The ETH Zurich acceptance rate is a topic of both fascination and trepidation for prospective students, as it holds the key to one’s aspirations of joining the ranks of the academic elite.
In this exploration, we will delve into the intricacies of ETH Zurich’s acceptance rate, uncovering the factors that shape this elusive statistic and providing insights for those who dare to dream of calling this institution their academic home. Join us as we unravel the numbers and unveil the secrets behind gaining entry into the hallowed halls of ETH Zurich.
ETH Zurich’s Acceptance Rate
The acceptance rate at ETH Zurich is famously low. While the specific number may vary from year to year, it consistently hovers at a level that can be described as highly selective. This selectivity is a testament to the university’s commitment to maintaining its academic standards and ensuring that only the best and brightest gain entry.
Factors Influencing Acceptance
Several factors contribute to the low acceptance rate at ETH Zurich. These include:
1. Academic Qualifications
ETH Zurich places great emphasis on academic performance. Strong high school or undergraduate grades are a prerequisite for consideration.
2. Standardized Test Scores
Competitive test scores, such as the SAT, ACT, or equivalent exams, are often necessary.
3. Extracurricular Activities
A well-rounded applicant with a history of involvement in extracurricular activities, community service, or leadership roles has a competitive edge.
4. Recommendation Letters
High-quality recommendation letters, usually from teachers or professors, play a significant role in the evaluation process.
5. Motivation Letter
A well-crafted motivation letter can help applicants express their passion and goals effectively.
ETH Zurich Admission 2024 Highlights
International students need to submit the ETH Zurich application fee to complete the admission application. Below we have mentioned the ETH Zurich admission 2024 highlights for international students:
| Application Fee | UG & PG: CHP 150 |
| 2024 Acceptance Rate | 27% |
| English Language Proficiency Tests Accepted | TOEFL / IELTS / CAE |
| Intakes | Spring & Autumn |
| Application Deadlines | Varies |
| Scholarships | Available – both merit & need based |
| Total Student Headcount in 2021 | 24,530 |
| % Female Students | 33.3% |
ETH Zurich Student Profile & Diversity
Out of a total of 24,530 students enrolled at ETH Zurich in 2021, the maximum number of students were from Switzerland. From Australia and New Zealand, the lowest number of admissions were recorded, only 33 students were enrolled at ETH Zurich.
Country wise enrolment
The following are the number of students based on their country of origin admitted at ETH Zurich :
- Switzerland: 15,899 students
- Europe: 5,847 students
- Asia: 1,838 students
- Rest of Europe: 799 students
- America: 547 students
- Africa: 128 students
- Australia & New Zealand: 33 students
Subject wise enrolment
There are various subjects offered at ETH Zurich, The subject-wise enrolment for the year 2021 based on new registrations, are as follows:
- Engineering Sciences: 3,119 students
- Natural Sciences and Mathematics: 2,118 students
- System-oriented Natural Sciences: 1,459 students
- Architecture and Civil Engineering: 1,243 students
- Management and Social Sciences: 366 students
ETH Zurich Undergraduate Admission Requirements
Since all bachelor’s courses at ETH Zurich are offered in the German language, there is also an exception to the rule that the medium of instruction may be used in the English language from the second or the third year.
Eligibility Requirements for Admission
The ETH Zurich requirements for international students to study bachelor’s courses include assessing the student based on their first or native language, and second language knowledge plus performance in subjects of Mathematics, Natural sciences (biology, chemistry, or physics), or Humanities and social sciences (geography, history or economics/law). Applicants must have an elective subject like Computer Science.
Documents Required
- Copy of passport or identity card
- Recognized upper secondary school-leaving certificate.
- CV with tables including work experience and schools attended
- Language proficiency scores in German
- Official transcripts or mark sheets for the last three years of study
- Application fee of CHP 150
If submitting documents via post, the address is as follows:
ETH Zurich
Admissions Office
Rämistrasse 101
HG F 21
8092 Zurich (Switzerland)
UG Admission Deadlines
The following table throws light on the ETH Zurich admission deadlines for undergraduate courses admission at ETH Zurich, for both entrance and non-entrance-based admissions:
| Events | Deadlines |
|---|---|
| Application period | 01.12.2023 – 31.03.2024 |
| Submission of German language certificate | until 31.03.2024 at the latest |
| Submission of upper secondary school-leaving certificate | immediately upon receipt, until 31.08.2024 at the latest |
| Processing time | Within 4 – 6 weeks of receiving the application |
| Submission of certificate of university admission | Until 31.08.2024 at the latest |
| Start of the study | 16.09.2024 |
ETH Zurich Postgraduate Admission Requirements
All master’s courses offered at ETH Zurich are offered in the English language at large except for a few exceptions, where the language of instruction is in German.
Eligibility Requirements
In order to apply for a master’s course at ETH Zurich, international students must have completed a bachelor’s degree of three years minimum. The bachelor’s degree must comprise of 180 ECTS credits or equivalent to ETH Zurich or 180 credits if completed from a Swiss University of Applied Sciences.
Documents Required
- Bachelor’s degree and transcripts
- Valid language certificate
- CV
- GRE test score
- Additionally for design-related courses – portfolio, motivation letter and even a letter of recommendation (LOR).
English Language Requirements
The minimum scores required for international students applying for ETH Zurich admission are as follows:
| English Language Tests Accepted at ETH Zurich | Minimum Scores Required |
|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | 100 |
| IELTS | 7.0 |
| C1 Advanced | Grade B – 193 min score |
| C2 Advanced | Grade C – 200 min score |
Prospective applicants applying for a master’s course at ETH Zurich may have to submit minimum scores other than the ones mentioned in the table above. The scores may vary based on the choice of course opted.
Also, a couple of courses are instructed in the German language, thus, the language requirements would also differ here for international students, they may have to submit German language proficiency scores in this case.
ETH Zurich Application Process
Applications for bachelor’s and master’s degrees at ETH Zurich are accepted through eApply, an online portal. Applicants can access the application on the website of ETH Zurich or on the designated course pages. The steps to apply at eApply for ETH Zurich admissions are as follows:
Step 1: Registration
To register, applicants will have to submit their:
- First and last name
- Email id
- Photograph
- Postal code
- Phone number
- Date of birth
Step 2: Log in
Upon registering, applicants will be able to log in with their selected credentials. After logging in the application would open up.
Step 3: Personal Details & Course Selection
Fill in the personal details and select the desired course of study. Submit the previous study’s scores and other relevant information.
Step 4: Submit Relevant Documents
To support the admission application at ETH Zurich, applicants will be given the option to attach their academic documents.
Step 5: Pay the Fee
Finally, after completing all the sections of the application, applicants can check their entered details, make changes if required, if not required then submit and pay the fee of CHP 150.
Fees Structure
Understanding the financial aspects of studying at ETH Zurich is crucial for planning your education. Here is a breakdown of the fees structure at the university:
| Type of Fee | Amount | Amount in INR |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition fee per semester | CHF 730 | INR 64,243 |
| Doctoral students (one-time fee) | CHF 1,500 | INR 1.32 Lakh |
| Estimated total study and living costs per month | CHF 1,920 | INR 1.68 Lakh |
| Estimated total study and living costs per year | CHF 23,000 | INR 20.24 Lakh |
ETH Zurich Scholarships & Financial Aid
Scholarships are offered at ETH Zurich to international students pursuing a BSc or MSc, or any other master’s level courses. There are a few scholarships that also cover the living costs along with the tuition costs. Some of the scholarships offered include:
- Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme
- Solidarity Fund
- Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship
- ESOP Scholars
- Doctoral Scholarships
ETH Zurich Contact Information
International students may enquire about anything related to the admission using the direct contact number. For more details, please visit the official website of ETH Zurich.
ETH Zurich
Admissions Office
Raemistrasse 101
HG F 21
8092Zurich
Switzerland
Phone: +41 44 632 81 00
Courses Offered
Before we find out about the ETH Zurich acceptance rate, let us first find out about the courses offered here.
Bachelor’s Courses
ETH Zurich offers Bachelor’s degrees in the fields given below:
- Construction Sciences: Architecture; Civil, Environmental and Geospatial Engineering.
- Engineering Sciences: Computer Science; Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
- Information Technology
- Materials Science
- Natural Sciences and Mathematics: Biology; Chemistry; Biochemistry – Chemical Biology; Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology; Interdisciplinary Sciences; Mathematics; Physics; Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Computational Science and Engineering
- System-oriented Sciences: Agricultural Sciences; Food Sciences; Earth Sciences; Environmental Sciences; Health Sciences and Technology;
- Human Medicine
All Bachelor programs are generally taught in German. Bachelor’s degree at ETH Zurich takes 3 years, comprising six semesters to complete.
Master’s Courses
ETH Zurich also offers Master’s degrees in the following fields:
- Construction Sciences and Architecture
- Engineering Sciences
- Natural Sciences and Mathematics
- System-oriented Sciences
- Management and Social Sciences
Master’s degrees are offered along with a doctorate (PhD) in any of the scientific disciplines provided.
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ETH Admission Deadline
The ETH Zurich Admission Deadline for the year 2023-2024 is given below:
| Deadlines for Non-Entrance-based Admissions | |
| Regular Application | Nov 1, 2022 – Apr 30, 2023 |
| Submission of upper secondary certificate | By Aug 31, 2023 |
| Submission of German language certificate | Sept 9, 2023 |
| Deadlines for Entrance-based Admissions | |
| Regular Application | Nov 1, 2022 – Apr 30, 2023 |
| Submission of upper secondary certificate | By Aug 31, 2023 |
| Submission of German language certificate | Oct 15, 2023 |
| Registration entrance exam | |
| Entrance exam | Jan 15, 2024 – Jan 25, 2024 |
Fees Structure
While learning about the ETH Zurich acceptance rate, you should know about the fee structure here. ETH Zurich is a prestigious university with an allure for international students because the fees are quite less than other European colleges. It being a public institute is probably the main reason for this fee structure. The Doctoral salary for students is quite high, starting at CHF 47,000 (INR 41.36 Lakh), which is another attraction for students.
- The tuition fee is CHF 730 (INR 64,243) per semester.
- For Doctoral students, there is a one-time fee of CHF 1,500 (INR 1.32 Lakh).
- The estimated total study and living costs per university for international students are about CHF 1,920 (INR 1.68 Lakh) per month and about CHF 23,000 (INR 20.24 Lakh) per year.
Scholarships
Even though the ETH Zurich acceptance rate is low, some scholarships have been made available for students. For international students, certain scholarships and grants are supported by various foundations in Switzerland and abroad. Some of these are mentioned below. ETH Zurich provides 2 scholarship programs for those who wish to pursue a Master’s Degree:
- Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Program (ESOP)
- ETH-D Scholarship
- Swiss government scholarships: The Swiss Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS) provides scholarships to postgraduate students with university degrees.
FAQ’S
Yes, ETH Zurich has a good amount of competition for admissions every year. The acceptance rate is 27%. It is a little hard to get into just like any of the other top universities of the world. But if you want the best then you have to work your best right?
Yes, ETH Zurich has been ranked 6th on the QS Rankings and 14th on Times Higher Education World Rankings. Other than these it has very well-reputed alumni which include various Nobel laureates including Albert Einstein. Being consistently in the top 5 European and top 10 world universities definitely makes it prestigious.
ETH Zurich is considerably more affordable than the other European universities and its Doctoral salary is quite high which makes it a very good opportunity for students.