Admitted Applicants: MSc UZH ETH in Quantitative FinanceThis page for is primarily intended for admitted applicants and/or for currently enrolled participants.RegistrationThe program is a specialized Master of Science according to the Bologna rules and an official registration as a student at the University of Zurich is needed. Accepted applicants will be directly informed by the Admission Office of the University of Zurich how they have to registrate. The accepted candidates will need to provide certified copies of their documents (diploma, grades, and certificate of knowledge of the English language).Visa and Residence PermitMost nationals from countries outside the European Union / European Economic Area need a visa to enter Switzerland for study purposes. It is very important that you check the immigration requirements in good time. It usually takes around 3 months from submitting the application to the visa actually. In case you need a visa, you must apply for it at the Swiss Embassy or Consulate General nearest to your place of residence.After having entered Switzerland, all students are required to register at the local residents' registration office ("Kreisbüro") in their neighbourhood of residence. Students living outside the city report to the registration office of their local authorities. You will need a valid passport, two passport-size photographs, confirmation of matriculation from the University of Zurich, and a visa if required. A residence permit and a foreigner's identity card will be issued four to six weeks after registration. Useful links: Swiss Federal Office for Migration Swiss immigration process Residents' Registration Office AccommodationSwiss universities do not usually have on-campus housing, but rather students organise themselves in flat-sharing communities ("WG" or "Wohngemeinschaft"), with three or four flatmates renting a flat together and sharing the rent.For new incoming foreign students with no acquaintances in Zurich, it can be difficult to find a flat to share. If you cannot arrange housing from your home country, you should arrive one or two weeks before the semester begins to try and find a room. In the Housing Handbook (available in German only), the Housing Office of University and ETH Zurich issues an overview of useful addresses, if you're looking for reasonably priced accommodation as well as accommodation at short notice. Accommodation offers can also be found on the various notice boards in the University buildings and institutes. A useful link for students looking for accommodation from outside Switzerland is the University of Zurich and ETH Online Marketplace. InsuranceHealth Insurance: For anyone staying in Switzerland longer than three months, health insurance is compulsory. Students from an EU state who are legally insured in their home country can apply for exemption from this obligation by using the European Health Card or a provisional certificate issued by the health insurance company in your home country. After your arrival in Switzerland you will be contacted by the health services department of your place of residence. Should you not be contacted, please ask your local authorities about the procedure. If you do not have a provisional certificate or an insurance card, but other proof of health insurance corresponding to Swiss requirements, an exemption from obligatory insurance may be possible. If not, a policy for basic insurance must be taken out at a Swiss health insurance company. Travel insurance taken out in your home country will not be accepted.Private Liability Insurance: This insurance covers damage inflicted by you to other persons. It also covers any loss incurred in the room or flat you are living in. A private liability insurance costs from CHF 100.- to CHF 150.- per year with a limit of indemnity of up to CHF 5 million. Although private liability insurance is not compulsory, we suggest all international students to contract such insurance. ExpensesLiving expenses depend very much on the individual student. These figures should therefore be regarded as a guideline only (in CHF):
The expected minimum cost of living for students at the University of Zurich therefore comes to a total of CHF 1,750 per month. Course fees come to around CHF 700 per semester. TransportationPublic transport in the city of Zurich is a dense and well-planned network. There are buses, street-cars, regional trains, and even boats. There is a discount for students under the age of 25. Bicycles are an inexpensive alternative to public transport.SportsThe Academic Athletics Association of Zurich (ASVZ) runs four different sports centres and offers instructional classes in over 70 different types of sports, recreation and wellness, as well as various drop-in facilities such as solariums, saunas, and weight rooms.Language CoursesThe entire program is in English, therefore you don't need to know German. However, some basic German can help in everyday life and you might want to take the chance to learn it. Learning German by listening to the locals is not easy, because the local Swiss German dialect can be hard to understand even for Germans. However, most locals are so kind to switch to proper German or English if they notice that you have problems understanding their dialect. Since there are many non-German speaking foreigners as well as Italian and French speaking Swiss in Zurich and its two academic institutions, attending a language course is a common thing to do.Courses are offered by the Language Center (Sprachenzentrum) of the University and the ETH Zurich. Additional Useful InformationInternational Student Guide UZHStudying at ETH Zurich - information for prospectives students Handbook for International Students ETH Cancellation of examinations during the exam session [RiskLab] [ETH Finance Group] [Department of Banking and Finance] [NCCR-FINRISK] [CCFZ] |