Doctoral students
You are coming to ETH Zurich as a doctoral student.
Nationals of an EU-27 or EFTA country must register once they have arrived in Switzerland, either at the Residents' Registration Office at their place of residence (if not living in the city of Zurich) or with the Person Registration Office in Zurich. They must bring with them all required documents according to their residence status. Registration must take place within 14 days of entering the country and before the beginning of your employment.
Members of non-EU/EFTA countries require a permit to enter the country, reside and work here, approved by the Swiss Labour Market Authority (visa authorisation for people requiring visas or confirmation of a residence permit for those not requiring visas, see also Visas for non-EU/EFTA nationals).
Conditions
- You would like to write your doctoral thesis at ETH Zurich and will be enrolling at ETH Zurich or the University of Zurich
- You hold a recognised Master's degree
- You are no more than 50 years old
- You already have an offer of a position as a doctoral student
Work and residence permit
The entire period of studies in Switzerland may not exceed 8 years. This period includes the time spent on a degree (Bachelor’s and Master’s), doctorate and post-doctorate.
Processing period
Please note: the immigration authorities require 4 - 6 weeks to process a request.
Documents
The institute or professor’s office will contact you with a request to submit the following documents:
Family members
Immediate members of your family can enter Switzerland with you. However, they have to meet certain conditions which will be checked by the immigration authority. See also Accompanying family members.
Employment for a spouse
In principle a spouse is permitted to take up employment. This requires a valid residence permit with authorisation to work.
EU/EFTA countries
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland
Note
Since 2021, UK nationals are subject to the same entry requirements as third-?country nationals.
Please note: The information on this page is meant for information purposes only. No responsibility is taken for the correctness of this information. The rules and regulations may have changed in the meantime. For legally binding information please contact the Vice-Presidency for Personnel Development and Leadership, which will clarify your particular situation in consultation with the Migration Office.