Best PhD Programs in Switzerland [2022]

If you want to get your Ph.D. in Switzerland, bear in mind that it is known for its top-ranking universities around the world. Switzerland is home to many state universities and institutes of technology that score high on quality and are often referred to as world leaders. Furthermore, the cantonal universities and institutes of technology are the only ones that award recognized Ph.D. titles, despite not being the only accredited universities in Switzerland.

Apart from the world-acclaimed fame, Swiss universities offer various scholarships for international students, and the language of instruction for doctorate programs is mainly English. Additionally, there will be opportunities for academic jobs in Switzerland, and they tend to have high salaries.

We’ve already discussed what there is to know about getting a Ph.D. in Switzerland, so let’s dive into the programs. From mathematics to neuroscience, here are some of the best doctorate programs in Switzerland.

Disclaim: The following list of higher education does not represent a ranking.

 

Food Science, Ph.D., ETH Zurich

The food science Ph.D. program at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich focuses on using food research for improving food nutrition needs for the consumer. Their goal is to provide proper nutrition to humanity on a global level. The program also concentrates on the production and development of food, including the macroscopic and molecular structure of the food and the relationship between them. The program also studies how the food structure transforms under controlled biochemical or physical factors.

General Requirements	Master’s degree or equivalent university degree.
Program Duration	4 years
Language of Instruction	English
Schedule	Full-time

*Degrees that do not qualify a student to apply for this program are degrees from universities of applied sciences, bachelor’s degree, and any MBA degree.

 

Social Psychology, Ph.D., University of Lausanne

The social psychology doctorate program at the University of Lausanne primarily focuses on stimulating thesis work. The syllabus contains interlaboratory meetings, dissertation work,  internal seminars, and modular courses. This way, students listen to thematic modules presented to them mainly by visiting professors, presenting their research with established researchers, and discussing their research with local teachers.

English Requirements	IELTS/TOEFL
General Requirements	CV; bachelor’s and master’s transcript of grades; statement of purpose; research proposal.
Program Duration	3 years
Language of Instruction	English, French
Schedule	Full-time

 

International Law, Ph.D., University of Geneva

While this international law program at the University of Geneva— which is one of Switzerland’s best law schools—offers an intellectually stimulating environment. It also requires students to have the ability to go on with independent research and have a strong commitment to the field. In addition, doctorate students will receive intellectual support in the form of supervision during their research. Some of the courses offered are Climate Change and International Law, International Trade Law, Law Without the State, Political Justice and Human Rights, etc.

General Requirements	CV; a copy of diplomas; two academic reference letters; certified copy of the bachelor and master exam transcript (if available); a motivation letter that mentions specialization in econometrics.
Program Duration	4 years
Language of Instruction	French, English
Schedule	Full-time

 

Mathematics, Ph.D., ETH Zurich

In the mathematics program at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, doctorate students get employed for up to six years, and they work as scientific assistants at the university. The Swiss National Science Foundation funds the research. Students who chose to follow studies in this program can benefit from internationally honored professors and gain access to the mathematics library, ETH library, and online access to most recent publications. Of the 12 credit units, graduates are required to have, four must come from outside their research area.

General Requirements	Master’s degree or equivalent university degree.
Program Duration	4 years
Language of Instruction	English
Schedule	Full-time

*Degrees that do not qualify a student to apply for this program are degrees from universities of applied sciences, bachelor’s degree, and any MBA degree.

 

Biozentrum Fellowship Program, Ph.D., University of Basel

Students selected for the biozentrum fellowship program at the University of Basel start in a rotation program that lasts one to three weeks. This allows them to participate in the research group of their choice. The Biozentrum, a leading life science institute globally, embraces a wide range of topics in their program. However, they are mainly focused on the organization of molecules that form living organisms and life. The program offers full and independent funding to their students for their Ph.D. and additional travel funds.

General Requirements	A master’s degree; exceptional students can be admitted with a bachelor’s degree but will need to pass additional courses; two recommendation letters.
Program Duration	4 years
Language of Instruction	English
Schedule	Full-time

Architecture and Sciences of the City, Ph.D., Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

This program at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne is focused on theory and practice equally, allowing doctoral students to view the project as both a research challenge and an object of study. They offer a multidimensional program to all students, including in its curriculum, urban sciences, and architecture. Although it is primarily aimed at students of social sciences, it is also suitable for architects and engineers. The elementary cause of the program is an understanding of the contemporary urban world and social life.

General Requirements	The official transcript of all grades and diplomas from higher education (certified English copy must be provided if the documents aren’t originally in French, German, English, or Italian); statement of objectives; a copy of an official identity document; an application form.
Program Duration	4 years
Language of Instruction	French, English
Schedule	Full-time

 

Business Administration, Ph.D., University of Zurich

Source: the University of Zurich on FacebookThe goal of the business administration program at the University of Zurich is to help students gain a systematic understanding of the field and master skills and methods to help them in their research. Doctoral students should be able to apply their research to practical programs, in addition to the ability to present and discuss their research to an international scientific community. The program also focuses on equipping doctoral students with analytical and problem-solving skills on relevant issues. If you’ve already obtained your MBA credentials in Switzerland, this program is an excellent way to extend your education.

General Requirements	State-accredited master’s degree; the master’s degree diploma must be state-accredited; transferable credits have to be acquired at a state-accredited university.
Program Duration	3 years
Language of Instruction	English
Schedule	Full-time

 

Finance, Ph.D., Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

The first phase of this doctorate program at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne starts with a module of Ph.D. courses. This coursework aims to equip doctorate students with a broad education on fundamental concepts of finance. The program accepts 10 to 15 students per year. After students have completed the first module, they are then asked to select a thesis topic and a thesis advisor from one of the participating universities.

General Requirements	An application file; the application will be evaluated based on the potential thesis and research interests.
Program Duration	4 years
Language of Instruction	English
Schedule	Full-time

Computational Science and Engineering, Ph.D., ETH Zurich

This is a program that comes from the joint forces of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich and the University of Zurich and is focused on attracting talents in computer science to join. In addition, they put in the effort to improve the collaboration between the industry, the society, and the university. They offer interdisciplinary education for doctorate students through block courses and seminars, laboratory exchanges, retreats, journal clubs, and academia-industry modeling (AIM) weeks.

General Requirements	A master’s degree or an equivalent university degree.
Program Duration	4 years
Language of Instruction	English
Schedule	Full-time

*Degrees that do not qualify a student to apply for this program are degrees from universities of applied sciences, bachelor’s degree, and any MBA degree.

Neuroscience, Ph. D., University of Lausanne

The Neuroscience Ph.D. program at the University of Lausanne offers to help doctoral students through coursework within the field, seminars, journal clubs, and workshops. Students in this program are oftentimes encouraged to present their research at international and national neuroscience conferences. Their courses include biostatistics for non-statisticians, introduction to programming and algorithms, introduction to MATLAB, EEG in neurology, and neuroscience. The graduates are then offered various job opportunities, including teaching, research foundations, scientific editing, etc.

 

General Requirements	CV; master and bachelor transcript of grades; statement of purpose; research proposal.
Program Duration	3 years
Language of Instruction	French, English
Schedule	Full-time

Economics, Ph.D., University of Zurich

The Economics Ph.D. program at the University of Zurich is concentrated on preparing students to conceive and implement a research procedure with scientific integrity. Doctoral students should be able to conduct original research, which will contribute to existing knowledge. The curriculum consists of core courses in microeconomic, macroeconomics, mathematics, and econometrics. Meanwhile, these core courses provide the foundation; a compulsory curriculum would require an independent research proposal.

General Requirements	State-accredited master’s degree; the master’s degree diploma must be state-accredited; transferable credits have to be acquired at a state-accredited university.
Program Duration	3 years
Language of Instruction	English
Schedule	Full-time

Physics, Ph.D., University of Bern

The physics program at the University of Bern contributes to teaching by combining four physics-related institutes. The physics institutes are in charge of guiding doctoral students through introductory physics classes in the first year. These classes are not merely for physics majors. They also include physics lectures for medical science students, biologists, veterinary students, etc. The research is delegated to these divisions of the physics institute Climate and Environmental Physics division (KUP), The Space Research and Planetology division (WP), and Laboratory for High Energy Physics (LHEP).

 

General Requirements	Application and admission; general information for admission at a doctoral level.
Program Duration	3 years
Language of Instruction	English
Schedule	Full-time

Good luck with your studies!