Preparation Course for the ETH Entrance Exam

ETH Zurich is one of the most renowned universities worldwide. It is regularly rated as the leading university in continental Europe in international rankings (THE, QS, ARWU) and has produced 21 Nobel Prize winners. In its 16 departments, ETH Zurich offers 23 Bachelor and 43 Master courses.

  • On-site course (basic course incl. access to the online learning platform)
  • Distance course (incl. access to the online learning platform)
  • Private lessons
  • Blended learning (combination of on-site course, correspondence course and/or private lessons)

Requirements

  • Good knowledge of German (at least level B2 at the beginning of the annual course), as both the lessons and the entrance exam are held in German
  • Good knowledge of English (at least level B2 at the beginning of the annual course for the comprehensive entrance examination)
  • Good basics in mathematics & physics

Informationen about the exam

ETH Zurich offers two types of entrance exams: the comprehensive and the reduced entrance exam.

Reduced entrance examination: If the candidate holds a degree that is very similar to, but not equivalent to a Swiss Matura, the reduced entrance examination is sufficient in most cases.

Comprehensive entrance examination: If your own educational background is only partially equivalent to the Swiss Matura (fewer subjects or lower level than in the Swiss Matura), or if you do not have a Matura or a similar qualification, the comprehensive entrance examination must be completed. More information on the admission requirements for the entrance exams and ETH can be found here.

For more information on the admission requirements of Swiss Universities for students with a foreign degree, please consult the list of countries of Swiss Universities.

Course structure for on-site course

The following table provides an overview of the number of lessons in the individual course modes (advanced, intensive or annual course) as preparation for the reduced and comprehensive entrance exam. The subjects can all be booked modularly.

Intensive Course

In this course the entire exam subjects will be repeated and mock exams (oral and written) will be carried out with original exam questions.

Reduced ETH entrance exam annual course

Subjects
Spring semester
January – August
Fall semester
September – January
Annual course
January – January
Expected number of lessons per week total per week total total
Mathematics 11 264 10 170 434
Physics 8 192 8 136 328
Chemistry* 4 96 4 64 160
Biology* 4 100 4 64 164
Total

27 652 27 434 1’086
German C1 level incl. essay*
(C1 for non natives)
7 140 7 105 245
Science language* 1 16 1 8 24
Private lessons individually individually individually

Comprehensive ETH entrance exam annual course

Subjects
Spring semester
January – August
Fall semester
September – January
Annual course
January – January
Expected number of lessons per week total pro Woche total total
Mathematics 11 264 10 170 434
Physics 8 192 8 136 328
Chemistry* 4 96 4 64 160
Biology* 4 100 4 64 164
English* 3 72 3 45 114
History* 3 72 3 48 120
Geography* 2 48 2 30 78
German Literature* 2 40 2 20 60
Total

37 884 36 577 1’461
German C1 level incl. essay*
(for non natives)
7 140 7 105 245
Science language*
(for non natives)
1 16 1 8 24
Private lessons
(for non natives)
individually individually individually

* If there are four or fewer participants in these subjects, we reserve the right to reduce the number of lessons.
The results of the German exam must be submitted to ETH Zurich when you register for the entrance exam.

Prices

Please find the price list here.

We are happy to advise you

You will receive detailed information about our current courses and immediate access to the demo version of our learning portal. If you would like a school visit or a telephone consultation, let us know in the comments box.