Swiss-European Mobility Programme (SEMP, formerly Erasmus)
SEMP is open for students from our European partner universities who are nominated for an exchange at ETH Zurich.
Student exchanges between ETH and its European partner universities take place via the "Swiss-European Mobility Programme" (SEMP). Scholarships for students are covered by the Swiss state. (Swiss universities' participation in Erasmus+ was suspended following a federal vote in 2014.)
- The internship programme (Erasmus Traineeships) for incoming students is not offered by ETH.
- Students from European universities we maintain a bilateral exchange agreement with can be nominated as exchange students if they conduct a project / thesis at ETH (even in study fields without an existing agreement). The minimal duration for such stays is three entire months.
- If your home university is a partner university of ETH but you have not been selected and nominated for an exchange period, you can apply as a project student.
SEMP scholarships are paid as semester scholarships, regardless of the exact length of stay. Only students who receive a contractually guaranteed exchange place from their home university are eligible for the scholarship. When you apply online for SEMP, you automatically also apply for the scholarship. No separate application is necessary.
The amount of the scholarship depends on the country in which the home university is located.
- DK, FI, GB, IS, IE, LI, LU, NO, SE: 1,900 Swiss francs per semester
- AT, BE, BG, CY, CZ, DE, EE, ES, FR, GR, HR, HU, IT, LT, LV, MK, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, RS, SI, SK, TR: 2,200 Swiss francs per semester
You can apply for a top-up for an environmentally friendly travel method.
Studying with a disability
SEMP participants with special needs have the option to apply for additional funding to cover part of any additional costs incurred during their exchange studies due to their impairment. Reach out to the contact person listed at the bottom of the page at least four months before your exchange study if you would like to submit a corresponding application.
Other options
Check other optionsETH would like to make its contribution to sustainable development. The reduction of flight emissions is one of our declared goals. We therefore motivate all exchange students to choose alternative means of travel within Europe.
You can apply for a top-up of 100 Swiss francs can be applied for to cover the cost of travelling to and from your destination by train, bus and / or ferry if you are going abroad within this programme. The top-up will be added to the normal scholarship rate with the final payment.
The prerequisite is that the receipts for the for the outward and / or return journey are uploaded to Mobility-Online before the start of the semester. The receipt must contain your name, date of travel and the departure and arrival location.
Once you have been selected and nominated by your home university for an exchange period, you will receive an email from ETH with instructions on how to apply.
- Nomination for Autumn Semester: You will receive the email towards the end of February at the earliest.
- Nomination for Spring Semester: You will receive the email in September.