Switzerland's largest university charges modest fees, but teaches bachelor's degrees in German and does not accept many school certificates on their own. The master's and PhD routes, Zurich living costs and the visa.
The University of Zurich (UZH) is Switzerland's largest university. Founded in 1833 as Europe's first university established by a democratic political system, it has seven faculties covering some 100 subject areas, and twelve of its scholars have received the Nobel Prize[1]. Tuition is modest, but Zurich is an expensive place to live, and the Swiss migration authorities want to see the money in advance. The bigger hurdle is entry: bachelor's degrees are taught in German, and many school certificates from outside Europe do not qualify on their own. For most international applicants the realistic door is a master's or a PhD, where English-taught options exist.
Location
Zurich, Switzerland
Establishment year
1833
Students
29,037
International students
6,214
Female students
57%
Place in ratings
There's not enough data to display the dynamics of this rating.
By subject
Subject
Place in QS 2024
Anatomy & Physiology
48
Life Sciences & Medicine
60
Accounting & Finance
87
Arts & Humanities
130
Natural Sciences
129
Social Sciences & Management
131
Studying abroad doesn’t break the bank anymore
Universities for any budget
Scholarship options
Installment plans up to 2 years
from5,482 ₽per month
What international applicants should know first
Campuses
City, Irchel, Oerlikon and Schlieren, all in the Zurich area[2]
Students
29037 at the start of the 2026 fall semester (provisional), 19.6% from abroad[3]
Language
Bachelor's: German. Master's: German, English, French, Italian or Spanish, depending on the programme; C1 level required[4]
Tuition for foreign students
1,486 USD per semester (bachelor's), 999 USD (master's)[5]
The base fee is 877 USD per semester; foreign students pay a surcharge of 609 USD at bachelor's level and 122 USD at master's or PhD level, plus 72 USD in mandatory contributions[5]. The fee is the same across programmes, so choosing law or economics does not change it.
A research university with twelve Nobel laureates
UZH belongs to the League of European Research Universities (LERU), Universitas 21 and Una Europa, and highlights its standing in medicine, immunology, genetics, neuroscience, structural biology and economics[1]. For master's and PhD applicants this shows where the university is strongest.
Master's programmes taught in English
Master's programmes run in German, English, French, Italian or Spanish[4]. You prove the main language of your chosen programme, so an English-taught master's needs English at C1 rather than German.
Many PhD places come with a job
Depending on the doctoral programme, candidates are employed as doctoral students or teaching and research assistants, and for employed candidates from outside the EU/EFTA the university generally applies for the visa[9].
Limitations of UZH
Bachelor's degrees are taught in German at C1 level
German is the main language of all bachelor's programmes, and foreign-language applicants must prove at least C1[10]. Recognised proofs include Goethe-Zertifikat C1, telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule, ÖSD C1, DSH2 and TestDaF with an average of TDN 4[11].
Many school certificates are not enough on their own
For 2026/27, applicants from India and the Philippines need a university degree of at least three years to enter a UZH bachelor's programme[12]. Details for other countries are in the table below.
Zurich costs at least 2,680 USD a month
Of that minimum, 1,109 USD goes on housing, 548 USD on food and 244 USD on insurance[6]. The visa requires proof of access to 25,582 USD a year[13].
No financial aid for master's students with a foreign bachelor's
The Student Financial Aid Office supports prospective master's students only if they hold a Swiss bachelor's degree; those with a bachelor's from abroad finance their studies themselves[6].
Medicine is closed without Swiss citizenship or residence status
Only Swiss or Liechtenstein citizens, or applicants with a corresponding residence status, may sit the aptitude test for the bachelor's in medicine[14].
Bachelor's admission depends on your school certificate
UZH accepts a foreign school-leaving certificate only if it matches the Swiss academic matriculation certificate in content and duration: at least six general subjects taken continuously in the last three school years, including your first language, a foreign language, mathematics, a natural science and a humanities or social science subject[10]. The exact conditions are published country by country by swissuniversities and updated every year. Requirements for UZH in 2026/27[12]:
Certificate
What UZH requires in addition
USA: High School Diploma
Advanced Placement tests in six general subjects, each with a minimum score of 3
India: All India Senior School Certificate, Indian School Certificate or Higher Secondary School Certificate
Not sufficient: a university degree of at least three years
Philippines: Senior High School Diploma (Academic Track)
Not sufficient: a university degree of at least three years
Nigeria: WAEC or NECO certificate
Grade average of B3, admission to the same subject at a recognised Nigerian university and the ECUS complementary examination
The ECUS complementary examination is held only once a year, in August, so applicants who need it can start only in the fall semester[10]. Checking an application takes up to three months, and the Business and Economics and Informatics majors cannot be started in the spring[10].
Master's and PhD: the realistic route
A master's applicant needs a state-accredited bachelor's degree of at least three years (180 ECTS credits) that gives access to a master's in the country where it was earned[4]. The faculty then compares your bachelor's with its own programme. Gaps can be covered by extra bachelor's modules, but if they add up to more than 60 ECTS credits, admission is refused[4]. Your diploma can follow after admission, by 30 September for the fall semester[4].
For English-taught programmes UZH accepts IELTS Academic 7 with at least 6.5 in speaking and writing (the online IELTS is not accepted), TOEFL iBT 100 for tests taken before 21 January 2026 or 5 on the new scale after that date, and Cambridge C1 Advanced with grade B[11]. Our guides to the IELTS exam and the TOEFL exam explain the formats. Some specialised master's programmes require pre-registration with the department before the university application[4].
For a PhD, a professor entitled to award doctorates must first agree to supervise your thesis; some programmes add a selective acceptance procedure[9].
The deadlines cannot be extended. Students who need a visa must hold the admission decision three months before entering Switzerland, which is why their deadline is earlier[7]. Applications are online only; the fee for applicants with foreign qualifications is 183 USD and is not refunded[5]. It can be paid by Visa, Mastercard, PostFinance Card or TWINT[15].
The university's monthly minimum already includes 305 USD for tuition and study materials, so the semester fee is not entirely on top of it[6]. Health insurance is compulsory for anyone staying in Switzerland longer than three months, and travel insurance bought at home is not accepted[6]. International bachelor's students can apply to the Student Financial Aid Office only after earning 55 ECTS credits[6], so the first year has to be fully funded.
Citizens of most countries outside the EU and EFTA need a national D visa and should apply at the Swiss embassy or consulate at least three months before entry[16]. The hardest part is the money: the Migration Office of the Canton of Zurich asks for confirmation from a Swiss-domiciled bank (a foreign bank with a Swiss branch, or a Swiss bank with a branch in your country) that you have access to 25,582 USD a year in an account in your own name, in francs, euros or US dollars; letters or statements from parents are not accepted[13]. The alternative is a guarantee declaration signed by a solvent Swiss resident[13].
Expect 61-122 USD at the embassy, 116 USD to the Migration Office and 197 USD for the residence permit when you register in the city of Zurich[13]. Never enter on a tourist visa: it cannot be converted into a residence permit. Visas are normally refused if you already hold a degree at the level you plan to study[13].
Within 14 days of arrival you must register in person at your municipality. Residence permits are issued for one year and renewed for the length of your studies, and students from outside the EU/EFTA may stay in Switzerland for study for a maximum of 8 years in total, including a doctorate[17].
Is UZH the right choice?
UZH makes sense if you already hold a three-year bachelor's degree, have English or German at C1 and can show 25,582 USD a year. It is especially attractive for future researchers, since many PhD places are paid positions.
If you are applying straight from school with a certificate that UZH does not accept, cannot meet the funds requirement or need to work your way through university, compare other options in our overview of universities in Switzerland and the guide to the admission process in Switzerland.
Only to a very limited extent if you are from outside the EU or EFTA, and your studies may not be extended because of work. Without good German, finding a part-time job can be difficult[6].
Is there an age limit?
For bachelor's and master's students over 30, the Migration Office issues student visas only in well-founded exceptional cases[16].
Do my documents need translation?
For the application, documents that are not in German, English, French or Italian need officially certified translations[15].
Is UZH the same as ETH Zurich?
No, they are separate universities with separate admissions, although they run some joint programmes, such as the Master of Science UZH ETH in Quantitative Finance[4].
Studying abroad with UniPage
Want to study at a foreign university but don't know where to start? We can help!
Our specialists will find a university, arrange your documents, fill out the applications, and stay in touch until you receive an offer.
