Zurich is Switzerland’s largest financial center, and UIBS teaches business there in English. If you want to study business in English in Zurich, this guide covers the city, rents and transport. It also explains how study at UIBS Zurich works.


At a glance

  • 33.9% of Zurich residents held a foreign nationality at the end of 2025
  • More than 103,400 people worked in the Zurich region’s financial sector in 2023
  • Median rent for a 2-room apartment in the city: CHF 1,497 a month (2026)
  • ZVV NetworkPass for the city, ages 6 to 24: CHF 63 a month

Is Zurich a good place to study business in English?

Yes. Zurich pairs a large financial sector with an international population, and UIBS teaches business there in English, with up to 8 starts a year.

The city had 452,421 residents at the end of 2025, and 33.9% of them held a foreign nationality, according to the City of Zurich. So you will study business in English in Zurich alongside people from all over the world.

The economy matters too. In 2023, more than 103,400 people worked in the Zurich region’s financial sector, about one worker in ten, according to the Canton of Zurich. The regional financial sector also generated about CHF 32.8 billion in gross value added that year. As a result, finance, banking and insurance are never far from your classroom.


How does UIBS work in Zurich?

Zurich is home to our awarding unit and half of our headquarters, and our Zurich campus teaches business in English all year round.

United Institute’s headquarters is split between Zurich and Geneva. United Institute (Switzerland), our Zurich-based awarding unit, confers all our qualifications. In addition, a Zurich-based committee of doctorally qualified Academic Council faculty evaluates our graduate final projects.

Our programs are English-taught and American-inspired, and our community brings together more than 100 nationalities. So a business school in Zurich that teaches in English can still feel international every day. Our Zurich and Geneva campuses have also held EduQua certification since 2013. See the campus on our Zurich campus page.

Our academic year runs in quarters. So you can study business in English in Zurich, then continue at another of our 9 city-center campuses, or online.

Good to knowAfter a campus move, not every course is guaranteed to run face to face. Check the next term’s schedule with an advisor first.

What does it cost to live in Zurich as a student?

Rent is the main cost: a 2-room apartment in the city had a median rent of CHF 1,497 a month in 2026.

The cost of living in Zurich starts with that figure, from the City of Zurich’s rent survey. Switzerland uses the Swiss franc, so every figure below is in CHF, like our Zurich fees. We checked each one on 29 October 2026.

Cost Price (CHF) Source
Median net rent, 2-room apartment, city of Zurich 1,497 a month City of Zurich rent survey, reference date 1 April 2026
Median net rent, 3-room apartment, city of Zurich 1,628 a month City of Zurich rent survey, reference date 1 April 2026
ZVV NetworkPass, zone 110 (city), ages 6 to 24, 2nd class 63 a month ZVV
ZVV NetworkPass, zone 110 (city), adult, 2nd class 87 a month ZVV

These are rents for whole apartments. So sharing a flat brings your own share below them. You can read the full figures in the City of Zurich rent survey and on the ZVV NetworkPass page.

Tuition is separate. Our fee schedule sets Zurich prices, in Swiss francs, for our Bachelor, Master and MBA programs, and our fees and scholarships page sets out the current fees.


What should I check before I study business in English in Zurich?

Check four things: the language of the whole program, the status of the degree, how the school is accredited, and your start date.

Before you study business in English in Zurich, ask any school these questions:

Language

Is every course in English, including electives and final projects?

Degree status

Is the degree state-regulated in Switzerland, or private?

Accreditation

Which bodies accredit the institution, and which accredit your program?

Start dates

Can you start more than once a year?

Our answers are on the record. “Our institution also does not hold US-regional accreditation, and the qualifications awarded by the school’s HQ are not regulated under the Swiss Higher Education Act of September 2011.” Also, “United Institute is institutionally-accredited by the EQAR-listed British Accreditation Council (BAC). Its main constituent school, UIBS, further holds programmatic accreditation from the EQAR-listed ‘Fundación para el Conocimiento Madri+d’ for its Professional Master’s programs, and from the CHEA-recognized Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) for several of its Bachelor’s and Master’s programs.”

Our quality page sets out each body and its scope, and our student visas page explains what to prepare before you move.


Frequently asked questions

Do I need to speak German to study at UIBS Zurich?

No. UIBS teaches its programs in English, so you can study in Zurich without German. Some German still helps in daily life.

Is Zurich expensive for students?

Housing is the main cost. The median rent for a 2-room apartment in the city was CHF 1,497 a month in 2026, so sharing keeps it lower.

Can I start in Zurich and move to another campus?

Yes. UIBS students can transfer between campuses each quarter, across 9 city-center campuses in Europe and Tokyo, or continue online.

When can I start at UIBS Zurich?

UIBS offers up to 8 start dates a year. Our guide to business schools with multiple start dates in Europe lists the 2026-27 dates.


Join us to study business in English in Zurich, with Europe and Tokyo within reach.

Your Future, Our Mission