MSc in International Business

The ZHAW School of Management and Law has its MSc in International Business ranked 58th worldwide in the Financial Times Masters in Management 2025.² Taught in English over three semesters in Winterthur, near Zurich, it reports a 100% employment rate at three months and an FT weighted three-year salary of about US$102,164 — the highest in this Tier-5 group.¹ ⁵

Overview

ZHAW (Zurich University of Applied Sciences) is a public institution, and its School of Management and Law completed triple-crown accreditation — AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA — in 2025.³ The FT-ranked degree is specifically the MSc in International Business, not a generic management master’s.² For a wider view of whether the credential fits your goals, see our guide on whether a MiM is worth it in 2026.

Curriculum & Structure

The programme runs over three semesters — two taught semesters plus a thesis — entirely in English, with double-degree options at international partner schools.¹ The cohort is small and international: students are around 26 on average, roughly 56% from outside Switzerland, spanning about 20 nationalities.

Application & Deadlines

The MSc in International Business admits once a year for a mid-September start, with a single application deadline — the 2026 intake closed on 15 June.⁴ No GMAT is required; admission uses a relevant bachelor’s degree, an assessment of cognitive competencies and motivation, and C1-level English. See how to build a MiM profile.

Tuition & Funding

As a public university of applied sciences, ZHAW charges about CHF 720 per semester for Swiss-domiciled students — roughly CHF 2,160 over the three-semester programme — with a CHF 500 per-semester surcharge for students domiciled abroad (about CHF 3,660 total).⁴ Even at the international rate the fee is inexpensive by global standards.

**Four more charges sit on the same fee table, and the headline figure excludes all of them.**⁴ Two are one-off: a CHF 100 registration fee for the admission process, which ZHAW says “must be paid in any event, even if you are not admitted to the later stages of the process” — though it is waived if you pass the assessment and enrol at the next available start — and a CHF 100 enrolment fee once you take up the place. Two are per semester: membership of the Academic Sports Association Zurich (ASVZ) at CHF 35 and of the ZHAW students’ association (Alias) at CHF 25, listed in the same table as tuition. Over three semesters that is CHF 180 in association fees, so a student coming from abroad should budget roughly CHF 3,940 rather than CHF 3,660, plus the registration fee if it is not waived.

Who counts as “domiciled abroad” is a legal test, not a paperwork one, and it is the part most likely to catch an applicant out. ZHAW’s footnote points at Article 23 of the Swiss Civil Code: “non-Swiss nationals who come to Switzerland to study are not considered residents of Switzerland”, and they pay the CHF 500 supplement “during the entire duration of their studies (even if they move their official place of residence to Switzerland after commencing their studies)”, because “official residency under civil law is not possible if the residence permit was issued for study/educational purposes”.⁴ So moving to Zurich does not move you onto the Swiss rate.

Career Outcomes

The Financial Times 2025 weighted three-year salary is about US$102,164, the highest in this tier, with a 100% employment rate at three months.⁵ ZHAW cites FT-derived figures rather than publishing its own absolute salary, so the FT number is the cross-school benchmark. For early-career context, see our career learnings from a MiM.

Campus & Reputation

Winterthur sits within the greater Zurich economic area, Switzerland’s financial and corporate heartland, and ZHAW’s applied focus, triple-crown standing and top-of-tier salary outcomes make the MSc in International Business a strong, low-fee route into Swiss and international business careers.³ For how a MiM compares with an MBA, see our piece on MiM versus MBA.