The University of Zurich (UZH), founded in 1833, is the largest university in Switzerland. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it was 98th in the world and the third-highest-ranked university in Switzerland, after ETH Zurich and EPFL. It’s known for medicine, economics, law, neuroscience and the natural sciences, and it shares several research centres and degree programmes with its neighbour, ETH Zurich.
UZH’s bachelor’s degrees are taught in German, and the deadlines depend on whether you need a visa, so international students need to plan early. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on UZH’s own guidance and official Swiss government information.
1. Choose a bachelor’s programme taught in German
The main language of instruction in all UZH bachelor’s programmes is German, although some modules may be taught in English or other languages. Many master’s programmes are taught partly or fully in English. As a rule, UZH assesses only one application per person per semester, so decide on one bachelor’s programme before you apply.
2. Prove your German at C1 level
If German isn’t your first language, you must prove that your German is at least at level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Plan time to reach this level and take a recognised exam before you apply. UZH: admission to a bachelor’s program.
3. Check the requirements for your certificate
Whether your school-leaving certificate gives you admission to a Swiss university depends on the country and type of certificate. UZH uses the country-specific admission requirements published by swissuniversities, so check them first, and note that some certificates need extra exams or university study before they’re accepted.
4. Apply earlier if you need a visa
For the autumn semester, the usual application window is 1 January to 30 April. If you need a visa, you must apply between 1 January and 28 February, because UZH needs to give you its decision three months before you arrive. For autumn 2027, that means applying by 28 February 2027. These deadlines can’t be extended. UZH application deadlines.
5. Check whether you can start in spring
If you don’t need a visa, you can apply for some programmes to start in the spring semester, with a deadline of 30 November. But it’s not possible to start Business and Economics or Informatics in spring, and many other programmes only allow a limited spring start, so check your programme’s regulations first. Every bachelor’s programme can be started in the autumn.
6. Apply through the UZH portal and give it time
You apply through the UZH application portal and pay a non-refundable CHF 150 application fee if you have foreign qualifications. Once your application is complete, it can take up to three months for UZH to check that you meet the requirements, which is another reason to apply early.
7. Understand the fees
UZH’s tuition fee is CHF 720 per semester, and international bachelor’s students with foreign qualifications pay a surcharge of CHF 500 per semester. With compulsory contributions of CHF 59, that comes to about CHF 1,279 per semester, which is still low by international standards. UZH fees and contributions.
8. Budget for life in Zurich
Zurich is one of the most expensive cities in Europe, so your living costs will be much higher than your tuition. ETH Zurich, in the same city, estimates living costs of about CHF 22,100 a year, including rent of about CHF 11,300. Scholarships for international bachelor’s students are limited, and student rooms are in high demand, so plan your funding and start looking for housing as soon as you’re admitted.
Thinking about medicine?
Places in medicine and veterinary medicine at UZH are restricted and allocated through an aptitude test organised by swissuniversities. You have to register with swissuniversities by 15 February and apply to UZH by 31 March for the autumn semester, and you can’t start medicine in spring.
9. Apply for your visa and residence permit early
If you’re from the EU/EFTA, you don’t need a visa: you register with the commune where you live within 14 days of arriving and receive a residence permit for study. If you’re from outside the EU/EFTA, you’ll usually need a national (D) visa for a stay of more than 90 days, which you apply for at the Swiss embassy or consulate in your home country once UZH has admitted you. You’ll need your admission letter and proof that you can pay your tuition and living costs, and processing can take several weeks, so apply as soon as you’re admitted. Health insurance is compulsory for everyone living in Switzerland, so arrange it when you arrive. SEM: entry and visas.
10. Plan for work during and after your studies
If you’re from outside the EU/EFTA, you can work up to 15 hours a week during term, but not until six months after your course starts. Your employer has to apply for permission from the cantonal authorities, and UZH must confirm that the job won’t delay your studies. After you graduate from a Swiss university, you have six months to look for a job that matches your qualifications, and you can be admitted to work if your job is of overriding scientific or economic interest. SEM: working in Switzerland FAQ.
Applying for a master’s or PhD at UZH?
Many UZH master’s programmes are taught in English, especially in science and economics. The application window and visa deadline are the same as for bachelor’s programmes, but some specialised master’s programmes, such as Quantitative Finance (run jointly with ETH), require you to pre-register with the department first. For a PhD, you usually need to find a supervisor or apply to a doctoral programme. See our 50 sample SOPs and free GRE practice tests.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
Apply to more than one university to give yourself options. Read our guides to ETH Zurich, EPFL, the University of Basel and the University of Geneva. Our guide to studying in Switzerland explains how the Swiss system works, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from the University of Zurich’s official admissions and fee pages, the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) and the QS World University Rankings 2027, and checked in October 2026. Admissions rules, deadlines, fees and immigration rules can change, so always confirm the details on UZH’s admissions website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with the University of Zurich.