ETH Zurich is one of the top public universities in Switzerland, ranked #7 in QS World University ranking, 2025. It is considered as one of the top universities in the world for scientific excellence and technological innovation. Few notable ranking of this university are as follows
- US News and World Report, 2024
- #33 in Best Global Universities
- #5 in Best Global Universities in Europe
- #1 in Best Global Universities in Switzerland
- Times Higher Education (THE), 2024: #11
- QS World university ranking, 2025
- #1 in Europe Universities
- #1 in Western Europe Universities
- #1 in for Earth and Marine Sciences
In comparison with other European countries, university tuition fees are very low in Switzerland. Currently, ETH Zurich fees are 730 CHF per semester or around 73,000 INR per semester. The cost of living in Switzerland is very high. Indian students need around 2.22 lakhs INR to cover the annual living expenses while studying in ETH Zurich.
You can apply for ETH Zurich admissions in the Autumn Semester only. The application timeline for bachelor programs is from 1 December 2024 to 31 March 2025. For the masters programs, the application period is 1 November to 30 November 2024. For admission to Bachelor’s degree studies, Indian students need to have German language requirements as the programs are taught in German only. The minimum requirement is of C1 level. Goethe-Zertifikat, TestDaF, DSH are among the accepted German language tests.
ETH Zurich Courses and Fees
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology comprises 16 departments that provide academic education and engage in scientific research. These departments cover a diverse range of subjects, including engineering, architecture, chemistry, and physics. Check out some of the ETH Zurich courses and fees.
ETH Zurich Admissions
ETH Zurich acceptance rate is 27% for international students. It has 25,380 students among which, 4425 are doctoral students, from more than 120 countries. ETH Zurich admissions are offered in Autumn intake season only. The application periods are
- Bachelor programs: 1 December 2024 to 31 March 2025
- Masters programs: 1 November to 30 November 2024
Indian students need to submit any of the following certificates for admission to bachelor programs at this university.
- Higher Secondary School Certificate
- Higher School Certificate
- All India Senior School Certificate
- Indian School Certificate
- Intermediate Examination Certificate
Check out the ETH Zurich application requirements mentioned below.
ETH Zurich Cost of Attendance
Switzerland is very expensive in terms of cost of living. It majorly depends on your living standard, the costs of health insurance and your personal lifestyle. You will need around 2,350 CHF per month for the cost of living in Switzerland. Without rent, it would be around 1,430 CHF per month. Refer to the graph below to know more about the bifurcation of the expenses.
ETH Zurich Financial Aid
ETH scholarships are granted as a secondary source of finance and do not cover the whole living and studying costs. They are eligible up to the end of the regular duration of studies set out in the respective program regulations, and two more semesters in relation to the entire duration of studies. You can also apply for the "Solidarity Fund for International students" for financial support from the second semester on. The scholarships are as follows
Scholarships | Eligibility |
---|---|
BSc Scholarships | Passed the base examination (all parts).Base examination plus 4 semesters minimum of120 credits (incl. first year exam) |
MSc Scholarships | Minimum 40 credits in preceding masterstudy year with an average of 20 KP/semester |
Application Process for Scholarships
The application window for scholarships is open from 1 September 2024 until 31 October 2024 for the academic year 2024/25. ETH scholarships are paid in one or two installments
within the academic year of the application. The decision is published for download in eStip (student portal). You need to submit the following documents to be eligible for scholarships.
- Parents’ definitive tax return from 2023, indicating taxable income, assets, allowed deductions, computed tax
- Other scholarship decisions (country of origin, foundations) for 2024/25
- Loan decisions 2024/25
- Form “Evidence of assets”, completed and signed by parents
- Internship contract (if any)
- Decree of orphan’s pension/ old age pension/ alimonies (if any)
- Evidence of transport costs (if you are not in the City of Zurich)
Research and Teaching Assistantship
Center for Comparative and International Studies (CIS) at ETH Zurich offers around 10 positions to each cohort of students admitted to Master in Comparative and International Studies (MACIS). In these positions, you are allowed to work for 10 hours per week and earn around 1,000 CHF per month. TA/ RA positions also offer a great opportunity to be involved in ongoing research projects undertaken by CIS professors. However, these positions are offered on a competitive basis upon admission.
Employees who graduate from ETH Zurich earn an average of 101,000 CHF in companies like Google, Apple, Uber among others. ETH Zurich notable alumni include 21 Nobel Prize Laureates, 2 Fields Medalists, 3 Pritzker Prize winners, and 1 Turing Award winner. This list also includes the renowned physicist Albert Einstein, who is considered the father of modern physics and the creator of the general theory of relativity.
FAQs
Ques: Is ETH Zurich hard to get into?
Ans: ETH Zurich is considered a highly competitive institution, and getting accepted can be challenging. With a competitive acceptance rate of 27%, admissions at ETH Zurich are quite selective for prospective candidates. The university receives many applications from talented individuals worldwide, making the admission process highly competitive.
Ques: Does ETH teach in English?
Ans: Undergraduate programs are primarily taught in German, while most master's and doctoral programs at ETH Zurich are conducted in English.
Ques: Is it expensive to study in ETH Zurich?
Ans: Studying at ETH Zurich comes with certain costs, but it is important to consider the overall expenses beyond just tuition fees. Currently, the fees for bachelor's, master's, and diploma courses at ETH Zurich amount to 730 CHF per semester. It's worth noting that there are two semesters per year, which means students will need to budget for these fees accordingly.
Ques: Does ETH Zurich require GRE?
Ans: Yes, ETH Zurich requires the GRE for admissions. The GRE score is a mandatory part of the ETH Zurich admissions requirements and will play a significant role in the acceptance of your application. The requirements are:
- GRE Analytical = 3.5 or 50%
- GRE Quantitative = 165 or 90%
- GRE Verbal = 155 or 70%
Ques: Is ETH Zurich a top university?
Ans: Yes, ETH Zurich is one of the top universities in the world. Some of the rankings are:
- Ranked #7 by QS World University Ranking, 2025
- Ranked #33 in Best Global Universities by US News and World Report, 2024
- Identified as “Continental Europe’s Top University”
ETH Zurich Program Fees & Deadlines
Program | Important Dates | Fees |
---|---|---|
M.S Architecture 2 years | USD 1,825 /Yr CHF 1,460 /Yr | |
USD 1,825 /Yr CHF 1,460 /Yr | ||
M.S Applied Mathematics 2 years | USD 1,825 /Yr CHF 1,460 /Yr | |
M.S Mathematics 2 years | USD 1,825 /Yr CHF 1,460 /Yr | |
M.S Mechanical Engineering 2 years | USD 1,825 /Yr CHF 1,460 /Yr | |
M.S Civil Engineering 2 years | USD 1,825 /Yr CHF 1,460 /Yr | |
M.S Computer Science 2 years | USD 1,825 /Yr CHF 1,460 /Yr | |
M.S Data Science 2 years | USD 1,825 /Yr CHF 1,460 /Yr | |
M.S Earth Sciences 2 years | USD 1,825 /Yr CHF 1,460 /Yr | |
M.S Geomatics 2 years | USD 1,825 /Yr CHF 1,460 /Yr |
Do you think the Dates are wrong ? Report Here
Find A Program
Top Recommended Courses
Master of Science [M.S] Computer Science
Master of Science [M.S] Data Science
Do you think the fees are wrong ? Report Here
Master of Science [M.S] Cyber Security
Master of Science [M.S] Civil Engineering
Do you think the fees are wrong ? Report Here
Course Finder - Search from 50K+ courses
Popular Streams:

Overall 7 out of 1503 in Global Ranking
Do you think the Rankings are wrong ? Report Here
ETH Zurich Student Profiles
Do you think the data is wrong ? Report Here
ETH Zurich Admissions
Undergraduate Autumn Semester Deadlines
Important Date: March31 (Application deadline)Graduate Programs Deadlines
Important Date: December15 (Application deadline)
Attendance Cost
The table shows average yearly cost of attendance for international students. Amount may vary with the course opted, nature of accommodation, and personal spending habits of a candidate.Check Program wise Fees
ETH Zurich Campus Location
Comments
Found 3 Comments
Do I need IELTS test score for admission?
Yes, you do need an English language test score for admission to ETH Zurich. However, you can explore the ETH Zurich courses to learn more about the curriculum, fees, and other details.
I am in the 6th Semester at BCA. It will end in May-June 2024. can I apply?
Applications for Master's programs at ETH Zurich usually open in October of the previous year and close in April. However, you can explore the ETH Zurich courses to learn more about the curriculum, fees, and other details.