Study abroad in Switzerland: as a citizen of an EU country you can use the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) there too, but it does not replace travel health insurance and does not cover repatriation. No visa is needed. If you stay longer than three months, you register with the migration office of your canton of residence. The University of Zurich names at least 1,850 Swiss francs per month for exchange students.
Study abroad in Switzerland at a glance
| Item | Details (as of October 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | The EHIC applies in Switzerland, repatriation is not covered | European Commission, German Federal Foreign Office |
| Visa | Not required. Stays over three months: registration with the migration office of your canton of residence | German Federal Foreign Office, State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) |
| Tuition fees or travel document | Passport or ID card. Fees at the host university depend on the exchange agreement | German Federal Foreign Office, University of Zurich |
| Living costs or insurance on site | At least 1,850 Swiss francs per month, of which 200 francs are budgeted for insurance at the University of Zurich | University of Zurich (page without update date) |
| Auslands-BAföG (German study abroad grant) | Possible, responsible office: Studierendenwerk Augsburg, Office for Educational Funding | German Student Services (DSW), leaflet January 2026 |
All details are general information, not individual advice. The linked official pages are authoritative.
How are you insured in Switzerland?
EHIC and the statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV)
Switzerland is not an EU member, but the European Commission names it among the countries where the card is issued and accepted. Entitlement applies to people covered by a state social insurance scheme in an EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. With the card, you are entitled to all benefits in kind that become medically necessary during your stay. Treatment follows the law of the host country.
The card is tied to statutory health insurance. Whether your cover continues unchanged during your semester abroad depends on your enrolment in Germany and on your health insurer. Get the arrangement confirmed in writing before you leave. If you have private health insurance, the basics are explained in our guide Krankenversicherung im Auslandssemester: Was gilt? (in German)
What does your German health insurer pay?
Treatment is billed at the statutory tariff of the host country, because that tariff applies to the providers of care. If you pay in advance, the amount is refunded in the host country. If that does not work, the German health authority refunds you after your return. The European Commission names no upper limit for reimbursement. Without the card, the doctor may ask for the full amount in advance, but treatment may not be refused. Keep all receipts for that reason.
Treatment that is not urgent, such as most dental work, does not have to be provided if it can wait until your return. Treatment that goes beyond what is medically necessary can lead to problems with reimbursement.
Private travel health insurance and repatriation
The EHIC does not replace travel health insurance. Repatriation to Germany is not covered, so you need a separate policy for it. The German Federal Foreign Office strongly advises taking out travel health and repatriation insurance for the whole stay. It also advises checking with your health insurer whether the cover includes an air ambulance flight to Germany. For background on scope and choice, see our guide Auslandskrankenversicherung für Erasmus, USA und Work and Travel (in German).
No vaccinations are compulsory for entry. According to the German Federal Foreign Office, Switzerland has a low crime rate, but pickpocketing occurs in busy places, at stations and on public transport. In the mountains, alpine natural hazards such as avalanches, debris flows and flooding must be taken into account.
Do you need a visa for Switzerland?
No. The German Federal Foreign Office names no visa requirement for German citizens for entry. The following documents are accepted: passport, provisional passport, ID card, provisional ID card and children’s passport. Apart from the provisional ID card, documents may have expired up to one year ago. Binding information is given by the diplomatic missions of the destination country.
Stays over three months follow a separate rule. According to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), you register as a non-employed student with the migration office of your canton of residence. If the conditions are met, you receive a residence permit for the duration of your training, but at least for one year. For this, the SEM requires among other things:
- Credible evidence of sufficient financial means, so that you do not depend on social assistance
- Admission to a recognised educational institution in Switzerland
- Health insurance cover that includes all risks, including accidents
The SEM factsheet is marked SP_08/23 and gives no explicit date. Ask your International Office directly whether and how you need to register at your host university. If you live in Switzerland, the German Federal Foreign Office says a Swiss health insurance must be taken out within three months.
According to the German Federal Foreign Office, there is no travel warning for Switzerland (page as of 25 October 2026). The page refers to a separate page with current travel warnings. The general worldwide terrorism notice still applies.
What does a semester in Switzerland cost?
Tuition fees
Which fees apply at the host university depends on the exchange agreement of your university. We do not name a general amount, because we have not verified an official figure. Example University of Zurich: according to the Global Student Experience page, tuition fees are waived for exchange students from partner universities. The page names no update date, only the copyright 2023. Please check with your home university and the host university before you accept the place.
Living costs
The University of Zurich names 1,850 Swiss francs per month as the expected minimum for exchange students. The budget includes 200 francs for health and other insurance. The University of Zurich’s page on living costs gives a minimum of 2,200 francs per month for its budget items, including 910 francs for rent including heating and energy and 450 francs for food. Neither page carries an update date, and the copyright notice reads 2023. The amounts may therefore differ. Please ask your host university for its budget for exchange students.
Funding: Erasmus+ and Auslands-BAföG
According to the Erasmus+ list of eligible countries of the European Commission, Switzerland is not associated. It can therefore take part only in certain actions, depending on specific criteria. Your International Office will tell you whether and how funding is possible at your university. You should therefore not expect an Erasmus+ grant as a matter of course. For more on planning, see our guide Auslandssemester planen: Bewerbung, Erasmus und Finanzierung (in German).
Auslands-BAföG can fund part of a degree in Switzerland. According to the leaflet of the German Student Services (as of January 2026), within the EU or Switzerland the funding of individual semesters abroad is possible, provided the stay supports your studies in Germany. The responsible office is the Studierendenwerk Augsburg, Office for Educational Funding, which covers Switzerland together with Liechtenstein. The application should be submitted about six months before the start. The leaflet also names a one-off travel allowance, a health insurance supplement and tuition fees of up to 5,600 euros for a maximum of one year. Details are in our guide Auslands-BAföG: Voraussetzungen, Höhe und Zuschläge (in German).
Worked example: For a stay of five months, the University of Zurich’s minimum figure gives five times 1,850 francs, which is 9,250 Swiss francs for living costs. Where an exchange agreement waives tuition, no fees apply; otherwise no verified amount is available. Travel, travel health insurance and your home university’s semester fee are additional and not included here. The total is a guide, not a commitment.
Steps before you leave
- Ask your health insurer to confirm in writing how you are insured during your semester abroad, before you sign the learning agreement.
- Check that your EHIC stays valid for the whole stay and order a new card in good time if needed.
- Take out travel health and repatriation insurance, because the EHIC does not cover repatriation, and check with your insurer whether an air ambulance flight is covered.
- Check that your passport or ID card is valid for the whole stay.
- If you want funding, submit your Auslands-BAföG application to the Studierendenwerk Augsburg about six months before you start.
- If you stay longer than three months, ask the migration office of your canton of residence which documents are needed for registration and the residence permit.
- Ask the International Office about funding for Switzerland and about the fees of the host university.
- If you plan hikes or ski tours, check whether your insurance covers accidents in the mountains.
Frequently asked questions
Does my EHIC work in Switzerland?
Yes. The European Commission names Switzerland among the countries where the card applies. It covers medically necessary treatment under the law of the host country. Repatriation is not covered.
Do I need a visa for Switzerland?
No. The German Federal Foreign Office names no visa requirement for entry. If you stay longer than three months, you register with the migration office of your canton of residence and can receive a residence permit.
Do I have to pay tuition fees in Switzerland?
That depends on the exchange agreement of your university. The University of Zurich waives tuition fees for exchange students from partner universities. Please check this with your home university and the host university before you accept the place.
What are the living costs in Switzerland?
The University of Zurich names 1,850 Swiss francs per month as the expected minimum for exchange students. The page carries no update date, and the copyright notice reads 2023. The amounts may differ.
Does my insurer pay for repatriation?
The EHIC does not cover repatriation. The German Federal Foreign Office advises travel health and repatriation insurance and checking whether an air ambulance flight is covered.
Who handles Auslands-BAföG for Switzerland?
The Studierendenwerk Augsburg, Office for Educational Funding, according to the allocation of the German Student Services in its leaflet as of January 2026. The office covers Switzerland together with Liechtenstein.
Sources
- German Federal Foreign Office, Switzerland: travel and safety advice (page of 25 October 2026, in German)
- European Commission, social security FAQ: European Health Insurance Card (undated)
- State Secretariat for Migration, factsheet on non-employed persons (marked SP_08/23, in German)
- European Commission, Erasmus+ programme guide: eligible countries (undated)
- University of Zurich, Global Student Experience: finances (copyright 2023)
- University of Zurich, tuition and living costs (copyright 2023)
- German Student Services, Auslands-BAföG leaflet (as of January 2026, in German)
Sources accessed on 25 October 2026, unless stated otherwise.
Related guides
- Health insurance during a semester abroad (in German)
- Auslands-BAföG: requirements, amount and supplements (in German)
- Travel health insurance for Erasmus, the USA and Work and Travel (in German)
- Study abroad in France
- Study abroad in Austria
- All countries for your semester abroad (in German)
You can find the online check at check.academycon.de.
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
