Best universities in Switzerland 2025

Find the top universities in Switzerland, using Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings 2025 data

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November 21 2024

Top five universities in Switzerland 2025

Scroll down for the full list of best universities in Switzerland

Switzerland Rank 2025	World University Rank 2025	World University Rank 2024	University	City
1	11	11	ETH Zurich	Zurich
2	32	33	École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne	Lausanne
3	=104	=116	University of Bern	Bern
4	126	=123	University of Basel	Basel
5	=134	=143	University of Lausanne	Lausanne

Despite being a small country nestled in the centre of Europe, Switzerland has many great opportunities for international students.

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With 12 universities featured in the World University Rankings, there are a number of great institutions that students can choose from that all have high numbers of international students among the student body.

On top of that, studying in Switzerland offers students the chance to brush up on language skills in one of the country’s four official languages (French, German, Italian and Romansh), as well as take advantage of the many international businesses that operate in the country.

EU and EEA students do not require a visa to study in Switzerland, and students from elsewhere will need to apply for a visa, leaving a few months for the process to complete.

These are the best universities in Switzerland based on the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025.

Top five universities in Switzerland

1. ETH Zurich

ETH Zurich was established in 1855 as the Federal Polytechnic School and has since become one of the world’s most prestigious science and technology universities.

The university has produced over 20 Nobel Prize Laureates, including Albert Einstein – one of the most influential and well-known scientists of modern times.

As well as providing excellence in science and technology education, the university is also a key contributor in science and technology research.

2. École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne is a highly international university with almost half of its students coming from abroad and 112 different nationalities represented.

It specialises in natural science and engineering and is well-regarded across the world for its research output.

The campus is located beside Lake Geneva and it is powered entirely by electricity produced by hydropower.

3. University of Bern

The University of Bern is based in the Swiss capital city of Bern.

Its faculties and schools are based in the Länggasse area, which is a part of the city centre known as the academic part of the city.

The university has had some prestigious former faculty members. Albert Einstein taught theoretical physics at the university in 1908, and the following year the Russian philospher Anna Tumarkin became a professor (and the first European lecturer to accept PhD students).

4. University of Basel

The University of Basel, founded in 1460, is the oldest university in Switzerland and is among the world’s oldest surviving universities.

Up to a quarter of students that study at the university are international.

The university has seven faculties: theology, law, medicine, humanities and social sciences, science, business and economics, and psychology.

5. University of Lausanne

University of Lausanne is located on the shores of Lake Geneva.

It has seven faculties, with the faculty of biology and medicine and the faculty of geosciences and environment the latest additions in 2003.

Approximately one fifth of students and one third of teaching staff come from abroad. The institution places an emphasis on an interdisciplinary approach, ensuring close cooperation between staff and students. The institution also offers a wide range of continuing education and interdisciplinary courses.