Switzerland’s prestigious federal institutes of technology in Zurich and Lausanne are reportedly examining whether to impose restrictions on foreign student admissions.
This content was published on
2 minutes
NZZ am Sonntag/sb
Español
es
Las universidades suizas estudian restringir la entrada de estudiantes extranjeros
The ETH Board – the governing body of ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne – is considering restricting access, the NZZ am SonntagreportedExternal link on Sunday.
“The ETH Board will have to discuss the admission requirements for foreign students,” the Gian-Andri Casutt, head of communications for the ETH Board, told the paper.
As well as the possible introduction of a numerus clausus – a limit on the number of admissions by foreign students – they could also require foreign students to achieve a certain average grade to enroll at ETH Zurich or EPFL. An increase in tuition fees for foreigners is also possible, NZZ said.
The number of students in Switzerland has been increasing steadily for years. In 2022, ETH Zurich and the EPFL in Lausanne had a total of 37,000 students – half from abroad. The proportion of foreigners among doctoral students is particularly high (80%). For the first time, foreigners were also in the majority among master’s students last year, NZZ said.
At the same time, the federal universities are under pressure to cut costs. Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter recently announced budget cuts of 2% in various sectors, such as agriculture, culture and education. This particularly affects the federal institutes, NZZ said.
“If we want to maintain the quality of teaching with increasing student numbers and a smaller budget, we have to take action,” said Casutt.
The joint secretary general of the Association of Swiss Student Unions (VSS), Luzian Franzini, said students would resist any restrictions. “The ETH must remain accessible to everyone,” he declared.
The ETH Board is expected to discuss admission requirements at a meeting on March 8-9. However, it may be a while before a decision is made. The body intends to involve various groups in the discussion.
According to Swissuniversities, the umbrella group for Swiss universities, the idea of imposing a numerus clausus on students from abroad is currently “not an issue”.
Popular Stories
More
Life & Aging
Zurich: how the world capital of housing shortages is tackling the problem
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
In Switzerland more people are being referred to electrical therapies or psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Are there similar approaches where you live?
Ex-sect member sentenced in Zurich for sexual abuse
This content was published on
Zurich District Court has sentenced a former member of the globally active sect "Children of God" to a partial prison sentence.
SNB chairman does not rule out slowdown in Swiss growth
This content was published on
Martin Schlegel, chairman of the Swiss National Bank (SNB), does not rule out a weakening of the Swiss economy in light of the tariff dispute.
Swiss NGOs abroad to receive 10% less federal funding
This content was published on
In 2025 and 2026, Swiss NGOs will have 10% less federal funding available for international cooperation than in the previous two-year period.
Swiss parties spent less than CHF1 million on February green vote
This content was published on
Swiss political parties spent CHF 700,000 ($840,000) on campaigns in the run-up to the overwhelmingly defeated vote on February 9, according to the Swiss Federal Audit Office.
This content was published on
Swisswool, the largest Swiss wool processor, is not accepting any wool for the first time this spring. For many sheep farmers, the only option is to get rid of the wool.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Switzerland still popular with overseas students despite Covid
This content was published on
International students are still coming to Switzerland – a popular destination for overseas students - despite the coronavirus pandemic.
How does Switzerland compare when it comes to university tuition fees?
This content was published on
The US and UK are the top destinations for international students. Relatively low tuition fees could help Switzerland compete for the top brains.
Getting in: University admissions in Switzerland, US and UK
This content was published on
Should you start planning your university admission strategy two years in advance? The process can be complicated for international students.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.