It’s confirmed: Fees for foreign polytechnic students will triple

After the National Council, the Council of States has also agreed on Thursday to significantly increase the tuition paid by international students at Switzerland’s two Federal Institutes of Technology — one in Zurich and the other in Lausanne. 

The news comes just as students at the two universities returned for the fall semester.

The decision was first announced by the Council of the Federal Institutes of Technology on July 12th.

This increase is meant to compensate for lower federal contributions because from 2025, the government’s financial aid to the two public institutes will be sharply reduced.

Higher tuition — which will triple from the current 780 francs per semester — is set to be introduced as of autumn 2025.

Fees for Swiss students will remain the same.

READ ALSO: Two top Swiss universities triple tuition fees for foreign students 

Zurich police allowed to investigate closed chats and forums

The aim of this move, approved on Thursday, is to detect and prevent imminent terrorist attacks and other serious crimes before they actually occur, Zurich cantonal government announced in a press release.

“To fight crime effectively, the police need appropriate conditions, including up-to-date legal requirements,” cantonal authorities said in a press release on Thursday.
 
They added that “in view of the rising crime rate and uninterrupted population growth, the cantonal government not only wants to revise the police law, but also gradually increase the target number of cantonal police officers by 2027.” 

Holiday weekend ahead: mind the traffic

Starting tonight, a big number of motorists will take to the road to go away for the Thanksgiving weekend, which is celebrated on Sunday everywhere In Switzerland except in Geneva, which celebrated its own holiday on September 5th.

READ ALSO: What is Switzerland’s Thanksgiving day?

The worst traffic jams are expected (as they are before and after every long holiday weekend) through the Gotthard tunnel, where bottlenecks stretching over several kilometres and stranding motorists for hours, are a common sight.

If you plan to drive through the Gotthard this weekend, “leave very early in the morning or in evening, and try alternative routes, when possible,” according to Laurent Pignot, the spokesperson for Touring Club Suisse (TCS) motoring organisation.

But don’t expect to be the only motorist on the alternative routes, because they too are usually quite congested during holiday weekends, Pignot pointed out.

There are also two south-bound roads, especially for motorists from the French-speaking regions:  the Mont-Blanc and the Grand-Saint-Bernard tunnels.

If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at news@thelocal.ch