Adjustments to the calendar, examinations and transitional regulations
As part of PAKETH, ETH Zurich is revising its academic calendar and examination system for the autumn semester 2027. Find out how these changes will affect you as a student below.
The academic calendar will change in favour of all students:
From AS 2027, the academic year will consist of two semesters of equal length with the same lecture time (L), study time (S) and examination period (E). In summer, there will be a lecture and examination-free period (*), similar to what is usual at other universities. In the spring semester, and now also in the autumn semester, there is a lecture-free week.
- (L) Refers to the lecture times. Modules are offered during this period. Integrated assessments are possible.
- (.) Lecture interruption/free: Lectures and examinations do not take place during this time.
- (S) Study time: No lectures take place during this time. It is used to prepare for the examinations.
- (RE) Repetition examinations: These take place before the examination period, i.e. in calendar week 2 in the autumn semester (AS), or in week 25 in the spring semester (SS). Repeat examinations or regular examinations can also take place in week 3 of the autumn semester (AS) or week 26 of the spring semester (SS). However, the examinations in the first year are always held from week 4 in autumn or week 27 in spring.
- (E) Examination period: Period in which the final examinations take place.
- (O) Onboarding week: From AS 2027, there will be a new onboarding week for new Bachelor's and Master's students which will take place before the start of the semester (week 37).
When you register for a module (formerly a course unit), you are automatically registered for the performance assessment (e.g. examination). You have the first 4 weeks to change/cancel your registration or to register for something new. After that, it is generally no longer possible to cancel (formerly deregister).
Students who, for ‘justified reasons’, e.g. illness or accident with a doctor's note, are unable to complete the module or the performance assessment in full, can deregister after the end of the registration/cancellation period.
As a student, you now have the option of enrolling as an ‘auditor’. This status allows you to attend the module without having to complete a performance assessment.
In future, the following forms of performance assessment will be available. Before the start of the semester, the Course Catalogue will now indicate which form or combination of performance assessments is required.
1) Integrated performance assessments (midterms, seminar papers, presentations, etc.)
Integrated performance assessments (ILN) are completed during the semester and support the continuous learning process in the module. ILNs cannot be repeated unless students re-register for them. It is at the discretion of the lecturer whether the ILN may be improved during the current semester.
2) Final examinations
Final examinations replace the previous session examinations and end-of-semester examinations. All final examinations take place during the examination period, which begins four or three weeks after the end of the lecture time (see academic calendar).
3) Repetition examinations
With PAKETH, a repetition examination is offered for all compulsory courses. A defined time period is allocated for repetition during the examination phase (see Academic Calendar). The course catalogue will indicate whether the module offers a repetition or not (repetition must always be offered for compulsory courses).
As a student, you have two options to repeat a module.
You can re-register for the module and repeat the entire module, including any bonus points or integrated performance assessments you have already acquired
You register within the deadline for the repetition, which takes place in the following semester.
Both count as a 2nd attempt.
PAKETH focuses in particular on studyability and therefore also on managing the student workload. Students are informed about the format and scheduling of assignments in the course catalogue and by lecturers in advance. This means they know when and how much they will be required to do in a module.
For this to be successful, it is important that the degree programmes receive feedback. It is therefore crucial that you as students provide feedback using the ‘teaching assessment’. The surveys are sent out at the end of the 11th week of the semester.
Starting in the autumn semester of 2027, there will be a change for all existing programme regulations (Bachelor's and Master's degree level). This means that there will be no transitional year groups. The utmost care will be taken to ensure that this change will not result in any disadvantages for you as a student. All your existing study achievements will be recognised and you will be informed regularly and proactively about all the details through information events and the website.
Important: The terminology changes with PAKETH. Here you can find a list of the most important new terms:
Do you still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or contact us.