Admission to master’s studies

The student regulations from 13 November 2019 decrees the following provisions in section 16 to 18:

Section 16 Admission to a master’s degree program requires a bachelor’s degree with 180 credit points from a higher education institution recognized by the University of Basel.

2. Admission to a master’s degree program follows a motion presented by the relevant examination commission, recommending that the President’s Board either allow or deny admission.
    
3. There are four types of admission to a master’s degree program:
   a) Admission without conditions or additional requirements
   b) Admission with conditions
   c) Admission with additional requirements
   d) Admission with conditions and additional requirements.
    
4. The academic achievements to be attained as stipulated in the conditions and/or additional requirements must not exceed 60 credit points; otherwise, the applicant will be excluded from admission.
    
5. A time limit may be stipulated for meeting conditions and additional requirements. If the requirements or/and conditions are not fulfilled by the time stipulated, the faculty will exclude the applicant from study.
    
6. In the event that a bachelor’s degree does not fulfill the admission requirements listed in the relevant master’s study regulations due to a lack of basic or specialist knowledge or skills, conditions may be mandated for completion of the relevant master’s degree program. These conditions must be fulfilled before the applicant commences the master’s program.
    
7. Additional requirements may be mandated if a bachelor’s degree only partially fulfills the admission requirements listed in the relevant master’s study regulations due to a lack of knowledge or skills expected of a graduate of the relevant master’s study program. The additional requirements are to be fulfilled during the master’s program.

Degree from a university of applied sciences or a university of teacher education

Section 17 A degree from a Swiss or non-Swiss university of applied sciences or university of teacher education recognized by the University of Basel entitles the holder to access the master’s degree program only if the grade point average of the degree is at least 5 (unrounded) according to the Swiss grading system (1–6, 6 = max. / 4 = pass). Section 16 applies equally.

Degrees from non-Swiss higher education institutions

Section 18 Admission to a master’s degree program with a bachelor’s degree or a degree of equal value from a non-Swiss higher education institution recognized by the University of Basel is only granted if the degree entitles the holder to access the chosen master’s degree program at a university in the issuing higher education system. Confirmation of university admission may be required. Section 16 applies equally.

Master’s degree program in Business and Economics – Study program
Master’s degree program in Psychology – Study regulations Section 3 IV
Master’s degree program in Pharmacy – Study program

In addition every individual study regulation can include additional provisions. The study regulations can be found with the details of each degree program.

Language skills

According to section 14 of the student regulations dated 13 November 2019 the two principal languages of instruction at the University of Basel are German and English. The corresponding language skills are prerequisites for the successful completion of a degree program.

Supplementary provisions on non-admission in the event of existing exclusion

In accordance with the provisions of section 13 paragraph 2 (a) of the student regulations of the University of Basel, dated 13 November 2019, admission will not be granted to anyone who...

Conditional offer

If official confirmation of completion of the bachelor’s degree (including a complete degree transcript with detailed record of achievement and definitive final grade) is not yet available when the admission letter is issued, the applicant can be admitted on the condition that the missing documents are submitted by a deadline set by the Student Administration Office. Admission will be revoked if the outstanding documents are not submitted by the deadline or if it transpires that the admission requirements have not been fulfilled.
Conditional offers cannot be given for the restricted-admission master’s degree programs in the Faculty of Medicine.

Additional requirements for the admission to the master’s degree course with degrees from foreign higher education institutions

In addition to the requirements of the student regulations dated 13 November 2019 of the University of Basel, the following requirement has to be fulfilled in order to qualify for the enrolment in a master’s degree course on the basis of a degree awarded by a foreign higher education institution.

Supplementary requirements for admission to the joint Master’s Degree in Subject-Specific Teaching and Learning

Admission to the joint Master’s Degree in Subject-Specific Teaching and Learning, offered by the Institute for Educational Sciences at the University of Basel in conjunction with the FHNW School of Education, may deviate from the list of formally recognized qualifications of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK) (see published directory: https://edudoc.ch/record/216047/files/PH-Diplome-Registre-d-f.pdf) for formal degree recognition provided the following (cumulative) requirements are met:

"Konkordanzliste" of the Rectors' Conference (swissuniversities)

The Rectors' Conference (swissuniversities) maintains a so-called "Konkordanzliste" to regulate permeability between the types of higher education institutions in Switzerland. This list specifies, among other things, the possibilities for students with a Bachelor's degree from a Swiss university of applied sciences / university of teacher education to transfer to a Master's program at a university.