Students can take a maximum of two semesters of leave. In justified cases, which includes pregnancy and parenthood, applications to take leave for additional semesters can be submitted. The leave of absence must be applied for in conjunction with semester registration. It should be noted that it is not possible to take a leave of absence during the first semester following enrollment or while working on a bachelor's or master's thesis.

During the leave of absence, no benefits that are part of university teaching and research can be taken advantage of, and no credit points can be earned. 
Students on leave remain enrolled and have reduced tuition fees (currently CHF 150 + CHF 10 skuba contribution).

Information for scholarship holders

Scholarship holders who interrupt their studies due to pregnancy or parenthood, i.e. who withdraw, should promptly report this to the scholarship sponsor since scholarships stipends taken unduly must generally be repaid.
If, however, a scholarship holder remains enrolled, he or she is generally still entitled to receive the scholarship stipend. The rules vary from institution to institution. Certain scholarship sponsors require that the amount of the stipend already paid out must be repaid if the scholarship recipient withdraws.

Always consult your scholarship sponsor ahead of time concerning the specific terms of the scholarship.

Limitation on duration of studies and recognition of credit points

here are essentially no limitations on the duration of studies at the University of Basel.

According to the student regulations, the University of Basel recognizes academic achievements earned in other degree programs or at recognized higher education institutions other than the University of Basel provided that the skills and knowledge constitute part of the curriculum of the bachelor's or master's degree program applied for at the University of Basel. Academic achievements are recognized in the form of transfer or credit points by submitting an application to the respective faculty. As a general rule, only credit points that have been earned during the last five years can be recognized.

Contact the Dean's Office of the respective faculty. In the case of sports science and nursing science, contact the institutes directly to clarify the detailed rules.

Class absences

There is no uniform rule in place at the University of Basel for dealing with absences from classes. We recommend contacting the respective instructor directly or the Dean's Office ahead of time to obtain information on absence rules, for example, whether a child's or family member's illness will be considered as a legitimate reason for an absence and the ways available to compensate for absences or missed coursework.

Postponement of exam dates

Exam dates can generally be postponed if there are valid grounds to do so.
Contact the appropriate Dean's Office or the Institutes of Nursing Science or Exercise and Health Sciences ahead of time to find out about any relevant rules and clarify the arrangements for any necessary repeat examinations.

The regulations for bachelor's and master studies state that in cases of hardship, justified exceptions from the rules listed in the regulations can be made.

Part-time studies at the University of Basel

The University of Basel allows part-time study. The respective regulations for bachelor's and master's degree programs list the regular period for full-time study and state that part-time studies are possible but that the duration of study may be prolonged accordingly.

However, the practical prerequisites for part-time studies vary depending on the subject. We therefore recommend contacting the appropriate Dean's Office or the Institutes of Nursing Science or Exercise and Health Sciences.

The university has its own fund to aid students with limited resources.

Further information can be found at the Social Services of the University of Basel or at stipendien.educa.ch (GER).

The family situation is often taken into account when calculating the amount of scholarships or loans. It is always worth clarifying the conditions.

Private scholarship organizations

In addition to the state-funded agencies that award scholarships, there are several private foundations and funds that provide aid to students and trainees, especially with family responsibilities.
The website of the Office of Educational Grants of Basel-Stadt provides further information and documents on this topic, including a directory of scholarships in Basel.