With a valid Schengen permit
Students from third countries with a valid residence permit from a Schengen state are exempt from the visa requirement. However, after entering Switzerland they must present the same documents as students requiring a visa.
To enter Switzerland without a visa, citizens of Non-EU/EFTA countries must carry the following documents with them:
- a valid and recognised travel document
- a valid residence permit of a Schengen country
or
- a valid D visa of a Schengen country
Important
The Schengen permit has to be valid until you receive your Swiss residence permit (this can take up to 2-3 months!). If your permit expires within this period, please contact the external pageMigration Officecall_made (only available in German) directly and inquire about the corresponding procedure for your individual case.
After entering Switzerland, the following documents must be submitted in order to apply for a residence permit:
- Travel document (Passport)
Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the planned duration of your stay! - Schengen residence permit
Your currently valid residence permit with a validity of at least 3 months beyond the date of entry. - "Extended confirmation of matriculation" (see Downloadexample (PDF, 161 KB)vertical_align_bottom)
- Motivation letter
Written statement declaring your reasons why you want to study at ETH (necessity must be verified). - Duration of studies at ETH
In a separate point, state the planned duration of your studies. - Curriculum vitae / language skills
Curriculum vitae in table form in German or English; list language skills in detail. See the Downloadexample (PDF, 184 KB)vertical_align_bottom. - Diplomas / transcripts of school records
Copies and certified translations into German or English. - Future plans
Outline your plans after completing your studies (keep it short!). - Your rental contract for accommodation
- Fees
registration fee around CHF 40
document fee around CHF 70 EU-?countries / around CHF 142 non-?EU countries - Evidence of sufficient financial means
You must produce evidence that you can finance your stay in Switzerland by handing in a bank statement or proof of a scholarship decision. The canton of Zurich Migration Office does only accept bank statements from external pagebanks domiciled in Switzerlandcall_made (a Swiss bank or a foreign bank with a branch in Switzerland). You must show that you have CHF 21,000.00 available. The account balance must be stated in Swiss Francs, Euros or US Dollars either on the bank statement or in an additional letter from the bank. Even large, internationally active banks are not acceptable if they have no branches in Switzerland! Examples of acceptable banks are Citibank, China Construction Bank, HSBC, Deutsche Bank (etc.). Please do NOT choose Raiffeisen Bank. Although it is on the list it has never been accepted.
!Bank statements from banks in the EU can usually be accepted!
The account must be your own (not your parents’)!
Letters from parents declaring financial support are NOT accepted.
For those who have relatives in Switzerland: An alternative is to submit a so-called “guarantee declaration”. In this case, a solvent person residing in Switzerland (Swiss citizen or foreigner with a B or C residence permit) must guarantee with a form that he/she will cover the uncovered costs that the community may incur due to your stay in Switzerland up to an amount of CHF 21,000. The form will be sent to you by the Migration Office of the Canton of Zurich if you have enclosed an unaccepted financial proof with your visa application.
Joint Master students, who only spend a semester at ETH Zurich, need to proof enough financial means for the time of their stay (7 months a CHF 1750 per month = CHF 12.250).
The Zurich Migration Office is extremely strict about the financial requirement and this is where students make most mistakes. It is crucial that you follow the instructions above very carefully (most embassies do not know the detailed requirements of each of the 26 cantons in Switzerland and may not be able to tell you the correct requirements!).
These documents must be submitted within 14 days after arrival to the external pageResident's Registration Officecall_made (Personenmeldeamt only available in German) in Zurich or to the municipal administration of your new place of residence.