Destinations / Europe
Switzerland
Research intensity, high salaries, very high costs
The system
Switzerland pairs remarkably low public tuition with the highest living costs on this list. For research-track candidates in engineering, pharmaceuticals or finance, the salaries at the far end justify it. For most other profiles the arithmetic is harder.
Admission is genuinely selective and the research environment is exceptional. We recommend it to a narrower band of candidates than any other destination we cover, and we would rather say that plainly than sell it broadly.
Where the opportunity is
Pharmaceuticals and life sciences, precision engineering, banking and finance, and internationally funded research.
Working there
Exacting, punctual and quality-obsessed. Commitments are treated as binding and deadlines are not negotiable.
Living there
Immaculate public infrastructure, mountains within reach of every city, and prices that reshape every budget decision.
FAQ Switzerland
Is it affordable if tuition is that low?
Tuition is low; living is not. Budget two to three times what you would in Germany. For research-track candidates the eventual salaries justify it — for many other profiles they do not, and we will tell you which you are.
/ Also covered
Start with an assessment
An hour, your documents, and a straight answer about which routes are realistic. If we do not think we can help, we will say so and there is nothing to pay.