Application and admission

The annual intake is limited to 30 students. The programme starts in the autumn semester and interested applicants must apply between 1 January and 30 April. To be admitted to the MSc Sustainability Transformations programme, you need

  1. to register with the University of Bern, and you need
  2. to submit an application dossier.

Please note

The online assessment must be completed prior to registration (the report of this assessment is part of the application dossier). Persons who score less than 40%-points in the online assessment are advised not to apply for the study programme.

The online assessment serves as an orientation for the fulfilment of the admission requirements. Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree from a Swiss university or a recognised foreign university with 60 ECTS in Sustainable Development or equivalent academic achievements may be admitted to the study programme.

The online assessment is a 35-minute test with multiple and single choice questions. Get your access code for the online assessment and find all further information about the online assessment on the platform after you have logged in.

Note for international students: We recommend to apply as early as possible (from 1 January) as visa processes could take up to three months after receiving a positive admission decision. The Admission's Office procedure time for an application for admission to a master's degree programme is 6 to 8 weeks. Due to this timeline, we do not recommend that international students apply after the regular deadline of 30 April.

Get your access code for the online assessment.

Once you have completed the online assessment, your application dossier has to be submitted to the Admissions office and will be handed to the study directorate of the Sustainability Transformations programme for evaluation. Missing documents will be requested by the Admission office which leads to delay of the application process.

Please visit the faculty website for specific admission procedures for students with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Bern, from a Swiss or from an international University, respectively.

Important information for students who are already enrolled at the University of Bern

If you would like to apply for admission to the Master Mono in Sustainability Transformations, please e-mail your application dossier (as one PDF document) to the Sustainability Transformations study administration (sustrafo-admin.cde@unibe.ch) before 30 April. There is no need to send the documents to the Admissions Office (ZIB). Your application dossier must consist of the following documents:

  • Transcripts of your previous studies
  • CV (in English), containing details of your education
  • Motivation letter (in English): This should outline your motivation, the relevance of your previous degree, and your academic or professional aspirations (max. 1 page)
  • Report of your online assessement 

Upon successful review of your dossier, you might be invited to an online interview. Interviews are conducted on an ongoing basis.
You can apply to transfer from a Bachelor’s to a Master’s degree programme, or to transfer from a Master’s degree programme, from 20 May to 31 August via Selfservice. For more information on renewal of semester registration, please click here.

Application schedule

Please note that for this programme no spring intake is possible.

 

Deadlines

Fall intake
Application deadlines for new students 30 April
Online assessment open 1 November – 31 August
Personal interview Scheduled individually
Deadline for late applications* 31 August
Beginning of semester Mid-September**

*An application received late costs an additional fee of CHF 100; late applications from candidates who require a visa to enter Switzerland may be deferred to the next academic year.

**Please note that students are expected to arrive in Switzerland by the beginning of September (due to mandatory kick-off event before semester start)

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I meet the admission requirements for the study programme based on my educational background?

Candidates who have completed a Bachelor's degree at a recognised Swiss or foreign university, and who have the equivalent knowledge of a Minor in Sustainable Development (60 ECTS), are eligible for the programme. If this requirement is not met, students can complete up to 30 ECTS during the programme to catch up on the necessary knowledge.

Subjects or course content are recognised as falling under “Sustainable Development”, if they relate to one of the three dimensions of sustainable development (social, ecological and economic) and/or cover the basics of sustainable development (e.g. theoretical concepts). Additionally, courses addressing research methods and designs for sustainable development (e.g. interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary methods) may also be recognised. In accordance with university regulations, the equivalence assessment is strictly based on academic qualifications. Professional experience cannot be counted towards the required academic ECTS credits.

Any additional attainments will be defined once the application dossier has been officially received and reviewed, and the online interview has been successfully completed. Pre-application checks are not possible.

Do I need to submit an English language certificate as part of my application dossier?

No, we do not review language certificates as part of our assessment process. However, the study programme is taught in English, so we recommend that students have English skills at B2 level or above.

I completed the online interview and was informed that I have been accepted for the programme. When will I receive the official admission letter to start my visa application?

Once the Study Directorate has requested your formal admission from the Faculty's Board of Studies, you will receive an official admission decision letter by post. This process may take up to a month.

Is it possible to start the study programme in the spring semester?

The intake is limited to the autumn semester only. There is no intake in the spring.

What are the contents of the online assessment and should I prepare for it?

We do not recommend any specific material for the preparation of the assessment. The assessment serves in particular as an orientation of whether you are likely to fulfil the admission requirements.

It addresses the following key areas:

  • Basics of Sustainability
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Social Sustainability
  • Economic Sustainability
  • Governance of Sustainability

Is it possible to study part-time?

The University of Bern considers itself a full-time university and does not offer part-time study programmes. However, it is possible to work part-time alongside your studies. It is possible to extend the duration of your studies by up to six semesters.

Can I study remotely?

In-person attendance time is required. This is because our teaching and learning formats are innovative and not suitable for online delivery. However, some courses do not require attendance and are available as podcasts. You can find more information about the courses here.

Do you offer scholarships for this programme?

Unfortunately, there are no scholarships specifically available for the Master’s in Sustainability Transformations. However, you can find general information about student financing at the University of Bern here.

You can find an overview of the tuition and semester fees here.

Contact

For all questions and advice regarding admission, please contact the study administration of the Master Sustainability Transformations programme:

Samira Wittenwiler, sustrafo-admin.cde@unibe.ch