Swiss University Applies Stricter Measures to Chinese Students
- ETH Zurich has justified the decision on security grounds
- Decision raises concern that Germany could follow suit
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In October, ETH Zurich, Switzerland’s top technical university, tightened its admissions criteria for masters and PhD programs in certain science and technology fields. It justified the move as complying with Swiss laws to counter international espionage.
The change will affect applicants from internationally sanctioned countries, including Iran, Afghanistan and Russia. Most impacted, however, will be Chinese nationals. According to ETH Zurich, it has enrolled more than 1,300 Chinese students since 2023 – twice as many as in 2018.