Erasmus guide ETH Zürich
Courses, housing, visa, campus life and exchange basics for studying at ETH Zürich in Zürich, Switzerland.
City
ZürichCountry
SwitzerlandInternational
Visible international community; confirm the current figure before making decisions.
Enrollment
Large university community; verify the current headcount on the official page.
Study abroad at ETH Zürich: overview
Study abroad at ETH Zürich makes sense when the academic fit is stronger than the destination brand alone and you are honest about everyday logistics. ETH Zürich (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich) is Switzerland's federal technical university, founded in 1855 and consistently ranked among the top technical universities in the world. Useful proof points: Large university community; verify the current headcount on the official page.; Visible international community; confirm the current figure before making decisions.; Computer Science, Mechanical and Process Engineering, Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering. Before choosing, confirm teaching language, faculty seats and housing near the campus.
Enrollment
Large university community; verify the current headcount on the official page.
International Mix
Visible international community; confirm the current figure before making decisions.
Why students choose it
Best for students who want Computer Science, Mechanical and Process Engineering, Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering and are willing to check language, seats and campus rules before choosing. In zurich, housing and the daily route matter as much as reputation.
Language of instruction: English (most master's programmes and many exchange courses), German (most bachelor's programmes — relevant for bachelor-level exchange students)
Exchange & application at ETH Zürich
Start with home-university nomination, then application, Learning Agreement, insurance and course approval. At ETH Zürich, rules can sit at faculty level, so do not promise yourself courses before they are validated.
✅Requirements
Exchange students generally need a home-university nomination, the ETH online application, a learning agreement or course plan, valid passport/ID, and proof of health insurance. Non-EU/EFTA students additionally need visa and residence-permit documentation.
📨Nomination Process
Contact your home university's international/exchange office; they submit the nomination to ETH before ETH's published nomination deadline for the relevant semester.
🛂Visa Support
EU/EFTA students do not need a visa but must register with their commune and apply for a residence permit (Permit B) if staying over 90 days. Non-EU/EFTA students need a Type D student visa from a Swiss representation in their home country before travelling, then convert it to a Permit B after arrival.
🧭Orientation Week
🗓️Deadlines by intake
| Intake | Nomination deadline | Application deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn semester | Set annually by ETH's International Relations office — confirm exact date via the official registration-application page | Follows the nomination deadline; confirm via the official registration-application page |
| Spring semester | Set annually by ETH's International Relations office — confirm exact date via the official registration-application page | Follows the nomination deadline; confirm via the official registration-application page |
Arrival Checklist
- Register with the ETH/UZH Housing Office or apply to WOKO/SSWZ as early as possible — Zürich's student housing market is tight.
- Register with your local commune (Gemeinde) within 14 days of arrival — a legal requirement, not optional.
- Confirm your course registration and exam dates through the official academic calendar before booking any travel.
Academics & courses at ETH Zürich
Academics combine ECTS credits, exam calendars and faculty-level rules. Check prerequisites, the real teaching language of each course and whether course lists can change before enrolment.
📝Course Registration
Courses are registered through ETH's myStudies online system once admission is confirmed. Exchange students should build a course plan with backups, since some lecture courses cap enrolment or have prerequisite checks.
🎓Credit System
ECTS
💯Grading System
Swiss 1–6 scale: 6 is the best grade, 4 is the minimum pass, grades below 4 fail. Many courses also report a percentile or ECTS-equivalent grade for exchange transcripts.
✍️Exam Culture
Exchange students sit exams during ETH's official exam sessions (January/February for autumn semester, summer for spring semester). Because most courses rely on one final exam, departure dates should only be booked after the official exam schedule is published.
📚Library Access
Library, learning platform and study spaces normally activate after enrolment.
Tuition & fees at ETH Zürich
For exchange, separate home tuition, local admin fees, insurance and living costs. Full-degree tuition is a different category and must be checked on the official fee page.
| Student Type | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EXCHANGE | CHF 0 (paid at home institution under most bilateral exchange agreements) | Confirm with your home exchange office — ETH's tuition-fees page does not break out exchange students separately from its general fee structure. |
| Full degree (all) | Two-tier fee structure since autumn semester 2025 — exact current CHF figures are published only on ETH's student portal (login required), not on the public tuition-fees page | ETH's official tuition-fees page confirms that, since autumn semester 2025, a new regulation distinguishes between two tuition-fee groups, with full details … |
| Full degree - EU/EEA | Check official fee page | Full-degree fees depend on programme, credits and region; do not mix them with exchange status. |
| Full degree - non-EU/EEA | Check programme and canton rules | Non-EU/EEA students can face different programme rules; verify the official page. |
CHF 0 (paid at home institution under most bilateral exchange agreements)
Confirm with your home exchange office — ETH's tuition-fees page does not break out exchange students separately from its general fee structure.
Two-tier fee structure since autumn semester 2025 — exact current CHF figures are published only on ETH's student portal (login required), not on the public tuition-fees page
ETH's official tuition-fees page confirms that, since autumn semester 2025, a new regulation distinguishes between two tuition-fee groups, with full details …
Check official fee page
Full-degree fees depend on programme, credits and region; do not mix them with exchange status.
Check programme and canton rules
Non-EU/EEA students can face different programme rules; verify the official page.
Fees change annually — verify current rates on the official exchange office page
Student housing at ETH Zürich
Housing near ETH Zürich should move in parallel with the application. Compare residence, private room, transport route and contract terms before arrival.
Full housing guide
Find housing in Zürich
Official contacts, student residences, private platforms, tips & red flags.
Insurance & campus support at ETH Zürich
Use the international office, faculty coordinator, library, wellbeing services and student groups from week one. Asking early prevents small admin mistakes from becoming blockers.
🛡️Mandatory Insurance
Yes — basic LAMal/KVG-compliant health insurance is legally required for all residents, including exchange students staying more than 3 months.
🇪🇺EHIC Accepted
No
🏥Campus Clinic
ETH does not operate its own general medical clinic for students; students use Zürich's ordinary system of Hausarzt (GP) practices and Permanence walk-in clinics, with 144 for ambulance emergencies.
🧠Mental Health
ETH points students toward cantonal and university psychological counselling resources; check the current student-portal listing for the active counselling service, as ETH's internal support pages are reorganised periodically.
Standard Swiss LAMal/KVG basic insurance
Approx. CHF 250–400/month, varies by canton and insurer
Mandatory baseline coverage; compare insurers via the official priminfo.admin.ch comparison tool.
EU/EFTA home-country exemption
Home-country dependent
EU/EFTA students can apply to be exempted from Swiss insurance if their home policy provides equivalent coverage — apply within 3 months of arrival via the cantonal health authority.
Campus services
Studies overview and practical information
Central hub for course catalogue, academic calendar, housing office link, and general student-life information.
Tuition fees
Official, current fee structure for all student types — check here before relying on any older published figure.
ETH/UZH Housing Office
Matches incoming students with private landlords renting specifically to university members.
ETH Welcome Center — Accommodation guidance
ETH's own guidance page for incoming students on accommodation options and timelines before arrival.
VSETH (student association)
Official ETH student association: clubs, the Activity Fair, event spaces, and the Polykum student magazine.
ASVZ sports programme
Joint ETH/UZH sports association with hundreds of weekly classes open to all enrolled students at low cost.
Student life at ETH Zürich
Student life depends on repeatable routines: associations, sport, ESN or faculty groups. Do not wait for the campus to do all the work; join repeated channels early.
Student Clubs
- VSETH-affiliated clubs span robotics, sailing, ski touring, debating, and subject-specific academic societies — browse the full directory via VSETH's Organisations page.
Buddy Program
Departmental mentoring/buddy schemes vary by department — ask your exchange coordinator which one applies to your programme on arrival.
Sports & Recreation
- ASVZ: hundreds of weekly classes (climbing, sailing on Lake Zürich, ski weekends) open to all enrolled students
Public Groups & Communities
VSETH — official student association, events, and club directory
ASVZ — joint ETH/UZH sports association, a fast way to meet people outside your department
Your First 2 Weeks
- Confirm housing first — Zürich's market does not wait.
- Register with your commune within 14 days of moving in.
- Check the official exam schedule before booking any return travel.
- Join VSETH and one club or the ASVZ sports programme to build a social circle outside your own department.
Key exchange dates at ETH Zürich
The critical dates are nomination, application, fee or registration steps, course selection, housing, arrival and exams. Keep resit periods visible before booking return travel.
-
1
Nomination window (Autumn intake)
Set annually by ETH's International Relations office
Home university must formally nominate the student before ETH's published deadline; confirm via the official registration-application page.
-
2
Nomination window (Spring intake)
Set annually by ETH's International Relations office
Same nomination flow as autumn but on a spring-intake timeline; confirm via the official registration-application page.
-
3
Autumn semester teaching period
Mid-September to mid-December
Followed by the January/February exam session — confirm exact dates on the official academic calendar.
Campus events hub: Browse all events