Semester 1: Mid September to End December
Semester 2: Mid February to End May 

The academic year is divided into two semesters of 14 weeks each. The ETH degree programmes are structured in a tiered model, leading to Bachelor and Master-degrees. Study achievements in these programmes are rewarded with credits in accordance with the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

ETH Zurich’s Bachelor’s programmes are mainly taught in German (with some English classes in the third year), whereas the language of instruction of most of the Master’s programmes is English. The University offers intensive German courses before and during term time.

An intensive course in advanced German is offered in the weeks prior to the beginning of each semester (three weeks before the autumn semester and two weeks before the spring semester). Beginners and advanced learners may enrol in courses at all levels of proficiency during the semester. Exchange students may attend at least one language course free of charge. Pre-registration is required (please respect the deadlines).

Department of Agriculture and Food Sciences Department of Architecture Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering Department of Biology Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences   Department of Earth Sciences Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences  Department of Computer Science Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Department of Mathematics Department of Materials Science Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering Department of Management, Technology and Economics Department of Physics Department of Environmental Sciences

Exchange students at ETH Zurich are generally permitted to attend individual courses at the University of Zurich provided that no special restrictions apply. No special registration is necessary and there are no extra fees.

Exchange students will be enrolled in one department as non-degree students, but they may pick and choose courses from different curricula, departments and years. As a general rule, 2 thirds of the courses have to be taken in the department of enrolment. Exchange students are expected to acquire a minimum of 20 ECTS. Study plans and selected courses are subject to approval by the mobility advisor of the department of enrolment at ETH Zurich.

Design studio for architecture students

Mobility and exchange students in architecture must enroll for design classes before the semester begins. You are advised to refer to the department's website for instructions.

Please refer to the Other Links section for relevant links to course information.  

Please check with your faculty for its internal application deadlines. After you have been selected by and accepted your faculty’s internal offer, your faculty would give you the application instructions of the partner university. An online application to the partner university is needed.

Student accommodation in Zurich is available through the Foundation for Student Housing. The Housing Office of the University and ETH Zurich brokers accommodation on the private market. ETH Zurich has limited reserved housing for international students.

Depending on their nationality, NUS exchange students might have to get a Student Visa (i.e. Singaporeans do not need a visa to enter Switzerland, see also here). The application for the visa is done by the ETH Zurich Student Exchange Office on the students’ behalf – students therefore have to fill in the respective form which is attached to the application form and hand it in with all the other requested documents.

Upon arrival, students have to apply for a residence permit for their period of study in Switzerland. Please apply in person within 14 days of arrival, at the Citizen’s Registry Office (“Einwohnerkontrolle”) at your new place of residence or at the respective district office (“Kreisbüro”) if you live in the city of Zurich.

Note: The Immigration Office requires of all foreigners to prove evidence of having CHF 1750 per month at their disposal for the entire duration of their stay in Switzerland.

Students must be covered by health insurance. The compulsory basic insurance should cover for medical treatment in the event of illness or an accident.

Student can choose to buy the insurance in Switzerland (approximately 90 different providers) or from outside Switzerland (insurer acknowledged by the Swiss authorities). The monthly premiums vary between approximately CHF 90 and CHF 350 according to the age – it is worth comparing premiums prior to entering into any contract.

A few weeks after having registered with the Citizen’s Registry Office, you will receive two official letters requesting you to take out health insurance within three months of entrance in Switzerland. Students who fail to do so within the specific deadlines will be allocated an insurer at the discretion of the respective authority.

Individual insurance companies offer special packages for foreign students. For further information, please contact the Health Insurance Advisory Service (KraBe) : http://www.unizh.ch/rebeko/krabe.html

Please refer to the Other Links Section for the relevant links to the university’s insurance policies.  

Breakdown of Costs	CHF
Accommodation	400 - 620
Food	425
Transport	55 - 80
Insurance	80 - 200
Others (Entertainment, clothes)	425
Monthly Estimate	1,750

Please refer to the Other Links Section for the relevant links to the estimated costs of living.

Universal Currency Converter:

	http://www.xe.com/ucc/

Accommodation:

	http://www.wohnen.ethz.ch/index_EN

Cost of Living:

	http://www.mobilitaet.ethz.ch/incomings/living/index_EN

Course Information:

	http://www.courses.ethz.ch

Other Information:

	www.rektorat.ethz.ch/students/immigration/handbook.pdf http://www.mobilitaet.ethz.ch/index_EN http://www.mobilitaet.ethz.ch/faq/index_EN