Non-Swiss students applying for a place at the Federal Institutes of Technology ETH Zurich and EPFL will soon see their tuition fees triple, votes in parliament have confirmed. It follows a new round of funding cuts imposed by the Swiss government, with the possibility of even higher fees already on the horizon.
At votes in both the National Council and Council of States this week, lawmakers approved the plan to triple the tuition fees for international students at ETH in Zurich and EPF in Lausanne. With both Swiss universities having signalled their support in July, the increase will move forward.
From the autumn semester of 2025, tuition fees for international students at EPFL and ETH will increase from 730 to at least 2.190 francs a semester. The change will apply to all new students applying for bachelor's and master's programmes offered by both institutions - current students will not be subject to the higher fees.
The higher costs will apply to those who come to Switzerland on a permit or visa to study. This means that expats who qualified through the local school system or obtained qualifications through an international school in Switzerland will still be subject to domestic fees of 730 francs per semester. Those already resident in Switzerland before they apply will also benefit from lower fees.
The change is the result of a move from the federal government to balance the books by cutting ETH and EPFL funding by 100 million francs a year from 2025, alongside a one-off saving of 100 million francs. Supporters of the change argued that rather than reduce programmes or limit student numbers, ETH and EPFL should tap into the number of international students at both universities - today, 35 percent of ETH students and 60 percent of EPFL attendees are not Swiss citizens.
Speaking to 20 Minuten, Centre Party National Councillor Andrea Gmür-Schönenberger noted that fees will “remain low by international comparison,” especially considering that ETH is regularly ranked as one of the best universities in the world. Indeed, the new 4.000-franc annual fees pale in comparison to what internationals are charged at Oxford (42.000 francs a year) and Stanford (60.000 francs).
By contrast, opponents of the higher fees argued that they would restrict places for Swiss citizens. Social Democratic National Councillor Pierre-Yves Maillard argued that imposing higher fees on internationals “will encourage the EPF to recruit foreign students because this will be the way to solve their budgetary problems." “In the end, we will no longer have room for young people who were born here and who were trained here."
The Federal Council remains the only federal body to oppose the plan, on the grounds that it would impact Switzerland’s reputation as a hub for international research. "The Federal Council is convinced that ETH can maintain their excellence with the financial resources provided by defining strategic priorities and using their financial reserves in a targeted manner," argued Economics Minister Guy Parmelin (SVP).
While the Federal Council may oppose the current proposal, further increases to tuition fees are part of the executive’s latest austerity plan to balance the books. Their new plan would see domestic fees at ETH and EPFL doubled and international fees quadrupled from 2026.