Exams

Most teaching units have a final performance assessment, usually in the form of an oral or written exam. In addition to the exam, a continuous evaluation can be taken into account to determine the final grade of the teaching unit. In general, the exam takes place at the end of the teaching unit. Students must achieve a minimum grade of 4.0 in the evaluation in order to receive the ECTS credits.

Exam date sets

In principle, exams take place in three exam date sets:

  • Autumn dates: the date set for regular exams of teaching units from the autumn semester takes place during the last two weeks of the winter inter-semester period.
  • Spring dates: the date set for regular exams of teaching units from the spring semester takes place during the second and third week of the summer inter-semester period.
  • Summer dates: the date set for repetition exams takes place during the last three weeks of the summer inter-semester period or, upon agreement with the lecturer, earlier.

Note that an initial exam (1st attempt) is not allowed at the summer dates and only failed exams of the previous autumn and spring dates can be repeated. The handling of make-up exams in case of a late withdrawal for justified reasons is described in the section “Cancelling a Registration” of the exam rules.

Announcement of exam dates and content

Information about the exam is given within the first 14 days of a teaching unit. The information includes:

  • the date of the exam
  • the type of the exam (oral or written)
  • the duration of the exam
  • the content covered in the exam
  • any specific requirements, rules or modalities that apply to the exam 

Information about the repetition exam is given by mid of July at the latest.

Compensation for disadvantages

Students with a compensation for disadvantages should inform the concerned lecturers and the program coordinator about the conditions formally granted by the competent authority of the home university by submitting the decision letter 4 weeks before the registration deadline that can be found on the page Organization.

Registration

For each teaching unit, the students have to register for the exam before the registration deadline that can be found on the page Organization. The procedure is described in the appendix of the exam rules. Every exam registration is individually confirmed by the program coordinator via email around 10 days before the exam takes place with the exact time of the assigned slot in case of an oral exam. Registration for an exam can be cancelled or withdrawn. Students who are not registered for the regular exam are not allowed to take the repetition exam. The timeline for registration, cancellation or withdrawal is described in the appendix of the exam rules.

Publication of exam results

Exam results are published in general within two weeks after the exam period.

Questions concerning the result of an exam

If a student has questions concerning the result of an exam, he/she can follow these steps.

  1. The student can contact the examiner of the concerned exam to have a discussion with him/her within 15 days after notification of the result. The examiner determines the date of the exam consultation. In case of a written exam, the student may also ask to see his/her exam.
  2. If the discussion with the examiner was not satisfactory, the student should inform the branch committee in writing as soon as possible. They will act as a mediator.
  3. According to the regulations, Art. 36, the result of an evaluation can be appealed up to 30 days after the grade notification. Note that only formal aspects, in particular in case of an insufficient grade, can be claimed in an appeal. The appeal must be submitted to the corresponding competent authority of the student’s home university (Bern, Neuchâtel, Fribourg).

Repetition

If a student fails the exam at the end of the teaching unit, he/she can repeat the concerned exam once, by either

  1. undergo the exam on the date set for repetition exams. If the evaluation of a teaching unit consists of a continuous evaluation and an exam, the achievement of the continuous evaluation automatically counts for the repetition (cannot be repeated).
  2. or if available, repeat the entire teaching unit, including the continuous evaluation (when applicable) in a later academic year and undergo the exam at the end of that teaching unit. The exam always covers the latest content of the teaching unit. If the student fails again, there can be no further attempts to repeat the exam.

A passed exam with a sufficient grade cannot be repeated.

Exam fees

Exam fees must be paid to the home university:

  • Students matriculated at the University of Bern: half of the exam fees have to be paid with entrance into the master program, the rest before the reception of the diploma
  • Students matriculated at the University of Neuchâtel: exam fees are included in the matriculation fee
  • Students matriculated at the University of Fribourg: exam fees have to be paid at the end of the master studies

Date and deadlines scheme

Documents

Related information