Council of States Decides on Swiss Tuition Fees for EU Students
The decision points towards equal tuition fees for EU and Swiss students, but further parliamentary steps and a referendum are required for the change to take effect.
The Council of States’ decision points towards equal tuition fees for students who are Swiss citizens and those who are citizens of EU member states. The agreement with the EU would require Swiss universities and higher education institutions to charge equal tuition fees. However, the decision does not yet mean that the new fee structure will be introduced: the National Council must also approve the legislative package. (Nau, Bluewin)
The essence of the decision
The decision on equal tuition fees was made during the debate on the Bilaterals III package of bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU. The package aims to stabilise relations between Switzerland and the European Union. (Netzwerk Future)
Equal treatment under the agreement would mean that Swiss universities and higher education institutions charge the same tuition fees to students who are Swiss citizens and those who are citizens of EU member states. The institutions concerned would therefore not be limited to the federal institutes of technology. According to Nau, the decision overrides an earlier parliamentary resolution that allowed tuition fees for foreign students to be increased. (Nau)
Students from non-EU countries would not benefit from the tuition fee reduction. Their tuition fees would still have to be at least three times those charged to Swiss students. Equal treatment for EU students would therefore not mean a reduction in fees for all foreign students. (Nau)
The previous fee increase and the loss of revenue
The background to the decision includes the earlier tuition fee increases at ETH Zürich and EPFL Lausanne. From the autumn semester of 2025, tuition fees for foreign students at the two institutions rose from CHF 730 to CHF 2,190 per semester. This refers to the earlier increase, not to a new fee that would be introduced as a result of the current decision. (Watson)
The loss of revenue resulting from equal tuition fees would be offset through federal compensation: for four years, the federal government would reimburse 100% of the universities’ and cantons’ lost revenue. This solution concerns the revenues of the institutions and cantons, not direct support for students. (Nau)
Legal status and next steps
The Council of States (Ständerat) decision does not conclude the legislative process. To implement equal treatment in practice, the Higher Education Funding and Coordination Act, the HFKG, must be amended. (Suisse en Europe)
The legislative package must also be debated and adopted by the National Council (Nationalrat). The Swiss population and the cantons will also vote in a referendum on the full Bilaterals III treaty package. The decision on equal tuition fees must therefore be understood together with the further parliamentary and referendum steps, not as a tuition-fee rule that is already applicable. (Bluewin)
Sources
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In Brief
The Council of States supported equal tuition fees for students who are EU citizens and Swiss citizens under the Bilateral III package. The decision does not yet change tuition fees, as the National Council must also decide on the legislative package, and the full agreement package will be put to a referendum.
Key Takeaways
- Equal tuition fees for students who are EU citizens and Swiss citizens were proposed as part of the Bilateral III package.
- The Council of States’ decision did not introduce a new tuition fee structure on its own.
- The National Council must still decide on the necessary legislative amendment.
- Equal treatment would not extend to the tuition fees of students arriving from third countries.
- The federal government would fully compensate universities and cantons for any potential loss of revenue for four years.
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