When was ETH Zurich founded?
ETH Zurich was founded on the 7th of February 1854 by the Swiss Confederation. It began giving its first lectures on the 16th of October 1855 as a polytechnic institute at various sites throughout Zurich.
Questions about ETH Zurich
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How many Nobel laureates are associated with ETH Zurich?
ETH Zurich is associated with 22 Nobel laureates. The most recent is Didier Queloz, awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2019, and the most famous alumnus is Albert Einstein.
What is the tuition fee at ETH Zurich?
Tuition at ETH Zurich is CHF 730 per semester for all students, subsidized by Swiss federal taxes. From the autumn semester of 2025, fees for international students are set to triple to CHF 2,190 per semester.
What are the Basisprüfungen at ETH Zurich?
The Basisprüfungen are intensive first-year examination blocks covering foundational subjects in mathematics, physics, and engineering. Students have only two attempts to pass, and failure rates in mathematics-intensive programs often reach between 50% and 60%.
Who designed the main ETH Zurich building?
The main building of ETH Zurich was designed by Gottfried Semper, a professor of architecture at ETH and one of the most important architectural theorists of his era. It was constructed between 1858 and 1864 in a neoclassical style drawing on the work of Andrea Palladio and Donato Bramante.
How is ETH Zurich ranked globally?
ETH Zurich is ranked 7th worldwide in the QS World University Rankings 2026 and 11th worldwide in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026. In the 2024 QS subject rankings, it placed first worldwide in earth and marine sciences, geology, and geophysics.