Study in Switzerland: the ultimate guide for an Online Programme in 2024

Study in Switzerland

If you are a student who loves chocolate, high-end things, and gorgeous landscapes, Switzerland was tailor-made for you.

A great plus is the kind population, the great shops and economy, and the international atmosphere, where students and people from all over the world come in search of great education and living conditions.

We cannot stress enough how great your decision of studying in Switzerland is, but we can elaborate on some details and break some of the stereotypes of yodelling and shady banks where mobsters keep their money.

Why Study in Switzerland?

1. Tuition fees are affordable

Given the fact that Switzerland has one of the most advanced free market economies, it's quite surprising that tuition fees are relatively affordable. Both EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA students usually pay between 400 and 3,700 EUR per academic year.

Not spending a lot on your education is a great advantage because living costs in Switzerland are well above the European average.

2. Swiss universities are among the world's best

Institutions like Times Higher Education, TopUniversities, and US News release their global university rankings every year. And every year Swiss universities earn their places among the best educational institutions out there.

Swiss universities stand out by providing some of the best study programmes in Business, Tourism and Hospitality, Culinary Arts, and Engineering.

3. Explore multilingualism and cultural diversity

If you dream of becoming a polyglot one day and knowing a little bit about as many cultures as possible, Switzerland can help you fulfil this dream.

There are 4 official languages — German, French, Italian, and Romansh — and the Swiss society and people are very welcoming towards internationals from all over the world.

4. High salaries and low unemployment rates

High livings standards go hand in hand with high salaries — and this is so true in Switzerland. The country has a healthy economy, a stable society, and one of the best healthcare systems out there. Unemployment rates are also very low.

All in all, Switzerland is a great place to settle, especially after your graduation. You'll already be familiar with the language(s), lifestyle, and locals, which will make it so much easier to find your place and build a life you're proud of.

5. Travel and enjoy nature's beauty

Living in Switzerland isn't only about hard study, work, and a lot of money. It's also about travel, nature, and enjoying yourself. And there are certainly enough places where you can do that.

These are only a few of the popular destinations that attract tourists from all over the world, although, we must confess, the iconic mountains and peaks have already won our hearts: the Matterhorn, Interlaken, Lucerne, Lake Geneva, Chillon Castle, Lake Lugano and Ticino, the Rhine Falls, the Swiss National Park, etc.

Which universities to attend in Switzerland?

Switzerland has some amazing universities, with its education system being ranked very high, and international students flocking to its programmes like it’s the promised land.

In case you don’t know where to start, you could always check out these universities we recommend wholeheartedly:

What is it like to study in Switzerland?

You will feel like home in Switzerland. Seeing as I’m not sure what your country of origin is, that’s a great assumption on my part, but I’m backed up by the international environment.

Students who share their studying abroad experience always applaud the people and the diverse market of nationalities the universities accommodate.

Also, the distances between the university, campus, library, and so forth, can be really small, considering the country and cities are tiny, but the spaces are beautiful and fit for students.

Another point in favour of Switzerland is that the universities here focus more on papers and thesis, the grade being awarded after considering your whole learning process, not just what courses you crammed in the night before.

What to study in Switzerland?

Switzerland is famous for the neutral, yet special position it holds in the EU. Seeing as they produce the best bankers and the best lawyers, it comes as no surprise that the best and most sought-after degrees in Switzerland are in fields such as:

Where to study in Switzerland?

Switzerland doesn’t have a de jure capital, meaning that no city is recognised as the capital. However, the de facto city recognised as the governmental seat is Bern.

And, because Switzerland won’t make things easier for us, the largest city in the country is Zurich.

There’s not just only one good location. You can take your pick from the list below:

How to apply

Switzerland, unlike other countries, doesn’t have a special website or application centre that can manage your documents and apply on your behalf.

As it stands, you simply have to check the website of the programme you chose and:

Complete the online application
Pay the application fee
Upload all the necessary documents before the deadline expires

Because each degree and university has its own requirements, you have to pay attention and check the list of documents carefully.

Usually, the documents required are:

A printed and signed copy of your application form
Two passport photos
A copy of your ID
Official academic transcripts, from each university you attended
High school diploma or your Bachelor’s degree
Language proficiency certificates for German, French, or English
CV
Evidence you paid the application fee
Personal essay or motivation letter

You can also make sure you’re accepted to a university if you:

Show how you performed as a student, and be sure to know what your Grade Point Average (GPA) was during your studies.
Can increase your chances of going to Switzerland by being sure to apply to more than one university!

Helpful ways to make sure you qualify for a Swiss university

Take Preparation Courses

These kinds of courses enable degree-seeking students to get an extra educational boost just before they start their Master’s degree or other post-graduate degree programmes.

Try a pre-M.B.A., pre-Law, or pre-Medicine programme, as well as any other foundation or preparation courses that will allow you to study in the degree programme of your choice.

Improve your English through an English-language prep course

If you’re attending a degree programme in Switzerland, you will need to prove that your language skills are good enough to participate in the classes and understand the lectures. These courses will also prepare you for any of the English-language tests that universities require.

English-language tests

Switzerland has three official languages: German, French, and Italian.

The language in which your degree will be taught depends on where you wish to apply to. In addition, most universities also offer a wide range of programmes taught in English.

The certificates of proficiency you will need to provide, depending on the language you wish to study, are:

For German: DSH, TestDaF, OSD, telc, and others
For French: DELF or DALF
For English: IELTS, TOEFL, PTE Academic

If you don’t hold a language certificate, you can take a language test at the university and they can decide if your level is sufficient for you to complete your studies.

This option is not available in all universities, so always check with the institution!

Living in Switzerland

Let's take a closer look at tuition and living expenses in Switzerland:

Tuition fees in Switzerland

In Switzerland, both EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA students pay the same tuition fees at most public universities (with a few exceptions listed further below). For Bachelor's and Master's degrees, students pay between 400–3,700 EUR per year.

Private universities are much more expensive. Their tuition can go over 40,000 EUR per academic year. But not all study programmes cost that much; it depends on the discipline and the university.

Students who come to Switzerland on an exchange programme don’t pay any tuition fee. At universities from Fribourg, Lucerne, Neuchatel, St. Gallen, Zurich, and Lugano, you can encounter 2 different situations:

only non-EU/EEA students pay higher tuition
both EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA students pay higher tuition compared to local (Swiss) students

Accommodation, food and other expenses

Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in Europe, but every penny is worth it, thanks to the high standard of living and the high average salaries. To live there as a student you need to budget around 1,300–1,700 EUR per month.

Here's a breakdown of the average living costs in Switzerland:

Rent: 400–800 EUR per month
Utilities: 220–250 EUR per month
Monthly transport pass: 74 EUR
1 litre of milk: 1.45 EUR
Loaf of bread: 2.60 EUR
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant: 23 EUR

About Switzerland

Facts about Switzerland

Switzerland, also known as Confoederatio Helvetica (CH) in Latin, is famous for its neutral position throughout history. In the immortal words of Frank Liebkind, from “The Producers”: “I had nothing to do with the war! I didn't even know there was a war on! We lived at the back, near Switzerland. All we heard was yodelling.” The history behind that joke is the almost 500 years of independence of the Swiss; aside from Napoleon’s occupation, at the beginning of the 19th century, Switzerland was independent since 1499.

That’s one of the reasons why the Vatican is protected by the Swiss Guards, these men being the only ones allowed to serve foreign armies. That can be a very good thing, too, seeing how the Swiss are rather bad at the whole “military” thing: let’s not forget that, in 2007, Switzerland accidentally invaded Lichtenstein. Makes the time you forgot the milk on the stove feel rather small, when put into perspective.

Now, getting back to praising Switzerland.

Everybody can tell you that it’s really famous for its chocolate, cheese, banking system, watches, alpine areas, and, let’s not forget, that the flag is, also, a huge plus. Heh!

Also, Switzerland is the quintessence of a perfect destination for students. For instance:

The first convenience food was invented here, by Julius Maggi and Carl Knorr, in 1886. By convenience food, we mean the famous “just add water” cup of soup. So you could say the Swiss invented the broke student’s menu;
The APPP was founded here, APPP standing for the Anti-PowerPoint Party. It is exactly what you imagine: a bunch of politicians working to decrease the number of PowerPoints used in professional presentations, claiming that “Microsoft PowerPoint and its other software products are economically harmful”. Also, their motto? “Finally do something!”
Finally, the Swiss government mandated a program to provide every Swiss citizen a bomb shelter, making it one of the safest and readily equipped countries in the world.

Before we go, you should also know that Switzerland has a law that makes owning only one guinea pig illegal, so they wouldn’t get lonely. If this fact doesn’t make you happy, nothing will.

Universities, colleges and schools in Switzerland

Baar

Swiss Management Center (2 Distance Learning courses)

Kloten

SBS Swiss Business School (4 Distance Learning courses)

La Tour-de-Peilz

American Institute of Applied Sciences in Switzerland (15 Distance Learning courses)

Lausanne

EHL Hospitality Business School (22 Distance Learning courses)
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (5 Distance Learning courses)
Business School Lausanne (1 Distance Learning course)
IMD Business School (1 Distance Learning course)
University of Lausanne (4 Distance Learning courses)
AISTS (International Academy of Sport Science and Technology) (5 Distance Learning courses)

Lugano

Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) (1 Distance Learning course)

Luzern

University of Lucerne (1 Distance Learning course)
Lucerne School of Business (LSoB) (1 Distance Learning course)
Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (2 Distance Learning courses)

Montreux

Swiss School of Higher Education (10 Distance Learning courses)

Pfäffikon

Distance University (4 Distance Learning courses)

Sankt Gallen

University of St. Gallen (HSG) (1 Distance Learning course)

Sarnen

HTMi, Hotel and Tourism Management Institute Switzerland (12 Distance Learning courses)

Sion

Les Roches (2 Distance Learning courses)

Zürich

ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences (9 Distance Learning courses)
ETH Zurich - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (14 Distance Learning courses)
UZH International Summer Schools (3 Distance Learning courses)
University of Salford (17 Distance Learning courses)
SBS Swiss Business School (4 Distance Learning courses)
Constructor Academy (3 Distance Learning courses)
Alfred Nobel Open Business School Switzerland (1 Distance Learning course)
Robert Kennedy College (48 Distance Learning courses)

Zürich (Kreis 1)

United International Business Schools (38 Distance Learning courses)

Zürich (Kreis 11) / Seebach

Zurich Elite Business School (ZEBS) (13 Distance Learning courses)

Zürich (Kreis 12)

Swiss School of Business Research (4 Distance Learning courses)

How to Apply to a Master's in Switzerland

If you've decided to study a Master's degree at a university in Switzerland, you will have to gather the right documents to prove that you fit the university requirements. Provide complete personal information, previous qualifications, financial information, and a personal statement.

What documents do I need to provide to apply in Switzerland?

You'll be asked to present supporting documents including:

signed application form;
two passport-size photos;
copy of your identity document;
academic transcript(s) from each university you attended;
high school or Bachelor's diploma;
language proficiency certificates (German/French/English);
resume;
receipt of the application fee;
motivation letter.

If a document/statement is not written in English/French/ German a translation may be required, from a recognised translator – confirmed by an official stamp. In some cases, universities may ask for additional documents after you have submitted your application. To avoid delays or missed deadlines send your evidence with plenty of time in advance.

Prove your language skills

To show that you have the right English skills, you'll have to also present an IELTS or TOEFL language certificate. If you don't meet the minimum language scores you will have to improve them by taking an English preparation course.

If you want to study in French or German, you’ll need one of the following certificates:

German: DSH, TestDaF, OSD, Telc and others
French: DELF or DALF

Application deadlines for Switzerland

The deadlines for applying to a Master's in Switzerland are usually during autumn (November), or in spring (April). Many universities have rolling applications, which means you can apply whenever you are ready.

Study a master programme from the comfort of your own home. The Studyportals platform offers the largest overview of online and blended study opportunities from all over the world. You now have the possibility to follow your dream study programme at one of the best universities in the world without having to relocate.

Distance education is the perfect solution for professionals looking to further their career. It offers the possibility for additional qualification while keeping the current job. With flexible schedule and resources available online, distance study programmes can be the key to your career development and a job promotion.

Online study is also a money saver, as the student does not have to spend money on moving or on a possibly expensive day to day life in a new country. So if you are in search for the best education, but do not want to relocate, give up your current life style or disrupt the comfort of your family, distance learning is the solution for you.

Looking at a growing demand for these study opportunities, combined with a lack of transparency in this quickly growing and exciting study mode, we decided to open up our portals and to also offer you information about these education options offered globally.

Please note, that for the time being this section does not yet include any on campus programmes offered in these parts of the world.

Learn below about the different countries and choose your online study from a growing selection of online studies offered by accredited institutions.

Distance Learning

Distance learning is a mode of study that allows the student to study most or all of a course without attending at a campus-based institution. The distance can refer to both material and interaction. Distance learning provides access to learning when the source of information and the learners are separated by time and distance, or both.

The programmes often include a computer-based training system and tools to produce a virtual classroom. The tuition fees for distance learning vary from institution to programme to country. It is certain that the student saves expenses related to accommodation and transportation, because you can maintain the current living expenses. Distance learning is also a great solution for people that already have a job, and still want or need further education.