Study in Switzerland from Ireland

Our database lists 9 bachelor courses in Switzerland at four institutions: EHL Hospitality Business School in Lausanne, Franklin University Switzerland in Lugano, Webster University Geneva and ZHAW in Winterthur. All list English as the language of study. Fees are published in Swiss francs. Franklin and Webster Geneva publish flat annual rates. ZHAW publishes a per-semester fee of CHF 720 with a CHF 500 surcharge for non-Swiss nationals. Our database has no health programmes for Switzerland.

How an Irish student gets in

Leaving Cert route. None of the four institutions publishes a Leaving Cert grade rule that we found. All nine rows are Partly verified. Check the admissions page for your course (linked in the sources).

• EHL: the Irish Leaving Certificate is not named. Entry is through a generic route for other diplomas. Mathematics is expected in the last three years of secondary education.
• Franklin: the route is a final high school diploma or recognised equivalent. The Leaving Certificate is not named. No entrance test is stated.
• Webster Geneva: minimum equivalent 2.5 on a 4.0 GPA scale (about a B- average, or 80% on a 100% scale). The page lists no Leaving Certificate conversion.
• ZHAW: equivalence of your Leaving Certificate is assessed case by case after you apply. An entrance exam (finance and accounting, mathematics, German, English; fee CHF 200) applies only if the certificate is not equivalent.

Documents.

• EHL: passport copy, diplomas and transcripts (certified English translation if not in English, French, German or Italian), a 500 to 650 word essay, and an application fee of CHF 220.
• Franklin: application form and CHF 50 fee (waived if you apply by 1 December for Fall), personal statement, official transcripts, final diploma or recognised equivalent, and one evaluation letter.
• Webster Geneva: transcripts for at least the three most recent years, a 300 to 400 word essay, two recommendation letters and a passport page.
• ZHAW: CV, the certificate with subjects and grades for the last three years of upper secondary, translations into German or English, English B2 proof, and evidence of at least one year of commercial work experience.

English proof.

• EHL: CEFR C1 in all four skills. Accepted proof includes showing that your last three years of secondary education were in a school where English was the main language of instruction, IELTS Academic 7.0 overall, or Duolingo 130.
• Franklin: TOEFL 90, IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 110 if English was not your primary language of instruction. The page states no exemption for Irish applicants.
• Webster Geneva: English proficiency is waived for bachelor applicants who studied three years at an accredited high school in Ireland.
• ZHAW: CEFR B2, for example IELTS 5.5 or Duolingo 115. No Leaving Certificate exemption is stated.

Tests and interviews. EHL requires a 20-minute online interview, a final interview and an online analytical and quantitative aptitude test. Webster Geneva requires no test (SAT/ACT optional).

What it costs

• EHL (international students rate, September 2027 intake, CHF including VAT): academic fees of CHF 36,233 for the Preparatory Year, CHF 55,534 for Year 1, CHF 32,983 for Year 2 and CHF 47,262 for Year 3. Compulsory fees including a prepaid food and beverage credit are CHF 39,838, CHF 59,660, CHF 35,049 and CHF 49,328. The four-year total is CHF 183,874. The row notes that the reduced Swiss rate does not apply to Irish students unless they are HES-SO eligible. The fee shown is not EU-specific.
• Franklin: academic tuition CHF 27,200 per year (CHF 13,600 per semester), annual institutional fees CHF 2,100 and a new-student orientation fee of CHF 550. Franklin lists Ireland as an EU/EEA country for this rate. The page gives no academic year.
• Webster Geneva: CHF 35,000 per year (CHF 17,500 per 16-week semester) for 2025-2026 and 2026-2027. The 2027-28 rate is not published, and no separate EU rate is stated.
• ZHAW: CHF 720 per semester plus CHF 500 per semester for non-Swiss nationals, so CHF 1,220 per semester and CHF 2,440 per year. One-off fees are CHF 100 for admission and CHF 100 for enrolment. The page gives no academic year.

Accommodation.

University prices:

• EHL, Lausanne (September 2027 and February 2028 intakes): on-campus double room in the Preparatory Year CHF 5,850 per semester; single room in Bachelor semesters 1 to 6 CHF 7,800 per semester; NeighborWood studios and shared flats CHF 4,488 to CHF 7,561 per semester.
• Franklin, Lugano: residence hall CHF 5,850 per semester (CHF 11,700 per year). The meal plan is separate at CHF 2,150 per semester and is required for first-year students. The page gives no academic year.
• Webster Geneva: university housing CHF 9,600 to CHF 16,800 per academic year (2025-2026 and 2026-2027 tuition page). First-year students must live on campus unless they live with family in the Geneva area.

Not a university price: ZHAW publishes a typical student budget for rent and utilities in Winterthur of CHF 600 to CHF 750 per month. The refundable rent deposit is CHF 500 to CHF 1,000.

Deadlines

• EHL: 15 June 2027 final deadline for the September 2027 intake; 31 May 2027 for visa applicants.
• ZHAW: 30 April 2027.
• Franklin: Early Action priority 1 December. The regular deadline for non-visa students, including EU/EFTA, is 15 July. The page gives no year. Rolling admissions run to mid-August.
• Webster Geneva: priority deadline for Fall is 1 May. The page gives no year and shows 15 May 2025 for the August 2025 term. Admissions are rolling.

Health courses

Our database has no health programmes for Switzerland.

Other courses

All 9 courses in our database.

All nine rows are Partly verified. The notes for each: EHL fees are the international rate and the Leaving Certificate is not named; Franklin and Webster Geneva do not publish programme length or the 2027 deadline year; ZHAW assesses the Leaving Certificate case by case.

Things that catch Irish students out

• ZHAW asks for evidence of at least one year of commercial work experience. This is on the document list for the International Management bachelor.
• ZHAW's CHF 500 per semester surcharge applies to non-Swiss nationals.
• EHL's published fees are the international rate. The row says the Swiss reduced rate does not apply to Irish students unless HES-SO eligible.
• Franklin and Webster Geneva give deadlines without a year. Franklin's fee page gives no academic year. Webster's 2027-28 tuition is not published.
• ZHAW's page gives A-Level subject rules only and none for Ireland, so equivalence is decided after you apply.
• SUSI residency: SUSI states that applicants must have been resident in the Irish State, EU, EEA, UK or Switzerland for three of the last five years. It also states that tuition students pursuing a course outside the State are not eligible for grant funding, and that PLC-level courses outside the State are not eligible.

FAQ

What Leaving Cert grades do Swiss universities ask for?

The institutions in our data publish no Leaving Cert grade rule that we found. Webster Geneva asks for a minimum equivalent of 2.5 on a 4.0 GPA scale and lists no Leaving Certificate conversion. ZHAW assesses equivalence case by case after you apply.

How much does it cost?

Fees are in Swiss francs. ZHAW is CHF 2,440 per year for non-Swiss nationals. Franklin is CHF 27,200 plus CHF 2,100 in institutional fees. Webster Geneva is CHF 35,000 (2025-26 and 2026-27). EHL's international-rate academic fees range from CHF 32,983 (Year 2) to CHF 55,534 (Year 1).

Can I study medicine in Switzerland from this guide?

No. Our database has no Swiss medicine or other health programme, so this guide cannot say how to apply for one. The nine courses are in hospitality, business, politics, media, liberal arts and psychology.

Do I need an English test?

It depends. Webster Geneva waives the test for three years at an accredited Irish high school. EHL accepts three years of English-medium secondary schooling or a C1 test. Franklin and ZHAW state no exemption for Irish applicants and ask for test scores.

What are the application deadlines?

EHL closes on 15 June 2027 for September 2027, with 31 May for visa applicants. ZHAW closes on 30 April 2027. Franklin gives 1 December (priority) and 15 July, and Webster Geneva gives 1 May, both without a year.

Sources

EHL Hospitality Business School

• https://www.ehl.edu/en/study/bachelor-degree-in-hospitality
• https://www.ehl.edu/hubfs/DL_Docs/Tuition_Fees_BOS_EN.pdf
• https://www.ehl.edu/en/study/bachelor-degree-in-hospitality/admission-requirements
• https://www.ehl.edu/en/study/bachelor-degree-in-hospitality/admission-procedures

Franklin University Switzerland

• https://www.fus.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/majors
• https://www.fus.edu/admissions-and-aid/tuition/swiss-eu-eea-tuition
• https://www.fus.edu/admissions-and-aid/applying-to-franklin/undergraduate-programs
• https://www.fus.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/majors/international-management
• https://www.fus.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/majors/communication-and-media-studies
• https://www.fus.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/majors/international-relations

Webster University Geneva

• https://geneva.webster.edu/academics/undergraduate/business/index.php
• https://geneva.webster.edu/admissions/tuition.php
• https://geneva.webster.edu/admissions/undergraduate/index.php
• https://geneva.webster.edu/academics/ba-international-relations.php
• https://geneva.webster.edu/academics/ba-psychology.php

ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences

• https://www.zhaw.ch/en/sml/study/bachelor/international-management
• https://www.zhaw.ch/en/sml/study/bachelor/fees
• https://www.zhaw.ch/en/sml/study/bachelor/admission
• https://www.zhaw.ch/en/study/before-your-studies/important-information
• https://www.zhaw.ch/en/sml/study/international/incoming-students/living-in-switzerland

SUSI

• https://www.susi.ie/eligibility-criteria/residency-criteria/

Details can change. Check the official page before you apply.