The ZHAW, one of the largest universities of applied sciences in Switzerland, welcomes incoming students from around the world every year. They not only choose us for our quality education but also for our location, right in the heart of Europe.

Our campuses in Zurich, Winterthur and Wädenswil are ideally situated, offering excellent travel connections. This makes the ZHAW an ideal starting point for combining academic study with a voyage of discovery. Switzerland’s beautiful landscapes, outdoor activities, cultural sites and events ensure a rich experience, too.

Studying or completing an internship abroad for a period of time requires a lot of preparation and certain steps need to be taken before you leave your hometown. If you are planning to study at the ZHAW as an incoming student (for studies or completing an internship), please contact the relevant International Office at one of our eight Schools as early as possible.

Our eight Schools are well-connected in Europe and around the world. Each year, they welcome incoming students who choose the ZHAW for their exchange abroad. If you choose to come and study at the ZHAW, you will be studying alongside our ZHAW students.

Our Schools offer a number of English-taught modules in their Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes. Students who are proficient in German can also attend modules taught in German.

There are various ways to become an incoming student at the ZHAW. The options vary depending on whether your home university is a partner university of a ZHAW School or where your home university is located.

• The Swiss-European Mobility Programme (SEMP) is the Swiss Programme for Erasmus+ for higher education. If you are enrolled at one of our Schools’ SEMP partner universities in Europe, you can receive financial support for your exchange at the ZHAW. The amount of this SEMP grant depends on the country of your home institution, the duration of your stay (two months up to one year) and the type of mobility (Student Mobility for Studies SMS or Student Mobility for Traineeships SMT). During your stay at the ZHAW, you will remain enrolled at your home university and continue to pay tuition fees there. You do not have to pay any tuition fees at the ZHAW.
• Bilateral Agreement: Incoming students from partner universities outside Europe pay their tuition fees at their home universities, remain matriculated at their home universities and do not pay any tuition fees at the ZHAW.
• Fee-paying: Incoming students from a partner university who pay ZHAW tuition fees because the number of exchange places available under the SEMP programme or a bilateral agreement is limited.
• Free movers: Incoming students from universities outside the ZHAW partner network who pay tuition fees for the period of their studies at the ZHAW. Not all ZHAW Schools accept free movers. You can obtain further information directly from the International Relations Offices of the individual Schools.
   

Switzerland is undeniably an expensive place to live, but this cost is balanced by the country’s high standard of living and excellent quality of life. To give you an idea of the possible costs, we suggest you take a look at this helpful overview provided by study in Switzerland+. Please note, however, that the amounts can vary considerably depending on your personal lifestyle and needs. We also recommend that you ask the ZHAW School where you are planning to study for the experiences of previous incoming students.

Make sure to organise your entry and residence as soon as possible. The requirements and procedures differ depending on how long you stay in Switzerland and whether you are an EU/EFTA citizen or not.

Upon arriving in Switzerland, students must obtain a residence permit within the first 14 days at the Residents' Registration Office (Einwohnerkontrolle) in their place of residence.

For general information concerning entry and residence, please consult the website of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) and the website of the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).

Unlike in other countries, students at Swiss universities do not automatically receive on-campus housing. Therefore, they must find their own accommodation. Finding an affordable place to live can be challenging, so it is best to start looking as early as possible, ideally before arriving in Switzerland.

In Winterthur, Wädenswil and Zurich, most students live in shared apartments or student residences. Additionally, various organisations offer reasonably priced accommodation for ZHAW students. For more information, visit our webpage on student accommodation.

Switzerland has an exceptionally high standard of healthcare. You can find out more about the Swiss healthcare system on the Canton of Zurich website. 

Important: According to Swiss law, health and accident insurance is compulsory for everyone who resides in Switzerland for longer than three months. Basic health insurance is also compulsory for those who work and/or do an internship in Switzerland for a period of less than three months. Please refer to our Insurance and liability fact sheet for incoming exchange students.

The Swiss currency is the Swiss franc (Fr., CHF), with the smaller denomination called “Rappen”. Students wishing to open a bank account must present their residence permit, passport and student ID card. Many banks offer favourable conditions for student accounts. Banks are usually open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and ATMs are available almost everywhere.

Upon arriving in Switzerland and at the ZHAW, your primary contact will be the International Office at your respective School. They provide essential information for your initial days and ongoing support during your stay.

Furthermore, our Schools organise orientation weeks for new incoming students. These events include an introduction to the university and its infrastructure, a campus tour as well as information about life in Switzerland and your exchange semester. There are also plenty of opportunities to meet and get to know other exchange students.

Another important contact is the Erasmus Student Network Winterthur (ESN Winterthur). Together with ESN Winterthur, the ZHAW offers a buddy service to help incoming students settle in quickly on campus and in Switzerland. The service is optional, so you can decide if you want to use it.

If you decide to use the service, you will be assigned a “buddy”. Wherever possible, your buddy will be studying the same subject as you. Your buddy will get in touch with you a few weeks before the beginning of the semester. 

During your first few days here, your buddy will help you get used to life at the ZHAW and in Switzerland. For example, your buddy can help you open a bank account or explain the ticketing system for public transport. You can also contact your buddy later on if you have any questions or problems. However, buddies do not carry out administrative tasks such as finding accommodation or obtaining a residence permit.

If you are wondering how to spend your free time in Switzerland, consider the ASVZ (Academic Sports Association Zurich) or events organised by ESN Winterthur and Alias (ZHAW student association).

• The ASVZ offers extensive facilities with modern sports equipment and over 120 different, mostly free, sports in Winterthur, Wädenswil and Zurich. As an incoming student, you get an ASVZ membership.
• ESN Winterthur is part of the Erasmus Student Network, a Europe-wide student organisation promoting international exchange. ESN Winterthur enhances the exchange experience for incoming students by organising social activities like excursions and parties throughout the semester.
• Alias is the official student participation body of the ZHAW. All students are automatically members. Alias has various committees to carry out its tasks. In addition, Alias is happy to help ZHAW students with any concerns and they also organise parties and other events.