How to Apply to ETH Zurich (International Students)

About ETH Zurich and what this guide covers

ETH Zurich (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich) is a public science and technology university in Zurich, Switzerland. It teaches and researches across engineering, the natural sciences, mathematics, architecture, and related fields, and is consistently placed among the leading technical universities worldwide in the QS and THE rankings (rankings are produced by those bodies, not by ETH).

This guide explains the official admission route for international applicants. Admission rules, deadlines, and any entrance-examination requirements are set by ETH Zurich and reviewed each year, so always confirm the current details on the official ETH Zurich website before you apply.

How admission works for non-Swiss applicants

ETH Zurich admits bachelor's applicants on the basis of its Admissions Ordinance. How you are assessed depends mainly on the upper-secondary leaving certificate (school-leaving diploma) you hold and the country it is from.

Applicants with a non-Swiss matriculation certificate are handled by the ETH Admissions Office, which decides whether your diploma gives direct admission or whether an entrance examination is required. The exact category that applies to you is determined by ETH from your specific qualification, so check the official admission pages for your country and diploma.

• Some recognised diplomas can give admission without an entrance examination
• Other diplomas require a reduced or comprehensive entrance examination (see below)
• The ETH Admissions Office determines which case applies to your qualification

The entrance-examination route

For applicants whose secondary-school diploma is not directly recognised for admission, ETH Zurich offers an entrance examination. Depending on the qualification, this can be a reduced entrance examination (covering selected subjects) or a comprehensive entrance examination (covering a broader subject range).

Whether you need an entrance examination, and whether it is the reduced or comprehensive version, depends on your individual diploma — this is exactly the kind of detail that varies by country and changes over time, so do not assume; verify your case on the official ETH Zurich admission pages.

Language requirements

For bachelor's programmes, the main teaching language at ETH Zurich is German, and applicants are generally expected to demonstrate the required level of German for admission, while a working command of English is also indispensable for studies. Many master's programmes are taught in English and have English-language requirements instead.

Because accepted certificates and the required levels differ by programme and degree level, and can change, confirm the current language requirement for your specific programme on the official ETH Zurich website.

Applying step by step (general shape)

In broad terms, the process is: choose your programme and degree level; check the admission category and any entrance-examination requirement for your diploma; prepare the required documents and proof of language proficiency; and submit your application through ETH's online application system within the published deadline.

Deadlines, document lists, and any application fee are set by ETH and differ between bachelor's and master's entry, so use the official ETH Zurich admission and application pages as your single source of truth and note the dates that apply to your intake.