This section briefly describes the issues related to enrolment at a university and the specificities for the University of Fribourg.

All the information you need to register at the University of Fribourg can be found on the website www.unifr.ch in the chapter on registration and admissions. This is the reference for applications. We advise you to refer to it first.

We will detail here some information in a more general way.

Who has the right to study at university?

While many students start university directly after high school, not all do. There is no standard student profile.

In Switzerland, you can start most university studies if you have a Swiss Matura diploma (high school leaving certificate) or a Swiss vocational Matura diploma (and in the latter case, having also passed the bridging examination for universities or colleges). You will find more details on these criteria in the Federal Ordinance on the Matura (in French). If you have a school leaving certificate from abroad, you will find information on the conditions of admission for each country on the University of Fribourg admissions website. If you have any doubts about the recognition of your school leaving certificate by the University, the swissuniversities website is also full of information.

Many students start a new study programme when they already have a Bachelor’s degree from a university or a university of applied sciences (UAS).

Others choose to start after the age of 30 without a school leaving certificate: in this case, applications must be made directly to the relevant faculty. You may be asked to take an entrance exam. Here you will find links to the specific requirements for each faculty to enter the University of Fribourg after the age of 30 without a recognised qualification.

Once you have chosen the course you are interested in, you can start the application process by applying to the admissions department of the university of your choice.

The organization of the University of Fribourg :

The University of Fribourg is divided into 5 distinct faculties:

• the Faculty of Law
• the Faculty of Arts and Humanities
• Faculty of Science and Medicine
• the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences and Management
• the Faculty of Theology

In addition to these five faculties, there are numerous interdisciplinary institutes and competence centres. Indeed, the University of Fribourg gives a large place to interdisciplinary or interfaculty studies in its curricula.

Each faculty is divided into departments. For example, in the Faculty of Law, there are the Departments of Private Law, Public Law, Criminal Law, International Law and Commercial Law. But each faculty has its own organization. Some faculties offer courses and study plans that cover several departments, while others operate exclusively within separate departments.

Depending on your chosen course of study, you will have one or even two study plans. A study plan is the division of a study programme into modules, which in turn are divided into specific courses.

The study plan is organized to allow students to complete their Bachelor’s or Master’s degree as quickly as possible. Within this structure, however, each student is free to enroll in the courses he or she wishes to take according to his or her ambition, pace, and the guidelines and regulations of his or her specific department. If you want to make sure that your study composition is correct, you can check it with the study advisor of your study programme.

Registering at the University requires that you take time to understand and follow the registration process. Thus, it is useful and even necessary to take time to carefully read the regulations and guidelines related to the Faculty and the program of study you have chosen.

Registration and “reasonable adjustment” measures

In some Anglo-Saxon countries, people with a disability are strongly encouraged to announce their disability in order to automatically benefit from the available support. In Switzerland, everyone is given the freedom to choose. The Swiss disability philosophy could be described as light but respectful of personal ambitions. This has the advantage of being discrete for students who do not wish to make their disability visible. The disadvantage of this philosophy is that students who need support have to take the necessary steps to get it themselves.

Autism can bring with it a “disability”, in the sense of some additional difficulties that neurotipical students do not have to deal with. When registering at the University, it is possible to mention that you are a person with a disability and that you wish to benefit from measures to compensate for your disadvantages in order to be able to carry out your studies in the best conditions possible. The concept of disability in the sense of available support is discussed in the chapter on financial support. In addition, you will find a more detailed explanation of “reasonable adjustment” measures chapter on reasonable adjustments, which can be found throughout life, especially before, during and after university.

The Studies and Disability office is in the responsible body for these issues at the University of Fribourg. The people in charge of this service will guide you to find the right documents (medical certificate, diagnosis) and fill in a form explaining what is needed concretely, for example: more time for exams, exams in a quiet room, access to course material in advance if possible. You can ask for an interview with someone from the Studies and Disability office if you are not sure what measures can be requested.

When the file is complete, the Studies and Disability office will forward it to the Faculty concerned for validation. If the application is accepted, the different departments will do their best to implement the agreed measures. If the application is refused, you can return to the Studies and Disability office for advice.

Beyond the administrative issues related to announcing your disability to the University, the question of whether you want to talk about your autism to some of your teachers or colleagues is also a very personal question that you may want to think about. In the testimonials section, you may find inspiration on this issue from students who have already participated in our platform.

Knowing the registration process will help you to think ahead and decide whether you want to handle the registration process on your own or ask for help from someone to support you.

If you have any concerns about registering at the University of Fribourg or would like to clarify possible support measures, you can contact the Studies and Disability office or the Autism@Uni team.

At first, understanding how courses are organized can be tedious. You don’t automatically see if the classes are weekly, whole group, subgroup, seminar or whatever. This can be confusing, but if you take some time and surround yourself with the right people, everything becomes quickly clearer. You can always contact the Autism&Uni Team if you have any questions. The chapter “Organizing your program and your credits at the University of Fribourg” will probably also be useful for this point.

• If possible, plan 6 to 12 months in advance so that you can gradually gather the necessary information.
• If you are starting university directly after high school, the process will be facilitated by your college counsellor.
• First, choose the study programme you are interested in, then check the admission requirements and deadlines for that particular programme.
• If you are not sure which of the several study programmes for the Master’s degree to choose, you can check their respective admission requirements. That may help you to make your choice. The admission requirements are the same for all Bachelor study programmes.
• List all the documents required to accompany the registration and put them in a separate file.
• Note in advance the important dates for registration.
• Learn how to operate with an organizational system that is practical for you. The chapter on learning strategies will be very helpful in this regard.
• Contact the Studies and Disability office if you are interested in compensatory measures or if you would like to find out about possible support options.
• For questions related to financial aid during your studies, see the chapter on “financial support for students“.

• What is the registration procedure for the proposed programme?
• What documents must be prepared in advance to register?
• Do you need to provide a motivation letter, resume (CV) or work portfolio?
• What are the registration deadlines?
• When will you know if you have been selected?
• Who should you contact to discuss disability adjustment measures?

• Admissions Office
• Structure of studies
• CONTACT
• CONTACT

Edited by: Nathalie Quartenoud ©

Translated by: Daniel Dukes