Switzerland

⇑Universities

Switzerland is a small country with very strong universities. According to the Swiss education server educa.ch, you can choose from:

• 10 cantonal universities – including those in Zurich, Geneva, Lausanne, Bern and Basel,
• 2 federal institutes of technology – ETH Zurich and EPFL in Lausanne,
• universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen, hautes écoles spécialisées) – currently 8 public and 1 private, with practice-oriented programmes,
• universities of teacher education (Pädagogische Hochschulen, hautes écoles pédagogiques) – where teachers are trained; formally they belong to the universities of applied sciences.

Together they offer more than 4,000 programmes. You'll find them all in the studyprogrammes.ch search engine.

Universities in Switzerland – profiles

⇑Study system

Studies at universities and institutes of technology have three cycles:

• Bachelor – 3 years of full-time study,
• Master – one and a half to two years, 90–120 ECTS,
• doctorate – after a master's degree.

The academic year is divided into an autumn semester and a spring semester.

Switzerland – bachelor's programmes
Switzerland – integrated (single-cycle) programmes
Switzerland – master's programmes
Switzerland – doctoral programmes

⇑Admission

There is no central admission system – each institution sets its own rules and deadlines, and you apply directly to it.

For a bachelor's programme you need a school leaving certificate that the institution recognises as equivalent to the Swiss Matura. The requirements for certificates from each country (subjects, grades) are published by swissuniversities – check the section for your country before you choose your final-year subjects.

Sample deadlines – University of Zurich (for applicants with a foreign school leaving certificate):

• autumn semester – from 1 January to 30 April; late applications until 31 July for an extra fee of CHF 300,
• spring semester – from 1 July to 30 November.

Other institutions have their own deadlines – check them on the website of your chosen institution.

If you come from outside the EU/EFTA, apply early: you need your admission letter for the visa application, and a visa takes at least 8 weeks to be issued (see: Residence and formalities).

⇑Entrance exams

Most programmes have no entrance exams – your school leaving certificate is what counts. The exception is medicine: you register through swissuniversities by 15 February and take the aptitude test for medical studies (EMS).

Note: only some foreign nationals are admitted to medicine – among others, holders of a settlement permit (C) who live in Switzerland, or EU/EFTA citizens who work in Switzerland in a medical profession. If you come to Switzerland only to study, you usually won't meet these conditions.

⇑Language

The language of instruction depends on the region: German (e.g. Zurich, Bern, Basel), French (Geneva, Lausanne, Neuchâtel) or Italian (Università della Svizzera italiana in Ticino). Good knowledge of the language of instruction is a basic condition for admission. Some examples:

• the University of Zurich requires applicants whose native language is not German to have at least level C1,
• at ETH Zurich all bachelor's programmes are taught in German, and English is essential too.

Programmes taught in English are mainly at master's level. They usually require IELTS or TOEFL. You can check the language of each programme on studyprogrammes.ch.

Swiss universities with programmes taught in English

⇑Residence and formalities

Switzerland is not in the EU, but thanks to the agreement on the free movement of persons, EU/EFTA citizens do not need a visa. You do need a residence permit for non-working persons:

• you register at the municipal office or the cantonal migration office (depending on the canton) within 14 days of arrival at the latest,
• you show confirmation of admission to a recognised institution, proof that you have enough money to support yourself (so that you won't need social assistance) and health insurance that includes accident cover,
• the permit is issued for the length of your studies or for one year; it is extended until the end of your studies as long as you still meet the conditions.

Students from outside the EU/EFTA need a national (type D) student visa before entering. You apply at the Swiss embassy or consulate in your country of residence – the University of Zurich advises doing so at least three months before you plan to arrive, and the visa takes at least 8 weeks to be issued. You will need, among other things, your admission letter, proof of financial means, health insurance with accident cover, a study plan, a motivation letter, a CV, proof of language skills, proof of accommodation and a confirmation that you will leave Switzerland at the end of your studies. The amount of money you must show is set by the canton – for example, the canton of Zurich requires CHF 21,000 a year. After arrival you register at your place of residence within 14 days and receive a B residence permit.

Health insurance is compulsory in Switzerland, and you must take it out within three months of arrival. As an EU/EFTA student with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) who does not work, you can ask the cantonal office for an exemption from Swiss insurance. Students from other countries can also apply for an exemption if they have private insurance with cover equivalent to Swiss insurance.

⇑Tuition fees

Each institution sets its own tuition fees, which you pay every semester. Note: many institutions charge international students more than Swiss students – and citizenship of an EU country does not get you the lower rate.

• ETH Zurich: since the autumn semester of 2025 the fee is CHF 730 for Swiss nationals and people who gained their school leaving certificate while living in Switzerland, and CHF 2,190 per semester for all other foreign students. An EU citizen pays the lower rate only if, before starting their studies, they already held e.g. a Swiss B, L or G permit with the right to work, or a C permit. You cannot change your fee group during your studies, even when moving on to a master's,
• University of Lausanne (UNIL): CHF 500 per semester – the same for Swiss and international students (2026/27),
• University of Geneva: CHF 500 per semester (CHF 65 in fixed fees and CHF 435 in tuition).

In 2026/27 the fees for international students are, for example, CHF 2,190 at EPFL, CHF 2,550 at the University of Bern and CHF 4,000 at USI. The Study in Switzerland portal gives a general range of CHF 500–4,000 per semester. These rates apply to EU and non-EU students alike.

⇑Accommodation and living costs

Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries to study in. ETH Zurich advises budgeting CHF 20,000–26,000 a year for living and studying. A sample student budget on the Study in Switzerland portal is CHF 1,850 a month, including around CHF 700 for housing and CHF 600 for food.

Start looking for accommodation early – there are few rooms in student residences, and prices vary a lot between cities. Student housing cooperatives and housing offices can help, e.g. WOKO in Zurich, WoVe in Basel and SUB in Bern, as well as the institutions' own housing offices.

⇑Scholarships

Scholarships for international students are mainly for master's studies, research and exchanges:

• institutional scholarships for master's studies – e.g. the ETH Excellence Scholarship, EPFL Excellence Fellowships and the University of Geneva's Excellence Master Fellowships,
• Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships – government scholarships for graduates, mainly for research, a doctorate or a postdoc,
• student exchange – Switzerland is not part of Erasmus+ and runs its own programme, SEMP. Incoming exchange students receive CHF 380–440 a month from the government. If the planned association with Erasmus+ goes ahead, exchanges will be funded by Erasmus+ from June 2027.

Cantonal grants have different rules in each canton. You'll find an overview on studyinswitzerland.plus.

⇑Working while studying

EU/EFTA citizens may work up to 15 hours a week during the semester and full-time during semester breaks. Every job, including unpaid work, must be reported to the immigration authorities.

Students from outside the EU/EFTA may also work up to 15 hours a week during their studies, but only six months after the start of their studies, and they need a permit.

Note: Study in Switzerland confirms the 15-hour limit and the six-month waiting period but does not explain how to get the work permit – before you start a job, check with the cantonal migration office or your institution's international office.

You'll find job offers for students at the institutions' careers offices.

Switzerland – why work there?
How to find a job abroad?

⇑Useful links

• Study in Switzerland – swissuniversities' portal for international students: admission, costs, residence, work,
• Study in Switzerland – visas and permits – entry, visas and residence permits for EU/EFTA and other students,
• swissuniversities – the rectors' conference: requirements for certificates from different countries, tuition fees, admission to medicine,
• studyprogrammes.ch – programme search engine,
• SEM – State Secretariat for Migration: residence permits,
• FOPH (BAG) – health insurance for international students,
• scholarships and Movetia – scholarships and student exchanges,
• ENIC-NARIC – recognition of qualifications in Europe,
• Eurodesk – free information on studying, traineeships and volunteering in Europe.