University of Basel
Universität Basel
Switzerland's oldest university, founded in 1460, with a research-heavy life sciences core on the Rhine.
- Students
- 13,707
- Tuition
- CHF 1,700
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1460
- QS World Ranking
- #150
- 2027 edition
About Unibas
The University of Basel opened with a mass at Basel Minster on 4 April 1460, making it the oldest university in Switzerland. It began with four faculties (Theology, Law, Medicine and Arts) and now has seven: Theology, Law, Medicine, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, Business and Economics, and Psychology. In fall semester 2025 it enrolled 13,707 students and doctoral candidates, with more than 350 professors.
Basel is above all a research university. About 22 percent of those enrolled are doctoral candidates, and around half of doctoral candidates come from abroad. Medicine is the largest faculty, with 25.2 percent of students, followed by Science and by Humanities and Social Sciences. Life sciences are a particular research focus, anchored by the Biozentrum and by associated institutes such as the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, in a city that is also home to major pharmaceutical companies.
The history is unusually rich: Paracelsus lectured here in German rather than Latin, the Bernoulli family held its mathematics chair, Leonhard Euler enrolled at 13, and Friedrich Nietzsche and Jacob Burckhardt taught here. Bachelor's programmes are taught mainly in German, so the university suits students with strong German (the university advises C1 level) who want a flexible, personal study experience in a mid-sized city, and who are ready to sit exams in German.
Why students choose Unibas
Tuition is CHF 850 per semester for every student, Swiss or international, across all faculties.
A strong life sciences environment: the Biology BSc draws on the Biozentrum, the Department of Environmental Sciences and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute.
An unusual Nanosciences BSc combines nanophysics, nanochemistry and nanobiology in one interdisciplinary science degree.
About 22 percent of those enrolled are doctoral candidates, so bachelor's students study in a research-heavy environment.
Admissions
Fall semester 2027 entry (deadlines shown are the published fall 2026 pattern)
Selectivity
Most bachelor's programmes admit every applicant whose school-leaving certificate is recognised as equivalent to the Swiss Maturität; there is no published acceptance rate. Medicine and dental medicine are restricted: applications go through swissuniversities, and non-Swiss applicants are eligible only in specific cases (for example Liechtenstein citizens, holders of a Swiss settlement permit, or certain long-term residents).
Typical entry requirements
| Swiss Maturität | A nationally recognised Swiss Maturität gives access to all bachelor's programmes (restricted programmes such as Medicine have special requirements) |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma | At least 32 of 42 points (without bonus points) in six subjects from the required groups, including Mathematics (not Math Studies), a science and a Group 4 or 5 subject at Higher Level |
| German Abitur | Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife plus a current university admission in Germany for the same subject, or an Abitur average of 2.5 or better (1.5 for Psychology; no compensation for Pharmaceutical Sciences) |
| A-levels (UK) | Six general-education subjects: three A-levels (two at grade B or above, one at C or above, with Mathematics or a science at A-level) plus three GCSE/AS subjects meeting minimum grades |
| US High School Diploma | High School Diploma plus AP exams scoring at least 3 in six specified general-education subjects |
| English language | German and English are the principal languages of instruction. Bachelor's programmes are taught predominantly in German, which is also the main exam language; the university advises C1-level German before starting. No specific test score is set centrally, but students cannot excuse exam failures on language grounds. |
Deadlines
- Bachelor's programmes (spring semester 2027) Non-binding Next deadline · In 55 days30 November 2026
Applications open 15 October 2026. Some programmes can only be started in the fall semester, and ECUS candidates can only start in the fall.
- Medicine and dental medicine (via swissuniversities) Non-binding15 February
Fall 2026 deadline was 15 February 2026; no late applications. Eligibility for non-Swiss nationals is restricted.
- Sport, Exercise and Health BSc Non-binding15 February
Fall 2026 deadline was 15 February 2026; no late applications.
- Bachelor's programmes (fall semester) Non-binding30 April
Fall 2026 deadline was 30 April 2026, with late applications (extra CHF 150 fee, if granted) until 31 July 2026. Applies to Swiss and foreign qualifications.
Fall 2027 deadlines had not been published at the time of research; the dates above follow the fall 2026 pattern (15 February for Medicine and Sport, 30 April for other bachelor's programmes, late applications until 31 July). Check the university's deadlines page before applying.
How to apply
Apply online to the Student Administration Office via the university's application portal (application fee CHF 100). Admission is based on recognition of your school-leaving certificate under the admission regulations and the country list for the academic year. Medicine and dental medicine applications go through swissuniversities.
What admissions looks for
- A school-leaving certificate that largely corresponds to the Swiss Maturität in educational objective, subject content and length of study.
- Six independent general-education subjects covering first language, second language, mathematics, a natural science, a humanities or social science subject, and one further subject.
- For some qualifications, proof of admission to an equivalent programme in your home country, or a minimum grade average instead.
- German skills at around C1 level, since German is the main teaching and exam language at bachelor's level.
Tips for applying to Unibas
- 1 Download the admission requirements by country for your year of entry: it states exactly which certificate, grade average or additional exam you need.
- 2 German Abitur holders without a German university admission can qualify with an average of 2.5 or better, but Psychology needs 1.5.
- 3 If your certificate requires the ECUS exam, you can only start in the fall semester, because the exam is held once a year in August.
- 4 Non-Swiss applicants should check the special eligibility rules before planning on Medicine; most international applicants are not eligible.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CHF
Basel charges the same CHF 850 semester fee to all students. The university's own funds support students with very limited resources, mainly as partial scholarships of CHF 200 to 600 a month in the final degree phase, plus a student solidarity fund (CHF 500 to 1,000 per semester). Swiss students should first check eligibility for cantonal scholarships; there is no large merit scholarship scheme for international bachelor's students.
- CHF 200 to 600 per month, mainly in the final BA/MA phase
- University scholarship funds
- CHF 500 to 1,000 per semester
- Student solidarity fund (Solifonds)
- CHF 100 (plus CHF 150 for a late application)
- Application fee
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (fall and spring)
Medicine (Bachelor)
Medicine is Basel's largest faculty, with 25.2% of all students; applications go through swissuniversities by 15 February.
Biology (BSc)
Combines the Biozentrum, the Department of Environmental Sciences and Swiss TPH, with majors in Molecular Biology, Animal and Plant Sciences, or Integrative Biology.
Nanosciences (BSc)
An interdisciplinary six-semester science degree spanning nanophysics, nanochemistry and nanobiology, taught in German.
Psychology (BSc)
Taught in German and English by a dedicated faculty (independent since 2003); German Abitur applicants need an average of 1.5 or better without a German admission.
Pharmaceutical Sciences (BSc)
Studied in a city with a large pharmaceutical industry; foreign applicants must meet the full admission criteria, with no grade-average shortcut.
Mathematics (BSc)
Continues the Basel tradition of the Bernoulli family and Leonhard Euler.
Research
- Life sciences are a particular research focus, centred on the Biozentrum and the Department of Biomedicine, a joint venture with the University Hospital and University Children's Hospital.
- Associated institutes include the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) and the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research.
- Tadeus Reichstein, head of Basel's Pharmaceutical Institute, shared the 1950 Nobel Prize in Medicine for research on adrenal cortex hormones.
- Basel University Library is one of the largest libraries in Switzerland, and the university's botanical garden is the oldest of its kind in the German-speaking world.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Theology
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Business and Economics
- Faculty of Psychology
Student life
Basel is a city university with no single campus: its roughly 60 locations are spread across the centre, from Petersplatz, where student administration is based, to the old university buildings on the Rhine. Most students find their own flats. Student life includes university sports, choirs and orchestras, a Model United Nations team, local chapters of international groups and traditional Studentenverbindungen. The student union, skuba, represents students within the university. The city sits on the borders with France and Germany, making weekend trips easy.
- Around 60 university locations spread across the city centre.
- The student union skuba represents students' interests within the university.
- University Sports runs a gym, fitness classes, and sport and dance camps.
- Membership of the Eucor network links Basel with nearby universities in France and Germany.
Housing. The university has no guaranteed student housing; most students rent privately, and the sample budget assumes about CHF 600 a month for accommodation including utilities.
Location
Basel is a city of museums and pharmaceutical companies on the Rhine, where Switzerland meets France and Germany. The university highlights its central location, cultural diversity and relatively affordable housing compared with other Swiss cities, but Switzerland is expensive: the university's sample budget puts living costs away from home at about CHF 2,050 to 2,150 a month.
Nearest airport: EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL)
Notable alumni
- LE Leonhard EulerMathematician and physicist; enrolled at the University of Basel at 13
- DB Daniel BernoulliMathematician and physicist; studied medicine at Basel and later held chairs there
- CG Carl Gustav JungFounder of analytical psychology; studied medicine at Basel
- FM Friedrich MiescherFirst scientist to isolate nucleic acid (1869); studied medicine at Basel and became its professor of physiology
- JB Jacob BurckhardtHistorian of art and culture; studied theology at Basel and taught there until 1893
- KB Karl BarthReformed theologian; professor at Basel from 1935 to 1962
- FN Friedrich NietzschePhilosopher; professor of classical philology at Basel from 1869
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to study at the University of Basel?
Tuition is CHF 850 per semester for all students, including international students. Living costs are the bigger item: the university's sample budget is about CHF 2,050 to 2,150 a month for a student living away from home.
Can I study at the University of Basel in English?
Mostly not at bachelor's level. Bachelor's programmes are taught predominantly in German, which is also the main exam language, and the university advises C1-level German. Some programmes, such as Biology and Psychology, are taught in German and English.
What IB score do I need for the University of Basel?
At least 32 of 42 points (without bonus points) in six subjects from the required groups, including Mathematics and a Group 4 or 5 subject at Higher Level.
When is the application deadline for the University of Basel?
For fall 2026 the bachelor's deadline was 30 April, with late applications until 31 July; Medicine and Sport, Exercise and Health closed on 15 February. Expect a similar pattern for fall 2027, and check the deadlines page.
Can international students study medicine at Basel?
Only in specific cases. Access to the Bachelor's in Medicine is limited to groups such as Liechtenstein citizens, holders of a Swiss settlement permit, certain EU/EFTA residents working in Switzerland and some long-term residents, and applications go through swissuniversities.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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