Only after the second year of study do you have to decide on a specialization, which you will take in the specialization course (5th-6th semester). This means that you do not have to decide whether you will study Pharmaceutical Technology or Biotechnology in Zurich before you start your studies.

You have the option of studying Biotechnology Zurich full-time or part-time / part-time. Part-time studies extend the duration of your studies by a few semesters, but allow you to work up to 50 percent (less is recommended).

The Bachelor's degree program in Biotechnology in Zurich takes place at a state University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), which means that the costs of studying are very manageable. For the 2015 / 2016 academic year, students paid a one-off registration fee of CHF 100 for the admission procedure, possibly CHF 100 for enrolment, as well as a CHF 25 ASVZ sports fee per semester, a CHF 12 student organization fee and a CHF 90 lump sum for scripts and software. In addition, CHF 720 semester fees were incurred. For additional costs for foreign students and semesters on leave, please contact the University of Applied Sciences directly. This means that you have minimum fixed costs of just under CHF 850 per semester. However, additional expenses are also incurred for copies, study weeks, teaching materials, etc., so that the costs increase accordingly.

The opportunities available to you after studying biotechnology in Zurich are diverse and vary slightly depending on your specialization. With the BT specialization, your activities can range from bioenergy, biosafety or bioanalytics to cell and molecular biology research, bioprocess development or environmental protection. Employment in research and development as well as in training and continuing education, further training is also possible. Biotechnologists can also be found in engineering, particularly in plant construction, in production coordination and planning, and in quality management. The range of employees includes biomedical, cosmetics, food, pharmaceutical, environmental, chemical and biotechnology companies.

Studying biotechnology in Zurich is possible both as a Bachelor's degree course and as a Master's degree course. The Master's degree in Life Sciences can be completed with a specialization in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. You can also train to become a biotechnologist at other Universities of Applied Sciences and universities in Switzerland.