Human and social sciences, economy, technology and health are ranked among the areas with the largest number of students in Swiss institutions of higher education.
Choosing university studies remains one of the most important decisions for young people who are aiming at building their professional career. In Switzerland, statistical records for the 2025/2026 academic year show that students are distributed into a wide range of areas, with notable differences between traditional universities and schools of applied science.
According to statistics from Switzerland’s Federal Statistics Office ( BFS), human and social sciences make up the largest category of studies in traditional and political universities, with 46,286 students. In their wake are exact and natural sciences, with 36,422 students.
Economics, business, and services occupy an important place in applied science universities. In this category, 29.578 students were registered in the 2025/2026 academic year, making it the largest field of studies in these institutions, the Telegraph broadcast.
Health and technology are also among the areas that attract a considerable number of students. In traditional and political universities, medicine and pharmacies counted 23,973 students, while technical sciences had 22.906. In the universities of applied sciences, technology and IT included 14,833 students, and Health 10,518.
The data also shows gender differences in selecting areas. In applied science universities, women made up 80.4 percent of students in health, while in technology and IT represented 16.2 percent of registered students.
Statistics present a view of academic interests in Switzerland, but the number of registered students does not necessarily indicate which areas are most wanted by those who just started studies. To identify new trends, recordings of new students and changes over the years must also be analyzed. /Telegraphy/