About
The University of Zurich (UZH) is a public research university located in Zurich. Founded in 1833, it was the first university in Europe not to be founded by a monarch or church, and it continues to bring that democratic foundation to its work today. It is a member of Universitas 21, an international network of 27 research universities promoting research collaboration and the global exchange of knowledge. UZH is also a pioneer of shared research in its work to make research findings accessible to the public through its twelve open-access museums and multiple libraries as well as regular lecture series and panel discussions.
Made up of seven faculties with 100 different subject areas, UZH is the largest and most diverse university in Switzerland with approximately 30,000 students from all over the world. UZH has had twelve Nobel Prize laureates. Learn more about them in UZH’s video portrait series. Discover more about UZH's activity and history here.
Consult UZH on QS World Rankings to learn more about their current world ranking and academic reputation in different subject areas.
Location
UZH university buildings are spread across the city, roughly grouped into three campuses. These three main locations are the central neighbourhood, the neighbourhood of Oerlikon, and the neighbourhood of Irchelpark. The distance between campuses is usually no longer than a short tram-ride or cycle, or a medium length walk. Find more details on travel between campuses here and check out this interactive map.
While there are plenty of public transport options (including boat), many residents opt to cycle or walk. Zurich is a pedestrian-friendly place with plenty of car-free or low-car public routes.
Students may notice that ‘Zurich’ can refer either to the city or a larger area called the ‘Canton’. The city of Zurich is one of the 162 municipalities within the Canton of Zurich. However, UZH is located only within the city itself.
Level of competitiveness
This destination is only open to students in (5): the School of English and Drama; the School of Economics and Finance; the School of Geography; the Department of Linguistics and the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures (both within the School of Languages, Linguistics and Film).
- School of English and Drama agreement: Very competitive ***
- School of Economics and Finance agreement: Less competitive *
- School of Geography agreement: Competitive **
- School of Languages, Linguistics and Film:
- Department of Linguistics agreement: Competitive **
- Department of Modern Languages and Cultures agreement: contact academic school
The level of competitiveness (Less competitive * / Competitive ** / Very competitive ***) refers to one's chances of being allocated an exchange space at this partner. This is an approximation determined by the number of applications received for this destination during the last academic year versus the total number of exchange spaces available to Queen Mary students.
Language of Instruction
- School of English and Drama agreement: English
- School of Economics and Finance agreement: English
- School of Geography agreement: English
- School of Languages, Linguistics and Film:
- Department of Linguistics agreement: English
- Department of Modern Languages and Cultures agreement: German
Please be aware that people in Zurich generally speak Swiss-German, a dialect of German that can be hard to understand even for German speakers. The UZH and ETH language centre have language-learning resources available, including coaching, classes and language exchanges.
Academic Calendar
Consult UZH's full academic calendar. There will be a number of orientation events held in the first few weeks including guides to the campus, intercultural workshops and information sessions. Students will receive this detailed schedule a few weeks before studies begin.
- Autumn semester: August - January with lectures taking place between September - December
- Spring semester: February - July with lectures taking place between February – June
Courses
A full list of courses available for exchange students can be found here.
Credits
Students must enrol on a full courseload: 30 ECTS per semester / 60 ECTS for the full academic year (equivalent to 60 Queen Mary credits per semester / 120 Queen mary credits for the full academic year).
Courses vary by ECTS. For example, a class consisting of just a lecture and an exam may equate to 2 ECTS, while a seminar class with written assignments may equate to 6 ECTS.
Grading
At UZH, exams and assignments are graded 0-6, with 6 being the best, and grades increasing by 0.5 a level. 4 is the pass mark for most courses.
- 6 – Excellent
- 5.5 - Very good
- 5 – Good
- 4.5 - Decent
- 4 – Satisfactory
- 3 – Failed
- 2 – Failed
- 1 – Failed
Find out more about Queen Mary's credit transfer and grade conversion process.
Watch this video made by the University of Zurich specifically for their incoming exchange students.
Consult this useful page for International students coming to UZH, including visiting students (this also includes incoming exchange students). You’ll find much helpful guidance about living in Zurich and Switzerland.
Queen Mary student feedback
Blog posts on Queen Mary Global Bloggers:
Instagram takeovers:
Accommodation
UZH provides general accommodation guidance here. As a city campus, UZH does not provide student accommodation. A few rooms are reserved for exchange students, but these are very limited. Students are instead advised to seek out private accommodation around the city. ETH Zurich, the university’s housing office, has useful advice and a portal through which you can find advertisements for private rents. ETH should be students’ first port of call for housing inquiries.
As a general rule, UZH advises for students to secure temporary housing for the first few days or weeks of arrival while they look for somewhere to stay. It also advises that the city centre and districts along the lake (districts 1, 2 and 8) and areas close to the universities (6 and parts of 7) tend to be more expensive. Prices will usually be lower in the other districts, and especially if you live outside of Zurich and commute in. ETH has an extensive list of hostels and temporary housing at a range of price points.
Cost of living
The University of Zurich provides information on the cost of living as a student here. You can find more general, up-to-date information about the cost of living in Zurich here.
Living expenses can vary depending on individual lifestyle, especially in Zurich where renting private accommodation can be as (if not more) expensive than renting privately in London. Please consult the estimated minimum and maximum cost of living figures for this destination country available in our “Estimated Costs of Living” document available on our Finance page.
Important: Students considering to live and study in Zurich must be realistic about financial matters, this being one of the most expensive cities in the world. In the decision-making process, Queen Mary students must calculate their forecasted budget with confirmed funding to which they will have access against the rising cost of living.
There are student discounts and tactics to help reduce these costs. The ‘Halbtax’ half-fare travelcard knocks 50% off boats, postbuses and most railways. For under 25s the card costs CHF120 – it would be useful to calculate how many journeys you need for the cost to break even. Travel information can be found on the SBB website. Another option is the Seven25 card guaranteeing free travel 7pm-5am on SBB trains and most other railways for under 25s – ideal for nightlife.
Support services
The University of Zurich offers free student counselling for all students in German, English, French, Dutch and Polish.
The Student Administration Office offers practical support for all students on administrative matters such as paying bills, changing modules and registering for classes. The numerous student organisations at Zurich can also serve as a point of contact for students; please consult a detailed list here.
An FAQ for all interested exchange students is available here.
Health insurance is mandatory in Zurich and must be obtained from a recognised Swiss health insurance company within three months of arrival. Sites like Priminfo and Comparis help you compare policies and policy prices to find the best one for you. On top of this essential insurance, you can buy supplementary insurance (not a legal requirement) to cover extended treatment, although the process for this different. The Swiss government’s ‘Your questions, our answers’ brochure answers most common queries around Swiss health insurance. It can be found on the UZH guidance page for health insurance.
As a current Queen Mary student you will be able to find a summary sheet for this partner university on our QMplus page, with an overview of the local student support services available on the following topics: specific learning differences, physical impairments, sensory impairments, long term medical conditions, autism spectrum conditions, mental health and wellbeing difficulties, special accommodation provision, non-emergency health care, emergency services, harassment and trauma and suicide prevention.
Student life
UZH has a handy guide to your application and first steps after arriving in Zurich.
Activities and Societies
The Academic Spots Association Zurich (ASVZ) offers a number of courses entirely free for students. This includes fitness centres, classes and workshops. This is a great resource for students – find more details about ASVZ here.
The City of Zurich Department of School and Sport is a good resource for sports resources in your local area and offers some free and discounted services.
There is no shortage of cultural institutions and events in Zurich, many of which have a discounted student rate. Students can buy tickets for various theatre productions – including at the Opernhaus (opera house) and Schauspielhaus Zürich – one of the most prestigious theatres in the German-speaking world – at reduced prices. These two websites function as databases to find events and cultural centres in Zurich, down to the individual exhibition: Website Zurich Tourism and Swiss museums.
There are many student societies and organisations at UZH, including ones specifically for English speakers. Find the full list here.
