Your comprehensive starting hub for Computer Science at ETH Zurich
Essential Links
- myStudies - Your central student portal for everything: course registration, grades, semester enrollment, thesis registration
- VVZ Course Catalog - Browse all available courses, check schedules, find course details
- ETH Library @ swisscovery - Your gateway to books, papers, and research materials
- Awesome ETHZ - Community-curated collection of useful ETH resources
- VIS (CS Student Association) - Your Fachverein, first contact for events, study support, and exam archives
- VIS First Year Info - Essential info specifically for CS newcomers
- Exam Archives (VIS) - Past exams and preparation materials
- INFK FAQ - Answers to common CS program questions
- Ersti Guide (from my experiences)
Academic Foundation
Understanding Your Degree
Bachelor’s Program Structure (180 credits, 3 years)
- First Year (56 credits): All courses are mandatory. You’ll build foundations in programming, algorithms, math, and computer architecture
- Fall: Introduction to Programming, Data Structures & Algorithms, Linear Algebra, Discrete Mathematics
- Spring: Parallel Programming, Algorithms & Probability, Analysis I, Digital Design & Computer Architecture
- Second Year (52+ credits): Core CS theory and methodology
- Analysis II, Theoretical CS, Systems Programming, Computer Networks, Databases, Formal Methods
- Third Year: Specialization in Systems & Software Engineering, Information & Data Processing, or Theoretical CS
- Bachelor’s thesis (10 credits), seminars, and electives
Master’s Program (120 credits, 2 years) Five specialization tracks available:
- Data Management Systems
- Machine Intelligence
- Secure and Reliable Systems
- Visual and Interactive Computing
- Theoretical Computer Science
Key Academic Deadlines & Processes
Semester Enrollment
- Must enroll every semester via myStudies (including leaves of absence)
- Late enrollment (after week 3) costs CHF 50
- Failure to enroll = automatic deregistration after week 5
Course Registration
- Register for courses immediately after semester enrollment
- Can drop courses until end of week 4
- Some courses have enrollment limits - first come, first served
Exam Registration
- Separate registration required for exams (not automatic with course registration)
- Strict deadlines for registration and withdrawal
- Session exams vs. end-of-semester exams have different rules
Campus Life
Read Ersti Guide
Two Main Campuses
- Zentrum Campus: Historic downtown location, most CS courses in first two years
- Hönggerberg Campus: Modern “Science City” in the hills, some advanced courses and research. Also got some awesome (but crazy hard to get) on campus accommodation (Student Village and Living Science)
Transportation
- Free eLink shuttle between campuses (15 min journey)
- Public transport: Zone 110 ticket covers city travel
- Bike-friendly routes between campuses
Housing Reality Check
- Expect CHF 800-1200/month for a shared room
- Housing market is brutal - start searching early
- WOKO student housing has ~2000 rooms citywide
- Consider areas with good public transport connections
- Many students live outside Zurich for lower costs
Essential Services
ETH Library System
- Main Library: Central hub with quiet study spaces, open Mon-Fri 8-22, weekends 9-17
- Specialized Libraries: Architecture, Earth Sciences, GESS (humanities/social sciences), Green Library
- Free access to vast digital resources, research databases, and academic journals
IT Services (Free for Students)
- ETH user account with email (@student.ethz.ch)
- 5GB personal home directory
- 50GB Polybox cloud storage
- Free software through IT shop
- VPN access for off-campus resources (
sudo openconnect -u <username>@student-net.ethz.ch --useragent=AnyConnect -g student-net sslvpn.ethz.ch, first is network password, 2nd is TOTP) - Computer labs with specialized software