Changing to a different degree programme
If a student changes from one degree programme to another at the same level before completing the first programme, this is termed a change of degree programme.
- Students who enter Bachelor’s degree studies at ETH Zurich may change degree programmes a maximum of twice before they obtain the Bachelor’s degree.
- However, a second change of degree programme is not possible if the affected student was irrevocably excluded from the first and second original degree programme .
- If you failed the first-year examinations or other examinations once or twice in the original degree programme, a change of degree programme is in some cases not possible or is only possible under certain conditions. See the corresponding directive or appendix (PDF, 269 KB).
- A change of degree programme does not exempt students from the consequences of failure to respect programme deadlines. Said consequences may involve, for example, exclusion from the degree programme.
Legal basis
- Articles 41, 43-45, external page Admissions Ordinance ETH Zurich (in German)
- Articles 5-10, 15-26, Download Restrictions on study programme selection, change of degree programme, re-entry to ETH Zurich and recognition of study achievements (PDF, 289 KB)
Send a written request by email to the Registrar’s Office, at the earliest after enrolment begins for the following semester ().
You will receive written notification after your request has been examined.
Examinations
If you are still registered for examinations and do not want to sit them, deregister from them by the respective deadline(s) first.
If you want to sit the examinations, send the request to change degree programme only after the examination results have been officially decreed.
Bachelor’s degree programme in Human Medicine
Students may only change to the Bachelor’s degree programme in Human Medicine if they have been allocated the respective place at ETH Zurich for the respective Autumn Semester. This is because these places are restricted and they are allocated centrally by swissuniversities following the "Eignungstests für das Medizinstudium (EMS)" (aptitude test for medical studies).
Application to study medicine:
ETH Bachelor’s degree programme in Human Medicine (in German)
Information about recognition of ETH study achievements you can find here.
Please refer administrative questions to the Registrar’s Office.
Refer questions about the new degree programme to the respective Study Administration Office.
For further information on changing degree programmes, please contact the team Counselling & Coaching.
After beginning Master’s degree studies at ETH Zurich you may change programmes only once before acquiring your Master’s degree.
Legal basis
- Articles 41, 43-45, external page Admissions Ordinance ETH Zurich (in German)
- Articles 5-10, 15-26, Download Restrictions on study programme selection, change of degree programme, re-entry to ETH Zurich and recognition of study achievements (PDF, 289 KB)
If you hold a Bachelor’s degree from ETH Zurich, send a written request by post or email to the Registrar’s Office if
- you wish to enter a Master’s degree programme in the same discipline as your Bachelor’s programme which, as per the pertaining Master’s degree programme regulations, is consecutive to it, and at the time of your request no more than four years have passed since you acquired your Bachelor’s degree;
- you wish to enter a consecutive Master’s degree programme in a different discipline than that of your Bachelor’s programme. Any progression will be subject to the stipulations of the pertaining Master’s degree programme regulations. At the time of your request, no more than four years may have passed since you acquired your Bachelor’s degree.
You will receive written notification after your request has been examined.
If you do not hold a Bachelor's degree from ETH Zurich, you have to apply anew via the Admissions Office.
Please refer administrative questions to the Registrar’s Office:
Questions regarding the new degree programme should be referred to the respective Study Administration Office.
Teacher training
You are in an ETH Teaching diploma for Matura Schools (LD) degree programme and would like to change to an ETH Teaching certificate (DZ) degree programme or vice versa, or
you are in an ETH Teaching diploma (LD) or Teaching certificate (DZ) degree programme and would like to change to a different subject without finishing the first.
- Article 5, Download Restriction on study programme selection, change of degree programme, re-entry to ETH Zurich and recognition of study achievements (PDF, 289 KB)
- Article 37, 1-5, Download Regulations 2012 of Teaching Certificate (PDF, 3.3 MB) (in German)
- Article 43, 1-4, Download Regulations 2006 of Teaching Diploma for Matura Schools (PDF, 1.5 MB) (in German)
Send a written request by email to the Registrar's Office () if you fulfil the requirements for the simplified application for the new programme (in German).
You will receive written notification after your request has been examined.
Application via the Admission Office
All other persons should apply for the standard application via the Admissions Office (in German).
Recognition of study achievements (in German).
Please refer administrative questions in connection with the change of study programme with simplified application to the Registrar's Office.
Questions regarding to the new programme should be referred to the study programme coordination (in German).
Re-entry
A re-entry - to be distinguished from a change of degree programme - is when one of the following applies:
- After withdrawing from ETH you wish to enter another ETH Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programme or wish to enter the original Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programme again.
- You wish to enter another ETH Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programme directly after receiving an ETH Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.