Information Check-in ETH

• If you are joining us from outside of Switzerland: Find out about the necessary entry documents at the Info Event: Visa and Entry into Switzerland in May and on the International Student Office website.

• Plan your expenses for the entire duration of your studies at ETH. See the Download overview of study and living costs for international students (PDF, 85 KB).
• Employment/paid work: Studies at ETH are full-time and demanding, leaving little time for external employment. Legal restrictions to gainful employment apply.
• ETH Financial Aid Office: Here you find more information.

You have to organise your own accommodation. Don¡¯t panic! Follow the steps below as a rule of thumb.

• Search options: Platform of the Housing Office of the University / ETH, list of other search options
• Long-term accommodation can only by organised once you have arrived in the city.
• If possible, come to Zurich/Basel in advance for a few days to search on location.
• Beware of fraud! NEVER pay for an object that you have not seen in person and without a contract.

Find your acommodation step-by-step:

1. Find a place to stay for the first weeks: something affordable, temporary and easily terminable (e.g. a Youth Hostel).
2. Once you are here, start looking for a room in a shared flat. Be patient! The market is tense during September, but eases by October/November. Extend your search to the Download greater city area (PDF, 232 KB). Public transportation is superb, and the cheaper rents outside the city easily compensate for the additional costs of train travel.
3. Don¡¯t be picky! If you find something, take it. The market for student rooms in flat-sharing communities is short-term in nature and notice periods are short (usually one month). Thus you will be able to change your accommodation at a later stage if you want.

Save money by buying secondhand furniture:

• external page Brockiland
• external page Z¨¹rcher Brockenhaus

• Read the study guide of your Master's degree programme and carefully check your department's website for information regarding the curriculum. Which courses are compulsory? Which courses are to take in which semester? How many ECTS are needed in which category?
  
• Consult the online Course Catalogue (VVZ) for courses associated with your study programme (Search Tips for Course Catalogue).

• Orient yourself: Which information is found on which website?
  • ETH main website
  • Department websites
  • Student portal
  • Student associations
  • Studying with a disability/chronic disease

• Having a personal laptop is mandatory for all students starting a new degree program at ETH Zurich. Find more information and minimum requirements on the 'Bring your own device' site.

Power sockets in Switzerland:

• voltage: 230V / 50Hz
• plugs: type C (2-pin) and type J (3-pin), type C (2-pin) plugs also fit J sockets

Do you have a disability or chronic illness and will start your studies at ETH Zurich? Please inform yourself on the website about special study situations and contact the Counselling & Coaching Centre early for a counselling.

Residence

• Register at the appropriate city district or municipality for your residence permit.
• Room/Apartment: Hand-over of key, sign rental agreement, understand payment terms, laundry facilities, letterbox, waste disposal/garbage classification: external page waste disposal Z¨¹rich, external page waste disposal Basel
• Label your post box clearly with your name ¨C without a name, no mail will be delivered.

Insurance

• Attend the ETH event ¡°Health insurance in Switzerland. All you need to know¡± in September. Obtain health insurance afterwards.
  
• Obtain private liability insurance, optional in Switzerland, but strongly recommended!

Finance

• Open a bank account: Most Swiss banks offer accounts at favourable conditions for students. Show your residence permit, passport, and student card. Set up standing orders for recurring payments (e.g. monthly rent payment).

Explore the city

• Explore the town and your neighbourhood: external page Welcome to Zurich, external page Welcome to Basel

Shopping

• Where can you buy groceries (e.g. Migros, Coop, Denner, etc.) Where is the nearest external page post office, ATM, pharmacy... ?
• Buy a Swiss SIM card: Prepaid cards are sold at supermarkets, electronic stores and post offices (e.g. Migros, Coop, Aldi, Lidl, Fust, Interdiscount, Media Markt). Swiss telecom companies offer prepaid cards or subscriptions as well as combined packages with internet subscription (e.g. Salt, Sunrise, Swisscom, Mobilezone).

Public transportation

• How do you get to the campus? external page Travelling around Zurich, external page Travelling around Basel.  
• Which public transport pass fits your needs? It is much cheaper than paying separately for each journey. See also: external page Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), external page Zurich Transport Network (ZVV), external page Basel Public Transport (BVB).

Medical help

• On the webpage "What to do in case of illness" of the International Student Office you will find important information.
  
• Don't go to a hospital's emergency room unless you are severly ill, your condition is life-threatening or you have been in a serious accident.

Meet up

• Reunite with your fellow students from the Check-in ETH event.
• Take part in the social activities of ESN (external page Zurich, external page Basel) or the student association of your Master's programme.

German courses

• Attend the external page introductory German language course at the external page Language Center of UZH and ETH

To be able to study at ETH (e.g. to register for courses and exams or to access learning materials) you must complete your registration and enrol. This is a two-step process:

1. Complete registration: Follow  the steps on the webpage of the Admissions Office. See also the FAQ for support in this process.
2. Enrol at ETH: Once you have completed your registration (see above), you will be matriculated by the Registrar's Office. Afterwards, you will receive your personal ETH user account to enrol for the first semester.To do so follow the steps on the webpage of the Registrar¡¯s Office.

• mail.ethz.ch: Don't miss important ETH e-mails! Redirect incoming mails to your preferred e-mail address. Always use your ETH e-mail address when communicating with ETH Zurich.
• Free internet on campus: Set up Wi-Fi connection (eduroam) on your devices.
  
• Install VPN client for an encrypted, secure and authenticated connection to the ETH network from remote locations.
• Download the EduApp to view class schedule, campus map, ETH shuttle bus timetable, study spaces, etc.
• external page Instagram @eth_studying_together provides helpful information for the start of your studies, including study tips, reminders of important deadlines, and much more.

• Review your selection of courses in myStudies (weeks 1 - 4 of the semester).
• Seek advice from your tutor or study programme coordinator if needed. A helpful contact point is also your department's Study Administration Office.
• Register for examinations (performance assessments) in myStudies within the deadline (weeks 3 + 4 of the semester). Deregistration remains open for longer.

24h-building-access, workspaces, ETH eLink, bicycle stations

• ETH buildings are accessible 24 hours a day with your ETH card.
• Workspaces are available for individual study.
• Shuttle bus ETH eLink for travelling between the main building (Zentrum) and the Hoenggerberg.
• Bicycle parking stations on the campus in Zurich at ETH Zurich park your bicycle.

Food

There is a variety of on-?campus canteens and cafeterias. Show your ETH card to benefit from the student discount.

• Zurich: gastronomy ETH Zurich, external page University of Zurich
• Basel: gastronomy ETH Basel, external page University of Basel

Sport

• Stay healthy! Check out the broad ASVZ sports programme: external page ASVZ

Would you like to get to know your fellow students? The numerous student organisations offer various activities. Here you will also meet students who have already completed their Bachelor's degree at ETH. Or take the opportunity to get involved extracurricularly.

Student organisations

• Student associations
  
• VSETH committees
  
• International student associations

Extracurricular activities

• myPath
  
• Student Project House

• ETH »Ê¹ÚÌåÓý,»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Basel
• Website Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering

For the best possible start in your Master¡¯s degree studies at ETH and in Switzerland in general we support you with numerous events. Check the website and find out more about the welcome and onboarding events.