Financial

Costs

Monthly living expenses including housing, food and insurance amount to CHF 1,250. The tuition fee is CHF 750 per semester (for foreign students CHF 950). Module examination fees, the charge for the VSBFH “Verband der Studierendenschaft der Berner Fachhochschule” (Student Association of the Bern University of Applied Sciences), and the fee for social and cultural facilities amount to a total of CHF 869 per semester (for foreign students CHF 1,069). There are also equipment expenses (instruments, your own notebook), consumables, books, exhibition and concert visits and excursions. This amount varies depending on the degree programme.

Part-time jobs

Studying at HKB places high demands on students, including time-wise. Opportunities for earning money while studying full-time are therefore very limited. International students are permitted to work a maximum of 15 hours per week while studying. Students who are not EU citizens are not allowed to work for the first six months after commencing studies, and then only in a job related to their degree programme. Temporary jobs are offered on the black pinboards on the various campuses.

Insurance and AHV (old-age pension)

Like all persons staying in Switzerland for longer than three months, students are legally obliged to have health insurance coverage. The website comparis.ch helps you to find the most favourable insurance policy.

Please note: If you retain foreign health insurance coverage, you must exempt yourself from compulsory health insurance here in Switzerland. This request for exemption must be submitted no later than three months from taking up residence. After this period, an exemption is no longer possible. You can find more information on the BFH website.

Swiss and international students with legal residence in Switzerland have to pay a minimum sum of CHF 482 per year to AHV/IV/EO/ALV (social contributions OASI/DI/ IC). Information sheets on the different types of insurance can be found on the HKB intranet.

HKB scholarships

There are various possibilities for financial assistance. You will find them on the HKB website on the page to your degree programme. The student administration offices are also happy to help you.

HKB scholarship fund

The scholarship fund can cover the mandatory semester fees in cases of hardship. A request for assistance is to be submitted along with the completed application form to the Administration Office for your degree programme by 15 June for the following autumn semester and by 15 December for the following spring semester.