Sure JobsIf you want to study in Switzerland as an international student, it is always good to know everything about the country . When you want to study in Switzerland, especially if you are a foreign student, you should look at the nature of their universities, the standard, the courses they offer and other related ratings. Apart from knowing the status of Swiss institutions, you should also consider the living cost, especially if you want to study in Switzerland on self-sponsorship. In addition, you shouldn’t limit yourself to researching the Swiss universities alone; you should also look out for post-graduation opportunities for postgraduate students in the country.
Most of the Swiss universities are among the first 500 universities in the world. This means that the country values education; hence, they make huge budgetary allocations to the educational sector annually. Switzerland has general and specialized universities. This simply means that their educational system accommodates all international students, irrespective of their course of interest.
The cost of living in Switzerland is relatively higher when compared to other European countries but the good news is that the tuition fees in Swiss universities are the cheapest in Europe (between 400 and 3,700 EUR per academic year). In addition to that, the Swiss government and institutions also have scholarship opportunities for postgraduate students from foreign countries to enable them to study in Switzerland by just paying little or no fees.
Top Universities in Switzerland for International Students
As we noted in the introduction, most of the Swiss universities are among the top 500 universities in the world. Some of these universities are specialised institutions, while others are conventional universities that offer almost all the courses. As an international student who wants to study in Switzerland, you don’t have to bother yourself with whether your course of study is available in the Swiss university or not because most of their institutions offer a wide range of courses that are internationally acceptable. Some of the Swiss universities that you should consider as foreigners who want to study in Switzerland are:
- EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne
- ETH Zürich, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
- Università della Svizzera italiana
- University of Basel
- University of Bern
- University of Fribourg
- University of Geneva
- University of Lausanne
- University of Lucerne
- University of Neuchâtel
- University of St.Gallen (HSG)
- University of Zurich
- Bern University of Applied Sciences
- FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland
- HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland
- Kalaidos University of Applied Sciences
- Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
- OST Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences
- University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI)
- UZurich University of the Arts
- University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons
- Zurich University of Applied Sciences
- Bern University of Teacher Education
- Department of Education and Learning SUPSI
- FHNW School of Education
- Schwyz University of Teacher Education
- St.Gallen University of Teacher Education
- Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training (SFUVET)
- Teacher Training University Schaffhausen
- Thurgau University of Teacher Education
- University of Applied Sciences in Special Needs Education
- University of Fribourg, Institute of Teacher Education
- University of Geneva, Institute of Teacher Education
- University of Teacher Education Berne, Jura, Neuchâtel
- University of Teacher Education Fribourg
- University of Teacher Education in the Canton of Valais
- University of Teacher Education, Lucerne
- Bern University of Teacher Education, NMS
- University of Teacher Education of Grisons
- University of Teacher Education Zug
- University of Teacher Education, State of Vaud.
- Zurich University of Teacher Education
However, some of these universities offer only specialised courses, while others offer different courses. Hence, it is best for you to research the Swiss university that you want to study at so that you know if your course of study is a perfect fit or not. If you find out that a particular university in Switzerland is not offering your course, then you should search for another institution that is offering your course.
Living costs in Switzerland
Now that you know the available universities in Switzerland, let’s look at the living costs in that country. The truth of the matter is that the cost of living in Switzerland is high, and can you guess the cause? Well, the reason is not far-fetched; it is caused by the high standard of living in that country because it is one of the most expensive European countries to live in. To live an average life in Switzerland as an international student, you will budget at least 1,800 EUR monthly. If you budget anything less than this amount, you may need to compromise your living standard, which may be tough for you.
However, it is also important to note that it is more expensive to live in some Swiss cities than others. For instance, if you live in cities like Geneva, your living cost may be higher than another foreign student living in Bern. The estimated monthly living costs for some cities in Switzerland are:
- Bern: ranges from 1,600 to 1,800 EUR monthly
- Basel; between 1,400 Â and 2,000 EUR/month
- Zurich; ranges from 1,650 to 2,200 EUR monthly
- Geneva; between 1,650 and 2,500 EUR/month
This estimated living costs in these Swiss cities covers accommodation, feeding, transportation, bills, leisure activities, etc.
Accommodation Cost for International Students in Switzerland
The monthly cost of accommodation in different Swiss cities is between 600 and 700 EUR monthly. Sometimes, it may even be higher than this amount. From this estimated cost, we can see that accommodation cost alone is more than double of the internationally recognised average accommodation cost per month, which is 300 EUR/month.
As a foreign student, you have two housing choices that you can make: student halls of residence or renting/sharing of an apartment. If you want to stay in student halls of residence, accommodation costs range from 450 to 800 EUR per month, and the challenge is that it is even limited. Meanwhile, if you want to rent or share an apartment with another person, you will need to budget between 700 and 1,200 EUR per month.
Cost of Food for Foreign Students in Switzerland
Another factor that adds to the high cost of living in Switzerland is the cost of food. Although the cost of food is not fixed, you will need to budget between 400 and 550 EUR monthly for food.
Pro tips on how to reduce food costs in Swiss cities as an international student: you should cook your food yourself and only eat outside when necessary, and if you must eat out, look for cost-effective Swiss restaurants where you can eat meals at a cheaper price. In fact, you should consider eating at the university dining hall. Meanwhile, if you want to shop perishable food items, you should shop in the evening around 6 pm, when many stores offer up to 50% discounts on their perishable items.
Transportation costs for International Students in Switzerland
The average monthly cost of transportation in Swiss cities is between 55 and 60 EUR. However, you can reduce your transportation cost as a foreign student by trekking short distances, using bicycles, or using public transport. Amazingly, foreign students who reside in popular cities like Zurich, Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne and Neuchâtel can use public transportation ticket because it is valid in those cities and can be used to enter buses, trains, ships, tramways, etc.
In addition to accommodation, transportation and food costs in Swiss cities, you may also be required to pay monthly health insurance fees, which range from 250 to 330 EUR, but you may be exempt if you meet certain criteria. However, even if you are exempted from paying monthly insurance fees, you must pay for our monthly books and supplies, which cost 100 EUR per month. It has not finished; you will also pay between 6 and 7 EUR for student ID cards and museum tickets.
In summary, while living costs in Swiss cities are very expensive, you can adapt cost-effective measures as a student to enable you to adapt and live Swiss while studying your books. In fact, if you adopt a financial saving habit, you can still live and enjoy yourself in any Swiss city because their standard of living there is top-notch.
Post-Graduation Opportunities in Switzerland
After study completion in Switzerland, international students can access a whole lot of opportunities ranging from jobs to become financially independent to scholarship opportunities further education to PhD and doctoral level, to research grants to take your academic research to another level, etc.
For jobs, you can choose to work in different public and private sectors in Switzerland, like in finance, hospitality, engineering, healthcare, etc., depending on your area of specialisation.
If you need scholarship to advance your studies to PhD and doctoral level, you can apply for any of these Swiss scholarship opportunities: ACES scholarships, Erasmus+ Grants For Study Mobility, Graduate Institute Geneva scholarships, ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarships, University Of St. Gallen Scholarships, IMD MBA Scholarships, EPFL Excellence fellowships, Excellence Scholarships, etc.
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