ETH Zurich: Fees & Ranking

The short answer

ETH Zurich is a federal university of science and technology in Zurich. Its student statistics page lists 26,942 students from about 130 countries, of whom 4,266 are doctoral students.^[1] In the QS World University Rankings 2027 it shares 8th place with University College London, after 7th place in the 2026 edition.^[2]

Since autumn 2025 tuition is CHF 730 per semester for Swiss citizens and for students who lived in Switzerland or Liechtenstein when they gained their entrance qualification, plus a few residence-permit groups; all other students pay CHF 2,190 per semester.^[3] Bachelor’s programmes are taught mainly in German, and most Master’s programmes in English.^[4]^[5]

Key facts

Official name	ETH Zürich (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich); English: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich^[6]
Location	Zurich, Switzerland (main address Rämistrasse 101, 8092 Zurich)^[7]
Type	Federal university for science and technology, run by the federal government under the Federal Institutes of Technology Act^[8]
Founded	1855, under the name “Polytechnikum”^[7]
Students	26,942 from about 130 countries^[1]
Doctoral students	4,266^[1]
Departments	16^[6]
Nobel Prizes	22 awarded to researchers who have or had an association with ETH Zurich^[7]
QS World University Rankings 2027	Joint 8th (7th in the 2026 edition)^[2]
Languages of teaching	German in Bachelor’s programmes; most Master’s programmes in English, some in German or both^[4]^[5]
Tuition per semester	CHF 730 (simple fee) or CHF 2,190 (threefold fee), including semester fees^[3]
Admission with a non-Swiss certificate	Without entrance examination, or after a reduced (4 subjects) or comprehensive (8 subjects) entrance examination^[9]
Official website	ethz.ch

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.

About ETH Zurich

ETH Zurich was founded in 1855 as the “Polytechnikum” and has since grown into a national educational institution of international standing.^[7] It is a university run by the Swiss federal government, based on the Federal Institutes of Technology Act.^[8] Wikipedia gives a slightly different start: the federal act of 7 February 1854 created the school, and the first lectures began on 16 October 1855. It names 16 departments today.^[6]

ETH Zurich lists 22 Nobel Prizes awarded to researchers who have or had an association with the university.^[7] Its student statistics page names 26,942 students from about 130 countries.^[1]

Not the same as EPFL or the University of Zurich: ETH Zurich (Zurich) and EPFL (Lausanne) are the two federal institutes of technology. The University of Zurich is a different, cantonal university in the same city, with its own admission and fees.

How is ETH Zurich ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, ETH Zurich is joint 8th, level with University College London. In the 2026 edition it was 7th.^[2] We could not open QS’s own site (topuniversities.com blocks automated access), so this position comes from the Wikipedia article on the QS rankings, which shows a column for 2027.^[2]

The Wikipedia article on ETH Zurich also gives 8th place in QS, but labels it 2026; that conflicts with the QS article’s table, where 2026 is 7th and 8th is shared in 2027. We follow the QS table.^[6] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at ETH Zurich?

Bachelor’s degree programmes are offered in these subject areas:^[4]

Architecture and Civil Engineering
Engineering Sciences
Natural Sciences and Mathematics
System-oriented Natural Sciences
Public Policy

ETH Zurich is organised in 16 departments.^[6] Doctoral studies lead to the title “Doctor of Sciences (Dr. sc. ETH Zurich)”. Apart from a few exceptional cases, doctoral students are employed as scientific assistants and are also students.^[10] The doctorate page speaks of 4,500 doctoral students out of over 25,000 students; the newer student statistics page gives 4,266 out of 26,942.^[10]^[1]

How much does ETH Zurich cost?

Fee group	Per semester	Who pays it
Simple tuition fee (group 1)	CHF 730	Swiss and Liechtenstein citizens; anyone resident in Switzerland or Liechtenstein when they obtained the university entrance qualification; certain foreign students with a residence permit (below)
Threefold tuition fee (group 2)	CHF 2,190	All students who do not meet the group 1 criteria

The study fees include tuition and the semester fees.^[3] With two semesters a year that is CHF 1,460 for group 1 and CHF 4,380 for group 2 (our arithmetic, not a figure from ETH). The fee page does not give the year of the amounts beyond “since the autumn semester 2025”.^[3]

Foreign students who still pay the simple fee

Other foreign students pay CHF 730 only if, before they start their studies, one of these applies:^[3]

they are EU/EFTA citizens with a B, L or G permit marked “right to gainful employment”, or a settlement permit C (a permit limited to 15 hours a week is not enough);
one parent is an EU/EFTA citizen with a B or L permit (marked “right to gainful employment”) or a settlement permit C, and the student has a residence permit in Switzerland;
they can claim family reunification under the free movement of persons with the EU/EFTA;
they hold an F, S or B refugee permit.

ETH Zurich checks the fee group during admission. If you think you belong in group 1 you must submit a request for reallocation, which is possible only once, before studies begin; a later change is not possible, not even when moving from Bachelor’s to Master’s.^[3] Students who were already enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s programme before autumn 2025 keep the previous fees until they finish that programme.^[3]

The fee page does not list separate rates for doctoral students. For rent and living costs, see our Switzerland guide and the Study in Switzerland guide.

How do you apply to ETH Zurich?

The route depends on the level and on your school or university qualification.

Bachelor’s with a non-Swiss certificate: admission requirements are listed by country and certificate on the swissuniversities website and in ETH’s country list. There are three types of admission: without entrance examination, after a reduced entrance examination (4 subjects) or after a comprehensive entrance examination (8 subjects). ETH can tell whether you must sit an exam only after it has received your complete application in eApply.^[9] ETH plans changes to the entry requirements for all Bachelor’s programmes from the autumn semester 2028; the details are not final.^[9]
Master’s: the basis is always a Bachelor’s degree. Each programme has a requirement profile with qualifying degrees and minimum percentages in subject areas. Meeting them does not guarantee admission: the committee also weighs grades, the standing of your university, the field of your Bachelor’s, test scores such as the GRE where required, the motivation letter and references. ETH says admission is highly selective.^[11]
Doctorate: doctoral students are employed as scientific assistants, so you apply for a position with a professor; see the doctorate page for the procedure.^[10]

We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ by level. ETH states that it cannot discuss personal chances of admission before it has a complete application.^[9]

Which language level do you need?

Bachelor’s: the main teaching language is German, although some courses are in English or French. Applicants must submit a German certificate at level C1 (CEFR, the European scale from A1 to C2; C1 is advanced) by the application deadline, unless a waiver applies. A C1 certificate may be no older than two years at the start of the application period; Goethe and ÖSD C2 certificates may be up to five years old.^[12] Waivers include German as mother tongue, a German or Austrian school-leaving certificate from a school in Germany, the German-speaking part of Switzerland, Austria or Liechtenstein, and a full-time German-language Bachelor’s degree of at least three years from a university in Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein or Switzerland.^[12] ETH offers no German courses or certification exams; arranging the test is the applicant’s job.^[12]

Master’s: most programmes are taught in English, some need both English and German, and some are taught in German. The required languages are listed per programme.^[5] An English certificate (TOEFL, IELTS or C1 Advanced) must be no more than two years old; there are exemptions for holders of the Swiss Matura, an ETH or EPFL Bachelor’s degree, or a Bachelor’s degree taught entirely in English.^[5] The list of recognised certificates and the minimum scores are on that page; we did not copy the scores here.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does ETH Zurich cost for international students?

Most international students are in fee group 2 and pay CHF 2,190 per semester since autumn 2025. Group 1 pays CHF 730 per semester; it covers Swiss and Liechtenstein citizens, people resident in Switzerland or Liechtenstein when they gained their entrance qualification, and some residence-permit groups.^[3]

Is ETH Zurich taught in English?

Bachelor’s programmes are taught mainly in German. Most Master’s programmes are taught in English, some need English and German, and some are in German.^[4]^[5]

How is ETH Zurich ranked?

Joint 8th in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and 7th in the 2026 edition, according to the QS table on Wikipedia.^[2]

Do I need German to study at ETH Zurich?

For a Bachelor’s degree yes: a German C1 certificate is required unless you qualify for a waiver.^[12] For most Master’s programmes the language is English; check the language requirements of your programme.^[5]

Do I have to take an entrance examination?

It depends on your certificate. With a non-Swiss certificate there are three outcomes: no exam, a reduced exam with 4 subjects or a comprehensive exam with 8 subjects. ETH decides after receiving your complete application.^[9]