MyCollab
Country guide

Study in Switzerland

Everything an international student needs to apply to a Switzerland university: grading scale, fees, language tests, visa proof, top universities, and deadlines.

Grading scale

1 – 6

4.0 is the minimum pass; 5.0+ is good; 6.0 is exceptional

Convert your grades

Application requirements

Application fees

CHF 150 application fee for non-EU/EFTA applicants at most universities (ETH: CHF 150, EPFL: CHF 150).

Language tests

English-taught master's: IELTS 7.0 / TOEFL iBT 100. German-taught: C1 (Goethe / TestDaF). French-taught: DALF C1.

Cost & visa proof

Estimated tuition, accommodation, living costs, and the visa financial proof requirement — by city and university type.

Open Study Cost Estimator

Top universities in Switzerland

Ranking source: QS World University Rankings & Times Higher Education 2024 (where noted). Links go to each university's official admissions page.

UniversityCityRankingAdmissions
ETH ZürichZurichQS 7Open
EPFL (École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne)LausanneQS 26Open
University of Zurich (UZH)ZurichQS 91Open
University of GenevaGenevaQS 145Open
University of BaselBaselQS 124Open
University of BernBernQS 137Open
University of Lausanne (UNIL)LausanneQS 198Open
University of FribourgFribourgQS 467Open
Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI)LuganoTHE 251Open
University of St. Gallen (HSG)St. GallenQS 433Open

Application timeline

Autumn semester (Sep start)

Typical window

Nov 1 (preceding year) – Apr 30 for most international applicants

Spring semester (Feb start)

Typical window

Jun – Nov of preceding semester

Individual programmes vary. Always confirm on the target university's official admissions page.

Cost of living (per month)

Zurich

CHF 1,800 – CHF 2,500

Geneva

CHF 1,700 – CHF 2,400

Lausanne

CHF 1,600 – CHF 2,200

Basel

CHF 1,500 – CHF 2,100

Indicative all-in ranges for student accommodation, food, transport, and basic utilities. Personal lifestyle and accommodation type swing these significantly.

Common questions

Is tuition really that low?+
Yes — ETH and EPFL charge ~CHF 1,500 / semester regardless of nationality. Cantonal universities range from CHF 500–2,000 / semester. The expensive part is cost of living, not tuition.
Do I need German or French?+
For ETH and EPFL master's (mostly English), no. For undergraduate or cantonal universities, you usually need the local language at C1. Daily life in Zurich/Geneva works fine in English; smaller towns less so.
Can I work while studying?+
Non-EU students can work up to 15 hours/week during the semester and full-time during vacations, starting 6 months after arrival. EU/EFTA students have no such restriction.
How competitive is ETH Zürich admission?+
Very. ETH and EPFL accept students based on academic record at master's level. A Swiss 5.0+ (or normalized ~0.85) is typically expected. Some master's programmes additionally require subject-specific entrance exams.

Next steps

Convert your grades

Use the My Grades tool to translate your transcript into the swiss scale.

Plan your application

Personalised application checklist for Switzerland at every degree level.

See related conversions

Every conversion involving the swiss grading scale, in one place.