The University of Bern

As a student at the World Trade Institute, you'll also become a member of the University of Bern. Watch the video to see what other opportunities the University offers and why you should choose to study in Switzerland!

The City of Bern

If you decide to join the MILE Programme at the World Trade Institute, you will have the opportunity to explore and live in Bern, the capital of the Swiss Confederation, for a year.

It is home to the Swiss Government, the Swiss Central Bank, the Swiss Railways, the Swiss Postal Service, the University of Bern and a population of about 127'000.

Bern is a one-hour train ride away from Basel (home of many pharmaceutical multinationals),  Zurich (one of the most important financial centres worldwide) and about two hours from Geneva, home of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and many other international organisations.

The old town of Bern, built on a peninsula, offers visitors many attractions: the medival clock tower, the cathedral, the arcades or the bear pits. The river Aare, green and brimming with cold mountain water, gently flows around the city and invites you to go for a swim in summer.

The city's location at the heart of the Swiss Mittelland affords you many opportunities to explore the gorgeous Swiss Alps and countryside. If you enjoy winter sports, you can be on the slopes in less than 90 minutes.

In 1902, Einstein developed his general theory of relativity while living in Bern. The artist Paul Klee spent most of his life here, creating a large body of works. A major part of it is on exhibition at the Zentrum Paul Klee, a museum exclusively dedicated to his oeuvre and designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano.

Accommodation

The majority of MILE students chooses to book a room with the Bernese Student Lodging Association or find a room in a shared apartment. The World Trade Institute unfortunately cannot provide accommodation.

We encourage you to start looking for accommodation well in advance. The number of rooms available at the student residences and the number of rooms/apartments for rent in the Bern region is very limited.

Rooms for rent in shared apartments can be found at www.wgzimmer.ch; available apartments in Switzerland can be found on this search engine www.alle-immobilien.ch.

Health Insurance

Swiss law mandates you to have health insurance during your stay in Switzerland.

In the first week of the MILE Programme, we'll invite a representative of a Swiss health insurer to hold a presentation. You will be able to sign up for health insurance right after the presentation. Alternatively, special plans for temporary residents can be found on the internet.

Visa and Immigration

If you are an international applicant to the MILE Programme, you should ensure that you can provide evidence of adequate funding to Swiss visa/immigration authorities.

Upon admission, the WTI will send a confirmation to the Bernese Migration Office. Once you arrive in Switzerland, you are required to register with them within 7 days.

We will provide you with more details once you arrive.