Two Leading Swiss Universities to Triple Fees for International Students

Two Leading Swiss Universities to Triple Fees for International Students

KEY TAKEAWAYS

- The Federal Institutes of Technology in Zurich and Lausanne (ETH Zurich and EPFL) have approved a tripling of fees for international students.
- This change is expected to be implemented in the fall semester of 2025.
- Currently, both Swiss and international students pay CHF 730 (€749.42) per semester at ETH Zurich and EPFL.
- Swiss authorities have decided to increase fees specifically for international students.

Tuition fees for international Bachelor’s and Master’s degree students at ETH Zurich and EPFL will triple starting in the fall semester of 2025. However, students already enrolled at that time will be allowed to complete their degrees without facing the fee increase.

This decision aligns with the Federal Parliament’s expressed will and aims to provide a quickly implementable solution. The ETH Board's earlier decision in March not to raise fees emphasized the importance of internationalism and attracting top talent, which remains a priority.

Swiss Federal Council

Currently, over 7,300 students at ETH Zurich are international. The current semester fees at ETH Zurich and EPFL are CHF 730 (€749.42) for both Swiss and international students. International students make up about 35 percent of ETH Zurich’s 21,000-strong student body and about 50 percent of EPFL’s 13,000 students.

The ETH Board also proposed linking all tuition fees to the national consumer price index to prevent fee income devaluation due to inflation. At some Swiss universities, there is already a fee difference between local and international students. For instance, at the University of St. Gallen, domestic students pay CHF 1,229 (€1,260) for a Bachelor’s degree, while international students pay CHF 3,129 (€3,210).

During the summer session, it was decided that students with foreign degrees studying in Switzerland must pay at least three times the tuition fees of students with Swiss degrees. The Senate's responsible committee supported the increase, but only by twice. This issue is expected to be resolved by both chambers by the end of the year.

Data from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office shows that 76,257 international students are currently enrolled in higher education institutions in Switzerland, with most pursuing Bachelor’s degrees, totaling 17,850 students.

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