Two of the world's top-10 technical universities, low public tuition — and the highest salary ceiling in Europe.
ETH Zurich and EPFL — some of the world's best engineering schools — with low public tuition but a high proof-of-funds bar.
The stages in the order they actually happen — and where we step in on each one.
Switzerland is selective and expensive to live in. We assess whether your grades, projects and budget genuinely fit ETH/EPFL-level admissions or the strong cantonal universities before you invest.
English-taught MSc programmes ask for IELTS ≈ 7.0 or TOEFL ≈ 100 at the top schools. No German/French needed for the degree itself.
Each university is applied to directly — there is no central portal. ETH and EPFL have their own application windows (typically Nov–Dec and Jan–Apr) and application fees (≈ CHF 150).
Swiss technical admissions weigh your transcript details, thesis/projects and references heavily. A precise, evidence-based SOP beats a flowery one.
With an offer, look at the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships and university-specific support (e.g. ESOP at ETH). Budget honestly: living costs run CHF 1,800–2,500/month.
Apply at VFS/embassy with your admission letter and proof that a full year of tuition, rent and living costs is covered — Zurich effectively requires transferring it to a Swiss-domiciled account. Switzerland publishes no national student figure: the amount is set by the canton you will live in, so ask that cantonal migration office in writing before you file. Cantonal approval can take 8–12 weeks.
Register with your commune within 14 days, get mandatory Swiss health insurance (student plans ≈ CHF 300–400/month), and note students may work up to 15 h/week after 6 months in the country.
A starting shortlist of Switzerland's best-known universities for English-taught Master's. Browse our directory for programme-level detail.
Europe's deadlines are staggered, so you can realistically apply across several countries in one cycle instead of betting everything on one. Here's every destination we cover.
