Student Housing in Switzerland: Student Residences, Shared Flats and Deposits

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Housing is the largest item in a Swiss student budget and the hardest to arrange from abroad. Vacancy rates in Zurich, Geneva and Lausanne are among the lowest in Europe. The good news is that every university city has non-profit organisations that rent rooms only to students, at prices below the market.

Student housing organisations

Rooms for students are run by foundations and cooperatives linked to the universities rather than by the universities themselves: for example the student housing cooperative and foundation in Zurich, the foundation for student housing in Lausanne, and the university's housing office in Geneva. Other cities have their own.

For the 20 residences with a published price in our catalogue, the typical range is €349 to €1,300 a month in euro terms; location and room type make a large difference.

• Apply as soon as you are admitted, and in some cases before: registration opens months ahead of the semester and rooms are allocated in order or by draw.
• Rooms are usually in shared flats within the residence, furnished, with all charges included.
• Rental periods are fixed by semester or academic year, and there is a maximum length of stay.
• Exchange and first-year international students often have reserved contingents.

Residences by university are on our Switzerland pages.

Shared flats

Many students live in a private shared flat (WG in German, colocation in French). Rooms are advertised on the universities' own housing boards and on shared-flat websites. Flatmates choose among applicants after a visit, so being on the spot, or available for a video call, makes a difference.

Rents are highest in Zurich, Geneva, Lausanne, Basel and Zug. Fribourg, Neuchâtel, St. Gallen, Lucerne, Lugano and the smaller sites of the universities of applied sciences are more affordable, and living outside the city with a public transport pass is common.

Deposit and documents

• The deposit may not exceed three months' rent. By law it is paid into a blocked rental deposit account at a bank, in the tenant's name, and neither party can withdraw it alone. Do not pay a deposit to a private account.
• Landlords ask for an extract from the debt enforcement register. New arrivals cannot provide a Swiss one; a letter from the university, proof of funds or a guarantor is offered instead.
• Personal liability insurance is expected by most landlords and costs little.
• Notice periods and official moving dates are fixed in the contract. Leaving early means finding a replacement tenant.

Registration and the permit

You register at the residents' office of your commune within 14 days of arrival, with the rental contract. Non-EU students must show suitable accommodation as part of the permit procedure; see student visa and residence permit for Switzerland.

If you have nothing at the start of term

Universities publish lists of temporary solutions: youth hostels with weekly rates, short sublets from students on exchange, and host families. Sublets are a normal part of the Swiss market, as long as the main landlord has agreed, and they are a good way to spend the first semester while you look for something permanent.

Budget

Tuition is moderate, with a typical public figure of €2,579 a year in our catalogue, but universities themselves advise planning a monthly budget well above that of neighbouring countries. See how much it costs to study in Switzerland.

Where to look next

• How to get into a university in Switzerland
• Finding student housing in Europe without being scammed

Official sources

• swissuniversities: living in Switzerland
• ch.ch: housing
• Housing offices of each university, linked from the university pages

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.