Top Public Universities in Switzerland 2026

Switzerland has over 12 publicly-funded universities. Studying at public universities in Switzerland is a common choice among Indian students as these universities cut the tuition fee to be paid and bring down their expenses to a much lower level. Read this article to learn more about the Public Universities in Switzerland 2026.

Switzerland has one of the best education systems in the world which makes it one of the best countries to live in the world today. So, most students from around the world go to study in Switzerland in search of quality education. Quality education cannot only change your life but it can also make a strong society that cares and prepares for a sustainable future. If going to study in Switzerland, Indian students mostly prefer studying at the country’s public universities. This is because living in Switzerland is quite expensive and a public university would ease them off of the tuition fee. 

There are 12 public universities in Switzerland, including 10 cantonal universities and 2 federal institutes of technology. The key public universities in Switzerland include the federal institutes ETH Zurich and EPFL - renowned for science and tech, alongside major cantonal universities like the University of Zurich, University of Geneva, University of Bern, University of Basel, University of Lausanne, and the University of St. Gallen, offering broad humanities, social sciences and science programs.

List of Top 10 Public Universities in Switzerland

Degree from the public universities in Switzerland are recognised globally. Students, who wish to make the most out of their academic degrees at a lower or no tuition fee aim to get admitted to one of the public universities in Switzerland. Check out the list of the top 10 public universities in Switzerland below. 

Admission Requirements of Public Universities in Switzerland

To study at the top public universities in Switzerland, you need - 

• an upper secondary diploma (like a high school diploma) for bachelor's or a bachelor's degree for master's, equivalent to the Swiss Maturity Certificate, 
• proof of language proficiency German, French, Italian or the English language via tests like TOEFL/IELTS 
• An updated CV
• Academic transcripts
• An SOP or personal essay describing your career plans after taking the course you’re applying for
• Some work experience - if you’re applying for master’s or PG diploma courses
• 2-3 letters of reference from your professors and/or ex employer

How to Apply to the Public Universities in Switzerland?

To apply to a public Swiss university, you need to follow the below given steps. 

1. First things first, you need to identify your interests and choose the degree you want to study based on your interest. You can also check the career prospects of the courses in your field of interest and then make a decision. For example, CS & IT, Data Science, Cybersecurity - are all varied fields in computer science, but their subjects, syllabus and career scopes are different. 
2. Now after you’ve chosen the course, you may proceed to check which public universities in Switzerland actually have that course. Shortlist the ones and check out their course based admission requirements. You will get this information directly on your chosen course’s page. You may also check - how to choose the right college in 5 simple steps.
3. Collect the required documents in the required language and format
4. Apply via the university’s online portal. 

Student Life at Public Universities in Switzerland

Student life at public universities in Switzerland can be quite different from what Indian students typically experience back home. Swiss universities emphasise independent learning and critical thinking rather than rote memorisation. You'll have fewer contact hours but much more self-study time. Professors expect active participation in seminars, which feel unfamiliar as Indian students are used to more lecture-based teaching. Apart from that, living in Switzerland is costly - expect to spend around CHF 1,500-2,500 (₹1.4-2.3 lakhs) monthly on accommodation, food, and basics. Thus, many Indian students work part-time (up to 15 hours/week during semester) to offset costs and the salaries are quite high. 

Making friends with Swiss students - even of the same batch can take time as they tend to have small established social circles. To deal with that, most Swiss universities have active international student communities and Indian student associations.

However, getting jobs after graduation in Switzerland is a very difficult task - as described by many Indians graduated from Swiss universities on Quora. And you may only get a job if you learn the regional language. So, you may be required to move to another country or move back to India if you don’t find a good job for yourself after graduation in Switzerland. 

This was all about the public universities in Switzerland. For assistance on studying abroad, reach out to Shiksha’s Counselling Services for free.