Educads
Numbers show universities listed in each destination. All destinations →

16 Best Public Engineering Universities in Switzerland

Of the 16 Public Engineering universities in Switzerland, ETH Zurich ranks highest at #7 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. EPFL (QS World #22) and EPFL - EPF Lausanne (QS World #22) complete the top three. The universities on this list offer 76 matching courses between them.

16 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
1Best overall
ET ETH Zurich logo
QS World #7 #1 in Switzerland Zurich, Switzerland

ETH Zurich

Public University · 11 courses in Engineering

All 11 courses →
CHF 1,000 – CHF 1,500/yrTuition (indicative)
1855Founded
25,000Students
10,000International
Admissions open
#7 QS World University Rankings 2026
#1 in Switzerland
5Ranked
B- BFH - Bern University of Applied Sciences logo
#16 in Switzerland Switzerland
#16 in Switzerland · by research impact
517,712 citations · h-index 244
6Ranked
S- SUPSI - University of Applied Sciences Southern Switzerland logo
#17 in Switzerland Switzerland
#17 in Switzerland · by research impact
390,457 citations · h-index 229
8Ranked
F- FHNW - Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz logo
#20 in Switzerland Switzerland
#20 in Switzerland · by research impact
251,446 citations · h-index 175
9Ranked
HL Hochschule Luzern logo
#22 in Switzerland Switzerland
#22 in Switzerland · by research impact
109,719 citations · h-index 106

Engineering at other levels

By university type

How these universities are ranked

4 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #7 (ETH Zurich) to #473 (Universita della Svizzera Italiana); they are listed first, in that order. The rest are ordered by research impact. ETH Zurich has the largest research record in this group, with 27,634,855 citations and an h-index of 1,175. 3 universities have neither a QS position nor a research record yet and appear at the end, marked "Not yet ranked".

Public, private and where they are

The split is 16 public to 0 private institutions. By location, Zurich (1) and Vaud (1) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is EPFL, founded in 1853. ETH Zurich is the largest, with 25,000 students.

Levels, lengths and start dates

By level: 56 bachelor's and 20 master's. Within the subject, the largest areas are Engineering (70), Civil Engineering (2), Mechanical Engineering (1) and Electrical & Electronic Engineering (1). The usual length is 4 years and 3 years. 89% are full-time. Start dates lean to Spring (63% of courses with a stated intake) and Fall (60% of courses with a stated intake). FHNW - Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz offers the widest choice, with 23 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 2 of these universities. ETH Zurich is the least expensive at USD 1,600 a year and EPFL the most at USD 1,600; the middle of the range is about USD 1,600. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top universities for Public Engineering in Switzerland?

ETH Zurich (QS World #7), EPFL (QS World #22) and EPFL - EPF Lausanne (QS World #22) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Public Engineering in Switzerland?

Of those with published fees, ETH Zurich is the least expensive at about USD 1,600 a year. Fees are indicative — confirm on the university's site.

How many public universities offer Public Engineering in Switzerland?

16 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Public Engineering course take in Switzerland?

Most listed courses run 4 years, with 3 years the next most common.

When do Public Engineering courses start in Switzerland?

Spring is the main intake — 63% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Fall is the second.

Which university has the most Public Engineering courses in Switzerland?

FHNW - Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz, with 23, ahead of ETH Zurich (11).

Get your destination country university & scholarship updates

New scholarships, application deadlines and admission guides — a couple of emails a month, no spam.