FAQ: Student Housing in Zurich

Does ETH Zurich provide housing?

ETH Zurich does not directly provide housing or dormitories for its students ETH Housing Info. There are no university-owned student halls in Zurich. Housing is handled by independent student housing organizations and a joint ETH/University of Zurich Housing OfficeWOKO Student Housing .

This Housing Office helps students search for rooms and apartments and even reserves a small number of rooms for eligible international or exchange students ETH Welcome Center.

However, the vast majority of students must find housing themselves by applying to rooms listed by WOKO and private market student flats.

How much is student rent in Zurich?

Zurich is one of the most expensive cities for students, and accommodation takes up a large portion of a student budget. A good price would be roughly CHF 800 - 1,000 per month for a single room in a shared apartment in the city. WOKO rooms have an average price of CHF 580.

These high rents mean Zurich's student housing costs are well above average, so plan your finances accordingly – check our Cost of Living in Zurich guide for a full breakdown.

Where do students live in Zurich?

Students in Zurich typically live off-campus in either shared flats or student residences scattered around the city. Many students join or form WGs (flat-shares), since on-campus dormitories are few in comparison to the number of students.

Some students through choice or necessity live in districts outside the city center or even in neighboring towns, where rents are lower and commuting to campus by public transport is easy (Commuting From The Suburbs).

How do I find a room in Zurich as a student?

In short, apply fast, apply everywhere. To find a student room in Zurich, it's essential to start early and use all available resources. Begin with the official channels: the ETH/UZH Housing Office offers an online housing portal, vacant WOKO rooms are listed on their or assigned through the university Housing Offices.

Otherwise, you are on your own and need to apply to private listings. Our guide to finding student housing in Zurich provides step-by-step tips for a successful search.

Is it hard to find student housing in Zurich?

Yes. Zurich's high cost of living (check out our guide ) and limited supply of cheap apartments mean students often face intense competition for housing . Especially at the beginning of each semester, many students are searching at once, so the process can take time. It's common to send many applications and attend multiple flat interviews before finding a place. Starting your search early and casting a wide net (applying to dorms, shared flats, etc.) greatly improves your chances.

Even doing everything right, you may fail to find a room. In that case you will need temporary accommodation.

When should I start looking for student housing in Zurich?

You should start looking for student accommodation in Zurich as early as possible. Ideally several months before your semester begins. Popular student residences fill up quickly, and application deadlines can creep up fast.

The application deadline for ETH Zurich's exchange student room allocations is June 30 for the Autumn semester and November 15 for Spring ETH Exchange Housing. This means planning needs to happen well in advance of the semester start.

Many students beginning in September start their housing search by May or June, while those starting in spring begin by November. The earlier you start, the more options you will have, so don't wait until the last minute. For a full timeline and tips, see our ultimate student housing guide.

Why am I getting no responses?

Probably because its a numbers game. There is likely nothing wrong with your application. We explain why this is the case here: No Responses on WGZimmer?