Mobility specification

Country:Switzerland

Institution:University of Zürich

City:Zürich

Program:Freemover long-term mobility

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2025/2026

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Social Studies / Department of Sociology

Study level abroad:Bachelor

🎓Hit the books! How do you rate the university experience?

Can you enroll in a course where you can learn the local language?no

Does the university offer enough courses in English?neutral

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?UZH has a pretty well organized information transfer for incoming students. All my courses were prebooked according to my choice and I could enroll in anything outside and within my major.

The university has much more international connections compared to MU (and also considerably more money), so there are plenty of guest lectures from top professors from all over Europe and America. My favorite course was from an Icelandic professor of sociology of criminology who is a leader in the field (and criminology in general). For special features, the university also hosts various open lectures from legends like Nobelist Kahneman.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Yes, the activities consult both the university and the societies of each department. Most of it is in German, though, depending on the discipline. There are many events in English organised by the Erasmus network. There is also a Czech students' association in Zurich, but they are mainly from ETH.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?Psychological counseling
Barrier-free access to classrooms and dormitories
Special aids and technologies (e.g., text-to-speech software, hearing aids)
Special examination conditions (e.g., extended time, quiet rooms)
Crisis intervention
Support for LGBTQ+ students (e.g., safe spaces, counseling services)

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:20000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?no

Do you have any tips on how to find private accommodation?Only WG Zimmer

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?The residence permit costs relatively a lot of money and is compulsory. Public transport is basically unaffordable with Czech wages. It's worth bringing your own bike or paying for a subscription to publibikes. If you want to work, you have to pay Swiss insurance which costs about 36 CHF per month minimum (I recommend Swisscare). But if something were to happen to you, you probably won't pay, the conditions suck with that price :(

Do you have any tips on how to save money?Food sharing program, TooGoodToGo (the equivalent of Nesnezeno) and Wednesday aki lunches from a local Christian organization (open to all and you don't have to talk to anyone, but you can!)

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?almost without problems

How does public transport work in the city?runs like clockwork

And what about transport outside the city?runs like clockwork

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?SBB or ZVV app

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?View from Honggerberg

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Bern (buy a ticket in advance with the Supersaver ticket discount), and probably anywhere in the countryside.

Share your best experience:Swimming in Limmat (you can get into the river anywhere)

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Bus

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?Always prefer Regiojet over Flixbus.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?If you have room in your suitcase, expensive ingredients like olive oil.

🥳Summary

Whew, what a ride! 😮‍💨 Thanks so much for taking the time to complete our survey and for sharing your unique experience. Just one last thing. 🙏 How would you summarize your trip in one or two sentences?Choosing the university of your choice is extremely worthwhile-paperwork comes with it as well and your semester will be tailored to you.