FAQ

When it comes to semester exchange, there's no difference between ENLIGHT students and SEMP students. Since all ENLIGHT universities are located in Europe, SEMP agreements between the institutions can be signed, whereunder students (incoming and outgoing) will follow SEMP processes and receive SEMP grant. If there is no SEMP agreement, student mobility can be covered by the ENLIGHT Multilateral Agreement (MLA). However, the process for students remains unchanged.

For exchange students, there is no major difference. The Swiss-European Mobility Programme (SEMP) is the Swiss solution that allows Swiss students and staff to keep participating in the European exchange programs since Switzerland was excluded from Erasmus in 2014.  

SEMP follows the precepts of the Erasmus+ program and largely follows its processes, thereby facilitating Switzerland's indirect participation in the European exchange program. 

The main difference is that SEMP is funded by the Swiss government through the Swiss national agency Movetia, whereas Erasmus+ is funded by the European Commission.

This varies from case to case. Students are asked to check this with the respective departmental coordinator.

Application processes vary depending on the type of course:

• Regular ENLIGHT course offered by the partner universities: Currently, to attend such courses one must be enrolled as an exchange student and be physically present for one or two semesters at the host university. More information on SEMP exchange can be found here.
• ENLIGHT Joint Courses: Find application information here.
• Virtual courses: Please check each individual case with UniBE International (contact jurga.kveksaite@unibe.ch). The application process varies depending on the format of the course.

Das Bewerbungsverfahren ist je nach Format der Lehrveranstaltung unterschiedlich:

ENLIGHT Course Catalogue
ENLIGHT Joint Courses

Students can search for courses from other ENLIGHT universities that match their interests and are compatible with their study program. The ENLIGHT Course Catalogue provides interfaces to all institutional course catalogs and offers of the partner universities. These are not exclusive to ENLIGHT and are not necessarily open to students of the University of Bern, but are merely made visible in the catalog. Students must still check individually whether and how they can register for a course.

ENLIGHT Course Catalogue

1. Contact your colleagues at the ENLIGHT partner universities and start developing your course. If you need support in establishing contacts, the UniBE ENLIGHT Core Team will be happy to help you (enlight@unibe.ch). 
2. Make sure that students can accredit the course towards your study program.
3. Contact the UniBE ENLIGHT core team (enlight@unibe.ch). We will be happy to discuss the registration process with you and ensure that your course appears on the list of ENLIGHT Joint Courses.

In principle, all courses at the University of Bern are open to exchange students and therefore also to students from other ENLIGHT universities. For courses taking place in person, students must be physically present at the University of Bern for one or two semesters as part of a semester exchange.

This depends on the type of the course.

• ENLIGHT Joint Courses: Information on registration can be found here.
• Virtual courses: Please clarify each individual case with UniBE International: jurga.kveksaite@unibe.ch.

For all other courses, students must be enrolled as exchange students for a semester exchange at the host university.
 

Further information on semester mobility
ENLIGHT Course Catalogue
ENLIGHT Joint Courses