Language Exchange

Languages are best learned in the countries where they are spoken – and when it comes to Slavic languages, there is quite a selection to choose from! Both departments (Bern and Fribourg) encourage students to spend one or more semesters of their studies in a Slavic-speaking country, and they maintain a variety of partnerships for this purpose.

Stays abroad (some students do more than one) do not mean an interruption of studies, even though it might serve as a reason for extending the period of study. To ensure that students receive credit towards their degree for most of their courses abroad, they must agree (with their home institution) on a Learning Agreement, or study contract. This is then confirmed again on-site during the stay abroad. Even if the main focus is on language acquisition and a deepened knowledge of a Slavic-speaking country, in the ideal case, students will also receive at least partial credit towards their degrees in Switzerland.

Erasmus makes everything easy: You apply for a place in the exchange program at either of the central offices (see below) and work out a study contract later in consultation with us. If you are accepted – and generally there are more places than applicants – you remain enrolled at your home university during your stay, continue to pay your tuition fees in Switzerland, and enjoy all the rights of a local student at the host university. You also receive a small scholarship to help cover expenses. Erasmus is an EU program in which Switzerland participates as a full member. The procedure is uniform throughout Europe, and quite unproblematic: you can find more information on the website of the International Office in Bern, or on the website of the Office for International Relations in Fribourg.

Registration deadlines for the following academic year (HS/FS) are 28 February (Fribourg) and 1 March (Bern).

Erasmus contracts are not possible with Russia and most other countries outside the EU; student exchanges with these countries are based on bilateral agreements. Applications for the autumn semester or an entire academic year must be submitted by 1 March, and for the spring semester by 1 October. Although exceptions are possible, it is advisable to inquire with the Slavic Studies department at an early stage, and not to wait until the last minute.

For all further information regarding student exchange programs through bilateral agreements, please contact the student's counselor or the International Office.

The Rectors’ Conference of Swiss Higher Education Institutions, swissuniversities, administers foreign government scholarships for some 40 countries, including many Slavic-speaking countries (such as Croatia, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Czechia; see the current list here). Scholarship amounts, services, as well as application requirements are naturally very different depending on the country; for example, every year a Croatian government scholarship is reserved for students of our departments. Application deadlines can be found on the CRUS website or, if applicable, via email (in the event that we receive information directly from the CRUS).

If you are interested in a government scholarship, you can contact the CRUS directly. The student counseling service is also happy to answer any questions. Please inform us if you apply directly.

In smaller countries there are sometimes also scholarships for language courses; for example the Slavic Studies department in Bern usually has two scholarships available at the Seminar Slovenskega Jezika, Literature in Kulture, which takes place every summer in Ljubljana. Learn Slovenian!

The Russian-language summer school will take place for the third time in Riga in summer 2024. The course is organized in collaboration with the universities of Fribourg, Lausanne and Basel. Not only will you attend courses, there is also a rich cultural program on different topics with a special focus on the four regions of Latvia. You will not be missing leisure activities of course.

You will find more information here and if you have any further questions, please contact the Russian-language teacher Natalia Dominguez Sapien.

Some impressions of past Summer Courses in Riga can be found here.

Learn Albanian in Pristina

In August 2023, an Albanian language course was organised in Pristina. It consisted of an international seminar on Albanian language, literature and culture, as well as an intensive language course, lessons on Albanian linguistics and literature and further activities related to culture in Kosovo. You can find further information on this programme here.

Learn Serbian in Belgrade

Every summer, an intensive Serbian language course is organised in Belgrade. The course consists of theoretical (grammar) and practical (oral) parts. Apart from the course programme, you have the possibility to go on excursions. You can find further information here.

And here you can find some pictures of the excursion to Belgrade in summer 2023, organised as a part of the BCMS course by Mrs. Deana Antić.

Learn Lituanien in Vilnius

Every summer, there is a summer school on Lithuanian language and culture in Vilnius. The course consists of a language part in the morning and a cultural part in the afternoon. There is also the possibility of receiving a scholarship, which would cover most living costs and some travelling expenses. Further information can be found here.