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Last modified: 2026-09-28

# University of Zurich (UZH): Admission, Fees and Requirements for International Students

Whether a foreign school-leaving certificate is enough for a Bachelor's at the University of Zurich depends on your country. For Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, UZH requires the certificate plus two successfully completed years of full-time study at an accredited university in a subject also taught in Switzerland, plus proof of admission to your chosen subject at home. Bachelor's programmes are taught in German at C1 level, and applicants who need a visa must apply for the autumn semester between 1 January and 28 February. Students whose entry qualification was obtained outside Switzerland pay $1,550 (CHF 1,279) per Bachelor's semester including compulsory contributions, or $1,060 (CHF 879) per Master's semester. UZH puts minimum living costs at $2,660 (CHF 2,200) a month.

The main building of the University of Zurich with its tower, Zurich, Switzerland. Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / [source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Z%C3%BCrich_Switzerland-University-of-Zurich-Main-Building-01.jpg), [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0).

| At a glance | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Profile | Switzerland's largest university, 28,000+ students, seven faculties |
| Certificates from Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan | + two years of university study + proof of admission in the same subject |
| Certificates from Armenia, Georgia, Moldova | + proof of admission in the same subject at home |
| Certificates from Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan | a university degree of at least three years is required |
| Bachelor's language | German, C1 from UZH's list |
| Autumn application | 1 January – 30 April; visa-requiring applicants 1 January – 28 February |
| Application fee | $180 (CHF 150) with foreign qualifications |
| Fees per semester | Bachelor's $1,470 (CHF 1,220), Master's $990 (CHF 820), plus contributions $70 (CHF 59) |
| Master's | 200+ programmes taught in German, English, French, Italian or Spanish |
| Medicine | not open to applicants who come from abroad to study |

## Who UZH suits {#section-1}

UZH was founded on 29 April 1833 as the first university in Europe established by a democratic state rather than a monarch or the Church. With more than 28,000 students it is Switzerland's largest university, organised in seven faculties: Theology and the Study of Religion; Law; Business, Economics and Informatics; Medicine; Vetsuisse (veterinary); Arts and Social Sciences; and Science. It has exchange and research links with more than 250 universities. In 1867 the Russian Nadezhda Suslova became UZH's first woman student, and its Nobel laureates include Alfred Werner, Paul Karrer, Walter Rudolf Hess, K. Alex Müller and Rolf Zinkernagel.

UZH covers what the neighbouring [ETH Zurich](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-eth-zurich) does not offer at Bachelor's level: law, economics and business, psychology, languages, history and the social sciences. Natural sciences and informatics exist at both.

UZH suits you if you are already at university at home and can complete two years before applying, want law, economics, psychology or humanities in German, or hold a Bachelor's and aim for a Master's. Look elsewhere if you want to start straight after school (the ETH or [EPFL](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-epfl) exam routes can be faster), need medicine or veterinary science, or do not have C1 German for a Bachelor's. For the national picture, see [studying in Switzerland](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-switzerland) and our overview of [universities in Switzerland](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-universities-in-switzerland).

## Bachelor's admission with a foreign certificate {#section-2}

UZH applies the swissuniversities country table. For Russia in 2026/27: school-leaving certificate + two years of university-level study recognised by UZH + a certificate of university admission in the desired subject from a recognised Russian university.

- Two years of study means two complete years of a full-time programme under the standard curriculum, at a state-accredited university, in a field also taught at Swiss universities.
- Proof of admission shows that your certificate would admit you to that subject at home; it must refer to on-site study and, as a rule, be issued for the semester you apply for.
- Subject profile. In the last three school years you need at least six general subjects: first language, a foreign language, mathematics, a natural science, a humanities or social science subject, and one more (informatics, philosophy or another subject from those groups).

| Certificate country | UZH requirement for 2026/27 |
| --- | --- |
| Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan | certificate + 2 years of university + proof of admission in the same subject |
| Armenia, Georgia, Moldova | certificate + proof of admission in the same subject |
| Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan | university degree of at least three years |

Holders of certificates from countries outside the Lisbon Recognition Convention usually also need the ECUS supplementary exam, held once a year in August (autumn entry only). After admission you can ask your faculty to recognise credits from your studies at home. UZH does not assess certificates in advance; requirements are updated every year. See our guide to [applying to Swiss universities](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-applying-to-swiss-universities).

Alternative via the federal institutes. A pass in the comprehensive entrance examination of a Federal Institute of Technology (ETH or EPFL), no more than two years old, gives access to all UZH faculties except Medicine and Vetsuisse. You can only sit it after applying to ETH or EPFL, and it is in German or French respectively.

Obstacles. A Bachelor's is generally closed if you have already completed studies with equivalent content, or if you were definitively excluded from the same or a similar programme at any university.

## Medicine and veterinary medicine {#section-3}

Places are limited and allocated through the EMS aptitude test organised by swissuniversities. Only Swiss or Liechtenstein citizens, or foreign nationals with a corresponding residence status in Switzerland, can take part. Registration with swissuniversities closes on 15 February, UZH applications run from 1 January to 31 March, and the 2026 test took place on 3 July. Applicants who move to Switzerland to study cannot enter these programmes.

## Language requirements and deadlines for proof {#section-4}

German is the main language of all Bachelor's programmes. Master's programmes run in German, English, French, Italian or Spanish; the course catalogue shows the main language. Non-native speakers must prove C1.

| German certificate | UZH condition |
| --- | --- |
| TestDaF | average TDN 4, at least TDN 3 in every part |
| DSH | DSH-2 or DSH-3 |
| telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule; ÖSD C1 (incl. youth version); ÖSD C2 | passed |
| Goethe-Zertifikat C1, Goethe-Zertifikat C2 | passed |
| DSD II | C1 |

UZH's bar is lower than next-door ETH's: UZH accepts DSH-2 and TestDaF with an average of TDN 4, whereas ETH accepts only DSH-3 and TestDaF with TDN 5 in three of four sections. If you apply to both, aim for ETH's stricter thresholds.

| English test (max. 2 years old) | UZH requirement |
| --- | --- |
| IELTS Academic | 7.0 with at least 6.5 in Speaking and Writing; IELTS Online not accepted |
| TOEFL iBT before 21 January 2026 | 100, Speaking ≥ 25, Writing ≥ 26 |
| TOEFL iBT from 21 January 2026 | 5, Speaking and Writing ≥ 5; sent by ETS (code 0348); Home Edition not accepted |
| C1 Advanced | grade B |
| C2 Proficiency | passed |

You are exempt if you completed your last three school years, or your whole Bachelor's, in the language of instruction in a region where it is an official language.

Deadline for the certificate. Visa-requiring applicants must upload it by the end of the visa window (28 February for autumn, 31 July for spring); otherwise the application is not processed and the fee is not refunded. Everyone else may submit it after admission, up to one week before classes start.

## Application deadlines {#section-5}

| Applicant | Autumn semester | Spring semester |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bachelor's and Master's, visa required | 1 January – 28 February | 1–31 July |
| Bachelor's and Master's, no visa required | 1 January – 30 April | 1 July – 30 November |
| Bachelor's in medicine | 1 January – 31 March + swissuniversities registration by 15 February | none |

Deadlines are not extended. Checking a complete application takes up to three months, and a national D visa requires the admission decision three months before entry. Many Bachelor's programmes, such as Business and Economics and Informatics, start only in autumn.

## How to apply {#section-6}

Apply online through the UZH application portal: choose your programme (major and minor where relevant) and check its language; gather your education details and documents, including where you lived when you obtained your entry qualification; create and activate an account; complete the form and upload documents, including the signed declaration of consent and certified translations of anything not in German, English, French or Italian; pay the $180 (CHF 150) fee by Visa, Mastercard, PostFinance or TWINT and submit by midnight on the last day; check your payment status; and upload any missing documents on request. As a rule, only one application per semester is assessed, and the fee is never refunded. Applicants in Russia should read [how to pay for studies abroad from Russia](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-how-to-pay-for-studies-abroad-from-russia).

## Master's admission {#section-7}

Formal requirements. A Bachelor's or equivalent from a state-accredited university, based on at least three years (180 ECTS), that entitles you to a Master's in your country. The diploma can follow admission (by 30 September for autumn).

Academic requirements. Your Bachelor's is compared with the requirements of the specific Master's. Gaps lead to additional requirements or conditions (Bachelor's modules, sometimes only in German); if they exceed 60 ECTS, admission is refused, and failing to meet conditions in time leads to exclusion from the programme and similar ones.

Specialised Master's programmes require pre-registration with the department first and may set minimum grades or ask for a motivation letter — for example Quantitative Finance (joint with ETH), Global Futures, Evolutionary Language Science and the specialised programmes of the Faculty of Science. Some start only in autumn. See also [Master's degrees in Switzerland](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-masters-in-switzerland).

## Tuition fees {#section-8}

UZH charges a surcharge to foreign students who were not legally resident in Switzerland or Liechtenstein when they obtained their university entry qualification.

| Per semester | Bachelor's | Master's | Doctorate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Tuition | $870 (CHF 720) | $870 (CHF 720) | $180 (CHF 150) |
| Surcharge for foreign students | $600 (CHF 500) | $120 (CHF 100) | $120 (CHF 100) |
| Compulsory contributions | $70 (CHF 59) | $70 (CHF 59) | $70 (CHF 59) |
| Total | $1,550 (CHF 1,279) | $1,060 (CHF 879) | $370 (CHF 309) |

Per year that is $3,090 (CHF 2,558) for a Bachelor's and $2,120 (CHF 1,758) for a Master's. Voluntary contributions add up to $30 (CHF 26) a semester. Under the regulations in force since 1 January 2026, the surcharge is waived only for a second degree under the intercantonal agreement or, at Bachelor's level, for holders of a C permit, recognised refugees and provisionally admitted persons — not for students on a B study permit. Withdrawal with a refund of semester fees (minus $60 [CHF 50]) is possible until 15 October or 15 March. For wider comparisons, see [the cost of studying in Switzerland](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-switzerland).

## Cost of living {#section-9}

UZH's minimum monthly budget is $2,660 (CHF 2,200): housing $1,100 (CHF 910), food $545 (CHF 450), personal $325 (CHF 270), study $300 (CHF 250), insurance $240 (CHF 200), transport $115 (CHF 95) and a tax reserve of $30 (CHF 25). That is $31,890 (CHF 26,400) a year, and UZH warns that international students will have additional costs. The canton of Zurich requires proof of $25,370 (CHF 21,000) for 12 months for the permit, which is a floor, not a real budget. Students legally resident in Switzerland pay AHV/IV social insurance contributions, collected by SVA Zürich.

## Housing {#section-10}

UZH does not house regular degree students (rooms for exchange students and studios for doctoral candidates are separate schemes). Use the Housing Office of the University and ETH Zurich, where future students can register before arrival by uploading proof of admission. UZH's guide prices: a room in a shared flat near the university $600–1,210 (CHF 500–1,000) a month, a one-room flat $1,090–1,690 (CHF 900–1,400), a two-room flat $1,930–2,660 (CHF 1,600–2,200). Arrange temporary housing for the first weeks. Landlords often ask for a debt-enforcement register extract (Betreibungsauszug), which newcomers cannot obtain; explain this in your cover letter. The Housing Office also warns about rental fraud.

## Scholarships {#section-11}

UZH's Student Financial Aid Office can only support prospective Master's students who hold a Swiss Bachelor's degree. International Master's applicants therefore need their own or home-country funding. Students in financial difficulty may contact the office, but UZH decides and you should not build your first-year budget on it.

## Visa, permit and work {#section-12}

Non-EU/EFTA nationals who need a visa apply for a national D visa at the Swiss representation for their place of residence; the Zurich migration office decides. The canton checks funds ($25,370 [CHF 21,000] per 12 months confirmed by a Swiss-licensed bank), a study plan, the reasons for choosing Zurich and an assured departure, with extra justification for applicants over 30; it does not approve chains of language courses and conditional studies and caps study stays at eight years as a rule. Health insurance is compulsory for stays over three months, and travel insurance from home is not accepted. From six months after the start of studies you may work up to 15 hours a week in term, with university confirmation and prior approval from the cantonal Office for Economy. Graduates from third countries can obtain a six-month job-search permit. See our [Swiss student visa guide](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-swiss-student-visa).

## UZH, ETH or EPFL? {#section-13}

|  | UZH | ETH Zurich | EPFL |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Fields | law, economics, humanities, social and natural sciences, medicine (not for applicants from abroad) | engineering, natural sciences, architecture | engineering, natural sciences, architecture |
| Bachelor's route with a Russian certificate | + 2 university years + proof of admission | proof of admission + exam in German | exam in French |
| Bachelor's language | German | German | French |
| Fees per semester for students who move to study | $1,550 (CHF 1,279) (Bachelor's), $1,060 (CHF 879) (Master's) | about $2,740 (CHF 2,264) | $2,710 (CHF 2,240) |

## Common mistakes {#section-14}

- Applying straight from a CIS school without two university years and proof of admission.
- Missing the visa window: 28 February for autumn, not 30 April.
- Preparing German only for UZH when ETH is also on your list. DSH-2 and TestDaF with an average of TDN 4 are enough for UZH but not for ETH.
- Using IELTS Online or TOEFL Home Edition for an English-taught Master's.
- Counting on medicine as an applicant from abroad.
- Underestimating Master's conditions: more than 60 ECTS means rejection.

## FAQ {#section-15}

### Can I enter UZH straight after school with a Russian certificate?

No. You need two completed years at an accredited university and proof of admission in the same subject, or a pass in the comprehensive ETH/EPFL entrance exam from the last two years.

### How much does UZH cost for international students?

$1,550 (CHF 1,279) per Bachelor's semester or $1,060 (CHF 879) per Master's semester, including compulsory contributions. Minimum living costs are $2,660 (CHF 2,200) a month.

### Does UZH teach in English?

Bachelor's programmes are mainly in German. Master's programmes are taught in German, English, French, Italian or Spanish; the course catalogue shows the main language of each.

### What is the deadline if I need a visa?

1 January – 28 February for autumn and 1–31 July for spring, including your language certificate.

### Which German certificates does UZH accept?

Goethe-Zertifikat C1 or C2, TestDaF (average 4, no part below 3), DSH-2/3, telc C1 Hochschule, ÖSD C1 or C2, or DSD II.

### Can international students study medicine at UZH?

Not if they come from abroad to study. The EMS test is open only to Swiss and Liechtenstein citizens and foreign nationals with a corresponding residence status.

### Does UZH provide housing?

Not for regular degree students. Use the Housing Office of the University and ETH Zurich; a room in a shared flat costs $600–1,210 (CHF 500–1,000) a month.

### How can StudyU help?

Under a service agreement we help you choose the route (two years at home, an ETH/EPFL exam or a Master's), prepare your documents and meet the visa window. UZH decides on admission and Swiss authorities on visas and permits.

## Sources {#section-16}

- [swissuniversities country table](https://www.swissuniversities.ch/en/topics/studying/admission-to-universities/countries)
- [UZH: Bachelor's admission](https://www.uzh.ch/en/studies/application/bachelor.html), [medicine](https://www.uzh.ch/en/studies/application/medicine.html), [medicine Bachelor's (German)](https://www.uzh.ch/de/studies/application/medicine/bachelor.html)
- [UZH: Master's admission](https://www.uzh.ch/en/studies/application/master.html), [Master's programmes](https://www.uzh.ch/en/studies/programs/master.html)
- [UZH: language requirements](https://www.uzh.ch/en/studies/application/languagerequirements.html)
- [UZH: application deadlines](https://www.uzh.ch/en/studies/application/deadlines.html), [online application](https://www.uzh.ch/en/studies/application/apply.html)
- [UZH: fees](https://www.uzh.ch/en/studies/application/fees.html), [legal basis and surcharge regulations](https://www.uzh.ch/en/studies/application/legalbasis.html)
- [UZH: study and living expenses](https://www.uzh.ch/en/studies/studentlife/finances.html), [accommodation for internationals](https://www.internationals.uzh.ch/en/living-in-zurich/accommodations.html)
- [UZH: profile](https://www.uzh.ch/en/explore/portrait.html), [history](https://www.uzh.ch/en/explore/portrait/history.html), [faculties](https://www.uzh.ch/en/explore/faculties.html)
- [Canton of Zurich: study stays for third-country nationals](https://www.zh.ch/de/migration-integration/aufenthalt/aufenthalt-ohne-erwerbstaetigkeit-fuer-drittstaatsangehoerige.html)
- [SEM: D visa](https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home/themen/einreise/faq.html), [work during and after studies](https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home/themen/arbeit/faq.html)
- [ECB euro reference rates, 24 September 2026](https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/policy_and_exchange_rates/euro_reference_exchange_rates/html/index.en.html)

Dollar amounts use the ECB reference rates of 24 September 2026 (CHF 1 = $1.2081), rounded to $10.

Planning the shortest realistic route to UZH for your situation is provided under an agreement with StudyU; to start, [send us a request](https://www.studyu.org/en/apply).

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.

## Next steps

- [Universities in Switzerland: Types, Fees and Admission Routes for International Students](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-universities-in-switzerland)
- [ETH Zurich: Admission, Fees and Requirements for International Students](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-eth-zurich)
- [EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne): Admission, Entrance Exam and Fees](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-epfl)
- [Applying to Swiss Universities: Routes, Documents and Deadlines for International Students](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-applying-to-swiss-universities)
- [Studying in Switzerland for international applicants](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-switzerland)
- [German Language Tests for German Universities: TestDaF, DSH, Goethe and telc Compared (2026–2027)](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-german-language-tests-testdaf-dsh-goethe)

Updated: September 2026