School of Life Sciences
and Facility Management

Orientation for new students MSc Life Sciences

Starting a master's degree is an exciting time full of new impressions, challenges, and opportunities. To help you find your way around right from the start, we have compiled some essential information about starting your studies on this page.

Student Handbook

Our handbook for new students (PDF 646 kB) provides basic information on administrative procedures, cooperation, facilities and services at the ZHAW, as well as information for the period before and during your studies.  

Please read this document carefully.

Campus and Services

Locations and rooms

ZHAW Life Sciences has two locations in Wädenswil: The Campus Reidbach and the Campus Grüental. Both are within walking distance of each other and offer laboratories, seminar rooms, and meeting places for collaborative learning. Please take a look at the site plans online before you start your studies. This will help you find your way around if you need to travel between campuses.

Additional information about the campus, studying, communication, and services can also be found on the website: StudiGuide – ZHAW at a glance.

CampusCard

Your campus card will be sent to you by mail two weeks before the start of the semester. 

Students transferring directly from a bachelor's to a master's programme will keep their existing campus card.

The campus card serves as the standard ID for all ZHAW students. The card serves as identification, regulates access to ZHAW buildings, and enables you to make cashless payments, whether for meals or when using multifunction devices. It also serves as a library card. In addition, our students can also benefit from numerous discounts outside of school hours with the CampusCard. Further information can be found in our fact sheet on the CampusCard.

Access data and communication

E-mail account for ZHAW students

Your ZHAW user data will be sent to your private email address. If you still do not have access to your student mailbox after paying the semester fee, please contact us immediately.

As soon as your studies officially begin, all study-related communication will be conducted exclusively via your ZHAW account. This includes information about exams, room changes, grades, and announcements from lecturers and the study administration. Please check your ZHAW mailbox regularly.

Use of ZHAW ICT Services

You will need a username and password to access the ZHAW's IT services. 

If you need IT assistance, you will find options for contacting us under “Hilfe” in the Self-Service-Portal.

Immatriculation

We will upload the semester and enrollment certificate for the first semester to the online registration system. 

The following enrollment dates are available over the next few weeks:

Start of studies: Spring semester, CW 08  
Monday, 08.30 - 16.00h  
Tuesday, 08.30 - 13.00h  
Thursday, 08.30 - 17.00h  
Friday, 08.30 - 16.30h  

Students who have obtained a bachelor's degree from another Swiss university are welcome to visit us.

From CW09 onwards, we will be available in person in GA210 on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Timetable

Your weekly schedule consists of specialisation and cooperation modules:

The detailed timetables (weekly schedules for the specialisation modules) will be published four weeks before the start of the semester on the organising your Master's studie's page. If this is not the case, please contact the specialisation director. The exact publication dates can be found in the document containing the important dates.

Detailed information on the implementation of the cooperation modules (CS and CC-modules) can be found in the relevant Moodle course area (access with enrolment key approx. four weeks before the start of the module).

ISV study planner and changes for the first semester

As a new student, you can make changes up to one week after the start of the semester.

Please note that preparation for the cooperation modules begins four weeks before the start of the module. If such a module is changed at a later date, when preparations are already underway, this risk is consciously accepted. It also may no longer be possible to make any changes.

Spring semester Changes can be reported to msc-ls@zhaw.ch until Tuesday in CW09.
One-time Joker If you miss the registration deadline for the module, you have one chance to make up for it. The exact deadlines for this can be found in the document containing the important dates.

Master's thesis

The Master's thesis is the most important part of your studies. It gives you the chance to further develop your skills in a specific field of research, deepen your technical expertise and showcase your scientific abilities.

To help you keep track, here is a timeline with all the relevant deadlines—from registration to submission. This allows you to adjust your planning in good time and ensure that all necessary steps are taken.

➡️ Spring semester schedule (PDF 27 kB)➡️ 

Please inform yourself about the requirements and procedures well in advance. All important information, forms, and contact details are linked here for you:

Contact

Administration

Program director and specialisation directors