Incoming students

School of Life Sciences

Do you want to spend a semester or more in Switzerland? At the FHNW School of Life Sciences, you study in an applied, international environment and become part of Europe’s most important Life Sciences hub. Whether you come for an exchange semester, the Double Degree Programme, or a lab internship or thesis project, you will find the key information here to plan your stay in Basel.

Exchange semester

Choose courses from our Bachelor’s or Master’s programmes:

BSc: all courses in German
MSc: all courses in English

You must be officially nominated by your home university. A valid exchange agreement must exist between the institutions.

Once nominated, you will receive an email with instructions to apply via Mobility-Online.

Required documents: transcript of records, proof of language skills (B2+), and any programme-specific forms.

Application deadlines:

Autumn semester: nomination 15 April | application BSc 31 May, application MSc 30 April
Spring semester: nomination 15 October | application BSc & MSc 30 November

Double Degree Programme

Selected MSc students from specific partner universities can complete part of their studies at the FHNW School of Life Sciences as part of a Double Degree Programme.

The application follows the same process as the exchange semester (nomination, Mobility-Online, deadlines).

Learn more about the Double Degree Programme.

Lab internship / thesis project

Availability must be confirmed in advance. Please contact the International Office to arrange your stay and agree on your work plan.

All internships and thesis stays are processed via Mobility-Online.

Note: placement cannot be guaranteed.

Practical information

Teaching language & language requirements

BSc: German (B2+)
MSc: English (B2+)

Academic calendar

Autumn semester: CW 38 – CW 2
Spring semester: CW 8 – CW 24

Cost of living

Approx. CHF 1,500–2,000 per month, including housing, food, transport and leisure.

Accommodation

Coordinated by WoVe, the student housing office: wove.ch.
Additional information can be found in the International Student Guide.

Visa & insurance

Check visa requirements at www.studyinswitzerland.plus.
Health insurance and practical information are explained in the International Student Guide.

Buddy Programme

Each international student can be assigned an experienced buddy. You can find more information about the buddy programme here.

Funding & grants

Exchange students may be eligible for SEMP funding (Swiss-European-Mobility Programme) or other scholarships:

Hirschmann Stiftung

One-off grants available to students pursuing a consecutive master's degree at a Swiss university of applied sciences. Further information can be found on the website.

Rotary Club

Rotary clubs offer scholarships for secondary, undergraduate or graduate study. Scholarships are given by individual clubs; anyone can apply. They last from one to four years and can include an entire degree programme. Further information can be found on the website.

SBFI / SERI

The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation deals with various grants. Further information can be found on their website.

SEMP

Swiss-European Mobility Programme (SEMP) for higher education gives Swiss higher education institutions the possibility to fund students as well as teaching and administrative staff when studying, teaching or doing a training course abroad. Further information can be found on the website.

ScholarshipPortal

Find and compare scholarships and other forms of student funding to cover expenses for international Bachelor's degrees, Master's degrees and PhDs worldwide. ScholarshipPortal is a website for international students looking to meet their financial needs. Browse comprehensive scholarship lists available for a wide variety of destinations abroad.

Global Scholarships

Global Scholarships is the world’s leading scholarship database for international students. They add dozens of scholarships each week.

International Student Guide

The International Student Guide (PDF) contains detailed information on preparing your stay, daily life in Switzerland, and your studies at the FHNW School of Life Sciences.