in Switzerland? Find helpful information on entry requirements, accommodation services, health insurance, etc.  here.

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Academy of Music, Klassik

At the beginning of the academic year, all BA and MA students resident in the Basel region may apply to the School of Music for financial assistance with their studies.

The appropriate application form must be requested in person from Lilian Wiesner in Room 4, on the first day of the academic year. It must be completed in full and submitted within a week, also in person, together with a personal letter and copies of current tax documents to prove the income status of the student’s parents.

Only fully completed applications with all necessary additional documents will be considered. The decision of the various committees will be made within roughly two months. As a rule, scholarships are given solely on the basis of the social situation of the applicant. No audition is necessary.

However, scholarships awarded by the School of Music will not suffice to finance all the student’s everyday needs during his or her studies in Basel, not least because the course fees must also be paid from the scholarship monies. Most amounts granted cover only these course fees or a portion thereof.

Besides these applications that may be made to the School of Music, there are also many foundations in Switzerland to which students may apply directly for further scholarships.

Further advice and information:
Martina Pratsch

Schola Cantorum Basiliensis

Scholarships
The SCB can offer a limited amount of internal scholarship assistance. In addition, the school has connections to foundations and public sources of financial aid. In cooperation with them, applications for scholarship help will be considered and the candidates chosen. For current information please look at the SCB's information board.

Contact:
Federico Sepúlveda

Scholarship fund administrated by the lecturers of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis
A special scholarship fund is administrated by the lecturers of the SCB. The application form can be downloaded here.

Contact:
Véronique Daniels

Academy of Music, Jazz

Bachelor and Master students matriculated in the Jazz institute and living in the Basel area may apply for financial support for their studies with the Academy of Music at the beginning of the respective academic year. It should be noted that the parents’ maintenance obligations towards children in Switzerland applies in principle and in so far as is reasonable until the completion of initial training (Swiss Civil Code, article 277).

A scholarship granted by the Jazz institute of the Academy of Music is in no event sufficient to finance the cost of living while studying in Basel.

Most of the grants awarded by the Scholarship Fund cover only tuition fees or a share thereof. Scholarship applications are to be submitted to the Jazz institute by completing the Scholarship Fund application form no later than 15 October for the current academic year. Granted scholarships are paid in two tranches, i.e. one per semester, and only in justified exceptional cases onto a foreign account.

For special financial hardship cases, it is possible to submit a scholarship application to the Social Fund by completing the respective application form until 31 July for the upcoming academic year at the Jazz institute of the Academy of Music. The amount awarded covers tuition fees in full and includes a fixed share towards the cost of living. Granted scholarships will be transferred to a Swiss postal or bank account exclusively and without exception, in twelve monthly tranches (September of the current to August of the following year).

In both cases, the social and financial situation must be justified in an accompanying personal letter, including copies of the current tax bills from both the student and his/her parents. The decisions of the various commissions are usually taken within two months after the application submission.

Other than the above outlined scholarship options, grants are available from a large number of Swiss foundations, for which students may apply directly with the foundations.

Further advice and information:
Steff Rohrbach

Living Costs for Students in Switzerland

Living Costs

Klassik
The entrance exams are held from 29 March through 12 April. Please refer to the dates per field of study.

Schola Cantorum Basiliensis
The entrance exams are held from 18 March through 18 April. Please refer to the exact dates per field of study.

Jazz
The entrance exams are held from 3 April through 12 April. Please refer to the dates per filed of study.

Swiss European Mobility Programme

Outgoing

The Swiss-European Mobility Programme offers second-year students the opportunity to be part of a three to twelve months study exchange at a European partner Institution. Application is due by mid-December with Martina Pratsch, International Relations Coordinator.

The number of exchange months is fully credited towards the course of studies. The exchange may be supported through a mobility scholarship.

The study exchange within Switzerland is in place among the Jazz Departments of Basel, Berne, Lausanne, Lucerne and Zurich.

Registration and Information for Outgoing

Due by mid-December with Martina Pratsch, International Relations Coordinator.

Incoming

Within the framework of the Swiss-European Mobility Programme, students from partner institutions are eligible for a study exchange at both the School of Music and the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. The application is handled via the International Office of their home institution; the application deadline is 31 January for the following year of study. The application modalities are in general equivalent to ERASMUS+; any mobility scholarships for incoming students are supported by Swiss funding.

Registration and Information for Incoming

Due by 31 January with Martina Pratsch

Within the framework of the Swiss-European Mobility Programme, teaching and administrative staff exchange is available for both the FHNW School of Music and the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis with EU partner universities (see ERASMUS+). In terms of daily allowance and travel expenses, the exchange activities are supported by Swiss funding, both for Incoming and for Outgoing teaching staff. For budgetary reasons, it is strongly advised to plan the exchange by approx. May for the following year of study. The teaching exchange must comprise a minimum of two teaching days and a total of 8 teaching units.

Contact: Martina Pratsch

Contact: Martina Pratsch