ETH Zurich is one of the leading international universities for technology and the natural sciences. It is well known for its excellent education, ground-breaking fundamental research and for implementing its results directly into practice.

Summer Research Opportunity: UofT students may reach out to any interested professor to seek supervision approval for summer research exchange between May and August. Your supervisor must be an ETH Zurich professor (postdocs or senior scientists and group leaders are not eligible to sign the supervisor confirmation).

It is advisable to find a supervisor at either Zentrum Campus or Hönggerberg Campus. Please refer to ETH website on how to find a supervising professor. 

Application and nomination timeline: APS299Y0 applicants must apply by November 23, and non-credit applicants must apply by January 18. ETH is accepting candidates on a rolling basis. CIE nomination will be confirmed on a rolling basis until all the spots are filled or January 30, whichever date comes first. 

*February 15^th is the deadline for nominated students to submit a complete application on ETH Mobility-Online portal*

Eligibility: 

1. Must have completed 2 years of study in a relevant field of study (science or engineering, related to the project choice) at the time of participation.
2. Minimum cumulative GPA 3.0 and B or above for all courses relevant to the research project.
3. To obtain student status and be enrolled as a student at ETH Zurich, you must carry out your project in Switzerland. No online or remote projects available.

Housing: On-campus housing is not available.

There are 2 pathways for this SREP opportunity (please indicate which option you are pursuing in the Program Pathway section of the Learning Abroad application): 

a) Not-for-credit (you do not pay U of T tuition or host university tuition).

b) Pre-approved research course: APS299Y0 (engineering) (1.0 U of T credit, project must be 10 weeks or longer)  

Application Process for APS299Y0:  

1. Submit CIE application by November 23, 2025. 
2. Applications will be reviewed by the relevant U of T department 
3. Successful candidates will receive CIE nomination (SREP is a competitive program and nomination is not guaranteed) 
4. Nominated students obtain supervisor approval following the guideline (must be done by January 30, 2026)
5. Upload ETH supervisor confirmation form to CIE application portal (in the Partner Application stage “Supervisor Approval”)
6. Nominated students submit ETH online application following the guideline (must be done by Feb 15, 2026)
7. Successful candidates will receive further information from ETH on visa procedures and accommodation

Application Process for Non-Credit: 

1. Submit CIE application no later than January 18, 2026.
2. Obtain supervisor approval following the partner application guideline (rolling admissions and students are encouraged to reach out to potential supervisors early)
3. Upload ETH supervisor confirmation form to CIE application portal (in the Partner Application stage “Supervisor Approval”)
4. Successful applicants will receive CIE nomination (nomination will be confirmed on a rolling basis until all the spots are filled or January 30, whichever comes first)
5. Nominated students complete ETH online application and submit all supporting documents (must be done by Feb 15, 2026)
6. Accepted students will receive further information from ETH on visa procedures and accommodation

**ETH instructions for securing a supervisor and completing the online application:

Application Procedure:

1. Find a supervising professor at ETH. *You are responsible for finding a project supervisor on your own and please refer to ETH Website and the details below on how to find supervisors and obtain their approval*

2. Submit your application and upload all supporting documents on ETH’s portal Mobility-Online by deadline (ETH Application Guidelines and Information for inbound exchange students).

Note:

•      ∗ Apply for the current academic year, as you will be enrolled in the Spring Semester.
•      ∗ ETH Zurich will review the nomination with the University of Toronto for each application that has been submitted in full. 

3. Spaces at ETH Zurich are limited, therefore you must notify the ETH Student Exchange Coordinator Gaby Bloem by email (incoming.exchange@ethz.ch) as soon as you have submitted your application in full. 
4. Successful applicants will receive nomination from CIE
5. Nominated students will receive further information from ETH on visa procedures and accommodation.

Detailed instructions on how to find a supervisor:

Write an email with a very clear subject matter in which you briefly highlight your interest and attach one PDF in good quality with the following documents.

•      ∗ CV
•      ∗ Letter of motivation
•      ∗ 2 persuasive letters of reference
•      ∗ University transcripts and diplomas
•      ∗ If not clear in your email or if the email is too long – a brief description of your research interest and/or research plan

 Information/Question you should include in your email:

•      ∗ your status at ETH Zurich is that of an exchange student under the student exchange agreement with the University of Toronto.
•      ∗ if the professor has an administrative question, they can reach out to Gaby Bloem at the Student Exchange Office: incoming.exchange@ethz.ch
•      ∗ if you get a scholarship let your supervisor know
•      ∗ ask your supervising professor if he or she is willing to sign the following supervisor confirmation: supervisor-confirmation-projects.pdf (ethz.ch)

For your application you may use:

1. the (unpersonalised) version, or
2. the (personalised) version, which you will download as a part of the application process.

No other version will be accepted. Your application in Mobility-Online is only complete if it includes the signed supervisor confirmation of the responsible professor.

Important:

If you find a professor who works at one of the four research institutes Eawag, WSL, Empa and PSI, which are associated with ETH Zurich in the ETH Domain | ETH Zurich, please consider the following:

•      ∗ your supervisor must be an ETH Zurich professor, postdocs or even senior scientists and group leaders are not eligible to sign the supervisor confirmation. 
•      ∗ the research institute must be based in the Canton of Zurich. Otherwise, we will not be able to assist you with visa and immigration issues, as each canton in Switzerland has its own rules and regulations. This applies in particular to the PSI, which is located in the Canton of Aargau!

 It is advisable to search a supervisor at ETH Zurich itself (either Zentrum Campus or Hönggerberg Campus). If not, please email ETH to clarify whether your planned research stay is feasible and under what conditions before submitting your application.

Important Information for nominated students:

•      ∗ After acceptance, you will receive further information about possible visa procedures and accommodation.
•      ∗ No remote projects are allowed, you should do your exchange at the ETH.
•      ∗ The visa fees are at your expense, but the Student Exchange Office applies for your visa authorization if a visa is required.
•      ∗ You must take any planned holidays during your research project, as ETH Zurich only confirms the duration of your research project to the immigration authorities.
•      ∗ Canadian citizens do not require a visa for stays of up to 90 days in Switzerland but must leave Switzerland and the Schengen Area after that.
•      ∗ If you also have a valid passport from an EU/EFTA country, please enclose it with your application.
•      ∗ Exchange students at ETH Zurich who are doing an autonomous project outside semester dates must find their own accommodation.
•      ∗ FAQ for incoming students: https://ethz.ch/en/studies/non-degree-courses/exchange/faq.html
•      ∗ Online factsheet: https://ethz.ch/en/studies/non-degree-courses/exchange/downloads/for-partners/factsheets/worldwide.html

Learn more about the Summer Research Exchange Program.