Comparing the top universities in Switzerland: ETH Zurich or EPFL?

The QS World University Rankings by Subject – which ranks universities in five broad subject areas and close to 50 subjects – reflects the focus on technical and scientific disciplines shared by both of Switzerland’s leading universities.

See how the two universities compare across the different subject areas below.

ETH Zurich and EPFL are based in Zurich and Lausanne respectively, and the two locations share many similarities. Both cities are on the shores of a lake (Lakes Zurich and Geneva) and both boast magnificent views of the Alps mountain range, offering opportunities for outdoor exploration along with a broad spectrum of cultural venues.

Both cities also have significant student populations, being home to several universities. Notably, ETH Zurich is joined by the University of Zurich and EPFL by the University of Lausanne. As is generally true of Switzerland, both cities come with a relatively high cost of living, though this is offset by relatively low tuition fees.

The major difference is one of size and pace. Zurich is Switzerland’s largest city, home to the Swiss Stock Exchange, and known as one of the world’s most important financial and business hubs. Lausanne, the country’s fourth-largest city, can’t compete in terms of density of industry or entertainment – though it is the headquarters for a number of international companies and organizations, including the International Olympic Committee. However, neither of these cities are likely to leave students short of things to see and do, either indoors or out.

Zurich is in the German-speaking area of Switzerland (though what you’ll hear on the streets is actually the local Swiss-German dialect). Meanwhile, Lausanne is in the French-speaking region, although again Swiss-French may differ slightly. So, if either of these languages is your first language, you may prefer one location over the other, with only a few minor language differences to adjust to.

EPFL claims to be 'Europe’s most cosmopolitan technical university' – and it has some foundation for this, scoring well in the QS World University Rankings for the international diversity of its students and for the international diversity of its academic staff. 

While EPFL has a higher ratio of international students, ETH Zurich has a much larger student community overall – it’s around twice the size of EPFL. As is to be expected of universities with a strong research focus, both have a high proportion of master’s and doctorate students. Postgraduate students account for almost half of the student community at each.