Admissions Office

16 September 2014

Application with an international degree

Academic year 2014/2015

Application for admission and placement 1 in the specialised M A in Political, Legal

and Economic Philosophy of the Faculty of Humanities
1: Application deadlines
www.zib.unibe.ch/content/daten/anmeldung/index_eng.html

2: Documents for application

1: Online application www.studis.unibe.ch English
2: Curriculum vitae in table form with uninterrupted chronology of your education and academic
studies incl. degrees up to the present incl. up-to-date passport photo (45 mm high by 35 mm
wide)
3: Application/motivation letter (incl. family name, given name, full address, e-mail address, date and
signature and if you have one mobile phone number)
2

4: Originally certified photocopies of your degree (e.g. diploma incl. diploma supplement, bachelor or
master degree). The correspondence of the photocopy to the original must be officially certified.
2

5: Originals (stamped and signed) or originally certified photocopies of all official proofs of your
achievements (transcripts) with grades/scores
6: Grade scale of the degree issuing university, if the grading system is different from ours. Our scale
goes from 1 to 6, with 6 being excellent and grades below 4 being unsatisfactory.
7: Brief description of the content/learning objectives of the different courses/lectures (annotated
course catalogue or module handbook)

The committee in charge of the Faculty of Humanities evaluates your previous study record, looks for equivalences, assesses which
courses you still need to do at master or bachelor level before being admitted into the desired master degree course at the
University of Bern and decides on what level you will be placed at and how many of your credits can be transferred.

Guidelines on officially certified documents and translations

www.zib.unibe.ch/unibe/lehre/zib/content/e4433/e98624/Directives-for-certifications-and-translations_eng.pdf

Checklist_MAPLEP.docx

Hochschulstrasse 4
Office 020
3012 Bern
Switzerland

Phone +41 (0)31 631 39 11

info@zib.unibe.ch
www.zib.unibe.ch

8:

Originally certified translations of the original documents (e.g. diploma incl. diploma supplement,
bachelor or master degree, transcripts of diploma records), if these are not written in German,
English, French or Italian. The translations have to be originally certified and inseparably
connected with the originally certified photocopies of the original documents.

9:

If you apply for a master major or minor that requires a language test; see point
3 a) English language skills:
2

Original or certified photocopy of

- TOEFL test result: Indicate Code 3169 University of Bern, Admissions Office when taking
the test
OR
- IELTS academic test result
OR
- Cambridge First Certificate in English
The test result must be submitted together with the other required documents. It is not possible
to take it subsequently and to hand in the result later.
10: Photocopy of your valid passport or identity card
11: Photocopy of your residence permit (L, B, settlement permit C, diplomatic status incl. parents) if
3
available
12: If you live outside of Switzerland:
Debit note confirming the payment of:
- Application fee:
105 CHF
- Additional administrative fee: 100 CHF; if the application for admission is handed in after the
regular application deadline
Name of Bank:

Kantonalbank Bern in Bern/Switzerland

BIC/SWIFT Code:

KBBECH22

IBAN-No.:

CH32 0079 0020 2453 8279 3

Recipient:

University of Bern, Admissions Office

All money transfer fees have to be paid by you.

Make sure that your family name and given name/s are stated on the debit note so
that the money can be assigned to your application for admission.
If you live in Switzerland, you do not have to pay any fee in advance. After receipt of your
application we shall send you an invoice with a pay-in slip. Your eligibility for admission to the
desired master degree course will only be checked after payment of this invoice.

Entry and visa requirements www.zib.unibe.ch/content/internationals/einreisebestimmungen/index_eng.html

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If necessary we will request additional documents.

Send your application file to:
UNIVERSITY OF BERN
Admissions Office
Hochschulstrasse 4
3012 Bern
Switzerland

3: Language pre-requisites
The specialised master degree course in Political, Legal and Economic Philosophy is taught exclusively
in English.
a) English language skills
One of the following test results with the required minimum score has to be submitted with the
application.
The result must not be older than 36 months at the date of the application for admission.
Older test results cannot be considered.
Language test

Minimum score

TOEFL Internet

92

TOEFL paper based testing

580

IELTS academic test

6.5

Cambridge First Certificate in English

Exemption from the English test

An exemption from the English test is possible if you have completed your studies with English
language of instruction within a language community, in which English is the main spoken
language; see country list.
b) German language skills
Lectures that have to be attended as additional attainments (introductory courses, etc.) are mainly
held in German language. Consequently, the examinations are conducted in German language.
We shall tell you with our decision of admission if you must provide proof of sufficient German
language skills according to the German Test Regulations of the University Board prior to the begin
of the degree course.

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4: Important notes
You may apply only for admission to one degree course.
Turn to the responsible academic study advisor for subject-related questions.
Studies at the University of Bern are full-time, which may be followed neither part-time nor by
correspondence.
We do not review any electronic documents.
Submit your application to study at the University of Bern as early as possible ideally 4 months
prior to the start of the degree course.
Only complete applications for admission submitted on time can be accepted and processed.
Placement will be made on the basis of the documents submitted when the application is made.
Processing time: at least 4 to 6 weeks after receipt of all required documents

5: Electronic addresses for further information

University of Bern:
www.unibe.ch/eng
Faculty of Humanities:
www.philhist.unibe.ch/content/index_eng.html
Institute of Philosophy:
www.philosophie.unibe.ch/content/pep/index_ger.html
Course catalogue:
www.ksl-vv.unibe.ch English
Admissions Office:
www.admissions.unibe.ch

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6: Entry and Visa Requirements

Entry and residence
EU / EFTA nationals do not need a visa (exception: Croatia). Register your residence in Switzerland
within 14 days with the appropriate municipal authority (Einwohnerdienste, Einwohnerkontrolle) in
which you are resident and apply for a residence permit.
If you take up residence in the city of Bern, please contact the following address:
Einwohnerdienste, Migration und Fremdenpolizei
Predigergasse 5
3000 Bern 7
Switzerland
E-mail
Call Center: +41 (0)31 321 53 00
For your application you will need the following documents:
Personal application for residence
A valid travel document
Certificate of registration at the University of Bern
Evidence that funds for your study are secured (bank or certified document)
Evidence of residential address during your stay (tenancy agreement or sublet confirmation of your
address in Switzerland)
Quotation from a Swiss health insurance
2 passport photos
Other foreign students should contact the Swiss consular authorities in their home countries and
request a visa. If the request satisfies the appropriate immigration authority, the conditions for entry
and study-related residence have been met.
Students outside the EU / EFTA who do not require a visa should apply to the Swiss consular
authorities in their home countries for information about entry and residence procedures.
A tourist visa does not entitle you to study in Switzerland!
If you need a visa to enter Switzerland, expect the process to take at least 2 to 3 months.

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