Going to Switzerland to study for a master’s or doctoral degree

Swiss doctoral education overview and academic system

Switzerland *** has 10 public (state) universities, 2 federal polytechnics, 9 colleges of higher education, and 4 federal research institutions Place. Among them, the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ) ranks 6th in the world in the 2019/2020 QS World University Rankings, and enjoys the same high reputation as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States; the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (ETHZ) EPFL) ranks 18th in the QS World University Rankings 2019/20. It is a top polytechnic in Europe and around the world, and enjoys a high reputation in the field of engineering technology.

Swiss Universities

Application Process

In Switzerland, applicants usually contact professors themselves first, which is what everyone calls magnet recruitment. The most important part of the magnet set is to first confirm whether the professor has a position in his hand. After the project, position, salary, and admission time are all agreed upon, the applicant then goes to the school to apply and submit various application materials and certificates. Some of the materials to be submitted may vary greatly in different states, schools and even different departments. You only need to communicate with the secretary of the team immediately and submit the relevant required materials.

It is usually necessary to hold a master's degree before starting a PhD program in Switzerland. But EPFL is an exception. Very outstanding undergraduate students can also directly apply for the PhD Program. For applicants whose Master Program is taught in English, language proof is generally no longer required.

Doctoral form

The two main forms of Swiss phd, general phds, adopt a traditional tutoring system, where students study and do research in a specific university or college, with tutors supervising and guiding students to become independent. Research. This type of application is more like the United States. Admissions are held at a fixed time every year. Generally, the school will provide majors or research directions for applicants to refer to and choose. The admissions requirements generally only require students to have corresponding broad backgrounds.

Structured phds is a relatively new development trend in recent years. It is jointly cultivated by companies, enterprises or research institutes outside the school and universities, providing more professional training and practical opportunities. A fixed number of credits are required at the university, while research is conducted at off-campus research institutes. The admissions requirements for this type of PhD are very detailed, such as having a specific subject background or some very specific operating skills. This type of PhD is more like a "job recruitment".

Scholarships

As a rough estimate, the tuition fees for full-time doctoral students in Switzerland are generally not higher than Swiss Francs 1,200 ($1,280) per year. Although there may be additional registration fees and exam fees each semester, they are also very affordable.

Switzerland provides various types of scholarships for international students.

Part of the scholarships come from the Swiss government, which provides the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship to some international scholars and artists, but the amount is not high. Applications are generally open between August and October. For specific information, please refer to the official website of SERI (the State Secretariat for Education Research and

Innovation). In addition, CRUS (The Rectors' Conference of the Swiss

Universities) also provides some scholarships for local Swiss students who are eager to study abroad and foreign students who are eager to study in Switzerland. ?

All Swiss universities also provide their own scholarships, which may be for half a year, one year, or more than five years of study. If the school believes that the student is worthy of the school Be able to contribute and help, and may also take the initiative to find financial aid for students.