| ETH Zurich | Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Zurich, Switzerland | Lausanne, Switzerland |
| Type | Public | Public |
| Next deadline | 30 Nov 2026, Autumn 2027 | 31 Mar 2027, Autumn 2027 |
| International tuition | CHF 2,190 per semester | CHF 2,190 per semester |
| IELTS | Not listed | Not listed |
| TOEFL | Not listed | Not listed |
| Acceptance rate | Not published | Not published |
| Application fee | CHF 150 | Not listed |
| Founded | 1855 | 1969 |
| Verified | 7 Sep 2026 | 7 Sep 2026 |
Our read
ETH Zurich and EPFL are the two Swiss federal institutes of technology and they now cost the same. Since the autumn semester of 2025 both charge international students CHF 2,190 a semester, three times the CHF 730 that Swiss residents pay, so the choice between them is not a money question. The real differences are language, city and calendar. ETH is in Zurich and EPFL in Lausanne, one in the German speaking part of the country and one in the French speaking part, though almost all master's teaching at both is in English. ETH was founded in 1855 and EPFL in 1969. The deadline is where they part company: ETH closes applications for the autumn 2027 intake on 30 November 2026, four months before EPFL closes on 31 March 2027, so an applicant who discovers both in January has already missed one of them. Neither publishes a minimum IELTS or TOEFL score. ETH asks for a valid certificate and checks its age rather than a pass mark, and EPFL states only that a strong command of English is expected. Check each school's own page for the requirement attached to the specific master's programme.
- https://ethz.ch/en/studies/bachelor/application/non-swiss-matriculation-certificate/admission-prerequisites.html
- https://ethz.ch/en/studies/bachelor/application/non-swiss-matriculation-certificate/how-to-apply.html
- https://ethz.ch/en/studies/master/application/international-bachelor/how-to-apply.html
- https://ethz.ch/en/studies/master/application/language-requirements.html
- https://ethz.ch/en/studies/master/application/dates.html
- https://ethz.ch/students/en/studies/financial/tuition-fees.html
- https://epfl.ch/education/admission/admission-2/master-admission-criteria-application
- https://www.epfl.ch/education/admission/admission-2/bachelor-admission-criteria-and-application/
- https://www.epfl.ch/education/studies/en/rules-and-procedures/study-taxes/tuition-fee-other-fees/
- https://www.epfl.ch/education/admission/admission-2/phd-admission-criteria-and-application/applications-faqs/