What tuition fee per semester should I expect at Swiss public universities as an international student?
02 Nov 2026 · Answered by Saru Sharma · 2 min read
Quick Answer
verified
Swiss public university fees are charged per semester, with two semesters a year. They typically range from around CHF 500 at Geneva to CHF 5,000 at USI for new students from 2027-28. Rules vary by university and level, so check each official fee page.
Swiss public universities are government funded, which keeps fees low, but the cost for international students has gone up lately. Fees are charged per semester, with two semesters in a year.
Fee per Semester by University
| University | Fee per semester |
|---|---|
| University of Geneva | CHF 500 (approx INR 57,410) |
| University of Lausanne | CHF 580 (approx INR 66,596) |
| University of Basel | CHF 850 (approx INR 97,597) |
| University of Zurich | CHF 820 (approx INR 94,152) for Master's, CHF 1,220 (approx INR 1.40 L) for Bachelor's |
| ETH Zurich and EPFL | CHF 2,190 (approx INR 2.51 L) |
| University of Bern | CHF 2,550 (approx INR 2.93 L) from Autumn 2026 |
| University of St. Gallen | CHF 3,343.50 (approx INR 3.84 L) for Bachelor's, CHF 3,557.50 (approx INR 4.08 L) for Master's |
| USI (Universita della Svizzera italiana) | CHF 5,000 (approx INR 5.74 L) for new students from 2027-28 |
Special Cases and Private Schools
- ETH Zurich and EPFL tripled fees for new foreign students, and Bern and St. Gallen followed in 2026.
- Having completed school in Switzerland may let you pay the lower Swiss fee even as a foreign national.
- Private schools, mostly hospitality or business schools, cost much more, with fees running into lakhs every year.
- EHL Hospitality Business School lists CHF 59,660 (approx INR 68.50 L) in compulsory fees for Year 1 of the Bachelor's.
- Glion Institute of Higher Education costs about CHF 70,000 (approx INR 80.37 L) a year for its Bachelor's in International Hospitality Business.
- Medicine is the odd one out, since foreign nationals usually need a Swiss residence permit to get a seat.
My Advice
Your field shapes the cost as much as the university does, so compare programme level fees as well. Fees keep changing, so check the official page of each university for the latest amounts.
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