Top universities in Switzerland 2026
| Switzerland Rank 2026 | WUR Rank 2026 | University | Overall | Teaching | Research Environment | Research Quality | Industry | International Outlook |
| 1 | 11 | ETH Zurich | 93.1 | 88.5 | 97.2 | 94.5 | 83.7 | 95.1 |
| 2 | 35 | École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne | 79.6 | 73.5 | 70.8 | 87.5 | 99.9 | 95.4 |
| 3 | 108 | University of Bern | 65.4 | 46.6 | 47 | 92 | 99.4 | 86.3 |
| 4 | 120 | University of Basel | 64.5 | 50.2 | 42.8 | 87.5 | 99.8 | 94.2 |
| 5 | 125 | University of Lausanne | 63.7 | 44.3 | 46.1 | 89 | 99.4 | 88.4 |
| 6 | 166 | University of Geneva | 60.7 | 43.8 | 40 | 85.2 | 85.7 | 96.1 |
| 7 | 251–300 | Università della Svizzera italiana | 54.3–56.3 | 41.1 | 29.7 | 80.3 | 92.9 | 98.2 |
| 8 | 351–400 | University of St Gallen | 49.9–51.5 | 33.3 | 23 | 80.8 | 66.6 | 93.6 |
| 9 | 401–500 | University of Fribourg | 46.2–49.8 | 39.1 | 33.8 | 62.4 | 71.9 | 81.3 |
| 10 | 601–800 | University of Neuchâtel | 39.0–43.5 | 35 | 24.2 | 57.8 | 47.1 | 84.5 |
| 11 | 1001–1200 | ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences | 32.1–35.4 | 23.3 | 17.3 | 50.8 | 62.3 | 69.1 |
| 12 | 1201–1500 | HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland | 27.3–32.0 | 24.5 | 13.8 | 36.2 | 29.6 | 84 |
Key insights into the Switzerland University Ranking 2026
- ETH Zurich is the top university in Switzerland, and is ranked in the top 20 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. It is one of the world’s most prestigious science and technology universities.
- There are 12 universities from Switzerland ranked in total.
- The universities are located alll across the country in the cities of Zurich, Bern, Lausanne and Basel among others.
Choosing a university in Switzerland
Despite being a small country nestled in the centre of Europe, Switzerland has many great opportunities for international students.
With 12 universities featured in the World University Rankings, there are a number of great institutions that students can choose from that all have high numbers of international students among the student body.
On top of that, studying in Switzerland offers students the chance to brush up on language skills in one of the country’s four official languages (French, German, Italian and Romansh), as well as take advantage of the many international businesses that operate in the country.
EU and EEA students do not require a visa to study in Switzerland, and students from elsewhere will need to apply for a visa, leaving a few months for the process to complete.
The table for the best universities in Switzerland was derived from data collected for the THE World University Rankings. The results are calculated using 18 performance indicators underlying five metrics: research environment, teaching (the learning environment), research quality, industry, and international outlook. For more insight and a detailed breakdown of our ranking methodology, visit our methodology page. Use the Switzerland university ranking table above to explore the right institution for you.
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