Information for prospective students on studies and elite sport

Study programme selection

Provided the admission requirements are met, elite athletes interested in studying are free to choose and pursue any study programme. Whether studies and elite sport can be combined depends on the respective degree programme, the individual study situation and the type of sport practised. 

It should be noted that the study programme at ETH is structured as a full-time course. The time required is approximately 30 teaching hours per week plus self-study. Flexible time arrangements are possible to a limited extent. Depending on your personal situation, it is important to carefully consider which degree programmes are suitable and which university is ideal for you.   

Althetes without a Swiss Olympic Card who, for example, are employed professional athletes with a regular income, are not covered by the "studies and elite sport" regulation. It is the responsibility of all ETH students to assess whether an employment alongside their studies is possible in terms of time. In principle, gainful employment does not entitle students to request exemptions regarding their studies.

Personal counselling

Organising a study programme alongside training and competition schedules is time-consuming. Ideally, long-term plans should be prepared before you start your study programme.

Please contact us for personal counselling. We can advise you on questions about selecting a study programme in combination with your elite sport and put you in touch with the study advisor for the degree programme in question.

Specific information

The options for adapting study requirements in order to combine elite sport and a full-time programme relate to performance assessments and the deadlines to complete studies. 

Performance assessments

Study programme adjustments for students with elite sport status are reviewed separately for each study or examination level or for compulsory internships and the Master's thesis. Students are required to submit a justified request by the deadline.

Possible measures include:

• Splitting an examination block into two examination sessions
• Taking an end-of-semester examination on the repetition date

It is not possible to move up the date of written session examinations, change the examination mode or take distance examinations due to elite sport. 

Extension of the deadline to complete your studies

The study time available to you consists of a minimum study time - also called "normal study time" - and additional (or "tolerance") semesters. The tolerance semesters are intended for offsetting contingencies, such as assessment repetitions, illness, accident, or parental leave. Should the duration of studies be insufficient for you to balance your sporting obligations you can apply for an extension.

The duration of studies may be extended beyond the available tolerance semesters as a result of performance assessment measures. If during the planning stage it becomes clear that the required credit points cannot be acquired within the maximum programme duration, an extension of the duration of studies must be applied for at the same time as submitting the performance assessment adjustment.