🇨🇭 Switzerland — university admissions for families from abroad

"2027 entry" means the autumn semester 2027 (mid-September). Bachelor's programmes at most universities start only in autumn.

1. At a glance

• Admission depends on the diploma, not on an essay. Each university applies the swissuniversities country list: a foreign school-leaving certificate must broadly match the Swiss Maturität (subject range, minimum grades). If it doesn't, you may need an entrance exam (ETH, EPFL) or the national ECUS exam. 🟡 [S3]
• Early deadlines: ETH Zurich 1 December 2026 – 31 March 2027 for foreign certificates; EPFL mid-November 2026 – 30 April 2027 (with an entrance exam in January 2027 for some non-EU certificates). ✅ [S1][S6]
• Teaching in the local language: bachelor's programmes are mostly in German (Zurich, Basel, Bern, St. Gallen, ETH), French (Geneva, Lausanne, EPFL, Neuchâtel, Fribourg in part) or Italian (USI Lugano). Proof of C1 (ETH) or B2 (EPFL) is required. ✅ [S1] 🟡 [S2]
• Low fees, even for foreigners: ETH and EPFL charge CHF 730 per semester to Swiss and resident students and CHF 2,190 per semester to foreign students who move to Switzerland to study (tripled from autumn 2025). Cantonal universities are similar or lower. ✅ [S2]
• Expensive to live in: the residence permit requires proof of about CHF 21,000 a year (varies by canton). 🟡 [S5]
• EU/EFTA citizens have free movement (no visa, but a permit from the canton); non-EU students need a visa and a student permit.

2. The system

• Two federal institutes of technology: ETH Zurich (German) and EPFL in Lausanne (French), world-ranked, mainly in science and engineering.
• Ten cantonal universities: Zurich (UZH), Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne (UNIL), Fribourg (bilingual French/German), Neuchâtel, Lucerne, St. Gallen (HSG, business; own admission test for foreign applicants ⚠️) and USI (Italian).
• **Universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen / HES)** such as ZHAW and HES-SO: practice-oriented and usually requiring work experience or a vocational Maturität; for foreign applicants, often a year of work experience. ⚠️
• Bachelor's degree: 3 years (180 ECTS); most students continue to a master's (1.5–2 years).
• High first-year selection: admission is relatively open for qualified applicants, but first-year exams (e.g. the ETH Basisprüfung, EPFL's first year) eliminate a large share of students.
• Medicine: places are limited and allocated via an aptitude test (numerus clausus) at the German-speaking universities. Places for foreign applicants are very limited (often residents only). ⚠️

3. How to apply

• Directly to each university, through its own online portal (e.g. ETH eApply). There is no central platform.
• ETH Zurich, foreign certificates (autumn 2027): ✅ [S1]
  • Application period 1 December to 31 March, 23:59 CET; access closes after 31 March.
  • Documents: passport, photo, CV, school-leaving certificate (or predicted results), school

  reports from the last three school years; official translation unless in German, English, French or Italian. No motivation letters, references or portfolios (they are ignored).

  • German C1 certificate by 31 March (ETH offers no courses or exams).
  • Non-refundable application fee. Some applicants must sit the ETH entrance exam

  (reduced: CHF 550; comprehensive: CHF 800), registering 15 September – 15 October.

  • Admission requirements are updated annually and are planned to change from autumn 2028. ⚠️
• EPFL: 🟡 [S2]
  • The French baccalauréat général is recognised as equivalent to the Swiss Maturité; a

  mention Très Bien allows direct admission without an exam, with the expected spécialités. 🟡 [S2]

  • Entrance exam: open to holders of Swiss vocational or specialised maturités and of

  certificates from countries outside the EU, EFTA and UK. 2027 exam: 18–22 January 2027, registration 1 October – 1 December 2026. ✅ [S2]

  • Application window: mid-November to 30 April for a September start; fee CHF 150 for

  foreign certificates (CHF 50 for Swiss). Final transcripts by 30 September at the latest. Late first-year applications (1 May – 31 July) only under listed conditions. French B2 required. Certificates from outside the EU, EFTA and UK that aren't on EPFL's list: entrance exam only. ✅ [S6]

• Cantonal universities: application deadlines are usually 30 April (Swiss applicants) and often earlier for foreign applicants, especially those needing a visa (e.g. 15 February – 31 March). ⚠️ Check each university.

4. Timeline (autumn 2027 entry)

Mirrored in deadlines tool.

5. Entry requirements for foreign qualifications

• swissuniversities country list: updated every year, valid only for that year. For each country, it says which certificates qualify, the subject range, minimum grades, and whether ECUS or an entrance exam is needed. Universities apply it with some variation. 🟡 [S3]
• The standard: the foreign certificate must largely match the Swiss Maturität in aims, content and length (Lisbon Convention; swissuniversities recommendations in force since 2023/24). Partial matches can be admitted after the ECUS exam. 🟡 [S3]
• French baccalauréat général: recognised; EPFL gives direct admission with mention Très Bien and the right spécialités, other conditions otherwise. 🟡 [S2] ⚠️
• IB and European Baccalaureate: recognised separately, with conditions (e.g. at the University of Basel). ⚠️ Look up the subject and point requirements per university.
• **German Abitur, Italian maturità, other EU diplomas:** generally recognised, often with minimum grades. ⚠️
• US high-school diploma: generally not enough on its own; it usually needs APs, SAT or ACT scores, or university study. ⚠️ Check the US entry in the country list.

6. Language requirements

• German-taught (e.g. ETH, UZH, Basel, Bern): typically C1 (ETH: C1 by 31 March, certificate no older than 2 years). ✅ [S1]
• French-taught (e.g. EPFL, Geneva, Lausanne): typically B2 (EPFL: B2 ✅ [S6]), sometimes C1. ⚠️
• English-taught bachelor's programmes are rare. English dominates at master's level. A few bachelor's programmes are in English or bilingual (e.g. at St. Gallen, USI, Fribourg). ⚠️
• Native speakers of the teaching language, or students who took it as a main subject at a high level, are often exempt. ⚠️

7. Costs

• Who counts as "foreign" for ETH/EPFL fees: foreign students who move to Switzerland to study. Exempt: Swiss nationals, and foreigners who lived in Switzerland before their studies for work, family reunion or protection, or with a Swiss school-leaving certificate. ✅ [S2]

8. Funding and financial aid

• Cantonal grants are mainly for Swiss and resident students. Foreign students rarely qualify. ⚠️
• University scholarships exist mostly at master's level (e.g. ETH Excellence Scholarships). Few cover bachelor's students. ⚠️
• Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships: for postgraduate researchers, not bachelor's students.
• Home-country funding: many EU systems can be used in Switzerland (e.g. German Auslands-BAföG covers Switzerland). This will be covered in each country file.

9. Visas and immigration

• EU/EFTA citizens: no visa. Register with the commune within 14 days of arrival and get a residence permit (B or L) from the canton, showing admission, enough money and health insurance. 🟡 [S5]
• Non-EU (including UK since Brexit, and US): a national (D) visa where required, then a student residence permit from the cantonal migration office. US and UK citizens can usually enter visa-free and apply in Switzerland, but check the canton's rules. ⚠️ Requirements: admission, proof of about CHF 21,000 a year (a bank account in your name at a FINMA-listed bank, a guarantee from a Swiss resident, or a scholarship), accommodation, and sometimes a commitment to leave after studies. The permit is usually issued for 1 year and renewed. 🟡 [S5]
• Work during studies (non-EU): limited, often up to 15 hours a week in term time (after 6 months in some cantons). ⚠️
• After graduation (non-EU): a permit of up to 6 months to look for a job. ⚠️

10. Traps and tips for cross-border families

1. Read the country list first: the swissuniversities country list decides whether the diploma gives direct admission, needs ECUS, or an entrance exam. It changes every year.
2. Language is the real barrier at bachelor's level: German C1 for ETH, French B2+ for EPFL. English-taught bachelor's degrees are rare.
3. Deadlines are early: ETH closes on 31 March (no extensions); EPFL's entrance exam for some non-EU certificates is in January, with registration by 1 December.
4. No essays: ETH explicitly ignores motivation letters and references. Grades, subjects and the diploma decide.
5. The first year is the real selection: a large share of ETH and EPFL students fail the first-year exams. Easy admission doesn't mean an easy degree.
6. Budget for Swiss living costs: fees are low, but rent, food and health insurance make Switzerland one of the most expensive places to study (CHF 21,000+ a year minimum).
7. French bac families: the mention and the spécialités (maths, physics) matter for EPFL. Plan them from Première.

11. Open questions / to verify

• Fees at UZH, Geneva, Lausanne, Basel and Bern for foreign students in 2027/28. ⚠️
• IB, Abitur and US requirements from the 2027 swissuniversities country list. ⚠️
• Cantonal university deadlines for foreign applicants (named examples). ⚠️
• Work rules during studies and the post-study job-search permit (SEM). ⚠️
• ETH admission changes planned from autumn 2028. ⚠️
• Health insurance rules and costs for EU vs non-EU students. ⚠️

12. For parents: is Switzerland right for my child?

• Strong in: science and engineering (ETH Zurich 2nd and EPFL 10th in QS Europe 2026), business and economics (St. Gallen), medicine and life sciences (Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Lausanne). 🟡
• Why families choose it: world-class universities with low fees (CHF 2,190 per semester for foreign students at ETH/EPFL), high quality of life, multilingual.
• Budget: about CHF 25,000–CHF 35,000 a year (≈ €80,000–€110,000 for 3 years), mostly living costs. See How much will it cost?.
• Best for: very strong maths/science students with German C1 (ETH) or French B2+ (EPFL), ready for a highly selective first year.
• Think twice if: the child only speaks English (English-taught bachelor's degrees are rare), the diploma doesn't meet the swissuniversities country list, or the budget can't cover Swiss living costs.
• More: choosing a country · what are my chances? · fields of study · all guides

Sources

All checked on 2026-10-19.