Founded in 1460, the University of Basel is Switzerland’s oldest university. Its Faculty of Science offers a wide range of programs in natural and computational sciences, with strong research in life sciences, nanotechnology, and physics.
The University of Basel, founded in 1460, is the oldest university in Switzerland. Pope Pius II authorised it, and it has been a centre of learning in the Upper Rhine region for more than five centuries. It has about 13,000 students and 3,000 staff, and around 30 percent of the students come from abroad. The historic building, the Kollegienhaus, and the university administration stand on Petersplatz, in the old town, while the life sciences have a large site on the Schanzenstrasse.
Many renowned scholars are linked to the university. Erasmus of Rotterdam lived and died in Basel, and the physician Paracelsus taught medicine here in 1527. The mathematicians of the Bernoulli family held chairs, and Leonhard Euler, born in Basel, studied under Johann Bernoulli. Friedrich Nietzsche became professor of classical philology at the age of 24, in 1869, and Carl Jung studied medicine in Basel. The theologian Karl Barth also taught at the university.
Today the university has seven faculties: theology, law, medicine, humanities and social sciences, science, business and economics, and psychology. It is particularly strong in life sciences, with the Biozentrum, a leading institute for molecular biology, and in chemistry and pharmaceutical sciences. Basel is home to the pharmaceutical companies Novartis and Roche, which cooperate with the university on research and employ many graduates. The Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute is also based in the city.
Tuition fees are low by international standards, around 850 francs per semester at present. Check the current tariff. Bachelor’s programmes are mostly taught in German, while a growing number of master’s programmes are in English. Admission requires a Swiss Matura or an equivalent, and foreign applicants must meet language and academic conditions.
Basel lies on the Rhine at the border with France and Germany, and the cultural scene includes more than 30 museums and the Art Basel fair. Student housing is scarce, so applying early for a room is advised.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Astroscience, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Life Sciences, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology and Genetics, Nanotechnologies, Physics, Process Control, Robotics, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Thermodynamics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Member of Eucor – The European Campus and The Guild. Extensive international research collaborations, particularly with life sciences industry (Roche, Novartis) and research institutes like Swiss TPH and FMI.
Research:
World-class research in molecular and cell biology, infection biology, pharmacology, nanoscience, quantum computing, cosmology, chemistry, and computational sciences.
Famous Alumnis:
Friedrich Miescher, Paracelsus, Tadeus Reichstein, Werner Arber
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
3000
Current students***:
13000
Foreign students***:
30%
Cumulative former students***:
60000
Pros
Historic university with a very strong research profile, especially in life sciences and nanoscience. Excellent links with pharmaceutical industry.
Cons
High cost of living in Basel.
Best For
Students and researchers aiming for high-level education and research in life sciences, nanoscience, physics, or chemistry, with strong industry ties.
For students who like the astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies focus of this institution but want another option nearby, Universität Zürich fits well: it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers geotechnics as well.
Also strong in astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies, Université de Genève makes a sensible second look at home; it covers marine science and geotechnics as well, and is slightly larger, at about 19,000 students against roughly 13,000 here.
Another national school that puts astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies at the centre is Universität Bern, and it covers aerospace and geotechnics as well, and is slightly larger, at about 19,000 students against roughly 13,000 here.
In terms of fields, EPFL is the nearest neighbour, with bioinformatics, nanotechnologies and signal processing again at the core; it has almost the same size, at about 12,000 students, and is also a public institution.
The comparison with Université de Fribourg is straightforward on subjects, since both focus on bioinformatics, nanotechnologies and microbiology and genetics, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and is slightly smaller, at about 10,000 students against roughly 13,000 here.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg in Germany shares the astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies orientation of this institution, and it is larger, enrolling about 29,000 students against roughly 13,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Osaka University (Japan) works on the same fields as this institution, chiefly astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies; it covers marine science and aerospace as well, and is larger, enrolling about 23,000 students against roughly 13,000 here.
Universität Hamburg offers an international parallel to this institution, with astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies as common ground; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers sound engineering and marine science as well.
Tokyo Tech, in Japan, takes a similar route through astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers aerospace and optics as well.
University of Gdańsk in Poland pursues a similar profile in astroscience, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies, and it is larger, enrolling about 23,000 students against roughly 13,000 here, and is also a public institution.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is the University of Basel?
The administration and the Kollegienhaus are at Petersplatz 1 in Basel, Switzerland.
When was it founded?
In 1460, which makes it the oldest university in Switzerland.
How large is it?
About 13,000 students and 3,000 staff, with around 30 percent of students from abroad.
Who studied or taught there?
Paracelsus taught medicine in 1527, Friedrich Nietzsche became professor of classical philology in 1869, and Carl Jung studied medicine there.
Who was linked to Basel in mathematics?
The Bernoulli family held chairs, and Leonhard Euler studied under Johann Bernoulli.
What is it known for?
Life sciences, chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, medicine and the humanities.
What is the Biozentrum?
A leading institute for molecular biology at the university.
Which companies work with it?
The pharmaceutical companies Novartis and Roche are based in Basel.
What does it cost?
Tuition fees are low by international standards, around 850 francs per semester at present. Check the current tariff.
In which language are courses taught?
Mostly in German, with a growing number of master's programmes in English.
Biomedical Sensors, Chemistry, Environmental Impact, Physics, Research and Development, Sustainable Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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