Important dates and administrative matters

To ensure a smooth start, some administrative matters still need to be taken care of (if you have not already done so):

1. Completion and submission of your Student Personal Data Form: by the end of calendar week 26 (autumn semester) / by the end of calendar week 3 (spring semester)
   In due course (at the earliest three months before you commence your programme), you will receive an e-mail asking you to complete your Student Personal Data Form and upload it together with the associated documents in the same online tool that you used to complete your initial registration. You will then be asked to print out the form, add your original signature and submit it by post. We kindly ask that foreign students note the information provided on the Student Personal Data Form and the prompts in the online tool.
2. Payment of semester invoice: by the end of calendar week 33 (autumn semester) / by the end of calendar week 3 (spring semester)
   The semester fees will only be activated for payment after we receive your Student Personal Data Form bearing your original signature together with the original enclosures. You will receive an automatically generated e-mail with the request to transfer the money for your semester fees in good time.
3. Pending documents (confirmation of Bachelor’s degree, language certificates, etc.): by 31 August (autumn semester) / by 31 January (spring semester)
   In your online registration, please follow up on the documents that have not been submitted yet. After completing the respective program or course and upon receiving the corresponding certificates, please upload digital copies immediately. Should you fail to do so, it will not be possible to commence the programme.
4. Submission of your original Bachelor’s degree certificate (for students from abroad only): by 31 August (autumn semester) / by 31 January (spring semester)
   For your matriculation, we require your original Bachelor’s degree certificate. We kindly ask that you send this to us at the address provided below by registered mail.
   The original document will be returned to you immediately after your matriculation number has been assigned. Upon being matriculated at a Swiss institution of higher education or university, all students are issued a matriculation number. This personal number must subsequently be used for any further studies undertaken in Switzerland.
5. Submission of the Individual Study Agreement (ISA): by 31 August (autumn semester) / by 31 January (spring semester)
   The agreement specifies the basic educational objectives and determines the focus of the student’s individual master's program. The modules, specialisation projects and supplementary courses to be attended during the upcoming semester are defined according to the student’s background and career goals. Furthermore, agreements with respect to the specialisation projects are put down in writing in so far as these are already known. You must create the ISA in the MSE tool and please discuss it with your advisor. Adjustments to the module selection can be made until the end of the second week of the semester. At the same time, the finalised version of the ISA is due.

Introduction day

The introduction day is compulsory for all new students and is held for students starting in the

spring semester on the Monday of calendar week 8 at Lagerstrasse 41 in Zurich.

autumn semester on the Friday of calendar week 37 at Technikumstrasse 71 in Winterthur.

The invitation will be sent out via a separate e-mail.

Information on the ICT infrastructure

The most important information on using our IT services (incl. the configuration of a laptop, if required) can be found in the Self-Service portal under https://servicedesk.zhaw.ch/. On the start page, click on Students and then on ICT introduction for new students. You can find everything you need to ensure you’re in good shape to use the IT resources at the ZHAW here.

The minimum requirements for your laptop can also be found by accessing the Self-Service portal under https://servicedesk.zhaw.ch/ and can likewise be accessed by clicking on Students and then on ICT introduction for new students. If your device does not meet the minimum requirements, you can purchase a device via the Neptun project at preferential conditions.

The Neptun project (https://projektneptun.ch/en/freshmen/) allows you to order high-quality work devices twice a year during a four-week Neptun window. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Neptun project team at kontakt@projektneptun.ch.

If you require support, you can find various contact options in the Self-Service portal under Help. It is also possible to generate a ticket by sending an e-mail to servicedesk@zhaw.ch.

On certain key dates, should any of your selected modules already be full and it has not been possible to allocate you a place, you will receive feedback from the MSE administration at the ZHAW via e-mail. Two weeks after the start of the semester, you will then be asked to check your module enrolments again in EventoWeb (https://eventoweb.zhaw.ch/ ), as these are deemed binding.

Online self-test

To ensure you are optimally prepared, online self-tests have been made available for several theory modules. These can be found on Moodle under https://moodle.msengineering.ch/mod/folder/view.php?id=134501.

We recommend that you complete these self-tests for the modules that are relevant to you.

Accessing teaching materials on Moodle MSE

When your enrolment on a module is confirmed, you can log into your module on Moodle MSE Moodle MSE (msengineering.ch), where you can access all of the teaching materials. You will receive in a separate e-mail the password required for the login process prior to the start of your studies.

All further information with respect to teaching (timetable, semester structure, examination schedule, etc.) can also be found on Moodle MSE (msengineering.ch) (see below).

Where can I find information on which module will take place where and when?

Information on in which building and at what time a module will take place can be found on Moodle MSE (msengineering.ch) under Moodle MSE: Timetables all regions (msengineering.ch). The abbreviations correspond to the following buildings:

Winterthur

ZHAW = ZHAW, MT Technopark Trakt A, Technoparkstrasse 2, Winterthur

Zurich

ZHAW = ZHAW, ZL Lagerstrasse 41
PHZH = PHZH, building LAA, Lagerstrasse 2
PHZH = PHZH, building LAD, Lagerstrasse 5
Sihlhof = HWZ, Lagerstrasse 5, room numbers will be published on the display in the entrance area
FHGR = FHGR, Limmatstrasse 21, room numbers will be published on the display in the entrance area

You can find details about the teaching venues in the timetable and general information regarding the venues on Moodle.

Getting here

We recommend that you make your way here by public transport, as the ZHAW sites are located in the immediate vicinity of both Winterthur main train station and Zurich main train station.

• Winterthur site plan
• Zurich site plan

Cyclists can find covered parking areas at all ZHAW locations.

There are no car parking spaces available at the ZHAW School of Engineering. Nearby public parking garages in the city of Winterthur are the Parkhaus Technikum and the Parkhaus Eulachpassage. There are no car parking spaces available for students in Zurich.

Information relating to your studies

Please read the following information carefully before commencing your studies. We wish you a good start.

Information

For clarification of administrative and organisational details, please first always contact your advisor. They or the institute administrative office will also let you know when you have to start your work at the institute and where your workplace will be. General questions about the study programme that your advisor is unable to answer can also be addressed to the programme director (Dr Reto Knaack, knaa@zhaw.ch). If you have any administrative enquiries or questions about the MSE tool, please contact the Master of Science in Engineering administration team (mse.engineering@zhaw.ch).

CampusCard

The CampusCard is the standard ID card for all ZHAW students. The CampusCard can be used for many functions, including as a key, as a mean of payment and as a way of securing discounts.

You will receive your CampusCard on your introduction day.

Introduction day (compulsory)

The introduction day is compulsory for all new students and takes place in the autumn semester on the Friday of calendar week 37 from around 1.30 p.m. in Winterthur. In the spring semester, the introduction day is held on the Monday of calendar week 8 from around 4 p.m. in Zurich. You will receive a separate invitation via e-mail.

EventoWeb: https://eventoweb.zhaw.ch/

In addition to the modules for which you have enrolled, you can also view your grades in EventoWeb. Your module enrolments as stated in EventoWeb are binding.

Confirmation of matriculation

You will receive the document, which is issued on a one-time basis, on your introduction day after you have submitted all of the required documents.

Moodle MSE: http://moodle.msengineering.ch/

On Moodle MSE, you can find various information on the MSE programme, including the current timetable, the semester dates, information on the various locations and the central modules, as well as teaching materials that are available to download.

MSE tool: https://tat.zhaw.ch/mse

The MSE tool provides students with an overview of their study plan. You also use this tool to register for your central modules, specialisation projects and supplementary courses. The tool is likewise used to generate your Individual Study Agreement (ISA). Your advisor must confirm the respective entries.

Academic accommodations

To apply for academic accommodations, you must register with the ZHAW academic accommodations advisory service. Here, you can find all further information on the relevant requirements and procedures as well as the documents needed.

Student account

You will receive all information about your study programme by e-mail via your student account. We ask that you regularly check your ZHAW account during your time studying with us. Should you experience any problems, please contact the Service Desk directly (servicedesk@zhaw.ch). After successfully paying your semester fees, you will receive your login data for the ZHAW network (e-mail, Internet, etc.). This will be sent to you in a separate e-mail. Please follow the instructions in the e-mail and change your password before your introduction day at the ZHAW. You are required to regularly check your e-mail inbox, including the spam folder, during your studies at the ZHAW. Please note that students who are currently matriculated on a Bachelor’s degree programme at the ZHAW and will graduate this summer will not receive this e-mail, as their existing account and password will be transferred automatically for the Master's degree programme.

Study and examination regulations

You can find all important regulations that apply to the Master’s degree programme in the study and examination regulations under: https://www.zhaw.ch/de/studium/waehrend-des-studiums/studienordnungen/geltende-studienordnungen/ (in German). You may also find English translations for these documents. Please note that the original German documents are the legally binding documents.

Intranet

You will be able to access the ZHAW MSE intranet as soon as you receive your student account (see above): https://intra.zhaw.ch/departemente/school-of-engineering/masters-program. Here, you can find further information on the study programme as well as application forms if you need to make adjustments to your modules, specialisation projects or Master’s thesis.