ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology)

Where Einstein Started his Career

Consistently ranked the top university in continental Europe, ETH Zurich, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, is a leading player in research and education in Switzerland and worldwide.

ETH Zurich's 16 departments offer Bachelor, Master and Doctoral programmes in engineering and natural sciences. The language of instruction in the Bachelor programmes is German, whereas English is the prime language on the graduate level. All degree programmes provide a solid scientific foundation combined with outstanding all-round skills, equipping ETH graduates with the abilities and flexibility needed for a career in industry, business or the public sector, as entrepreneur or scientist.

The international outlook - two-thirds of all professors are international - and the excellent teaching and research infrastructure make ETH Zurich the ideal place for creative personalities. The links with business and industry are very close, Zurich being the economic center of Switzerland and home to numerous international companies. And beyond world-class education, Zurich also offers many other quality-of-life highlights. Zurich has a metropolitan flair, excellent sports facilities, an extensive range of cultural and recreational offerings - and a very vibrant nightlife.

Main claims to international academic or non-academic excellence

For over 150 years, ETH Zurich has been a leader in science and engineering education and research. Twenty-one Nobel laureates, from Wilhelm Konrad Rontgen (1901) and Albert Einstein (1921) to Kurt Wuethrich (2002) have been associated with ETH Zurich over the years.

Range of Fees

Tuition and student fees: 644 Swiss francs (approx 420 euro) per semester. The same fee applies for Swiss and international students.

Basic TOEFL/IELTS requirements

Master programmes: Skills corresponding to level C1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for languages is required for the language(s) of instruction (English and/or German).
Corresponding test scores:
IELTS: 6.0
TOEFL
- Paper-based 550
- Computer-based 213
- Internet-based (new) 80

Accommodation

- Dormitory accommodation managed by the Student Housing Association Zurich.
- University Housing Office acts as broker for private accommodation.

Accommodation Range

400-600 Swiss francs (260-400 euro) per month for a room in shared accommodation.

Finance and Scholarships

Education at ETH Zurich is government funded, so all students - Swiss and foreign - pay the same modest tuition fees. For living costs, including accommodation, food, health insurance, local transport, students need to budget a minimum of 1750 Swiss francs (1150 euro) per month.
ETH Zurich's Excellence Scholarship and Opportunity Programme offers full scholarships for outstanding students.

Doctoral students are usually employed as research assistant.

ETH Zurich does not offer scholarships for international Bachelor students.

Entry Requirements

Master programmes: the equivalent of an ETH Bachelor degree from a recognized university. Students with degrees that only partially corresponds to an ETH Bachelor, may be admitted with the additional requirement to complete up to 60 credits (two semesters) from the corresponding Bachelor programme.
See www.admission.ethz.ch/master.

Doctoral study: the equivalent of a Master degree from ETH Zurich.
See www.phd.ethz.ch.

Bachelor programmes: Swiss matriculation (upper secondary school) certificate or an equivalent qualification.
See www.admission.ethz.ch.

Language Support

Language courses offered by the Language Centre of ETH and the University of Zurich.

Non-English Language Requirements

For Bachelor programmes:
German skills corresponding to level C1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for languages. Accepted tests:
- Goethe-Institut: ZOP Zentrale Oberstufenpruefung, KDS Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom, GDS Grosses Deutsches Sprachdiplom
- KMK II (Level II of the Language Certificate/Diploma of the German "Kultusministerkonferenz"
- TestDaF Level 5

Excellence Scholarship and Opportunity Programme . 30 available @ EUR 20,700

Under the Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme, ETH Zurich awards merit-based scholarships to excellent students wishing to pursue a Master's degree. The scholarship covers the full study and living costs during the Master degree course. In addition, the programme offers students the opportunity to carry out a research or development project on a topic of their choice.

Scholarships of the Swiss Confederation (ESKAS) . 30 available @ EUR 20,700

Scholarships provided by the Swiss federal government for Master or doctoral programmes.

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