Basel, Switzerland
The city of Basel is home to the oldest university in Switzerland. Founded upon the initiative of local citizens in 1460, the University of Basel is today a modern and attractive center of teaching, learning, and research situated in the heart of the historic old town. Its remarkable location on the Rhine bend where Switzerland, France, and Germany meet at the heart of western Europe make Basel a bustling, diverse, and open-minded city.
With nearly 200’000 citizens it’s a city of manageable size, offering a rich assortment of cultural and sports activities. Almost 40 museums make Basel the city with the highest density of museums in the country. It is among other things home to the symphony orchestra and the chamber orchestra as well as the musical theatre featuring international productions. And a wide range of classical and contemporary productions are shown on the stages of the Basel Theatre and the Playhouse.
Basel is a green city. The Botanical Gardens, several parks and the banks of the Rhine are perfect places to relax and linger for a while in the numerous restaurants and cafés.
Even though 64% of the population are still formal member of the state churches (Catholic or Reformed state church), these figures do not reflect the church attendance rate or the rate of believers. Only about 2-3% of the Swiss claim to follow Jesus. Most Swiss have never truly heard the gospel and had only a few encounters with born again Christians.
Studying here will provide you countless opportunities to start friendships with Swiss and international students. You could be the first Christian of your Swiss friends!
YOU MAY BE WONDERING…
Where can I study?
Currently, the campus with a Cru movement is the University of Basel.
What types of classes can I take?
The University of Basel has seven faculties covering a wide spectrum of academic disciplines. At the same time, the university has positioned itself amidst the international competition in the form of five strategic focal areas: Life Sciences, Visual Studies, Nanosciences, Sustainability and Energy Research and European and Global Studies.
You can come on an exchange program or you can come as a visiting student. Check with your home university if it has a bilateral exchange agreement with the University of Basel. In addition to this, there is the Swiss-European Mobility Program (Erasmus) and the ISEP (International Student Exchange Program).
When can I go?
In general you may come to a university for one to two semesters, and it is possible to start in either the fall or the spring semester. Fall terms typically run mid-September through mid-December, and spring terms late February through late May.
What kind of ministry will I be doing?
You will be working with Cru key student volunteers to help grow and expand the ministry. A part of your ministry will be building relationships, searching for key volunteers and weekly meetings/gatherings. There will also be opportunities to be involved in ministry training and personal development.
Where will I live?
Have a look at Accomodation service and living in Basel for further information and additional links.
Will there be a language barrier?
Your personal ministry will be in English as most students speak it well enough to have meaningful spiritual conversations. Most Master’s degree programs are in English. The Bachelor’s degree programs usually begin in German. In the second and third years of the Bachelor’s programs, some of the courses may take place in English.
How much does this cost?
The semester fees amount to CHF 600-800, but there are also living costs to consider too. It is estimated that students spend CHF 16,000 to CHF 26,000 on study and living costs each year.
When is the application deadline?
- For fall semesters, please apply here by August 1st.
- For spring semesters, please apply here by December 1st.
- For summer terms, please apply here by May 1st.
