Study in Switzerland

Switzerland is home to two federal institutes of technology, ETH Zurich and EPFL, and to well-known hospitality management schools. Universities teach in German, French or Italian, with many master’s programmes in English. Public tuition is low, but living costs are among the highest in Europe.

• Technical universities

  ETH Zurich and EPFL are known worldwide for engineering, computer science and the natural sciences.

• Hospitality management

  Private hotel schools such as EHL, Glion and Les Roches combine study with paid internships in the industry.

• Low public tuition

  Public universities charge about CHF 1,000 to 4,400 a year, even for international students.

• A multilingual country

  German, French and Italian are spoken in different regions, and English is widely used in research and business.

Also on our list

• César Ritz Colleges Switzerland
• EHL Hospitality Business School
• Glion Institute of Higher Education
• Les Roches Crans-Montana
• Swiss Hotel Management School
• Università della Svizzera italiana
• University of Basel
• University of Bern
• University of Lausanne
• Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW)

• September

  Classes start

  September

  Apply

  November to April

  The main intake. Many master’s deadlines fall in December or April, and the visa takes about three months.

• February

  Classes start

  February

  Apply

  June to October

  Mostly hospitality schools and some universities of applied sciences.

Public universitiesETH Zurich and EPFL charge international students CHF 4,380 a year from autumn 2025.

CHF 1,000 to 4,400 a year

Hospitality schools

CHF 30,000 to 70,000 a year

Living costsIncluding rent. Zurich and Geneva cost the most.

CHF 1,800 to 2,500 a month

Proof of fundsOften around CHF 21,000 a year for living costs, on top of tuition.

Set by each canton

• Language

  • IELTS Academic 6.5 to 7.0 for universities, and usually 5.5 to 6.0 for hospitality schools
  • An English test result is compulsory for the visa, even if your school does not ask for one

• Academic

  • Bachelor’s: public universities set strict entry rules for HSC holders, often an entrance exam; hospitality schools accept HSC
  • Master’s: a relevant bachelor’s degree with strong grades

• Student visa

  • Tuition paid for at least the first year
  • A sponsor’s written commitment, six months of bank statements and three years of tax returns
  • Apostilled academic certificates and a police clearance certificate under six months old

1. 01

   Choose programmes

   A public university, a university of applied sciences or a hospitality school.

2. 02

   Take an English test

   IELTS Academic or TOEFL iBT. The embassy requires one in every case.

3. 03

   Apply and receive an offer

   Send your certificates, transcripts, CV and English score.

4. 04

   Pay the first year’s tuition

   The embassy needs a letter from your school confirming it has been paid.

5. 05

   Submit your visa application in Dhaka

   Book an appointment by email, then submit your documents in person at the Embassy of Switzerland.

6. 06

   Wait for the canton’s decision

   About three months. Once approved, the embassy issues the visa within five days.

• While you study

  Up to 15 hours a week during term, after your first six months, and full time during holidays.

• After you graduate

  A permit of up to six months to look for work related to your degree. It cannot be extended.