List of universities in Switzerland


This list of public universities in Switzerland lists all 12 publicly funded Swiss universities and a number of public Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences and other education institutions, as higher education institutions. The Swiss law on publicly financed universities, the Swiss University Conference and its accreditation body the CRUS-OAQ is responsible for their recognition according to the Federal Higher Education Act, HEdA.

Universities

InstitutionAbbreviationLocationFoundedLanguageTypeEnrollment
University of BaselUNIBASBasel1460German / EnglishPublic 12,852
University of BernUNIBEBern1834German / EnglishPublic 17,882
University of FribourgUNIFRFribourg1889French / GermanPublic 10,000
University of GenevaUNIGEGeneva1559FrenchPublic 16,530
University of NeuchâtelUNINENeuchâtel1838FrenchPublic 4,173
University of LausanneUNILLausanne1537FrenchPublic 13,500
University of LucerneUNILULucerne2000German / EnglishPublic 3,037
University of LuganoUSILugano1995Italian / EnglishPublic 2,862
University of St. GallenHSGSt. Gallen1898German / EnglishPublic 8,553
University of ZurichUZHZurich1833German / EnglishPublic 26,356
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology LausanneEPFLLausanne1853French / EnglishPublic 10,686
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ZurichETH / ETHZZurich1855German / EnglishPublic 20,607

Universities of Applied Sciences

There are seven public and two private Universities of Applied Sciences, Haute école specialisée, and scuola universitaria professionale ) in Switzerland.
;Public
;Private
According to diploma recognition by the EDK / CDIP:
According to the Berufsbildungsgesetz, Art. 48 / Loi fédérale sur la formation, l'art. 48

THE-QS

According to the THE–QS World University Rankings:
Institution2015201620172018
ETH Zurich 129810
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne17141412
University of Geneva 85859598
University of Zurich 57898073
University of Basel 116139141149
University of Lausanne 105143138146
University of Bern 145166181167
University of St. Gallen 421-430329288372

NR = no ranking or ranking outside top 200.

ARWU

In relation to its population size, Switzerland is the country with the highest number of universities among the 100 best of the Academic Ranking of World Universities.

Switzerland Top Universities in 2015

A list of Switzerland top universities in 2020 as per three major ranking platforms ARWU, QS and THE.
UniversityLocationARWU World Ranking 2019QS World Rankings 2020THE World Ranking 2020
ETH Zurich - Swiss Federal Institute of TechnologyZurich19613
EPFL Lausanne781838
University of ZurichZurich617690
University of GenevaGeneva58110144
University of BaselBasel8715194
University of LausanneLausanne151-200153198
University of BernBern101-150123113
University of FribourgFribourg401-500-301–350
Università della Svizzera ItalianaLugano501-600-301–350
University of St. GallenSt.Gallen-398401–500
University of NeuchâtelNeuchâtel901-1000-501–600