Eligibility Criteria You Must Know for Studying in Switzerland 2026
Switzerland is located in the middle of Europe and is globally known for its amazing education and the higher educational institutions here are designed around a decentralised education system. So, for Indian students willing to study in the country, this article presents the complete admission and eligibility requirements to study in Luxembourg.
Students from all over the world come to study in Switzerland because of its diversified culture and languages in use, and the presence of some top business organisations and multinational companies. For Indian students, studying in Switzerland in 2026 requires meeting academic (10+2/bachelor's with good grades), language (English/German/French), financial (approx. CHF 21,000/year) and health insurance criteria for admission to the university and for getting visa.
Note that students need to apply for a Swiss student visa as soon as they get an offer from the university by presenting their valid passport, motivation letter, SOP, accommodation contract, health insurance and academic transcripts. However, getting an offer from the university itself requires a long list of documents and conditions be met. So, before you take steps towards studying in Switzerland, you must know a few facts about education there to make an informed decision. This article presents the complete requirements for studying in Switzerland for Indian students.
It would be helpful if you knew what languages people speak in Switzerland to get help in getting jobs and just get along with its community, people, mentors and trainers.
- Reasons to Study in Switzerland
- Eligibility Criteria to Study in Switzerland 2026
- Top Universities to Study in Switzerland 2026
- Popular Courses at Top Swiss Universities 2026
Reasons to Study in Switzerland
Bachelor's and master's programs offered by top public universities in Switzerland are at almost no cost to students. The average fee at the HSG for foreign students amounts to 5560 Swiss Francs per year. The reason for this is that the government supports education. In addition to a recognised Bachelor's degree, students must have a good grade average and a language certificate depending on the master's program.
Students applying to any of the Swiss universities or colleges will be evaluated by them, with a thorough scan being carried out to validate if their last qualification qualifies them to enrol for the first-cycle degree. Therefore, those who hold an upper secondary certificate, have a school leaving certificate and also are considered fit to pursue higher education in their own countries will be considered for further education in Switzerland. There might also be times when students may need to pursue some extra courses in order to study the main course.
Also Check: Apply to Universities in Switzerland
Eligibility Criteria to Study in Switzerland 2026
Now, look at the criteria you must know for studying in Switzerland:
Admission to a Bachelor’s Program
A valid Swiss maturity certificate or an equivalent foreign upper secondary school-leaving certificate qualifying for university entrance is required for access to Swiss universities. Students have to complete the basic education of 10+2 from a recognised board.
Admission to a Master’s Program
A completed Bachelor's level program is required for access to a Master's program. Graduates of Bachelor's programs have access to certain Master's programs, as listed in the database available at uni-programme.ch. For PG, course candidates require the score of GRE/ GMAT exams.
Language Requirements
The universities require a good knowledge of the language of instruction. Students must submit their scores for English language proficiency exams like IELTS or TOEFL. At the Master's level especially, the universities offer an increasing number of study programs in English. For students who do not hold fully recognized certificates qualifying for university entrance, the admission requirements also include a university entrance examination.
Given below is a table featuring the top Swiss higher education institutes and their teaching langauges.
| English | German | French |
|---|---|---|
| University of St.Gallen |
||
| University of Neuchâtel |
University of Fribourg |
Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne |
| University of Fribourg |
University of Fribourg |
|
| Glion Institute of Higher Education |
University of Lucerne |
|
| University of Geneva |
University of Zurich |
University of Neuchâtel |
Predict your IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE in just 4 steps!
Top Universities to Study in Switzerland 2026
The best universities to study in Switzerland for 2025 are given below.
| Top 10 Universities in Switzerland |
|
|---|---|
| Universities |
QS World University Ranking 2025 |
| 7 |
|
| =22 |
|
| 100 |
|
| University of Geneva | =155 |
| 158 |
|
| University of Bern |
=184 |
| University of Lausanne |
=212 |
| USI - Universita della Svizzera italiana |
=473 |
| Universite de Fribourg |
642 |
| Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) |
801-850 |
Read:
Popular Courses at Top Swiss Universities 2026
The table given below enlists the top Swiss colleges and the courses they are popular for.
| Courses at the Top Universities in Switzerland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Management | Global MBA | Medicine |
| EHL Hospitality Business School, Lausanne | IMD, Lausanne | University of Zurich, Zurich |
| SHMS - Swiss Hotel Management School | St. Gallen, St. Gallen | ETH Zurich, Zurich |
| Les Roches Global Hospitality Management Education, Crans-Montana | United International Business Schools | University of Bern, Bern |
| Glion Institute of Higher Education, Glion-sur-Montreux | International Business Academy of Switzerland | University of Basel, Basel |
| Cesar Ritz Colleges Switzerland, Le Bouveret | University of Geneva, Geneva | |
| Hotel Institute Montreux, Montreux | University of Lausanne, Lausanne | |
| Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland, Le Bouveret | USI - Universita della Svizzera italiana, Lugano | |
| HTMi Hotel and Tourism Management Institute Switzerland, Sorenberg | ||
| International Management Institute Switzerland, Horw | ||
|
EHG - Ecole Hôtelière Geneve (Geneva Hotel Management School), Geneva
|
||
Note:- In Switzerland, not every university degree from India is accepted. You need to get your degree evaluated for this. Generally, WES-accredited institution (A or five-star) schools are accepted.
Read:
This was all about the eligibility requirements for studying in Switzerland. If you wish to study abroad, then you can get assistance from Shiksha Counselling Services for free. You can also drop your queries in the comments section below.
Yes, there are many English-taught programs at Swiss public universities, especially at the master's level. In all, ETH Zurich and EPFL have the most extensive English-taught offerings in technical fields.
Yes, all the universities of Switzerland accept Indian students easily. And they have separate admission process and admission requirements for Indian students. And many Indian students study in Switzerland each year, though the process requires careful planning regarding finances and meeting academic prerequisites.
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Comments
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S
a year ago
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2 years ago
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2 years ago
R
2 years ago
You can check out popular universities in Switzerland, here: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/switzerland You can get in touch with our Shiksha Study Abroad experts for assistance with university admissions: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/apply
R
2 years ago
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3 years ago
R
2 years ago
Hello Shreya. You can check out popular universities in Switzerland, here: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/switzerland You can get in touch with our Shiksha Study Abroad experts for assistance with university admissions: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/apply
For Indian students specifically, the cheapest public universities in Switzerland are: