Alterations in educational policies for overseas students in Switzerland during the year 2025
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Ready to hit the books in Switzerland's renowned higher education institutions? Buckle up! The academic year of 2022/2023 saw a whopping 76,257 foreigners gracing Swiss universities, a significant surge from a decade ago when only 53,578 foreign students were enrolled.
And where are the foreign students flocking the most? You guessed it—the elite polytechnic institutes, ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne. Let's take a closer look at these two powerhouses.
At ETH Zurich, about 35% of the 21,000-student body hail from abroad. Gather around the lecture halls of EPFL Lausanne, and about half of the 13,000 students you'll find are foreigners. But hold onto your hats, international students, as there's a twist coming in 2025.
Until then, you've been blissfully paying the same fee as your Swiss counterparts—a mere 730 francs per semester. But brace yourself, because starting from the fall semester of 2025, tuition fees for Bachelor's and Master's degree students will triple to 2,190 francs at these two prestigious universities (PhD students will remain untouched).
But why, you wonder, are tuition fees skyrocketing?
The reason lies in the fiscal constraints that compelled the government to slash its financial contributions to these public institutions. From 2025, the government's financial aid to the two polytechnics will be reduced drastically—from the 100 million francs in the past to a mere 50 million francs over the next four years, or 12.5 million per year for the two universities. Despite this, expect a tighter budget, leading to the hike in tuition fees for foreign students. But, hooray! Students already enrolled in these schools can breathe a sigh of relief, as they'll continue to pay the old fees.
Now, you might be asking, does this new policy apply only to foreigners? Why, yes, it does! After all, these public higher education institutions in Switzerland are predominantly funded by taxpayers, making it only logical that Swiss students benefit more compared to students from abroad.
Cantons are the primary contributors to the public education funding for the cantonal universities and universities of applied sciences within their territories, while the federal government offers complimentary financial support.
As you ponder over the rising fees, remember that even with the hike, the prices at these two institutes will still be significantly lower compared to similarly high-ranked universities abroad.
Now, let's shift gears and talk about other public universities in Switzerland. Although no final decisions have been made yet, there's been a buzz about similar moves in the academic world. For instance, the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has been contemplating raising tuition fees for non-Swiss students, who currently only pay 500 francs per semester, irrespective of their nationality. However, expect any changes in the fee structure to kick in later than 2025, as these matters ought to be outlined well ahead of time.
Lastly, the EPFL is grappling with another hot topic—potentially capping the number of foreigners it admits each year. Due to the surge in students over the last decade, EPFL noted a few hurdles when maintaining its high academic standards. With lecture halls overflowing, the student-faculty ratio escalating, and support services working overtime, it's safe to say that the university is leaning towards limiting the influx of foreign students. But remember, this isn't set in stone just yet.
*READ MORE: Two top Swiss universities hike tuition fees for foreign students*
[1] https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00851-x[2] https://www.uni-graz.at/en/facts/tuition-fees[3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/student-support-services[4] https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/advice/the-grim-inconvenient-truth-about-open-universities
- The tuition fees at EPFL Lausanne and ETH Zurich, Switzerland's renowned higher education institutions, are set to triple for Bachelor's and Master's degree students starting from the fall semester of 2025, after the government's financial aid to these universities was reduced drastically.
- Despite the increase in tuition fees, the prices at ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne will still be significantly lower compared to similarly high-ranked universities abroad.
- Besides ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne, there's been speculation about similar moves to raise tuition fees for non-Swiss students at other public universities in Switzerland, such as the University of Geneva.
- EPFL is also considering capping the number of foreigners it admits each year due to academics standards concerns as a result of the surge in students over the last decade, but a decision has yet to be made.
