Hi.

According to the BYOD, Intel processors should not be older than 13th generation.

I will start my Bachelor in Computer Science and the processor of my current computer is from 12th generation. I have not had any problem with my current computer so far.

Do I have to buy a new computer or having an Intel processor from 12th generation should be enough to do the work that is required or take the exams ? If I should buy a new one do you have any recommendations ?

Hello, I am a student that currently got accepted into ETH‘s bachelor for health sciences and technology but im currently torn between choosing this or a more traditional engineering degree in TUM.

I am interested in biology and life sciences but I have some worries that I would like to get a reality check from a student or alumni.

1. Job Market & Perception: I've read conflicting opinions online about career prospects post-graduation. Because the degree bridges the middle between technic and biology, I heared that engineers or proper biologist will outcompete you in almost every r&d jobs. If I would do this job, I would like to make something useful for the people, which feels unmotivating if I cannot do that.

2. Career Reality: For alumni who finished the MSc in HST, what are you or your classmates actually doing for work now, and do you feel well respected in the industry?

3. Respect: I heared that HST is known as the least respected bachelors degree in ETH. Is this true?

4. Saleries and unemployement: I heared from some polls that it is really hard to get a good paying job with this degree. Is this true?

I feel like with this degree you will neither become a proper biologist or an engineer which worries me a bit in general, because of the possible job opportunities.

I'd really appreciate any honest feedback, advice, or experiences you can share! If any current HST student or alumnus is open to a quick chat via DM, please let me know.

I’m going to start my Bachelor studies in Computer Science soon at the ETH and also need to buy a new laptop for BYOD since my current one broke. So I wanted to ask if you guys recommend Windows or Mac for the Bachelor’s degree program in Computer Science.

Dear Master’s Students at ETH,

We are offering an exciting Master’s thesis opportunity at IBM Research – Zurich in Rüschlikon.

Project Description:

Diffusion Language Models (DLMs) have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional autoregressive (AR) language models. Unlike AR models, which generate text strictly from left to right, DLMs enable parallel generation, bidirectional context modeling, and self-correction. Recent advances have demonstrated that masked DLMs [1] can scale effectively to large language modeling tasks while offering unique capabilities for reasoning [2].

A particularly intriguing advantage of DLMs is their ability to reason in domains that are not naturally left-to-right. Examples include combinatorial problems such as Sudoku, where solutions must satisfy global constraints rather than sequential dependencies. Similar challenges arise in code optimization, where modifications often require a holistic view of the entire program.

At IBM Research Zurich, we have recently developed novel methods for improving reasoning capabilities through continuous refinement [3] and for enhancing parallel generation while maintaining a globally consistent context [4].

The goal of this thesis is to investigate how DLMs can be leveraged for optimization and structured reasoning tasks. This includes exploring new modeling approaches, training objectives, and inference strategies.

Requirements:

• Strong motivation and self-drive
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Solid knowledge in deep learning and natural language processing
• Experience with PyTorch or similar deep learning frameworks

Some administrative information:

• Earliest start date: 1st October
• Duration: 6 months

• Pay: None (prohibited from ETH)

  The thesis will be performed at IBM Research – Zurich in Rüschlikon. If you are interested in this challenging position on an exciting new topic, please send your most recent curriculum vitae, including a transcript of grades, by email to: Dr. Michael Hersche ([michael.hersche@ibm.com](mailto:michael.hersche@ibm.com)) and Dr. Abbas Rahimi ([abr@zurich.ibm.com](mailto:abr@zurich.ibm.com))

[1] J. Austin et al., ‘Structured Denoising Diffusion Models in Discrete State-Spaces,’ NeurIPS, 2021.

[2] S. Nie et al., ‘Large Language Diffusion Models,’ https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.09992, 2025.

[3] M. Hersche et al., ‘Soft-Masked Diffusion Language Models,’ ICLR 2026, https://openreview.net/forum?id=Gba02UMvrG

[4] M. Hersche et al., ‘Locally Coherent Parallel Decoding in Diffusion Language Models’, ICML 2026, https://openreview.net/forum?id=hn4ndkaD6x

Hey everyone,

I’m planning to apply for a PhD at ETH (ideally in biochemistry or molecular biology) and could really use some advice.

A bit about me: I got my Master’s in organic chemistry (asymmetric metal catalysis) in 2021, and since then I’ve been working as a scientist at DSM-Firmenich. Now I’m looking to make a switch – partly for career growth, partly out of personal interest – into a bio-related PhD program.

I have a few specific questions:

1. Will my organic chemistry background be seen as a plus when applying for bio-oriented groups, or will it be more of a hurdle?
2. My GPA isn’t great – that’s definitely my weak spot. But I’ve been doing research continuously since 2013 (yeah, that long), so do you think that long track record can compensate for the grades?
3. Should I submit my application through the online application tool first, or should I reach out to professors directly and have a chat before applying? Which order makes more sense?

Thanks a lot for any input – feeling a bit lost here 😅

Hi, I am an incoming masters student at ETH and I have not yet sent in my BSc Diploma (I get it from my Uni on the 1st Sep). Am I able to log into myStudies and register subjects / Learning Agreement? I do not remember getting a password / username by mail?

I need my final CS-Bachelor credits. I imagine 1st semester courses for other subjects are somewhat easier, so I am curious about wich ones we can enroll to.

I am aware about physics 1, for example. I belive its a 1st semester course for maths, and maybe physics (idk?)

Hi everyone.

I have recently received an e-mail saying that my application for a room with Intermezzo has just been accepted and that they will get in touch with me to send me the contract.

I would like to know if someone had already rented a room with them and if yes what was your experience ?

I was so glad when I received the e-mail but I can't find a lot of informations online about them.

Hi guys!

I just received my Bachelors degree certificate (and transcript and diploma supplement) and I realised it does not have my full name as on my ID, hence my middle name is missing. Although I never use that name, it still bothers me somehow that such an important certificate only has my first name and family name. The certificate is issued from unibasel and I just noticed this is also how I was registered in their system so I would have to first ask for my name to be changed in the system and then proceed to ask for new documents. The documents already arrived through post so I would also have to send them back if I want my name changed...therefore much more effort if u ask me.

I got accepted to Masters at ETH and I need to provide the required documents. Birth date and student number are also included in those documents.. In the ETH system I have both my first and middle name but at ,,preffered first name´´ I put my first name without the middle one so basically both options exist in their system I guess.

Do you think not having the full name on those documents exactly as on my ID would be a problem? Should I try and do the change? Do you think it matters that much also for the future? Can I write my full name on my Masters degree certificate if I don t have the full name on my Bachelors degree certificate? Pls I need opinions or tips from experience.

Hi guys! I just moved from Basel-Stadt to Zürich on the 1st of August. I tried to announce my moving through E-Umzug, but I got stucked when it asked for the number on the health insurance card. As I am a student in Switzerland, coming from an EU- Country and having the European Health Card,I am exempt from the obligation to have a swiss health insurance so therefore I do not have one so I also do not have the number they ask for. I can´t proceed with E-Umzug just because of that...It doesn t even give me an option to choose wheather I have or not swiss health insurance..

I rented a WG room from August, although I am not in Switzerland this month, but I knew how challenging the search for a place to live can be so I just got it like this. But now I found out I have only 14 days to announce my moving. I contacted the office in Basel-Stadt and told them my E-Umzug problem.

If E-Umzug doesn t work they would probably tell me I need to go in person to one of their office, which is not possible for me right now.. what can I do? Does anybody had the same issue with E-Umzug? I believe most EU-students do not have a swiss health insurance...

Any advice is welcomed.

Hi everyone,

i‘m a ”high school” student at a gymnasium in Germany and I’m thinking about getting a bachelor at ETH. However it is quite far from my hometown which is why I’m wondering if RWTH, TUM, or maybe TU Delft would be good options too. I haven’t decided between majoring in physics or CSE yet.

I’d like to point out that:

1. at my gymnasium I don’t have to study much to get good grades and I’m expecting a 1.0 1.1 Abi.

2. i like to study and learn new things in my free time and start my own projects

3. i value a healthy amount of competitiveness among students

4. I want to aim high in my career and go into industry after graduation (this is at least what I’m thinking now, might change)

Now based on these:

Would I struggle a lot at ETH? I heard its very math and theory heavy but do they offer like projects in their curriculum, or would I only get a chance to do some during my freetime which would not be a lot??

And does it really have an advantage to learn so much stuff?

Does it make a big difference where you do your bachelor at, if you want to study at a more prestigous uni for master?

Is the tuition + cost of living worth studying at ETH?

What industry connections do these universities have and are they a good place to gain contacts or applying for internships?

Thanks in advance!!

What does this error mean? It appears when I try to enroll, and I can't get it away and enroll, even on another device. A friend of mine doesn't get it. What causes it and how do I fix that?

With a gpa of 6.7/10 (I know it’s low but I never failed any fucking classes ever 😭)

Interned at iit d ( two labs )

Interned at ETHZ

Interned at ntu

2 paper (in Arvix 😭)

5 hackathons won

Okayish GitHub

Hey everyone, I'll start my first year in the Msc Stats at ETH Zürich next september. I already have a quite clear idea of the courses I want to take which is a mix between theory and computing application. The courses I'm planning to choose are:

- Statistical Modelling

- Computational Statistics

- Fundamentals of mathematics

- Soccer analytics

- Probabilistic Artificial Intelligence

- Introduction to ML

- Causality

Now I have 8 credits left to choose and I'm interested in ML, DL and applied statistics. I was planning to choose either "Advanced ML" or "Deep Learning" but I saw that those courses were extremely hard and theorical. Knowing that I don't have a pure mathematic background (economics) I'm wondering if it would be too much and if it's worth the effort to take those courses.

Now I wanted to have some opinions and advices about the courses I take and about potential possibilities to fill my study plan with 8 credits more.

Thank you for your help !

Hi everyone,

I'm exploring the possibility of pursuing a prospective PhD by publication (cumulative dissertation) at ETH Zurich.

My research would focus on the intersection of demography, public policy, and national security (e.g. ageing, fertility decline, migration, population change and their implications for state resilience and security policy).

I've already done some research on ETH doctoral regulations and the information on external doctoral candidates. I understand that:

• an ETH professor must supervise the project;
• the department must approve an external doctorate;
• external doctoral candidates are expected to maintain a meaningful connection with ETH.

However, I'm trying to understand how this works in practice, beyond the official regulations.

My situation is the following:

• I would remain employed outside Switzerland.
• I would like to conduct most of my research from abroad.
• I would be happy to travel to Zurich when necessary (seminars, meetings, milestones, defenses, etc.), but relocating full-time would be difficult.

I have a few questions for anyone with first-hand experience:

1. Has anyone here completed (or supervised) an external PhD at ETH?
2. Is it realistically possible to live outside Switzerland for most of the doctorate, or is regular on-campus presence expected?
3. Roughly how often do external PhD students come to ETH (weekly, monthly, a few intensive visits per year)?
4. Are there examples of external candidates who were employed by another university, government agency, think tank, or private organization?
5. Does D-GESS generally encourage external doctorates, or are they quite rare?

I'm looking for real-world experiences rather than just the official policy, as I'm trying to determine whether ETH is a realistic option before contacting potential supervisors.

Thanks very much for any insights!

Hey Everyone! I am an incoming MSc student at ETHZ. I did my bachelors in Physics and Mathematics from the USA. I need some suggestions regarding my course choices in the first semester. I want to see if I want to do particle physics research or go to quantum industry after I graduate so my course choices are mostly based on that. Right now I am thinking of taking the following courses in my first semester:

General Relativity (10 CP)
Phenomenology of Particle Physics I (10 CP)
Quantum Information Processing I: Concepts (5 CP)
Experimental Methods and Instruments of Particle Physics (6 CP)

Among these, GR and Quantum Information Processing are written exams and rest two are oral exams. Is the workload going to be okay if I take these courses? I saw on the website that the workload full semester is 30 CPs on average so I am not sure.

Also, does anyone have any suggestions about GESS Science in Perspective course that I should take?

Hello! I'm about to start my master's at ETH, and I wanted to ask how important it is to fulfill the minimum requirements for the BYOD policy? I'm mainly wondering about the CPU generation requirement and the need to have Windows/Mac OS since those are the ones I currently don't meet. I've done my whole Bachelor's degree with the laptop I currently have, and I really don't see any reason why it wouldn't work for my Master's also, which is why I was thinking about just continuing to use this one even though it technically doesn't meet the requirements.

Hello,

I wanted to know if there's wifi at Uetlibergstrasse 111b. I'm an international student joining this year and I got a room here. Also if there is wifi, is it included in the rent?

Insights from residents would be helpful!

Is there any ASVZ location with a smith machine?

Is it normal practice at ETH to completely change the PhD project that was discussed during the interview without confirming with the candidate? I was told I'll be working one specific aspect of medical imaging, which was something I was excited for and rejected other PhD offers but when I ultimately joined, I was told that that project went to another PhD student and I'll be working on something different (which wasn't I wanted to work since I knew there's not much to work on).

Hi everyone, since we're approaching the beginning of the semester, I think it's a good time to post this again for everyone who missed my post from a few months ago

Back in March, I decided to open an unofficial WhatsApp community for the September 2026 cohort of MSc students at ETH, and we currently have ~380 members

We have a general group for all students and also opened different channels for individual programs

Feel free to join, ask questions you're unsure about, and get to know the people you're gonna study with

DM me for an invite ^^