Consistently ranked the top university in continental Europe, ETH Zurich, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, is a leading player in research and education in Switzerland and worldwide. ETH Zurich's 16 departments offer Bachelor, Master and Doctoral programs in engineering and natural sciences. The language of instruction in the Bachelor programs is German, whereas English is the common languge on the graduate level. All degree programs provide a solid scientific foundation combined with outstanding all-round skills, equipping ETH graduates with the abilities and flexibility needed for a career in industry, business or the public sector, as entrepreneur or scientist. The international outlook - two-thirds of all professors are international - and the excellent teaching and research infrastructure make ETH Zurich the ideal place for creative personalities. The links with business and industry are very close, Zurich being the economic center of Switzerland and home to numerous international companies. And beyond world-class education, Zurich also offers many other quality-of-life highlights. Zurich has a metropolitan flair, excellent sports facilities, an extensive range of cultural and recreational offerings - and a very vibrant nightlife.
ETH Zurich has more than 16,000 students from approximately 80 countries, 3,500 of whom are doctoral candidates. More than 400 professors teach and conduct research in the areas of engineering, architecture, mathematics, natural sciences, system-oriented sciences, and management and social sciences.
ETH Zurich regularly appears at the top of international rankings as one of the best universities in the world. 21 Nobel Laureates have studied, taught or conducted research at ETH Zurich, underlining the excellent reputation of the institute.
Transferring its knowledge to the private sector and society at large is one of ETH Zurichs primary concerns. It has succeeded in this, as borne out by the 80 new patent applications each year and the 215 spin-off companies that were created out of the institute between 1996 and 2010. ETH Zurich orients its research strategy around global challenges such as climate change, world food supply and human health issues.
As at all universities in Switzerland, the academic year is divided into two semesters. Examinations are often held during examination sessions which are immediately before the beginning of the next semester (only a few select courses offer an exam immediately after the semester ends). After the first year of study, bachelor students must pass a block examination of all courses taken in the first year, called the Basisprüfung. If the weighted average score is not sufficient, a student is required to retake the entire Basisprüfung which usually means having to re-sit the whole first year. About 50% of the students fail the Basisprüfung on the first try and many of them choose to drop out of the course instead of repeating the Basisprüfung. The structure of examinations in higher academic years is similar to the Basisprüfung (Basis examination), but with a higher success rate. The regular time to reach graduation is six semesters for the Bachelor of Science degree and three or four further semesters for the Master of Science degree. The final semester is dedicated to writing a thesis.
Education at ETH Zurich generally focuses more on theoretical aspects than application and most degree programs contain a high amount of mathematical training. The main language of instruction in undergraduate (Bachelor) studies is German and for admission a proof of sufficient knowledge of the German language is required for Bachelor students. Most Master's programmes and doctoral studies are in English.
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