ETH Zürich
Public, Zürich
Global top-10, the Swiss MIT. Best for engineering, CS, mathematics, natural sciences. Highly selective. CHF 730/sem, 40+ EN master's.
Destination guide, 2026 intake
Study in Switzerland. World top-20, at public-tuition prices.
ETH Zürich and EPFL sit in the global top 20. Public tuition is under CHF 1,500 per semester, yes, even at ETH. The catch isn't tuition. It's everything else, and we'll be honest with you about it.
See if Switzerland fits youSwitzerland at a glance
- Public tuition (sem)
- CHF 700 to CHF 1,500
- Living costs (mo)
- CHF 1,800 to CHF 2,500
- Main intake
- September
- Language
- EN / DE / FR / IT
- Post-study visa
- 6 months
- Admission (ETH/EPFL)
- ~8 to 12%
Why Switzerland
Four reasons it's worth the difficulty.
01
Genuinely low public tuition
CHF 730/semester at ETH, ~CHF 870 at most public universities. Roughly €1,500/year for a degree the global elite competes to enter. Tuition is not the financial barrier.
02
Earning potential pays it back
Swiss STEM graduates often start at CHF 90,000 to 120,000/year. Even at the high cost of living, that repays tuition and living costs within months of working.
03
Five universities cover everything
Switzerland is small; a handful of well-chosen universities cover almost every serious subject. We help you pick the one that fits, not just the famous one.
04
Honest about the odds
ETH and EPFL admit roughly 8 to 12% of master's applicants. If your profile is borderline, we'll pair Switzerland with realistic options in Germany or Spain, not as a backup, but as a genuine plan.
Universities we work with
The names that come up most often.
EPFL
Public, Lausanne
ETH's French-speaking sister. World top-20 in engineering, AI, robotics, life sciences. Most master's taught in English. CHF 730/sem, 35+ EN.
University of Zurich
Public, Zürich
Largest broad-discipline Swiss university. Strong in medicine, law, economics, social sciences. World top 100. CHF 1.4k/sem.
University of Geneva
Public, Geneva
International relations and policy capital, with the UN, WHO and WTO nearby. Strong in IR, law, economics. CHF 1k/sem, 25+ EN.
University of Basel
Public, Basel
Oldest Swiss university and a life-sciences powerhouse between Roche and Novartis. Excellent for biotech, pharma, neuroscience. CHF 850/sem.
USI Lugano
Public, Lugano
Italian-speaking Switzerland. Smaller, less selective, quietly excellent in informatics, finance and architecture. A solid tier-2 Swiss choice. CHF 2k/sem.
Funding
Scholarships worth knowing.
Swiss Government Excellence
CHF 1,920 to 3,500/mo
Federal scholarship for research master's, PhD and post-doc, plus tuition and insurance. Selective but real for strong non-EU applicants.
ETH Excellence Scholarship
Tuition + ~CHF 11k/sem
For top master's applicants at ETH Zürich, awarded on academic merit via the standard application.
EPFL Excellence Fellowships
CHF 16,000/yr + tuition
For outstanding master's candidates, applied through your master's application.
PhD assistantships
CHF 50k to 65k/yr
PhD candidates are almost always fully funded as research/teaching assistants and effectively pay nothing.
Budget roughly CHF 22,000 to 30,000 (≈€19,000 to €31,000) per year, higher than any other EU destination, but offset by Swiss earning potential during and after studies. Part-time work (up to 15 hrs/week) typically earns CHF 1,200 to 2,000/month.
Switzerland FAQ
What GPA do I really need?
+
For ETH/EPFL master's: 75 to 80%+ from a recognised university, ideally with research or strong projects. For UZH/UniGE: 70%+ is workable. For USI Lugano and tier-2 programs: 65%+ is in range.
Do I need German, French or Italian?
+
Not for English master's at ETH, EPFL, USI and most STEM programs. For bachelor's or non-STEM master's in Zürich/Basel you'll need German (B2/C1); in Geneva/Lausanne, French. The local language always helps for part-time work and daily life.
Can I afford it without a scholarship?
+
If your family or savings can support CHF 22,000 to 30,000/year, yes. Part-time work offsets a meaningful chunk of living costs. Most students rely on a mix.
Keep exploring
One door always opens another.
Pull the next thread. Each one ends somewhere useful, a clearer shortlist, a real number, a plan you can keep, whether or not you ever work with us.
See where you fit on the map
Slide your grades and budget and watch Europe light up with your real matches.
Open thisTake the two minute assessment
A few honest questions and you walk away with a personal blueprint, free.
Open thisStudy in Spain
Low public tuition, warm cities, our home base.
Open thisStudy in Germany
Free public tuition and the strongest job market in Europe.
Open thisStudy in Italy
Income based tuition and some of the most generous aid on the continent.
Open thisRead the hard truths
The traps agents paid by commission will never warn you about.
Open thisAsk us on WhatsApp
One honest message. No script, no pressure, a real person who has walked it.
Open thisAn honest Switzerland assessment, Free
Is Switzerland realistic
for your profile?
Start My Free Assessment
or skip the form, WhatsApp us instantly