University of Fribourg
Université de Fribourg / Universität Freiburg
Switzerland's only bilingual university, where you can take a whole degree in French, German or both.
- Students
- 9,872
- International
- 16%
- of students
- Tuition
- CHF 1,970
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1889
About Unifr
The University of Fribourg was created in 1889 by an act of the cantonal parliament, although its roots go back to the Jesuit Collège Saint-Michel of 1580 and a law academy founded in 1763. Sitting on the language border between French- and German-speaking Switzerland, it is the country's only bilingual university: almost every subject can be studied in French, in German, or in both, and students who take at least 40% of their credits in each language receive a diploma marked 'bilingual curriculum'.
It has about 10,000 students (9,872 in 2024) in six faculties: Theology; Law; Management, Economics and Social Sciences; Humanities; Science and Medicine; and Education. Teaching is spread across the town of Fribourg, a city of about 40,000 people, with the main sites at Miséricorde, whose modernist buildings were designed by the architects Honegger and Dumas in 1939-1942, and Pérolles. The university stresses close contact between students and teaching staff, and its community comes from around 110 countries.
Fees are low by any standard, at CHF 985 a semester for foreign students, and Fribourg is cheaper to live in than most Swiss cities. It suits students who want a mid-sized university with a strong law faculty, a bilingual degree, and easy access to the Alps and lakes; bachelor applicants from abroad need B2 French or German.
Why students choose Unifr
You can earn a bilingual French/German degree by taking at least 40% of your credits in each language.
Tuition is CHF 985 per semester for foreign students and CHF 835 for Swiss students, low even by Swiss public-university standards.
Law has about 1,900 students and a bilingual track; Swiss federal presidents Flavio Cotti and Kurt Furgler studied law here, and Joseph Deiss took his economics degree and doctorate at Fribourg.
Student rooms through the Apartis foundation cost about CHF 365 a month, much less than in Zurich or Geneva.
Admissions
Autumn semester 2027
Selectivity
Most bachelor's programmes admit every applicant who holds a recognised secondary qualification and meets the language requirement; there is no published acceptance rate. Human Medicine is capped nationally through swissuniversities, with a qualifying exam in summer if registrations exceed places, and Sport Sciences requires a physical and motor skills test.
Typical entry requirements
| Swiss maturité / Matura | Admission to most bachelor's programmes without further conditions |
|---|---|
| Foreign upper secondary certificate (including the IB) | Must be substantially equivalent to the Swiss maturity (12 years, general education, required subjects in the last three years); country-specific conditions may add a university place in the home country or the ECUS exam |
| Language | B2 in French or German for foreign bachelor applicants whose schooling was in neither language |
| English language | Bachelor's teaching is in French and/or German, so applicants need B2 French or German rather than an English test. Some master's programmes are taught entirely in English. |
Deadlines
- Human Medicine preliminary registration (swissuniversities) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~4 months15 February 2027
Compulsory; foreign nationals must meet the eligibility criteria of the federal ordinance.
- Applicants requiring a Swiss visa Non-binding In ~5 months28 February 2027
Application period 1-28 February for the autumn semester; opening dates can shift slightly from year to year.
- General application period (autumn semester) Non-binding In ~7 months30 April 2027
Opens 1 February. Late applications 1 May-31 August with an extra CHF 50 fee, except for programmes with no late admission (e.g. Sport Sciences, Special Education, Primary Education).
Fribourg publishes these as standing annual periods (1 February-30 April, 1-28 February for visa applicants, 15 February for medicine), so they apply to autumn 2027 entry; the university notes that opening dates may move slightly each year. Applicants finishing school in summer 2027 who need the ECUS exam are advised to aim for autumn 2028.
How to apply
Apply online to the University of Fribourg for the autumn semester, uploading your secondary certificate and language proof and paying an application fee of CHF 100 (foreign certificates) or CHF 50 (Swiss certificates). Human Medicine requires a compulsory preliminary registration with swissuniversities by 15 February; some education and special-education programmes have their own documents and deadlines.
What admissions looks for
- An upper secondary certificate based on formal general education and equivalent to the Swiss maturity.
- The required subjects in each of the last three years of secondary school, all successfully completed.
- B2 proficiency in French or German, the languages of instruction.
- For Human Medicine, success in the national qualifying exam when places are oversubscribed.
Tips for applying to Unifr
- 1 If you need a visa, apply in February: the visa-holder window closes on 28 February.
- 2 Check the country list early: some foreign diplomas require a university place at home or the ECUS exam, which only runs in summer.
- 3 You don't need to be bilingual to start a bilingual degree; you can switch back to one language at any time if the programme allows.
- 4 Book a room with Apartis or a student hostel early; rooms cost about CHF 365 a month.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CHF
Students in financial difficulty can apply for a reduction of the tuition fee and for support from Uni-Social, the university's social fund, which every student contributes CHF 30 a semester to through the registration fee. Application fees are CHF 100 for foreign certificates and cannot be refunded.
- CHF 100 (foreign certificate), CHF 50 (Swiss certificate)
- Application fee
- About CHF 365 a month
- Apartis student rooms
- CHF 30 per semester, included in fees
- Uni-Social fund contribution
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (autumn: mid-September to December; spring: mid-February to May)
Law (bilingual)
About 1,900 students, with the option of a French/German bilingual degree; former federal presidents Deiss, Cotti and Furgler studied law or economics here.
Human Medicine (Bachelor of Medicine)
Entry through swissuniversities by 15 February, with a qualifying exam if oversubscribed; 576 medicine students in 2024.
Special Education and Speech Therapy
Bachelor's in Special Education and Sonderpädagogik (Logopädie) with their own application conditions and a firm 30 April deadline.
Sport Sciences and Motor Control
A bachelor's with a compulsory physical and motor skills test.
Theology
The Catholic theology faculty has educated church leaders such as Cardinal Basil Hume.
Primary Education (BA)
Run by the Faculty of Education, with applications from mid-November to 30 April.
Research
- Hosts a National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) and numerous SNSF-funded projects.
- Several interdisciplinary research centres and centres of excellence across the six faculties.
- The Pérolles 2 building, opened in 2005, houses the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences and the Institutes of Information Technology and Sport.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Theology
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Humanities
- Faculty of Science and Medicine
- Faculty of Education
Student life
There is no enclosed campus in Fribourg: with about 10,000 students in a town of 40,000, the town itself works as the campus, and the Miséricorde and Pérolles sites are a short walk apart. The student association AGEF runs an accommodation service, and there are several student hostels such as Cité St-Justin and Salesianum, alongside Apartis rooms at about CHF 365 a month. Students can improve their second language through classes run alongside their degree, and sport, the library, the AGEF and the campus card are covered by the CHF 115 registration fee.
- Bilingual French/German degrees, noted on the diploma.
- Students from about 110 countries.
- University sports programme included in the semester fee.
- Medieval old town with a Gothic cathedral, and Lake Morat less than 20 km away.
Housing. The university does not guarantee housing; students use the Apartis foundation (rooms about CHF 365 a month), student hostels or the AGEF accommodation service.
Location
Fribourg is a small, historic bilingual city with a Gothic cathedral, narrow lanes and old bridges, set in the foothills of the Alps. Lake Morat is less than 20 km away, so hiking, skiing and water sports are easy weekend trips. Living costs are relatively low for Switzerland, with the university estimating CHF 1,600-1,900 a month for a student.
Notable alumni
- JD Joseph DeissPresident of the Swiss Confederation (2004) and of the UN General Assembly (2010-11); first degree and doctorate in economics at Fribourg
- FC Flavio CottiPresident of the Swiss Confederation (1991, 1998); studied law at Fribourg
- JB Joseph BechPrime Minister of Luxembourg; studied law at Fribourg and Paris
- WG W. G. SebaldNovelist (Austerlitz, The Rings of Saturn); degree from Fribourg in 1965
- BH Basil HumeCardinal Archbishop of Westminster; Licence in Sacred Theology from Fribourg
- PA Patrick AebischerPresident of EPFL (2000-2016); trained in medicine and neuroscience at Geneva and Fribourg
- KF Kurt FurglerThree-time President of the Swiss Confederation; studied law at Fribourg, Zurich and Geneva
Frequently asked questions
Can I study at the University of Fribourg in English?
Bachelor's programmes are taught in French and/or German, and foreign applicants need B2 in one of them. Many classes and some master's programmes are taught in English.
How much are tuition fees at the University of Fribourg?
CHF 985 per semester (CHF 1,970 a year) for foreign students and CHF 835 per semester for Swiss students, plus faculty exam fees.
What is the application deadline at Fribourg?
30 April for the autumn semester, 28 February if you need a Swiss visa, and 15 February for Human Medicine via swissuniversities.
Do I need to be bilingual to study at Fribourg?
No. Most students choose French or German as their only language; a bilingual degree requires at least 40% of credits in each language.
Is it expensive to live in Fribourg?
It is cheaper than most Swiss cities: the university estimates CHF 1,600-1,900 a month, with student rooms from about CHF 365.
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.
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to Unifr in the QS World University Rankings 2027.