Switzerland's leading universities experiencing a decrease in foreign students following tuition increases?
EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, has seen a significant shift in its academic landscape over the past few years.
The student-faculty ratio at EPFL is on the rise, reflecting the increasing number of students enrolling at the institution. The number of students at EPFL has more than doubled in the last decade, with roughly the same number of students enrolling this year as in 2024, according to the university.
However, the decline in the number of students from France at EPFL cannot be attributed solely to the increased fees. Other factors, such as changes in the French education system, may also be contributing to this trend.
In an effort to manage its growing student population, EPFL has implemented a cap on new foreign students, effective until 2029. Starting in 2025, EPFL is capping the number of new Bachelor's students from abroad to 3,000 admissions.
International students at EPFL will see their per-semester fees triple, with the fee for new Bachelor's students rising from 730 to 2,190 francs. However, the actual impact of the higher tuition fees cannot yet be determined after such a short period of time, according to ETH Rector Günther Dissertori.
At ETH Zurich, the academic year begins on September 18th, a week later than at EPFL. The fee increase only applies to new students, not those already enrolled. So far, the higher tuition has not affected the number of new students enrolling, similar to the situation at ETH Zurich, where a similar tuition fee increase for foreign students has not resulted in a decline in student numbers.
There have been fears that higher tuition will deter foreign students from studying at the ETH. However, with about 20% of new bachelor students having foreign Matura and many coming from Germany or Austria, it seems that the ETH continues to attract a diverse student body.
The fee hike is due to a reduction in the government's financial aid to the two public institutes. Despite these changes, both EPFL and ETH Zurich remain highly regarded institutions of higher education, offering a wide range of academic programmes and research opportunities.
The academic year at EPFL begins on September 15th, providing students with a new semester filled with opportunities for growth and learning.
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