How to Apply to Universities in Switzerland (2027): Step by Step

Bachelor

1. Check whether your secondary school certificate is on swissuniversities' country-by-country recognition list; if it is not automatically recognised, find out whether your chosen university requires an entrance examination (as ETH Zurich does) or runs its own selection procedure (as the University of St Gallen does for every bachelor applicant).
2. Confirm the teaching language of the programme, normally German, French or Italian depending on the canton, and reach the required level, commonly B2 or C1; very few bachelor's degrees are taught in English.
3. Apply directly through the university's own online application portal within its published window, typically 1 February to 30 April for the autumn semester starting in September, with an earlier cutoff, commonly 28 February, if you will need a Swiss entry visa.
4. Pay the non-refundable application fee, generally CHF 100 to CHF 150, and submit certified copies and translations of your school certificate and transcripts.
5. Once admitted, use the university's admission or registration confirmation letter to apply for the Swiss national type D student visa at the embassy or consulate responsible for your place of residence.
6. After entering Switzerland, register with the cantonal migration office for a student residence permit and with the commune where you will live.

Master

1. Confirm your bachelor's degree is recognised as equivalent and check the specific programme's own academic prerequisites; some ask for particular prior coursework before they will admit a graduate from an unrelated field.
2. For an English-taught programme, take an English test; IELTS 6.5 to 7.0 or TOEFL iBT 85 to 100 is the common range, though every university sets its own minimum and some do not publish one at all. For a French, German or Italian-taught programme, prepare the equivalent language certificate instead.
3. Apply directly to the university with transcripts, degree certificate, CV and, where asked, a motivation letter and academic references, within the published window, commonly 1 February to 30 April for the September intake, with an earlier visa cutoff around the end of February.
4. Pay the application fee, generally CHF 100 to CHF 250 depending on the university, and wait for the admission decision, typically within two to three months of the deadline.
5. Use the admission letter to apply for the national type D visa at the Swiss representation covering your place of residence, then register with the cantonal migration office for a residence permit once you have arrived.