Switzerland vs Germany for STEM Degrees
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published May 18, 2025 • Education Planning, Study in Europe
German public universities charge EU students no tuition for STEM degrees. Switzerland's ETH Zurich and EPFL now charge CHF 2,190 a semester (CHF 4,380 a year) to students without a Swiss residence permit, up from CHF 730, starting autumn 2025.
💶 Germany: no tuition at most public technical universities
💶 ETH/EPFL: CHF 730/semester for Swiss citizens and permit holders, CHF 2,190/semester for other international students
🎓 TU9 group covers Germany's leading technical universities: Aachen, Munich, Berlin, Darmstadt, Dresden, Hannover, Karlsruhe, Braunschweig, Stuttgart
🏠 Munich rent runs lower than Zurich rent for comparable student housing
📩 Non-EU graduates in Germany get an 18-month visa to search for qualified work
Tuition: Germany stays free, Switzerland just got pricier for foreigners
Most German public universities, including all nine members of the TU9 alliance of technical universities, charge no tuition fees for bachelor's and master's degrees, regardless of your nationality. You still pay a semester contribution of roughly 100-350 euros, covering student services and a regional transit pass, but this is an administrative fee, not tuition.
Switzerland used to offer similarly low fees at its federal institutes. That changed for autumn 2025. ETH Zurich and EPFL now charge CHF 2,190 per semester (CHF 4,380 a year) to students who do not hold a Swiss residence permit, up from CHF 730, a threefold increase, according to ETH Zurich and EPFL . Swiss citizens and students who already hold a Swiss residence permit keep paying CHF 730 a semester. Students already enrolled in a bachelor's or master's program before autumn 2025 stay on the old rate until they finish.
This means an EU student moving to Switzerland specifically to study now pays close to CHF 4,380 a year in tuition alone, on top of one of the highest costs of living in Europe. Germany's zero tuition policy makes it the cheaper option for most EU and non-EU STEM applicants.
Admission: different gatekeeping models
German universities use the Numerus Clausus (NC) system for oversubscribed programs, ranking applicants mainly by school-leaving grade average. Many TU9 engineering programs admit students without an NC if capacity allows, but computer science and a handful of high-demand courses often require a strong grade average or an additional aptitude test. If your school qualification is not automatically recognized as equivalent to the German Abitur, you may need to complete a Studienkolleg foundation year first.
ETH Zurich and EPFL admit Swiss Matura holders directly if their grades meet the threshold. If you hold a foreign qualification, admission depends on whether it appears on the institution's recognized list. Qualifications like the German Abitur, French Baccalauréat, and International Baccalaureate typically qualify directly. If your qualification is not recognized, you sit the ETH entrance examination, a demanding two-part exam covering multiple subjects.
Cost of living: Zurich costs more than Munich
Zurich is consistently one of the most expensive cities in Europe. ETH and the University of Zurich estimate student rent alone at CHF 800-1,000 a month, with flatshares ranging from CHF 700-1,500, according to University Living . Lausanne runs somewhat cheaper than Zurich but still sits well above most German cities.
Munich, Germany's most expensive student city, still comes in lower than Zurich. Student dormitory rooms cost roughly 280-400 euros a month, and shared apartments run 400-800 euros, according to Expatrio . Aachen, home to RWTH Aachen, one of the largest TU9 members, costs noticeably less than Munich for rent and daily expenses.
Post-study work options
Non-EU graduates of German universities can apply for an 18-month residence permit to search for qualified work after finishing their degree, with no restriction on the type of job you take while searching, according to Steinbeis University . EU citizens do not need this permit since they already have the right to live and work anywhere in the EU.
Switzerland also grants a job-search allowance to non-EU/EFTA graduates of Swiss universities, though it runs shorter than Germany's. EU citizens benefit from the Switzerland-EU free movement agreement, which gives them broad rights to stay and work after graduating without a separate job-seeker visa.
Which one fits you
Choose Germany if tuition cost is the deciding factor. Free tuition across TU9 universities outweighs Switzerland's new international fee for most budgets.
Choose Switzerland if you already hold Swiss residence, want access to ETH Zurich or EPFL's research funding and industry links, and can absorb Zurich or Lausanne's living costs.
Factor rent into your decision as heavily as tuition. A cheaper German city can offset a full year of Dutch-style savings even where tuition is identical.