Recent Updates
October 29, 2020
Classes Will Be Online, but Campus Life Goes On
October 20, 2020
COVID-19 Prevention: Masks Required in Switzerland
October 8, 2020
Additional COVID-19 Prevention Measures for Ticino
August 31, 2020
Classes Begin August 31
August 11, 2020
COVID Update: what you need to know for Fall 2020
Franklin University Switzerland continues to implement a comprehensive and evolving response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This page will be updated as new information becomes available, so check here for the latest health and policy measures, and to learn about the resources available to students. For ease of access, we have created an easy-to-remember address: www.fus.edu/coronavirus.
Additional details for students are available on Moodle.
Additional information for applicants: Admissions COVID-19 FAQ.
Comprehensive plan for prevention and protection on campus:
COVID-19 Pandemic Protection Plan
Last modified: October 30, 2020.
Update from October 29:
The Fall 2020 semester began on Monday, August 31 as scheduled, with classes held both on campus and remotely, in our own hybrid learning setting.
However, as the Swiss authorities have now mandated a switch to distance learning only for all universities as of November 2nd, Franklin classes will resume on November 5th, with all students connected through Moodle, TEAMS, and Zoom. Assignments for all students will be uploaded to our regular Moodle platform and available at all times.
Virtual classes have been enhanced by the installation of new cameras, microphones, and platforms for better interaction with professors.
The Fall 2020 semester will begin on Monday, August 31 as scheduled.
Classes will be held on campus.
Virtual classes
Some students will need to study remotely, temporarily. We have made accommodations for those who need more time to get here due to travel restrictions or for those who are on-campus, but in self-quarantine (see Self-Quarantine section below). Make sure your arrival form is up to date. If your arrival is delayed, rest assured that your professors will be available to talk with you during office hours scheduled to work with your time zone.
All students will be connected through Moodle, TEAMS, and Zoom. Assignments for all students will be uploaded to our regular Moodle platform and available at all times.
Virtual classes have been enhanced by the installation of new cameras, microphones, and platforms for better interaction with teachers.
Academic Travel
All groups will be traveling as planned but within the Schengen area, and specifically within Switzerland or a neighboring country to ensure a quick return to campus if necessary. If the destination for your Academic Travel has changed, you have already heard from your professor. As indicated in the schedule above, Academic Travel will also be shortened slightly. Please know we are doing our very best to balance your safety, the safety of the faculty, and the integrity of the Academic Travel experience. As always, your professors are going above and beyond to make this experience meaningful and enriching.
Fall 2020 Safety Measures
Please download the Swisscovid app (for android or iPhone), which is explained in this short video. This is now mandatory for all staff, teachers, and students to trace contact within our campus. Your participation will help keep our entire community safe.
Students who need to carry out a quarantine period upon arrival from countries at risk, or during their studies, will have access to a completely dedicated campus building. They will have access to meal service, as well as receiving health care and testing directly in their apartments and rooms through the help of online platforms.
Social distancing remains in effect. Per cantonal guidelines, we will require a minimum of 1.5 meters social distancing between students in each classroom. For classes where 1.5 meters cannot be maintained, and during regular group work, masks will be required.
Masks are required in all indoor common areas, including the dining hall, residence hall common rooms (all common kitchens, laundry rooms, hallways, and lounges) and academic buildings. They are also required outdoors, when social distancing cannot be observed effectively. Masks are required in Switzerland on all public transportation. A reuseable Franklin mask has been placed in each student's mailbox. For purposes of sustainability, it would be good to have at least one reusable/washable mask on you at all times.
How to wear a face mask correctly
How to use a fabric face-covering correctly
Additional Measures:
- Cleaning: Common areas and classrooms are being regularly and rigorously cleaned with alcohol-based products.
- Disinfectant stations: We have installed numerous stations for disinfecting your hands – use them often.
- Social distancing reminders: You will see indications around campus for keeping a distance of 1.5 meters from others. We understand you have a lot on your mind so these reminders will help.
- Seating configurations will be actively tested during the month of August to determine the best distribution of students and teachers in classrooms. Through this testing, we can be confident in maintaining the correct social distances.
- Air quality is being tested via simulation software designed in Switzerland, called SIMARIA.
Continue to the next sections for more important information.
Dining: Services will continue to operate in compliance with the directives of the federal authorities. Students will be asked to stagger their eating times in order to avoid lines and crowds. Under the current directives, the dining halls have a maximum allowed occupancy of 50 people, who must be conscious of others and maintain a safe distance. For those in self-quarantine: meals will be delivered to on-campus residences if you purchase a meal plan. The Franklin app also has links for great places to order food and will be updated regularly - download from iTunes or Google Play.
Health Services: If you are experiencing physical or emotional symptoms and you would like help, do not hesitate to contact our on-site healthcare professionals.
IT Services: We are working to maintain the appropriate tools for remote study. Information and instructions will be provided but, if you require additional assistance, contact:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
+41 91 986 3668
Library: The David R. Grace Library will have a maximum occupancy of 10.
Tone Athletic Center (TAC): Campus sports and fitness facilities are open following new safety and hygiene rules. To guarantee the safety of all visitors, access to the TAC will limited and reservations are required. Instead, we will offer to our community members excursions, outdoor courses, and activities to practice sports and enjoy a good time together. These offerings will be promoted through the FUS App.
In almost all regions across the globe there is risk of COVID-19 infection. Franklin discourages any unnecessary travel at this time. If you must travel, please consult the Federal Office of Public Health’s (FHOP) Recommendations for Travelers.
If you develop any symptoms, you should immediately contact Health and Counseling at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Entry Into Switzerland
Travelers entering Switzerland from certain regions must self-quarantine for ten days. See self-quarantine section below for more details. The list of at-risk countries is updated regularly by the FOPH. Travelers affected should be notified during the flight, on board coaches, and at border crossings.
Students, if you reside in a country where the airports are not yet open, or if you have not yet completed it, please update the arrival form. We are happy to work with you to find a solution so that you can begin your course work remotely.
Leaving Switzerland
In the event that Students decide to travel or return home, they must complete the Independent Travel Registry in Moodle. Students will not be permitted to return to campus without having completed the form. Any students returning from abroad will be asked to self-quarantine upon their return for the minimum ten-day period. See self-quarantine section below for more details.
Measures taken by the Swiss Federal Council have been so effective that Switzerland has been classified as the safest country in the world according to Forbes.
However, this does not indicate the end of the emergency period, which is likely to continue for several months. All residents of Ticino have been directed to keep social distancing, observe hygiene rules, and work from home if possible.
Additional prevention measures were announced for the Canton of Ticino on October 9, 2020 to contrast an increase in the number of cases of COVID-19. Masks are required in all stores and shopping centers, clubs and discotheques have been closed, and bars and restaurants are restricted to table service only.
As of October 29th, new measures have been introduced: masks are required inside and outside. Nightclubs remain closed, while bars and restaurants may seat no more than four to a table and must close at 11 p.m. Public gatherings are now limited to 15 people.
Most importantly, university instruction in Switzerland transitioned to distance learning as of Monday, November 2. Access to the gym, the library, and the WLC are still possible using the regular sign-up mechanisms. Dining services will also remain open.
All residences are operational.
Common areas are rigorously and frequently cleaned by our staff. If you have a roommate, please remember to practice social distancing. Clean the surfaces in your residence with chlorine or alcohol-based disinfectants. For a complete list of recommendations, see the Protecting Yourself and Others section.
If a COVID case is suspected, roommates will not be put at risk. The Office of Student Life has identified empty rooms and apartments in campus housing to allow for separation of roommates or moving sick and healthy people as necessary.
Leaving your Campus Housing
Students leaving their campus housing temporarily or permanently are asked to pack their belongings in labelled boxes. If students decide not to return before end of term, or are unable to return, those boxes will either be stored or shipped as designated by the student.
Students who intend to leave on-campus housing must complete the housing form to communicate their plans and must leave their room keys and mailbox keys on the desk in their rooms when they go. In the event that the indicated plans change, the housing form should be filled out again to communicate those changes to the Office of Student Life.
For more information on current housing policies and procedures, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
If students, faculty, or staff begin to suffer from COVID-like symptoms, they must stay home and contact a health care professional. Symptoms vary from person to person. They include fever, cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat, loss of taste or smell. No one should go in-person to seek health care without specific instructions from their doctor. After a verbal assessment, the individual will receive specific instructions on how to proceed with self-care or obtain assistance.
Faculty and staff should contact their doctors directly.
Students should contact the campus Health and Counseling staff at:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
+41 91 986 53 11
You must self-quarantine for the minimum 10-day period if:
- You are entering Switzerland from one of these countries
- You come into contact with a COVID-19-positive individual.
- You develop COVID-like symptoms: fever, cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat, loss of taste or smell
Airlines are notifying the authorities when passengers arrive from at-risk countries, and the authorities will be conducting random checks to ensure quarantine periods are observed. The fines for quarantine violation can be as high as 10,000 CHF.
If you are starting the semester in quarantine, you will need to remain in your room for ten days. You can, however, spend time outside on your balcony. If no symptoms occur within 10 days of the last contact with a COVID-19-positive individual, people can resume normal activity according to federal guidelines. In the event that a student in campus housing becomes infected, the Office of Student Life has set aside apartments and rooms for the purpose and will place any roommates in separate housing for the quarantine period.
Please download the Swisscovid app (for android or iPhone), which is explained in this short video. This is now mandatory for all staff, teachers, and students to trace contact within our campus. Your participation will help keep our entire community safe.
Remember to purchase your meal plans so that you can order on-campus food. If you are in quarantine, meals will be delivered. Please note that Franklin can only provide quarantine meal support for on-campus students. For more options, the Franklin app has links for great places to order food and will be updated regularly - download from iTunes or Google Play.
Please note that any student living off-campus, who returns to Switzerland from a high-risk area, is also required to self-quarantine for 10 days before interacting with anyone on campus: students, faculty, or staff. As an institution, we are doing everything we can to keep members of our community safe, and we need your help to minimize contact that could put others’ health at risk. Students who develop COVID-19 symptoms or have health-related questions should contact Christina Schmid at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
For more information, check our detailed QUARANTINE INSTRUCTIONS.
People who fit one of the following descriptions are considered to be especially at-risk:
- People over the age of 65
- People suffering from cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases or chronic respiratory diseases
- People with conditions or undergoing therapies that weaken the immune system
The Swiss COVID-19 app
Switzerland has developed the Swisscovid app to trace contact with the COVID-19 virus. Please download the Swisscovid app (for android or iPhone), which is explained in this short video. This is now mandatory for all staff, teachers, and students to trace contact within our campus. Your participation will help keep our entire community safe.
The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) recommends simple measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus as part of their campaign:
Hygiene Rules and How to Behave
Wash your hands thoroughly.
Avoid shaking hands.
Stay at home if you have a high temperature and a cough.
Keep your distance.
Cough and sneeze into a tissue or the crook of your arm.
Always call ahead before going to the doctor’s or the emergency department.
Franklin Recommendations
The university recommends the following additional prevention practices in compliance with the directives of the Swiss public authorities:
- Wash your hands often. It is recommended to use hydroalcoholic solutions for hand washing in public places, gyms, supermarkets, pharmacies and other meeting places.
- Avoid close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections.
- Maintain, in social contacts, an interpersonal distance of at least 1.5 meters (5 feet).
- Practice respiratory hygiene (sneezing and/or coughing in a handkerchief, avoiding hand contact with respiratory secretions).
- Avoid the promiscuous use of drinking glasses and bottles, especially during sports.
- Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with your hands.
- Clean surfaces with chlorine or alcohol-based disinfectants.