Online Studies: Why, how and for whom?: UniDistance Suisse

Are you looking for a way to study that fits in with your busy life? At UniDistance Suisse, you study 100% online — with no fixed location, no daily commute, and a schedule you control. Every programme leads to a Swiss university degree that is recognised nationally and internationally.

The teaching model: blended learning

Studies at UniDistance Suisse involve two types of learning: asynchronous and synchronous learning.

Asynchronous learning: study when and where you want

The heart of your studies is Moodle, our online learning platform, available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. There you will find:

Course materials: texts, videos, quizzes, exercises, practical cases
Schedules, deadlines and milestones for the semester
Discussion forums to exchange with your teaching team and fellow students at any time
Tools to submit assignments and receive feedback

You study at your own pace, working through the material before each class session. The flexibility lies in how you organise your time within a clearly defined semester framework.

Synchronous learning: regular online class sessions

Approximately once a month (generally on Saturdays), you attend an online class session via Zoom. These sessions are:

An opportunity to discuss the material directly with your professors and fellow students
A chance to work through specific cases and interactive exercises as a group
Recorded and made available on Moodle if you cannot attend

Attendance is strongly encouraged — these sessions are an integral part of the pedagogical scenario — but not formally checked.

In rare cases, in-person meetings may be proposed for pedagogical reasons. An alternative is always offered to students who cannot attend in person.

Knowledge assessment

Assessment is entirely online and takes various forms depending on the module: continuous assignments submitted throughout the semester, oral or written final exams (on Saturdays), portfolios, research projects, oral presentations, and more. To find out which forms apply to each discipline, consult the appendices to the study regulations.

Workload

Every semester, you generally complete two modules. Plan for 25 to 30 hours of work per week — 1 ECTS credit corresponds to 25–30 hours of work. A Bachelor's programme has 180 ECTS credits; a Master's programme has 90 or 120 ECTS. All dates (class sessions, assignment deadlines, exams) are published at the beginning of the semester to facilitate your planning.

Flexibility: study on your own terms

No fixed time or location

You decide when and where to study: in the morning, during your lunch break, in the evenings or at weekends; at home, at the office, on the train, on a plane or at a hotel. No daily commute, no mandatory classroom presence.

A rhythm adapted to your life

Our programmes are designed for people in employment or with other obligations: the workload is calibrated for part-time study. If life gets in the way, you can:

Take one module instead of two in a given semester, or vice versa, enroll in additional modules
Take a leave of absence for one or more semesters
Skip an exam if you are not ready — and sit it the following semester

We also offer two start dates per year (autumn and spring) for Bachelor's and Master's programmes in Law, Economics, History, Psychology, and Mathematics.

Study from abroad

No physical presence is required for courses or exams. You can study from anywhere in the world. You do not need to be domiciled in Switzerland, and your nationality plays no role in your admission. Note that UniDistance Suisse does not manage visas or residence permits — if you need to travel to Switzerland (e.g. for an exam), please ensure your travel documents are in order.

Put your knowledge into practice immediately:
because you study alongside your professional life, you can apply what you learn directly in your day-to-day work — and bring real-world experience back to your studies.

Build highly valued skills:
combining studies with employment, family or sport develops discipline, time management and organisational skills that employers recognise and value.

Support throughout your studies

Personalised follow-up is one of the most important factors in successful distance learning — and one of UniDistance Suisse's key strengths.

Teaching teams

Each professor or lecturer works with an assistant, who is typically your first point of contact for teaching-related questions. You can reach them at any time via:

The discussion forums on Moodle (fast, interactive, visible to all students in the module)
Email
The virtual classes that your professors and lecturers organise regularly are also an opportunity for you to ask questions

Distance studies adapt to your needs

You have a job

Portrait of Thomas Aeschlimmann, a graduate from UniDistance Suisse, at work

You have a job

Study during your lunch break, in the evenings or at weekends.

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You manage a family

Portrait of Tayba Plattner, a graduate from UniDistance Suisse, with her children

You manage a family

Study when your children are at school or asleep.

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you have a sports career

Portrait of Ramon Zenhäusern, a graduate from UniDistance Suisse

you have a sports career

Pursue your courses in between competitions.

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You have specific needs

Portrait of Daniel Ly, a graduate from UniDistance Suisse

You have specific needs

Study from home with the assistance you require.

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Voices of our students, alumni and teachers

Admission requirements

Bachelor's

Swiss qualification: High school diploma or equivalent degree (see Rules of admission)
Foreign degree: Degree recognised according to the Implementing provisions of the Admission regulations
Excellent oral and written command of French , English or German, depending on the course

Rules of admission

Master's

Swiss qualification: Bachelor's corresponding to the master’s. For example, Bachelor in Law to enrol in a Master of Law, Bachelor in Psychology to register for a Master in Psychology
Swiss qualification: Bachelor's degree from a discipline other than the master’s with at least 60 ECTS credits in the master’s discipline
Foreign degree: Bachelor's degree from an accredited or recognised university: admission with catch-up programme
Excellent oral and written command of the French language, sometimes German and English, depending on the master’s selected