Recognition of study achievements (Bachelor's degree programme)

Request

When can I submit a request?

You may submit a request for recognition of previous study achievements, i.e. for a waiver of the respective ETH performance assessments, only when you have unconditionally fulfilled all other admission requirements (e.g., entrance examination, language certificate) and when all relevant pending study achievements at your home university / university of applied sciences have been completed.

How do I submit a request for a waiver?

Submit your request in writing, together with supporting documents, to the Admissions Office. Include the following:

• A written request which includes your name, address, ETH student number, signature and a table juxtaposing the ETH study achievements for which you are requesting a waiver, and the corresponding study achievements at your home university
• An original stamped transcript, with grades (or a notarised copy)
• The official content of the course subjects in the above, including a detailed description which is either that published by the university or a version officially approved by the university, both to include hours per week
• Proof of payment of CHF 50.00: see payment methods (according to the Fee Ordinance of the ETH Domain)

These documents should be copies, in their original language, together with official translations if this original language was not German, French, Italian or English.

Only one request may be submitted. Any further requests will not be considered.

What happens next?

The Admissions Office checks that your submitted documentation is complete and forwards it to the Director of Studies of the respective degree programme. The Director of Studies compares the degree programme you have completed with the corresponding ETH degree programme, and decides which study achievements may be recognised in the form of ECTS credits and which must still be acquired at ETH Zurich before the Bachelor’s degree may be obtained.

Because this procedure requires an exact and individual evaluation it may be several weeks before a decision is reached. This decision is then submitted to you in writing by the Admissions Office, who also arrange any adjustments as to the semester in which you may enrol.

Restrictions

General restrictions

Art. 43 of the ‘Regulations Concerning Admission to ETH Zurich’ sets out the basis for awarding ECTS credits in recognition of previous study achievements.

Art. 44, ‘Particular stipulations for the Bachelor’s degree level’, sets out the maximum number of credits which may be recognised, as follows:

1. 120 ECTS credits, provided that these have been acquired at ETH Zurich or EPF Lausanne
2. 60 ECTS credits, provided that these have been acquired at another university or university of applied sciences

(1.) does not apply to readmissions to the same ETH Zurich Bachelor’s degree programme, and (2.) does not apply to universities with which ETH Zurich has corresponding agreements. Currently, agreements only exist with the Swiss universities of Bern and Fribourg in connection with the Bachelor’s degree programme in Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Restrictions regarding GESS

Credits for compulsory electives in the area of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences (GESS) must be acquired during an ETH Zurich degree course. The credits to be acquired are counted proportionally towards the total credits pending for the degree (usually 1 GESS credit per every 30 credits), independent of the previous field of study. For every 30 credits pre-recognised, 1 may therfore be a GESS credit.

Restrictions regarding first-year examinations

The waiver of examinations from ETH Zurich’s first-year examinations is also subject to the stipulations set out in Art. 24 of the directive Restrictions on study programme selection, change of degree programme, re-entry to ETH Zurich and recognition of study achievements.