Tertiary level - Higher education institutions

There are three types of higher education institutions: universities and institutes of technology (UIT), universities of applied sciences (UAS) and universities of teacher education (UTE). UAS and UTE offer courses which mainly have a practical orientation. All higher education institutions award bachelor and master degrees following the application of guidelines from the Bologna declaration. A doctorate may only be obtained at UIT.

The number of students at higher education institutions has more than doubled since 2000. The development of UAS and the establishment of UTE have made a considerable contribution to this growth. The percentage of women and foreign students, especially students who have attended school abroad, has also increased over the past few years.

Students by type of institutions, sex, nationality (category) and place of education, since 1990/91
  1990/91 2000/01 2010/11 2023/24
Universities and institutes of technology
85 940 96 673 131 494 169 255
% Female 38.8 45.6 50.3 52.0
% Foreign 19.0 20.0 27.1 34.3
% Foreign with foreign school education 13.1 14.5 22.3 28.5
Universities of applied sciences
 0 25 137 60 930 83 584
% Female - 25.9 44.9 49.3
% Foreign - 14.9 18.5 21.5
% Foreign with foreign school education - 8.3 12.1 14.1
Universities of teacher education
 0  0 14 105 23 654
% Female - - 76.3 71.2
% Foreign - - 8.3 10.7
% Foreign with foreign school education - - 4.6 5.9
Total 85 940 121 810 206 529 276 493
% Female 38.8 41.5 50.5 52.8
% Foreign 19.0 19.0 23.3 28.4
% Foreign with foreign school education 13.1 13.2 18.1 22.2
Source: FSO - SHIS-studex

UIT welcome more students than the other types of higher education institutions. Overall, more women than men study but are spread differently between the types of higher education institution. The percentage of foreign nationals is highest at the universities and institutes of technology.

Further information

Tables

Data

Statistical sources and concepts

On this topic

Universities and institutes of technology

10 cantonal universities, 2 federal institutes of technology and 2 other institutions, 20 fields of study

Universities of applied sciences

8 universities of applied sciences, 12 fields of study

Universities of teacher education

Around 20 universities of teacher education, 11 branches of study

Contact

Federal Statistical Office Section Educational Processes
Espace de l'Europe 10
CH-2010 Neuchâtel
Switzerland
Tel.
+41 58 483 93 61

Monday to Friday
09.00-12.00 and 13.30-16.30

Contact

Remark

Our English pages offer only a limited range of information on our statistical production. For our full range please consult our pages in French and German (top right hand screen).

https://www.bfs.admin.ch/content/bfs/en/home/statistics/education-science/pupils-students/tertiary-higher-education-institutions.html