The regular loan at the University of Zurich covers living and study costs when a scholarship is not available or does not stretch far enough. The money comes from the Stiftung studentische Darlehen Universität Zürich, a non-profit foundation started by UZH students in 1979, and applications run through the university’s Student Financial Aid Office.
Loans are granted semester by semester and can build up over a degree. They are meant for financing gaps that last, including large ones; a single unusual expense goes to the separate «Pecunia» one-time loan.
The money is borrowed, not awarded. Repayment starts after studies end, and the foundation charges 1% a year once the first post-study year is over.
Benefits & funding
- Up to CHF 36,000 in total per borrower, and up to CHF 24,000 for a Bachelor’s student.
- Interest-free while you study and for the first year after finishing or leaving; 1% annual interest applies after that.
- Granted per semester, so the loan can be renewed and accumulated while studies continue.
- Applying costs nothing, and the loan can sit on top of a scholarship that does not cover everything.
Eligibility
- Bachelor’s students may normally apply from the start of their fifth semester; documented hardship cases may apply from the first semester. Master’s students may apply from the first semester.
- Swiss citizens and holders of a Swiss C permanent residence permit only — a condition set by the funding foundation.
- Documented financial need: the office reviews tax records for the applicant and their parents.
- Aimed at students who cannot close a longer-term gap through a state grant, family support or earnings.
- A notarized guarantee from a person resident in Switzerland is normally required for loans of CHF 2,000 or more.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Residence required
Switzerland
Education required
Bachelor Enrolled · Master Enrolled
Circlebreaker is a free database of global fellowships, scholarships and programs — every one decoded like this.
We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.
Application process
- 1Read the loan conditions on the Financial Support page and the four fixed deadlines on the Applications and Deadlines page.
- 2Sign in to the UZH application portal, which needs a UZH email address; ask the office for one if it has not arrived two weeks before the deadline.
- 3Fill in the loan form, which may be submitted once per semester, and upload the financial documents requested, including the most recent tax return and the latest final tax assessment for you and your parents.
- 4Submit before the deadline; the office checks the file before it appears in the portal.
- 5Expect a decision roughly eight to ten weeks after the deadline.
Program timeline
fall-semester loan deadline.
15 August each year
second fall-semester loan deadline.
1 November each year
spring-semester loan deadline.
1 February each year
second spring-semester loan deadline.
1 April each year
8–10 weeks after each deadline
decisions issued.
Within one year of finishing or leaving UZH
repayment begins and 1% annual interest applies.