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Probably this also saved the student some fees as well.

usr1106 5y ago
Could be true. Unlike in Germany and many other European countries university studies are not free of charge in Switzerland. No idea about PhD.
- zahllos 5y ago
  I'm not familiar with universities outside the ETH rules (ETHZ/EPFL only) but students are paid a salary at these universities and hold dual status as employees and students. I'm not sure if their tuition is waived. Even if they pay the same tuition as masters or bachelors students this is usually around 800-900 CHF per semester, the cost of 2-3 months health insurance. Not money you want to pay if you don't have to, but it isn't UK or US fees. However there are definitely time limits. You would find it hard to be enrolled on a doctoral programme for 6 years or more especially if you aren't about to imminently graduate, and this is likely the main motivation behind the advice given the proposed 3 year break in China.
  - wolverine876 5y ago
    > students are paid a salary at these universities and hold dual status as employees and students OT: How much? Undergraduates too?
    - gerbler 5y ago
      In Swiss federal institutes grad students are paid but it's free for undergrads.
      - Naracion 5y ago
        Free for undergrads here meaning that they attend school for free (no tuition), or that they are not paid? Or both?
        gerbler 5y ago
        For undergrads, no tuition fees and they are not paid
      - zahllos 5y ago
        I'm afraid it isn't free for undergrads, even outside the federal domain. Actually St Gallen is more expensive than ETH! https://www.unisg.ch/en/studium/informationsangebote/gebuehren https://www.unisg.ch/en/studium/informationsangebote/gebuehr...
    - zahllos 5y ago
      Only PhDs are paid. I think the salary scale starts at around 51,000 CHF. That's a lot for other countries but it isn't for Switzerland. The exact amount is public knowledge and you can find it if you look. It is slightly higher for ETHZ, but not much. Bachelors and masters pay fees according to: https://www.epfl.ch/education/studies/en/rules-and-procedures/study-taxes/tuition-fee-other-fees/ https://www.epfl.ch/education/studies/en/rules-and-procedure... or https://ethz.ch/en/studies/financial/tuition-fees.html https://ethz.ch/en/studies/financial/tuition-fees.html Tuition is definitely not free, but also not extortionate.
      - zahllos 5y ago
        Here you go: the salaries of PhD students at ETH Zürich: https://ethz.ch/en/the-eth-zurich/working-teaching-and-research/welcome-center/employment-contract-and-salary/salary.html https://ethz.ch/en/the-eth-zurich/working-teaching-and-resea...
  - volta83 5y ago
    > Even if they pay the same tuition as masters or bachelors students this is usually around 800-900 CHF per semester, AFAIK, as long as you are registered as a PhD student, you have to pay the fees. That's easy to pay if you are an ETH employee with a normal salary. It might not be that easy to pay if you are in Wuhan university, with a Wuhan PhD student "salary".

Could be true. Unlike in Germany and many other European countries university studies are not free of charge in Switzerland. No idea about PhD.

zahllos 5y ago
I'm not familiar with universities outside the ETH rules (ETHZ/EPFL only) but students are paid a salary at these universities and hold dual status as employees and students. I'm not sure if their tuition is waived. Even if they pay the same tuition as masters or bachelors students this is usually around 800-900 CHF per semester, the cost of 2-3 months health insurance. Not money you want to pay if you don't have to, but it isn't UK or US fees. However there are definitely time limits. You would find it hard to be enrolled on a doctoral programme for 6 years or more especially if you aren't about to imminently graduate, and this is likely the main motivation behind the advice given the proposed 3 year break in China.
- wolverine876 5y ago
  > students are paid a salary at these universities and hold dual status as employees and students OT: How much? Undergraduates too?
  - gerbler 5y ago
    In Swiss federal institutes grad students are paid but it's free for undergrads.
    - Naracion 5y ago
      Free for undergrads here meaning that they attend school for free (no tuition), or that they are not paid? Or both?
      - gerbler 5y ago
        For undergrads, no tuition fees and they are not paid
    - zahllos 5y ago
      I'm afraid it isn't free for undergrads, even outside the federal domain. Actually St Gallen is more expensive than ETH! https://www.unisg.ch/en/studium/informationsangebote/gebuehren https://www.unisg.ch/en/studium/informationsangebote/gebuehr...
  - zahllos 5y ago
    Only PhDs are paid. I think the salary scale starts at around 51,000 CHF. That's a lot for other countries but it isn't for Switzerland. The exact amount is public knowledge and you can find it if you look. It is slightly higher for ETHZ, but not much. Bachelors and masters pay fees according to: https://www.epfl.ch/education/studies/en/rules-and-procedures/study-taxes/tuition-fee-other-fees/ https://www.epfl.ch/education/studies/en/rules-and-procedure... or https://ethz.ch/en/studies/financial/tuition-fees.html https://ethz.ch/en/studies/financial/tuition-fees.html Tuition is definitely not free, but also not extortionate.
    - zahllos 5y ago
      Here you go: the salaries of PhD students at ETH Zürich: https://ethz.ch/en/the-eth-zurich/working-teaching-and-research/welcome-center/employment-contract-and-salary/salary.html https://ethz.ch/en/the-eth-zurich/working-teaching-and-resea...
- volta83 5y ago
  > Even if they pay the same tuition as masters or bachelors students this is usually around 800-900 CHF per semester, AFAIK, as long as you are registered as a PhD student, you have to pay the fees. That's easy to pay if you are an ETH employee with a normal salary. It might not be that easy to pay if you are in Wuhan university, with a Wuhan PhD student "salary".