During its deliberations about the new package of agreements between Switzerland and the European Union, deputies decided that EU students enrolled at the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology must receive the same treatment as Swiss students regarding tuition fees.
For years, international students enrolled at the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology in Zurich and Lausanne (ETH / EPFL) had been charged the same tuition as their Swiss counterparts – that is,1,460 francs a year .
In 2025, however, both universities tripled the fees for foreign nationals, charging new students enrolling that year 4,380 francs in tuition.
These hikes were meant to compensate for lower federal contributions, because from 2025, the government’s financial aid to the two public institutes had been sharply reduced.
READ MORE: How fees for international students in Switzerland are rising this September
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Tuition equality restored
On the last day of its autumn session – September 30th – the MPs reversed this decision.
Instead, they stipulated that students from the European Union enrolled at the two institutes are to be treated the same as Swiss students regarding tuition fees.
The new rule concerns EU nationals only; deputies rejected a proposal to also include students from EFTA nations (Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein) in the move.
EFTA is tied into the EU agreements as well, so why are students from these countries excluded from ‘equal’ tuition fees?
It is a matter of reciprocity.
Under the terms of the agreement with Brussels, Swiss students will also benefit from equal treatment, in terms of fees, when studying in an EU country.
Therefore, MPs argued that students from Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, should pay the current (higher) tuition – until and unless separate negotiations with EFTA yield the same mutually beneficial arrangement.
(There is no word at this time about whether such negotiations are planned).
One MP’s proposed that students from Liechtenstein be treated – in terms of tuition – on equal footing with Swiss students, since the Principality already uses Switzerland’s financial, monetary, and customs infrastructure.
This suggestion was, however, turned down, as deputies don’t want to grant special rights to one EFTA state over the others.
What about students from third countries like the USA or the UK?
They are not covered by the agreement between Bern and Brussels and will therefore continue to pay higher fees.
When will the new rule go into effect?
Not quite yet.
The National Council has get on board as well, which it is expected to, from all indications.
