List of Swiss universities by enrollment

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This is a list of Swiss universities and other higher education institutions according to the size of their student population recognized by the Federal Higher Education Act, HEdA.[1]

## Contents

* 1 Universities and higher education institutions in Switzerland by size
* 1.1 Methodology and Scope
* 2 Notes and references
* 3 See also
* 4 External links

## Universities and higher education institutions in Switzerland by size

The following list ranks Swiss higher education institutions by their student population. Higher education in Switzerland is divided into three main sectors: traditional universities (Universitäre Hochschulen), universities of applied sciences and arts (Fachhochschulen), and universities of teacher education (Pädagogische Hochschulen).

### Methodology and Scope

Student numbers refer to the most recent official data available for each institution (2024-2025) and include students enrolled in degree programmes (Bachelor, Master, and PhD), excluding continuing education (CAS, DAS, MAS), in line with Swiss Federal Statistical Office (BFS) methodology. For large networks such as HES-SO and SUPSI, the data reflects consolidated degree-seeking students. Data may refer to different academic years depending on institutional reporting practices.

Rank | Institution | Type | Total students | Year | Remarks

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1 | University of Zurich | University | 28,664[2] | 2025 | Official institutional data
2 | ETH Zurich | University | 26,198[3] | 2025 | Official institutional data
3 | HES-SO | University of Applied Sciences and Arts | 21,195[4] | 2025 | Official institutional data
4 | University of Bern | University | 19,741[5] | 2025 | Official institutional data
5 | University of Geneva | University | 18,241[6] | 2025 | Official institutional data
6 | University of Lausanne | University | 17,197[7] | 2025 | Official institutional data
7 | Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) | University of Applied Sciences and Arts | 14,619[8] | 2025 | Official institutional data
8 | University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) | University of Applied Sciences and Arts | 14,527[9] | 2025 | Official institutional data
9 | EPFL | University | 14,072[10] | 2025 | Official institutional data
10 | University of Basel | University | 13,325[11] | 2024 | Official institutional data
11 | University of Fribourg | University | 9,872[12] | 2024 | Official institutional data
12 | University of St. Gallen | University | 9,987[13] | 2024/25 | Official institutional data
13 | Lucerne University of Applied Sciences | University of Applied Sciences and Arts | 8,451[14] | 2024 | Degree students only
14 | Bern University of Applied Sciences | University of Applied Sciences and Arts | 7,891[15] | 2024 | Degree students only
15 | SUPSI | University of Applied Sciences and Arts | 6,121[16] | 2024/25 | Excluding FFHS and DFA
16 | University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland (OST) | University of Applied Sciences and Arts | 5,150[17] | 2024 | Official institutional data
17 | Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) | University | 4,749[18] | 2025 | Official institutional data
18 | Zurich University of Teacher Education | University of Teacher Education | 4,611[19] | 2024 | Degree students only
19 | University of Neuchâtel | University | 4,442[20] | 2024 | Official institutional data
20 | École hôtelière de Lausanne | University of Applied Sciences and Arts | 4,031[21] | 2024 | Official institutional data
21 | University of Teacher Education, State of Vaud | University of Teacher Education | 3,854[22] | 2024 | Degree students only
22 | Kalaidos University of Applied Sciences | University of Applied Sciences and Arts | 3,522[23] | 2024 | Official institutional data
23 | University of Lucerne | University | 3,446[24] | 2024/25 | Official institutional data
24 | HWZ University of Applied Sciences in Business Administration | University of Applied Sciences and Arts | 3,391[25] | 2024 | Official institutional data
25 | Pädagogische Hochschule Bern | University of Teacher Education | 3,149[26] | 2024 | Degree students only
26 | Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences | University of Applied Sciences and Arts | 2,982[27] | 2024 | Official institutional data
27 | UniDistance Suisse | University institution | 2,448[28] | 2024/25 | Official institutional data
28 | University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons | University of Applied Sciences and Arts | 2,380[29] | 2024 | Official institutional data
29 | University of Teacher Education Lucerne | University of Teacher Education | 2,156[30] | 2024 | Official institutional data
30 | Zurich University of the Arts | University of Applied Sciences and Arts | 2,125[31] | 2024 | Official institutional data
31 | Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education | University of Teacher Education | 1,914[32] | 2024 | Official institutional data
32 | St. Gallen University of Teacher Education | University of Teacher Education | 1,452[33] | 2024 | Official institutional data
33 | Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies | University institution | 1,141[34] | 2024 | Postgraduate degree students
34 | University of Teacher Education BEJUNE | University of Teacher Education | 912[35] | 2024 | Official institutional data
35 | Thurgau University of Teacher Education | University of Teacher Education | 842[36] | 2024 | Official institutional data
36 | University of Fribourg Institute of Teacher Education | University of Teacher Education | 718[37] | 2024 | Degree students only
37 | University of Teacher Education Valais | University of Teacher Education | 641[38] | 2024 | Official institutional data
38 | University of Geneva Institute of Teacher Education | University of Teacher Education | 584[39] | 2024 | Degree students only
39 | University of Teacher Education Fribourg | University of Teacher Education | 562[40] | 2024 | Official institutional data
40 | Department of Education and Learning SUPSI | University of Teacher Education | 498[41] | 2024/25 | Degree students only
41 | University of Teacher Education of Grisons | University of Teacher Education | 422[42] | 2024 | Official institutional data
42 | Schwyz University of Teacher Education | University of Teacher Education | 414[43] | 2024 | Official institutional data
43 | Franklin University Switzerland | University institution | 405[44] | 2025 | Degree students only
44 | University of Teacher Education Zug | University of Teacher Education | 392[45] | 2024 | Official institutional data
45 | Teacher Training University Schaffhausen | University of Teacher Education | 238[46] | 2024 | Official institutional data
46 | Pädagogisches Hochschulinstitut NMS Bern | University of Teacher Education | 218[47] | 2024 | Official institutional data
47 | Theological Faculty of Lugano | University institution | 182[48] | 2024/25 | Official institutional data
48 | Theological Faculty of Chur | University institution | 62[49] | 2024 | Official institutional data

## Notes and references

1. ↑ "Members" (in de, fr, it, en). Berne, Switzerland: swissuniversities. 2016. https://www.swissuniversities.ch/en/organisation/members/. Retrieved 2018-01-01.
2. ↑ "Figures". https://www.uzh.ch/en/explore/portrait/figures.html.
3. ↑ "Students". https://ethz.ch/staffnet/en/finance-and-controlling/facts-and-figures/students.html.
4. ↑ "HES-SO in figures". https://www.hes-so.ch/en/la-hes-so/a-propos/la-hes-so-en-chiffres.
5. ↑ "Students". https://www.unibe.ch/university/portrait/facts_and_figures/students/index_eng.html.
6. ↑ "Données sur les étudiant-es". https://www.unige.ch/stat/statistiques/chiffresetudiants.
7. ↑ "Key figures - Students". https://www.unil.ch/unil/en/home/menuinst/universite/chiffres-cles/etudiantes.html.
8. ↑ "Facts and figures". https://www.zhaw.ch/en/about-us/facts-and-figures/.
9. ↑ "Facts & Figures". https://www.fhnw.ch/en/about-fhnw/profile-organisation/facts-figures.
10. ↑ "Academic statistics". https://www.epfl.ch/about/data/institutional-data/institutional-statistics/academic-statistics/.
11. ↑ "Facts & Figures - Students". https://www.unibas.ch/en/University/About-University/Facts-Figures/Facts-Figures-Students.html.
12. ↑ "Statistical appendix 2024". https://www.unifr.ch/uni/en/assets/public/files/stat/2024/UNIFR_RA_2024_stat.pdf.
13. ↑ "HSG in figures". https://www.unisg.ch/en/university/about-us/hsg-in-figures/.
14. ↑ "Facts and Figures". https://www.hslu.ch/en/lucerne-university-of-applied-sciences-and-arts/about-us/portrait/facts-and-figures/.
15. ↑ "BFH in figures". https://www.bfh.ch/en/about-bfh/facts-and-figures/facts-figures/.
16. ↑ "SUPSI in cifre". https://www.supsi.ch/home/supsi/fatti-cifre.html.
17. ↑ "OST Facts & Figures". https://www.ost.ch/en/the-university/about-us/facts-figures.
18. ↑ "Studenti". https://www.usi.ch/it/universita/chi-siamo/dati-e-cifre/studenti.
19. ↑ "Facts and Figures". https://phzh.ch/en/About-us/Facts-and-Figures/.
20. ↑ "L'UniNE en quelques chiffres". https://www.unine.ch/unine/home/luniversite/portrait/en-chiffres.html.
21. ↑ "EHL by the numbers". https://www.ehl.edu/en/about/ehl-by-the-numbers.
22. ↑ "La HEP Vaud en chiffres". https://www.hepl.ch/accueil/mission-et-organisation/la-hep-vaud-en-chiffres.html.
23. ↑ "Facts and Figures". https://www.kalaidos-fh.ch/de-CH/Ueber-die-Kalaidos-FH/Facts-and-Figures.
24. ↑ "Zahlen und Fakten". https://www.unilu.ch/universitaet/portraet/zahlen-und-fakten/.
25. ↑ "HWZ Report". https://fh-hwz.ch/ueber-uns/die-hwz-geschichte/hwz-report/.
26. ↑ "Zahlen und Fakten". https://www.phbern.ch/ueber-die-phbern/hochschule/zahlen-und-fakten.
27. ↑ "Die FFHS im Überblick". https://www.ffhs.ch/de/ueber-uns/portraet.
28. ↑ "Portrait of UniDistance Suisse". https://unidistance.ch/en/about/portrait.
29. ↑ "Facts and figures". https://www.fhgr.ch/en/university/about-us/facts-figures/.
30. ↑ "Zahlen und Fakten". https://www.phlu.ch/ueber-uns/hochschule/zahlen-und-fakten.html.
31. ↑ "ZHdK in figures". https://www.zhdk.ch/en/about/facts-and-figures-572.
32. ↑ "HEFP Key figures". https://www.hefp.swiss/about-us/facts-and-figures.
33. ↑ "Fakten und Zahlen". https://www.phsg.ch/de/ueber-uns/fakten-und-zahlen.
34. ↑ "IHEID Key Figures". https://www.graduateinstitute.ch/discover-institute/who-we-are.
35. ↑ "La HEP-BEJUNE en chiffres". https://www.hep-bejune.ch/la-hep-bejune/en-chiffres.
36. ↑ "Zahlen und Fakten". https://www.phtg.ch/ueber-uns/organisation/zahlen-und-fakten.
37. ↑ "Statistical appendix 2024". https://www.unifr.ch/uni/en/assets/public/files/stat/2024/UNIFR_RA_2024_stat.pdf.
38. ↑ "Rapport de gestion". https://www.hepvs.ch/institution/rapports-de-gestion.
39. ↑ "IUFE en chiffres". https://www.unige.ch/iufe/en-chiffres.
40. ↑ "Statistiques". https://www.hepfr.ch/institution/statistiques.
41. ↑ "DFA in cifre". https://www.supsi.ch/dfa/fatti-cifre.html.
42. ↑ "Kennzahlen". https://www.phgr.ch/ueber-uns/organisation/kennzahlen.
43. ↑ "Zahlen und Fakten". https://www.phsz.ch/ueber-uns/organisation/zahlen-und-fakten.
44. ↑ "Facts and Figures". https://www.fus.edu/about-franklin/basic-facts-and-figures.
45. ↑ "Zahlen und Fakten". https://www.phzg.ch/ueber-uns/hochschule/zahlen-und-fakten.
46. ↑ "Statistik". https://www.phsh.ch/ueber-uns/hochschule/statistik.
47. ↑ "NMS Bern in Zahlen". https://www.nms.ch/hochschule/ueber-uns/zahlen-und-fakten.
48. ↑ "Dati e cifre FTL". https://www.ftl.usi.ch/it/facolta/dati-e-cifre.
49. ↑ "Statistik". https://www.thch.ch/hochschule/statistik.

## See also

* Education in Switzerland
* Science and technology in Switzerland
* List of colleges and universities by country
* List of colleges and universities
* List of universities in Switzerland

## External links

* Official portal of Swiss universities
* All Swiss university programmes
* KFH Rector' Conference of the Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences (KFH)
* The State Secretariat for Education and Research

* v
* t
* e

Universities in Switzerland

according Federal Higher Education Act, HEdA

Universities|

* University of Basel
* University of Bern
* University of Fribourg
* University of Geneva
* University of Neuchâtel
* University of Lausanne
* University of Lucerne
* Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI)
* University of St. Gallen (HSG)
* University of Zurich
* Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL)
* Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ)

Public Universities
of Applied Sciences|

* Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH)
* Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU)
* University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW)
* University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland (FHO)
* University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (HES-SO)
* Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana (SUPSI)
* Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZFH)
* Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW (ZHAW)
* Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Business Administration (HWZ)
* Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK)
* Zurich University of Teacher Education (PHZH)

Private universities of applied sciences|

* Kalaidos University of Applied Sciences

Swiss University Conference

* v
* t
* e

List of universities in Europe

Sovereign states|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Georgia
* Germany
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Ireland
*   * Italy
* Kazakhstan
* Latvia
* Liechtenstein
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* North Macedonia
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* England
* Northern Ireland
* Scotland
* Wales

States with limited
recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Artsakh
* Northern Cyprus
* South Ossetia
* Transnistria

Dependencies and
other entities|

* Åland
* Faroe Islands
* Gibraltar
* Guernsey
* Isle of Man
* Jersey
* Svalbard

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