Everyday life :

• I recommend you to order a credit card without any international taxes, or you’ll have to pay a certain amount of euros at each transaction you’ll make. 

        You can also open a Swiss bank account at UBS for example, this will allow you to not pay any extra taxes. 

 

• Don’t cross the road when the light is red! It can sound like stupid advice but as a french, you are used to see everybody cross the road without taking a look at the signalization system. Don’t do that in Switzerland, you’ll risk getting a fine !!

 

• The same kind of advice on transport, always carry your ticket with you and don’t try to free ride.  The fine is really expensive. 

 

• Regarding your shopping habits, I recommend you to go to Denner for the groceries, it the cheapest shop in the city and it’s at 15 mins from school.  If you only need to buy a few things you can go to Migros or Coop city. They’re more expensive but they have many products to offer.

 

 

• Most of the Swiss resident don’t speak English. You’ll have to learn the basic words of Swiss German to communicate with them. You can also use a translator as well.

 

Administrations :

 

• You won’t be in the European Union Area which means that you have to obtain a foreigner resident permit. To receive it, you will have to go to the City Hall of Trimbach (20 mins by walk from the Staff House). You will need to show them that you’ve more than 5k euros on your own personal bank account for each semester. It is just to prove that you have enough money to live in Switzerland by yourself. 

 

• Regarding your student card, you’ll receive it at the beginning of the semester. You will need it to us the FHNW ‘printers. You can put some money on it in order to buy some food at the cafeteria of the school or to print.

 

• As a European Citizen, you’ll get a grant for each semester of 1500 Swiss Francs. That money comes directly from the Swiss Government.

 

• Regarding the school ‘deadlines, you have to follow them. After the deadline is past you will not be able to send your work or to correct anything, that’s the Swiss mentality but you get used to it very easily.

 

 

Gleis 7 and a Half fare cards :

 

In order to facilitate your trips across Switzerland you’ll the possibility to buy those two cards :

 

• The Half fare: All your trips cost you the half of the regular price. Its costs 185 Swiss francs and works for 1 year.

 

• The Gleis7: All the transport are free between 7 pm and 5 am thanks to this card. Its costs 185 fans and works for 1 year.

 

I really recommend you to buy those cards because you are going to travel a lot this year and spend a lot of money on that. All the discounts are good to take right?