Studying in Switzerland for Ukrainians

If you are planning to study in Switzerland after high school or already have a diploma from Ukraine, you should know that the rules may differ slightly depending on the university you choose. But there are a few common points that are important to consider.

What documents are usually required

• A certificate of complete secondary education (if you are applying for a bachelor's degree) or a bachelor's/master's degree (for master's/PhD programs).
• An official translation of these documents (certified, often with an apostille).
• Language proficiency certificate (German/French/Italian or English - depending on the program). The level is usually from B2 to C1.
• Motivation letter and CV.
• In some cases, letters of recommendation from teachers.
• For Master's or PhD programs: research plan / research proposal.

Tip: each university has its own list of requirements. Always check the “Admission requirements” on the website of the chosen university.

Do you need exams or a preparatory year

If your certificate is recognized as sufficient for direct admission, you apply directly. If not, the university may ask you to take an entrance exam or complete a preparatory year (foundation program).

For medicine, dentistry, or veterinary medicine, a separate EMS (Eignungstest für das Medizinstudium) test is required, which is held once a year.

How to apply

Most universities accept applications online through their own portals (for example, ETH Zürich Application Portal). In some cases, you can also apply through the swissuniversities common platform.

If you are already in Switzerland, you can apply directly to the university administration.

Deadlines

Depending on the university:

• for the fall semester (beginning in September), documents are usually submitted by February-April;
• for the spring semester (beginning in February) - by September-November of the previous year.

You should always check the exact dates on the website of a particular university.

Nostrification of documents

For most specialties, the decision on admission is made by the university itself, without centralized “nostrification”.

However, if you plan to work/study in the field of regulated professions (medicine, law, pedagogy, etc.), you will need official confirmation of your education level through Swiss ENIC (Swiss universities) or special authorities.

For a Ukrainian student to study in Switzerland for more than 90 days, a national student visa type D is required. This is not just a formality - without it, you will not be able to obtain a residence permit and officially start your studies.

Where and how to apply

The visa is issued at the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine (Kyiv). You can make an appointment online through the embassy's website, and you must submit the documents in person. After submission, the application package is sent to the migration authorities of the selected canton in Switzerland. It is the canton that makes the final decision, and the embassy only issues the visa after approval.

What documents are required

• international passport (valid for at least 3 months after graduation)
• confirmation of enrollment from the university;
• financial guarantees (bank account, sponsorship letter or scholarship). Expect that the canton may require approximately CHF 21,000 per year;
• proof of accommodation (dormitory, lease agreement or private invitation);
• a motivation letter;
• passport photo, completed questionnaires;
• apostille and translations of Ukrainian documents;
• health insurance (required for visa issuance).

All documents must be submitted in a complete package, otherwise the embassy will not accept the application.

Timeframe

The application process takes from 6 to 12 weeks. This is due to a double check: at the embassy and cantonal authorities. Therefore, you should apply 3-4 months before the start of your studies.

Upon arrival

After arriving in Switzerland, students must register with the cantonal migration service within 14 days. They issue a residence permit (B-permit), which is valid for the period of study (usually 1 year) and can be extended.

Frequently asked questions

• Is it possible to work part-time? Yes, but not immediately. The first 6 months of study are without work, then you are allowed to work up to 15-20 hours per week.
• Can I enter on a tourist visa and change my status? No. Student visa D is issued only in advance in Ukraine.
• Do I need an apostille for my certificate/diploma? Yes, an apostille and official translation are usually required.

👉 Visit Ukraine can quickly arrange health insurance that meets the requirements of a D visa, as well as make official translations of documents with an apostille. This will help to avoid delays and refusals.

In Switzerland, housing is the first “quest task”. In cities such as Zurich, Geneva, and Lausanne, the demand is fierce, so start looking as soon as you are enrolled. The easiest way to start is with university housing networks: in Zurich, there is a joint ETH/UZH Housing Office and a large WOKO cooperative (≈4,000 rooms), in Lausanne - EPFL Housing and FMEL (3,500+ beds), in Basel - WoVe, in Bern - studentlodge; in Geneva - Cité Universitaire (there are even short-term “hôtes de passage”). These are official and proven platforms - there are much more chances and safety than on random ads.

How much does it cost? In student residences in Lausanne (FMEL), the typical range is ~CHF 760-1,070 for a room in an apartment or CHF 780-980 for a studio (the price often includes internet, utilities, and even basic liability insurance). In Bern, the studentlodge offers furnished rooms for CHF 700-820 per month; in Basel, WoVe offers both budget rooms for CHF 490-659 and rooms with private bathrooms for CHF 795-830. In cooperatives such as WOKO, the average rent for a room is around CHF ~580 per month (depending on location and size). On the private market, a studio/“1-bedroom” in cities easily reaches CHF 1,200-2,000+. Plan on a security deposit of up to three months' rent - this is the legal limit for residential rentals.

Where else to look? In addition to hostels, check out rooms in WGs (shared apartments) and ads on large aggregator sites (e.g., homegate, immoscout24, comparis). Lausanne has a joint platform UNIL-EPFL Housing; Zurich has a separate housing portal ETH/UZH. EPFL explicitly warns about fraudulent ads (prepayment without a contract, “owner abroad”) - use the advice of their office if the offer is questionable.

How do I apply for a dormitory? A letter of acceptance and a short application form are usually sufficient. For example, FMEL clearly states the rules (minimum term, termination periods, who is eligible to move in), and Cité Universitaire in Geneva accepts applications for the fall until May 31, for the spring - until November 30 through the Logetud platform. Don't delay - there are limited places.

How do I rent a private accommodation (apartment/room)? Prepare a “tenant dossier”: passport, proof of enrollment, income/sponsorship certificate; sometimes a Swiss certificate of no debts is requested (newcomers do not have it - this is normal). The deposit is most often placed in a blocked account in the tenant's name; an alternative is a guarantee instead of a deposit (SwissCaution/Firstcaution), but the insurance company may require a Swiss residence permit or a resident guarantor. Do not make any prepayments without a signed Swiss contract.

What is included in the price? In student residences, basic utilities are usually included. In private rentals, pay attention to Nebenkosten (additional costs): heating, water, electricity in common areas, cleaning, etc. Personal electricity/internet is often arranged separately. Also, keep in mind the mandatory radio/TV fee (Serafe ) for private households (currently CHF 335/year; payment is received by mail).

Upon arrival, check in and sign in. Within 14 days of arrival, register with the Gemeinde/Commune at the address of your accommodation and apply for a student residence permit (B-permit). You may be asked for a rental contract and proof of health insurance at registration: by law in Switzerland, you have up to 3 months from arrival to sign up for a policy or get an exemption (for international students with equivalent coverage). Check the rules of your particular canton (for example, Zurich provides detailed instructions).

Small but critical details:

• Make a housing acceptance report (état des lieux/Übergabeprotokoll) with a photo - it will record the condition of the apartment and protect the deposit.
• In Switzerland, it's really easy to refuse suspicious offers: The EPFL advises contacting their office if you have any doubts about the listing or the “owner abroad”.
• If you haven't found a permanent place to live, use short-term options (guest places at Cité Universitaire, temporary ads on university portals) and look for a long-term option at the same time.

Switzerland is known for its high cost of living, but tuition fees are not so bad: most public universities have moderate semester fees. The more expensive part is housing and daily expenses.

How much does it cost to study (public universities)

• Many cantonal universities keep the same fees for all students: for example, Geneva ~CHF 500/semester; Lausanne ~CHF 500/semester. In Zurich, the basic fee is CHF 720/semester for bachelor's/master's programs (small increases are possible for foreigners under certain conditions).
• ETH Zürich / EPFL: until the fall of 2025, it was CHF 730 per semester for everyone. Since the fall of 2025, 2 groups have appeared:

1) Group 1 (simple fee ) - CHF 730/semester (Swiss/Lichtenstein citizens; those who received a certificate in CH/LI; a number of categories of foreigners - in particular, with F, S or B (refugee) permits, or with EU/EFTA permits with the right to work/family reunification).

2) Group 2 (triple fee) - CHF 2,190/semester for the rest of the international students who come to study. There are transitional rules for those who have already studied until the fall of 2025. The group is checked at the time of admission.

• There are universities with higher rates for foreigners: for example, St. Gallen - CHF 3,129/semester (bachelor's degree) and CHF 3,329/semester (master's degree); USI (Lugano) - CHF 3,100/semester.
• Private business schools can be many times more expensive (e.g., IMD MBA - tens of thousands of francs). This is a different budget level.

Additional fees “per semester”

In addition to tuition, the university charges small mandatory fees (sports, student association, administrative fees). For example, at EPFL, a typical bill is CHF 780 per semester: CHF 730 tuition + CHF 50 small fees (from fall 2025 for some students - CHF 2,240). In Geneva, the total semester bill is CHF 500 (including administrative fees).

Compulsory health insurance: how and how much

In Switzerland, everyone who lives for more than 3 months must be insured. For international students, there is an option to either take out Swiss student insurance (KVG-compatible) or apply for an exemption if your policy provides equivalent coverage. The application for an exemption must be submitted within the first 3 months after arrival at a cantonal institution (e.g. SVA Zurich). Missing the deadline = possible penalty surcharges. Financially:

• Swiss student policies (for non-EU/EFTA) can start from ~CHF 40-100/month depending on age/franchise; standard KVG policies are significantly more expensive.
• Universities often explicitly require proof of the policy for registration and residence permit.

Let's make it simple: you can apply for a policy online at Visit Ukraine (it meets the requirements for a D visa and residence permit).

How much do you need to live on (realistically)

Universities honestly advise you to count from CHF 1,800 to 2,300/month depending on the city. Schedule from ETH/EPFL:

• Annual budget for living (without tuition fees): ~CHF 22,000-29,000; in Zurich, average monthly expenses are ~CHF 1,840 (room rent, food, transportation, insurance, small expenses).
• Transportation: for a student under 25 years old, a city pass in Zurich costs approximately CHF 49/month (approx. CHF 586/year); for long-distance travel, a Half Fare Travelcard (CHF 190/year) or a tourist Swiss Half Fare Card (CHF 120/month) is advantageous.
• Textbooks/materials: plan for ~CHF 1,000/year (depending on the program; architects - more due to mock-ups/tours).
• Small but necessary things: SERAFE (radio/TV fee) - CHF 335/year per household; private liability is optional but useful (~CHF 100-150/year).

Government of Switzerland: Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships (FCS/ESKAS)

This is a national program for graduate students, postdocs, researchers and artists from abroad. It funds research/postgraduate studies at accredited Swiss institutions. Applicants are selected by the Federal Commission for Scholarships (FCS). Each year, separate instructions are published for each country with deadlines and a package of documents (usually announced in August).

For whom it works: if you are applying for a research MA/MSc (in agreement with your supervisor), PhD, or postdoc. This is not a program for bachelors.

Scholarships from Swiss universities (Master)

Universities have their own “excellence” programs for strong master's students:

• ETH Zürich - ESOP. It provides 12,000 CHF/semester + tuition waiver, mentoring. Submission on November 1-30 together with the master's application; top bachelor's degree result is required (top 10% is the benchmark). Very competitive.
• EPFL - Master Excellence Fellowships. 10,000 CHF/semester (up to 4 semesters) + reservation of a room in the residence for external candidates. The application is integrated into the master's application; there are 2 rounds (winter/spring). The grant does not cover all living expenses - this is important to consider.
• University of Geneva (Faculty of Science) - Excellence Master Fellowship. 10,000-15,000 CHF/year, for 3-4 semesters, subject to success; deadline for fall 2026 - February 28, 2026.
• USI (Lugano). Annually provides targeted grants of 4,000 CHF for students of certain master's programs (plus other faculty funds).
• Basel. There are partial scholarships (mostly at the final stage of BA/MA, approximately CHF 200-600/month), as well as individual faculty funds (e.g., Biozentrum MSc “Physics of Life” - CHF 25,000 for the entire cycle).

Exchanges and “mobility” (analogous to Erasmus)

Switzerland is not in Erasmus+, but has its own SEMP (Swiss-European Mobility Program) through the national agency Movetia. This is an exchange/study scholarship for 2-12 months for students who are already studying at a partner university: payments are set by the university/canton, typically ≈ CHF 380-440/month (example HES-SO); UZH publishes typical amounts per semester/trimester for SEMP. The package and amounts vary, check with your university.

Important: SEMP is not a full degree, but a temporary exchange. For a full-degree, look for university scholarships or FCS.

PhD in Switzerland is often paid

Many doctoral students in Switzerland are hired laboratory staff (contract + salary), not “fellows without pay”. Official rates are published by universities and SNSF:

• At EPFL, the basic start is ≈ 55,150 CHF/year gross (from 01.01.2025), with a gradual increase.
• ETH Zürich maintains standard “fixed-rate” salaries for doctoral students; the current ranges and rules are available in the Welcome Center.

It's not “free”, but it actually covers the cost of living, with low semester fees.

What to look for so as not to miss out

• Cantonal scholarships are usually for residents (B/C) or persons with refugee/asylum status; students who come “only to study” are not eligible for such payments.
• Each program has its own deadlines and often early application windows (e.g., ESOP only in November). Plan your portfolio/recommendations in advance.
• SEMP ≠ full degree; it is temporary mobility with a monthly payment.