Switzerland is one of the most abundant countries in the world. It is the home to many big corporations and is well known for its high-quality education. Switzerland’s MBA, Master’s and PhD programs attract thousands of international student worldwide every year. 

According to the OECD/PISA statistics, Switzerland is ranked 9th out of 65 countries with a high-quality education system. The country is known for a high-quality and diverse education system. The education system here is very different from many other countries globally, from public schools to private schools, bilingual schools to international schools. Still, the standard of education here is also extremely high.

When studying at public schools in Switzerland, the tuition fee of the Swiss resident is supported by the government; you won’t have to pay a penny. However, the cost of studying at private schools is extremely high for both local and international students. Below is an overview of the cost of studying and living when studying in Switzerland in 2021 – 2022.

The cost of studying at a private university in Switzerland is very high, the highest in the EU/EEA.

Across Europe in general, the cost of studying for non-EU/EEA students is higher than that of EU/EEA students. Particularly in Switzerland, if you are a student who is not a Swiss citizen, you will have to pay extremely high tuition fees.

For students who are Swiss citizens, the costs will be supported by the government. Most will be free, or you only pay for administrative work. Students who are Swiss residents only need to pay between 450 – 4,100 CHF/year for Bachelor and Master programs and approximately around 1000 CHF per year for research.

Contrary to Swiss nationals, international students studying at this top education system have to pay way more. For mid-range universities, the average cost is around 23,000 CHF per year; with private universities and institutes, this cost can be much higher; some schools have tuition fees up to hundreds of thousands CHF per year.

In addition to expensive tuition fees, full-time international students in Switzerland, especially in wealthy cities in Switzerland such as Zug or Zurich, also have to pay extra for living and accommodation.

Cost of living while studying in Switzerland

The cost of living in Switzerland is quite high compared to its neighbouring countries. But the good thing is the average salaries here are also significantly higher than in surrounding countries such as Germany, Italy, or France. This has partly affected the cost of studying and living in Switzerland for international students.

On average, international students will have to pay around 1,300 – 1,700 CHF / month when studying in Switzerland. This is quite a comfortable living cost. 

These expenses are for housing, food, transportation, and other recreational activities. If students study in more expensive cities like Zurich and Geneva, the expected spending budget in these cities is about 1,700 CHF / month. The cost of living in Zug, which is known as the most prosperous city in all of Switzerland, falls about 1,900 CHF / month, rent excluded. If you study in Zug, it will be about 2,900 CHF / month, accommodation included.

Let’s see the details below:

Cost of renting accommodation

International students who study in Switzerland often choose to stay in dormitories; the price can range from 450 – 890 CHF / month. However, the number of accommodations is limited. International students also often choose to rent apartments and can cut costs by sharing with other students.

The average rent in Switzerland is around 650-760 CHF/month, while the average rent in Europe is around CHF 340/month. If you’re good at saving money, it will cost you around 900 CHF / 1 month in Zug

Food

Most international students will buy food at the supermarket and prepare it at home. They only go out to eat occasionally. With this option, the cost of meals will fall between 450 – 650 CHF / month.

A tip for international students when studying in Switzerland is to shop after 5 pm. This is when grocers will offer 25-50% off perishable items. In addition, international students in Switzerland can travel to neighbouring countries at a cheaper cost to buy food.

If students choose to eat at popular restaurants, street vendors in Switzerland, the prices range from 18-30 CHF / person. At Zug it is 35 CHF / 1 person. Students can save more when eating at the university cafeteria, where dishes are usually sold for 10-12 CHF.

Transportation

According to the survey, public transport costs are around 3.50 CHF/trip, and 79 CHF/month ticket. In major Swiss cities, monthly passes are valid on trains, trams, buses, and even ships.

Zug has the best transportation system. International students here can travel by public transport to any part of Switzerland and Europe.

Other costs

Besides housing, food and transportation, students will have to pay some other costs such as:

• Monthly health insurance: 260 – 350 CHF.
• Books and other essentials: CHF 150/month.
• Students with a valid student card can purchase museum tickets for 7-10 CHF.

To sum up, if you’ve been thinking about studying abroad in Switzerland, it’s important to know the cost of studying and living here. Despite being one of the most expensive countries to study in Europe according to the International Schools Database and worldwide, Switzerland is also the home to many international students.

We hope that the above information has provided a complete view of Switzerland’s studying and living costs.

*Note:

OECD – The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development và

PISA – The Program for International Student Assessment: OECD Program for International Student Assessment

Source: The Swiss Institute of Management and Innovation