Stop the Tripling of Tuition Fees for Non-Swiss Students in Bern

Protect Equal Access to Education, Diversity & the Future of Public Universities

The Government of the Canton of Bern has decided to triple tuition fees for non-Swiss students, raising the additional fee from CHF 200 to CHF 1,700 per semester. This means many international students will soon pay CHF 2,550 per semester—three times more than Swiss students.

We, the students, staff, alumni and supporters of public education, firmly reject this discriminatory and harmful policy.

📌 Why This Decision Is Unacceptable

This measure is not simply about tuition fees. It reshapes the foundations of public education and affects the entire society in profound and lasting ways.

Tripling fees for non-Swiss students:

Turns access to knowledge into a wealth filter, reinforcing class inequality across society.
Deepens structural racism, disproportionately excluding people from the Global South and racialized populations under a supposedly “neutral” economic rule.
Weakens the collective production of knowledge, affecting innovation, healthcare, technology, culture, and democratic public debate.
Damages local economies, including housing, transportation, small businesses, cultural life, and services—not only academic institutions.
Normalizes the idea that public goods should be priced like private commodities, paving the way for further privatization of essential services.
Encourages a politics of closure, suspicion of outsiders, and nationalist narratives, eroding social cohesion.
Deepens class and economic inequality, widening the gap between privileged and non-privileged groups.
Undermines our shared commitment to solidarity and equal opportunity, replacing it with competition and exclusion.

This is more than educational reform. It is a negative impact on public values, on international cooperation, and on the future of fair and inclusive universities.

📌 Why Your Signature Matters

This decision affects everyone, not only international students.

It impacts:

the quality and diversity of education,
research and innovation,
the cultural and social life of Bern,
the economy of the region,
the ethical principles of fairness and equality.

By signing, you help defend the idea that education is a public good, not a privilege for the wealthy. You stand against discriminatory policies that divide students, weaken society, and threaten the mission of universities.

Together, we can show the Canton of Bern that this decision is unacceptable—and must be reversed.

📣 We demand:

A reversal of the discriminatory fee increase.
A transparent impact assessment of the decision.
A commitment to equal access to education for all students, regardless of nationality or financial status.
Dialogue with student associations and affected communities.

✊ Sign now and defend public education, equality, and the future of our universities.

Together, we can make it clear:

Bern should remain open, inclusive, diverse, and committed to fairness—both locally and globally.