Quick Summary
Situated in Zurich, Switzerland, ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) is a public research university established in 1855. Ranked #7 globally by QS World University Rankings 2026, it enrolls 25000 students including 40% from outside Switzerland. Known for strengths in Earth and Marine Sciences, Geology, Geophysics, it maintains an acceptance rate of 27%.
01
Institutional Profile
Who they are
Consistently ranked as the top university in continental Europe, ETH Zurich offers world-class research infrastructure at an incredibly low tuition cost, situated in a global hub for innovation.
Subject Strengths
Earth and Marine SciencesGeologyGeophysicsEngineering - Mineral & MiningArchitectureCivil EngineeringComputer ScienceMathematics
Founded1855
TypePublic Research University
Total Students25000
Intl Students40%
Faculty Ratio15.2
CampusMulti-campus (Zentrum and Hönggerberg)
Campus SizeUrban and suburban sites
Affiliated HospitalsUniversity Hospital Zurich (USZ),Balgrist University Hospital,Children's Hospital Zurich
AccreditationSwiss Accreditation Council
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Global Standing
Three independent ranking systems
QS World 2026
#7
Quacquarelli Symonds
Times Higher Ed
#11
THE World University
ARWU Shanghai
#21
Academic Ranking
03
Academics & Research
What you can study
Bachelor's Degree,Master's Degree,Doctorate (PhD),Continuing Education
Programs
Available
PhD Programs
Not Available
Online Programs
ETH AI Center,Wyss Zurich,Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS),Competence Center for Energy and Mobility
Research Centers
Very High
Research Output
Swiss Accreditation Council
Accreditation
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Admissions Brief
What it takes to get in
Entry Requirements
Acceptance Rate27%
IELTS7
TOEFL100
Min GPA3
GRERequired for many Master's programs (especially non-EU/EFTA students)
GMATNot required
SATNot required (Swiss Maturité or equivalent)
ACTNot required
Key Dates
FALLApplication Deadline · December 15 (Master's), April 30 (Bachelor's)
SPRINGApplication Deadline · November 15 (Limited programs)
MAR-APRDecisions Released
Required Documents
TranscriptsSOPEnglish ScoresLORsPassport
Insider Tip
Focus on strong quantitative backgrounds. For Master's, your statement of purpose should explicitly align with the research groups at ETH. Recommendation letters from research-active faculty are crucial.
05
Cost Ledger
Amounts in Swiss Franc
UG Tuition
CHF1,460/yr
per year · CHF
Living Cost
CHF24,000/yr
per year · CHF
PG Tuition
CHF1,460/yr
per year · CHF
Application Fee
$170
one time · USD
Total Estimated Annual Cost
CHF25,610/yr
tuition + living + essentials · CHF
Scholarships AvailableExcellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme (ESOP),ETH-D Scholarship,Master Scholarship Programme
Avg Scholarship$13,000
Financial AidAvailable
Work-StudyAvailable
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Featured & Popular Programs
A sample from Bachelor's Degree,Master's Degree,Doctorate (PhD),Continuing Education programs total
| Program | Level | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | BACHELOR | 3-4 YRS |
| Computer Science | MASTER | 1-2 YRS |
| Architecture | PHD | 3-5 YRS |
| Physics | MBA | 12-24 MO |
| Biotechnology | BACHELOR | 3-4 YRS |
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Career Outcomes
Where graduates land
$95,000
Average Salary After Graduation
94%
Employment Rate
Internship PlacementHighly integrated into engineering and science curriculum
Industry Connections
GoogleIBM ResearchABBNovartisRocheSiemens
Notable Alumni
Albert Einstein,John von Neumann,Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen,Richard Ernst,Niklaus Wirth
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Campus & Student Life
Life beyond lectures
Housing
On-campus available
Sports Facilities
ASVZ (Academic Sports Association Zurich),Climbing halls,Swimming pools,Gyms
Student Clubs
VSETH,AMIV,ETH Robotics Club,Entrepreneur Club
Library Resources
ETH Library (Principal library for science and technology in Switzerland),Thomas Mann Archive
Exchange Programs
SEMP (Erasmus),IDEA League,Global E3
Summer Programs
Student Research Opportunities Program (SiROP),Summer School on Carbon and Water Cycles