After a lot of back and forth, the board of ETH Zurich and EPFL in Lausanne has approved a threefold increase in the tuition fees charged to students from abroad. Here’s what current and prospective students need to know.
At a meeting on July 11, the ETH Board voted in favour of tripling the tuition fees charged to international students at both ETH Zurich and its sister institution, EPFL. In a statement, the government wrote that while both Swiss universities vehemently rejected the idea of increasing fees back in May, they are now “taking into account the clearly expressed will of the Federal Parliament”, which voted to increase the fees earlier in 2024.
The move follows the government's decision to cut funding for both federal universities by 100 million francs a year from 2025, alongside a one-off cut of 100 million francs for the same year. Lawmakers argued that instead of cutting programmes or limiting student numbers, both should maintain their funding by tapping into the number of international students at both ETH and EPFL - today, 60 percent of EPFL students are not Swiss citizens.
They argued that internationals at ETH in Zurich - which was recently rated as one of the 10 best universities in the world and the best in Europe - benefit from a world-class education while paying a fraction of what they would in the UK and US. Back in May, 20 Minuten calculated that if ETH charged the same international student fees as Oxford, the university would see its income rise by 230 million francs a year.
With the change now approved, here’s what ETH Zurich and EPFL students, both current and prospective, should expect.
Currently, tuition fees at ETH Zurich and EPFL are 730 francs per semester for both domestic and international students, alongside 94 francs of compulsory and voluntary fees. Under the new plans, international students will pay 2.190 francs per semester, or 4.380 francs a year. This will apply to all bachelor's and master's programmes offered at the two universities.
The new charge will apply to students who obtained their secondary qualifications outside of Switzerland. This means that non-Swiss students with a qualification from the local school system and graduates of international schools in Switzerland will still be subject to domestic fees.
The tripled tuition fees at ETH Zurich and EPFL will apply from the autumn semester of 2025. All those who began their studies before the start of the autumn semester next year will still be subject to the lower fees.
As part of the meeting, the ETH Board also proposed that all tuition fees for both domestic and international students be linked to the consumer price index. They argued the move would mean “that the income from tuition fees is no longer devalued by inflation.” However, this proposal is still in the planning stage.
While ETH and EPFL have submitted to the will of parliament by increasing tuition fees, they added that they will have a consultation period with students before making “a final decision on December 4 / 5." Considering the backlash from students that emerged after the policy was announced back in May, the story may still have a sting in the tail.
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