ETH Zurich vs TU Delft | M.Sc. Academic Differences

[@itsdavidalonso]

📑Pssst... You can download my application documents to ETH Zurich here: itsdavidalonso.gumroad.com/ (they got me the Excellence Scholarship and have helped many others!) Good luck to those applying! 🤞

[@hovsept]

Exactly the video I was looking for! Thanks guys for all the help!

[@itsdavidalonso]

I'm so glad to hear! You're more than welcome and thanks for watching!

[@1998KPB]

I study CS at TUD. The part about working less than 42 hours at TUD is not possible without a study delay. The course load is very heavy and rather fast pace. It’s somewhat manageable but TUD makes you work for these 15 ECTS. The upside is that you can learn a lot and get a very nice and broad perspective but on the other hand, if you are not fully efficient and with your time or want to work next to studying or find the study to be difficult, it can burn you out if you aim to finish your study in 2 years.

[@YiweiHu]

Exactly, man! Although I survived in EE program for the first year, I'm still undergoing the crazy workload in the second year. It seems that you never have time to catch a breath with the intensive lectures and homework. The 20,000 euros tuition fee makes it extra hard for international students outside European countries . If the tuition fee is 2000 euros, things become easier. I do want to explore more on this country and the corners of the city. 🥲

[@LisaHerger]

This is great! It would be wonderful to hear more about starting a bachelor's at Delft and ethz.

[@itsdavidalonso]

If I find some time I'd love to make a video about my experience in Delft and interview some students doing their Bachelor's at ETH

[@LisaHerger]

@@itsdavidalonso That would be wonderful! I bet it would apeal to a large audience of prospective students, too. 😊

[@AdamHerger]

Howdy

[@bobonaqa]

I love how the weather when shooting in Delft is just pure shit, very accurate

[@llucbusquets6266]

Thank you very much for this video! These are my two top options for starting my master’s next year and I would be crazily happy with an admission from either of them. That “two weeks of good weather per year” thing in Delft makes me more inclined to Zurich though...

[@itsdavidalonso]

I wish you all the best with getting into either of these unis!

[@FrancisBehnen]

Haha, wheather is not thát bad though. May, June, July and September I regularly sit outside in the campus park during lunch or after lectures to grab a beer

[@itsdavidalonso]

@@FrancisBehnen hahaha yeah 2 weeks a year might have been an exaggeration, but from experience you can expect a lot more rain and wind in NL and more snow and lower minimum temperatures in Zurich

[@llucbusquets6266]

@@itsdavidalonso Update: last week I got rejected to ETH (sadly); yet today I received an admission letter from TU Delft! Although the Swiss landscape, weather and lifestyle attracted me more, my field is aerospace engineering specialised in space flight, so Delft is quite objectively my best option. I am also happy to know that "two weeks of good weather per year" was an exageration haha. Thank you guys for your comments!

[@itsdavidalonso]

@@llucbusquets6266 damn congrats man! Super cool that you will be doing a Masters in Space Flight! Delft is definitely a great place for this, there's even student projects that design satellites which get launched. The weather thing was definitely meant as a joke haha

[@eviniks9088]

Honestly, the architecture master at the TU is way more flexibele than you make it out to be. You don't HAVE to get 15 extra per 10 weeks, you can also do fewer courses and take half a year or a year extra to finish the "first year". Furthermore, in your graduation year the most important thing is that you need to get your green light after the first semester. Once you have that, you can graduate at the end of the second semester or take a few months extra time. This is something you can easily discuss with your tutor.

[@itsdavidalonso]

Thanks for pitching in! It's hard to make a generalization across all Masters in Delft so some details are lost in the video.. I really appreciate your feedback to help fill the gap :)

[@aysu23]

This is great! Very nice video :)

[@tubs8981]

TU Delft also has the Justus van Effen Scholarship (full tuition + living stipend) which I'm currently holding for both academic years (Architecture faculty - Urbanism track). Thank you for the video

[@itsdavidalonso]

Wow I did not know about this scholarhip! Thanks for mentioning it. Is this for Architecture only or any faculty?

[@tubs8981]

@@itsdavidalonso any faculty. Usually there are 2 students per faculty with the JLvEffen Scholarship :)

[@itsdavidalonso]

@@tubs8981 Okay nice! The only condition is that you're doing a Masters at TU Delft but can be of any nationality?

[@tubs8981]

@@itsdavidalonso yes. You apply during the master application. And you can be from any nationality. Is quite competitive tho

[@itsdavidalonso]

@@tubs8981 I can imagine, sounds like a great deal

[@shikhars24]

Great video! Really informative! Thanks a lot! 😁 I've already received an accept for my masters in Chem Engg from Delft, ETH's decision should arrive this month🤞🏻🤞🏻

[@itsdavidalonso]

Either way it looks like there's a bright path ahead! Good luck!

[@namansreyas1620]

Congrats 🎉 all the best

[@maxhaste4968]

Great comparison! Really well done video :)

[@itsdavidalonso]

Thanks Max! You're doing what I wish I would have done... Documenting your journey of Aerospace Engineering in Delft, really cool!

[@quaniklp1279]

Nice and Interesting video to see from a Master student! I'm currently in my first year of Electrical Engineering at ETH and look forward to the following years

[@itsdavidalonso]

Thank you! If you're taking any robotics or AI classes let me know, we might overlap!

[@MrMtalonso]

Very nice and interesting video!

[@yewang727]

I dropped from a master's program in electrical engineering at TUD and then graduated from ETH Zurich with a master's degree in robotics. I have to say ETH is much better than TUD in areas such as CS and robotics.

[@itsdavidalonso]

Thanks for sharing your experience Ye! I'm glad you found what you were looking for at ETH :)

[@MH-xk1ui]

Yes, I think ETHz would be a better choice for CS-related programs. But for electronics, especially analog EE, I personally think TUD may be better (in terms of Msc thesis duration and optional courses).

[@RandomUser2401]

@@MH-xk1ui EE at ETH is really strong and there are several institutes at D-ITET that range from analog and digital microelectronics to all kinds of high power electronics. If I remember correctly, ETH ranks #3 worldwide in EE.

[@MH-xk1ui]

​@@RandomUser2401 No one denies that ETH is strong. In high power and digital architecture, ETH is really strong. But for analog EE, in EU, KU Leuven, imec, Delft are better. The relevant top journals on IC design (Jssc, Isscc, TCAS-I...) in EU are mainly published by them. For Master program, they have more analog-related courses and tape-out opportunities. EE covers many different areas, some Uni may only specialize in a certain area, so it is difficult to rank them fairly -- Leuven EE's ranking is not high, but for those who do microelectronics research, Leuven is a monster.

[@RandomUser2401]

@@MH-xk1ui well I suggest to have a close look at the two fresh analog research groups at ETH. There also used to be strong RF ASIC research until a few years ago. As for "microelectronic research" ETH is a monster with access to very modern process nodes and unmatched opportunities for student projects and chips. Pure analog ASICs are one of the few EE fields where ETH is currently not very strong but as I said I think that is about to change quite dramatically, starting this year there already is quite a range of related ISSCC publications.

[@FatemehJafari]

Thank you for making this video😃 So helpful!

[@itsdavidalonso]

Thank you for leaving a comment, I really appreciate the feedback!

[@kittykat03]

That's a really interesting video!! I have applied for my bachelor in CSE at TU delft and Ι΄d love to continue with a masters program at ETH. It would be nice if you could make another video comparing these two universities and pointing out their differences when it comes to living costs, student life etc.

[@itsdavidalonso]

Thanks Katerina! Yep, we thought there would be demand for such a video even though these things are highly subjective. We'll try our best!

[@Dragon30ficationXD]

why didn't you apply to eth directly if that's the case?

[@Chindo21]

Finally some videos about dutch universities!!!

[@youssefessid106]

That's the best video ever made abt eth zurich

[@itsdavidalonso]

Means a lot to hear that Youssef ❤

[@cosimodellasantina8652]

And now, you should do a video about the Robotics master at TU Delft - which is clearly superior to the one you have at ETH (totally unbiased opinion)!!! ;)

[@itsdavidalonso]

hahhaha that's a good idea! I have some friends from my Bachelor's who are doing robotics at TU Delft so I could talk to them about it! Robotics has been around ETH for longer but Delft has attracted some talent and is also doing amazing work!

[@FlyingCow53]

I think this would be a great idea!

[@cosimodellasantina8652]

@@itsdavidalonso Let us know if we can help ;)

[@itsdavidalonso]

@@cosimodellasantina8652 I've connected on linkedin to reach out in case I come around to making this video!

[@ljubicastafoka5814]

Cool idea and video! Keep it up! I also like your video about your scholarship, looking forward to apply next year for that (hope English would not be an obsticle) ;) thanks for sharing your experiance, 💪🍻!

[@itsdavidalonso]

Thank you! I will! Good luck in the application process!

[@peacemaker3913]

Extremely interesting and well made! I'm currently studying Robotics in my Bachelor and also consider taking my master at ETH. Since I'm only in the middle of my bachelor studys I'm also researching for other suitable universities. Are there any you would suggest besides from TU delft and precious ETH? :D

[@itsdavidalonso]

Hey thank you! Aside from the obvious top unis in the US like MIT, Stanford, etc I'd recommend looking into some German unis like TUM, KIT as well as some other Swiss unis like UZH and EPFL. There's a lot of great choices!

[@devayanbasu2218]

It's wonderful to get your insights as I've myself been an international student with a masters with honours from TUD in electrical engineering and now a junior scientist at ETHZ. Maybe we can meet up in campus some day!

[@itsdavidalonso]

Oh wow, what a journey! Hopefully our insights match somewhat with ours. And yeah, I'd love to meet up! What lab are you working at? Feel free to reach out on instagram or linkedin, links are on the channel page

[@devayanbasu2218]

@@itsdavidalonso Hey absolutely I resonate with majority of your points. Again it's kinda variable from one department to other. I'm in the High Voltage Electrical (HVL) group working on plasma based mixtures for replacement of SF6 in HV GIS/GIL. Sure I'll connect to you on LinkedIn!

[@brunosemedo1998]

Awesome. Keep it up :D

[@itsdavidalonso]

Thank you Bruno! Will do!

[@simonhrabec9973]

I would just add that a lot of things mentioned for ETH are probably Robotics major specific and do not generally apply to other master degrees.

[@itsdavidalonso]

Definitely! Could you expand on some specific points where you found a disparity between my perception and what it's like in another track?

[@abajama]

Great video! I'm starting at TU Delft next year and want to go to ETH for my master (and minor). Can you make a video about how you got to do your minor there?

[@itsdavidalonso]

Hey Abajama! thanks for your feedback! What Bachelor's will you be doing in Delft? For Aerospace (my Bachelor) the minor abroad was a standard part of the curriculum in the first semester of the 3rd year. You had to write 3 motivation letters for your top 3 schools (I think I wrote it for Princeton, ETH and NTU in Singapore)

[@abajama]

@@itsdavidalonso I'm planning on doing Computer or Electrical. Im hoping some open days will help me make up my mind. I think its not mandatory to do minor abroad with these 2 (according to TUD website), but I'm planning on doing it anyways

[@itsdavidalonso]

@@abajama nice! yeah open days should really help but also trying to find students in these tracks. In my opinion, the minor abroad was one of the highlights of the bachelor and I know many people who share the same opinion!

[@abajama]

Yesss that's one of the things Im most excited about. It sounds like a grand adventure. Lots of places to choose from, but Im leaning towards ETH as a trial version for my master haha. Thanks for the the tips and replies. Will wait for new content :)

[@nelsonwierzbinski9559]

Hi David! Similar to you, i'm studying aerospace engineering at TU Delft, and would like to study the masters in robotics, systems and control at ETH Zurich from 2025 onward. Do you recommend going to the open days of ETH around 5 September or is it only useful for prospective bachelor students?

[@medanishahmed]

Does TU Delft teach bachelor of architecture in English? i am an international student

[@itsdavidalonso]

Not currently

[@roziTv328]

Hii guuys, which's best??

[@weissachpassion]

AMZ is not at Technopark anymore, but with Aris, Swissloop and Esling in the Innovation Park at Dübendorf ^^

[@itsdavidalonso]

Thanks for clarifying! I was not aware of the move :)

[@carloscattaneo9779]

Pretty inreresting video!

[@itsdavidalonso]

Thank you Carlos! I hope you found it useful

[@onesimuschintu2001]

Hi how to get in eth zurich for masters in cs international students and im from india.

[@dipayanchakraborty4751]

For Mechanical which is better ?? If someone prefers to carryout his research in Solidmechanis/ Fracture Mechanics/ FEA domain( Mechanics of material domain)or Dynamics/ Vibration domain ( Applied Mechanics domain) .

[@leroymenezes9976]

For chemical engineering, ETHZ or TUD?

[@ravichandel8690]

Which one is best for electrical engineering undergraduate program i am 41 years old and done diploma in automobile engineering 3 yrs full time regular currently working as electronic technician job from india can I apply to both

[@itsdavidalonso]

you can apply to both and increase your chances. For undergraduate, ETH will be in German though and I'm not sure about Delft

[@JorgiusRyanaldus]

Hai David, its a really nice video and i be so motivated 😂❤, i have any question about this topic of video. Im a Bachelor Degree Student in Physics, if someday i want to get admision to ETH Zurich as Master Degree student in Engineering field, can i applied for it?? Because, my basic degree field its not Engineering. Thanks for read my comment section

[@yueqianliu3351]

Nice Video and very helpful :) I didn't make it into RSC sadly, but I got admitted to UZH AI and TUD Aerospace Eng. Which one should I choose, with the hope in mind to do a Ph.D. in RPG or ASL? I am interested in aerial robots, SLAM and AI. Any comments or suggestions? 😆

[@itsdavidalonso]

Wooah congrats! Both are amazing opportunities. If you want to do a PhD at RPG or ASL then you will have better chances if you do your Masters in the Zurtich area at UZH (which is the uni RPG belongs to). This will also give you a chance to work with Davide Scaramuzza as a research assistant or graduate researcher!

[@yueqianliu3351]

​@@itsdavidalonso 😉Thanks, bro! It is indeed a tough choice... But I guess I would take TUD in the end as it allows students to do internships and thesis in other countries (so for me I'd come to Zurich for the opportunities to work with UZH/ETH😁). Also, I think the courses in TUD fit me better, while I have to earn additional 36 BSc level credits at UZH, which kind of distracts me from the real hardcore courses🥲. Hope everything works out! Cheers~

[@ishmeetsingh1845]

Does both universities have courses for data architecture??

[@bencaspar]

Kinda hilarious that a Swiss uni is well known for marine biology. Do you have an annex on the atlantic ocean or something?

[@itsdavidalonso]

Yeah right?! I should ask about that annex...

[@agneshmpsdmpucollegeujire5719]

Bro can u make videos how to admitted in ETH for bachelors of architecture

[@aformerogr]

Very interesting, it´s funny because I want to apply to a Masters (Applied Geophysics) that takes place in both places plus RWTH Aachen. So I guess i would get the pros and cons of both ETH Zürich and TU Delft.

[@itsdavidalonso]

Definitely! That sounds like a great way to broaden your network and see for yourself where you want to settle after graduation

[@komodoodomok9599]

Any insights on the bachelors program at both these universities , particularly in CS/CE?

[@itsdavidalonso]

I unfortunately don't have experience with any of these, but maybe someone that reads this comment can help out. The only thing I know is that the CS bachelor at TU Delft is in English and at ETH it's in German

[@luispitulici8684]

Could you make a video about how to get admitted into ETH Zürich’s Architecture bachelors program?

[@itsdavidalonso]

You should check out my gf's channel! kzbin.info

[@MatrixDeception722]

David, after completing the masters how long would it take to complete the PhD? I’m from USA and looking for options to do a MSc in Europe.

[@itsdavidalonso]

Hey! The PhD at ETH is around 3-4 years. If you want to do your Masters first, then add to that minimum of 1.5 years prior to starting your PhD. That said, you can also consider applying straight to a PhD if you have research experience in your field that matches the work of a lab. Good luck and let me know how it goes!

[@rillomaulana]

It is good for civil engineering master in ETH??

[@mrcoolrv]

I got an opportunity be at both the universities. And I must tell you that Tu delf is far better in project based learning whereas if u are a book worm then ethz is the best choice for you.

[@JordanII.]

Does anyone know if I can apply at eth zurich for a master's degree study with a dutch hbo bachelor's degree?

[@tanoytanmoy5061]

I'm coming at Delft this year.

[@itsdavidalonso]

Nice man! Enjoy your time!

[@salmanibrahimkhan2790]

Thank you to both of you for sharing this interesting and informative video. It has stimulated me to compare the Master of Engineering (abbreviated as M. Engg. or M.E.) degree program in Computer & Information Systems Engineering offered at N.E.D. University of Engineering & Technology here in Karachi, Pakistan. I did it during July 2011 - Dec 2014. Although the degree program M.E. (Computer & Information Systems Engineering) has its different features compared to M.Sc. in either Architecture or Robotics, my observation is that overall it is similar to M.Sc. (Robotics) offered at ETH Zurich relatively speaking. It is offered in evening because majority of students who enroll in it work during the day. For example, it allows you to complete it in minimum 2.5 or maximum 5 years. It is similar also in the sense that it allows more flexibility by offering optional courses called electives here. In fact 5 elective courses out of a total of 10 courses required to qualify for M.E. degree were offered during my studies. Each course here is of 3 credit hours so one has to complete 30 credit hours in minimum 2.5 or maximum 5 years to qualify for M.E. degree. Here one can qualify for M.E. degree in three ways: First one can qualify for it by passing a total of 10 courses. Second way is to pass 8 courses i.e. 24 credit hours and an Independent Study Project (called ISP for short here) which is equivalent to 6 credit hours. The ISP is expected to be completed in a semester and requires submission and examination of a detailed report about the project. Third way is to pass 7 courses i.e. 21 credit hours and a dissertation, which is equivalent to 9 credit hours, about a research topic. The dissertation is expected to be completed in two semesters and requires submission of dissertation report and its successful defence by the candidate i.e. student.

[@itsdavidalonso]

Wow thanks for the elaborate message! I agree that it sounds closer to ETH but there's still a lot of differences!

[@dudawanderlust]

Very informative video! Thank you!

[@itsdavidalonso]

Thank you for watching and for the kind comment!

[@kaydenk]

Hey David, I am interested in pursuuing the same masters degree as you, would I be able to grab your contact info to shoot you some questions?

[@itsdavidalonso]

Hey Kayden! Feel free to reach out on IG or Linkedin!

[@kaydenk]

@@itsdavidalonso what is your instagram handle?

[@itsdavidalonso]

@@kaydenk @itsdavidalonso

[@kajalshah9107]

Plz how i conduct u i want to know about this university in detail?

[@failure795]

geniuses amongst MEN AND WOMEN

[@shujayethossain6554]

Hi Does ETH Zurich offer master’s programs in Business?

[@itsdavidalonso]

Hi! The closest thing to business is technology, policy and management

[@shujayethossain6554]

@@itsdavidalonso Thank you. I looked into the program’s prerequisites. Unfortunately, I don’t think anyone with a business or Arts bachelor’s degree is allowed to pursue that program. Am I right? Thanks again!

[@writoroy2090]

ETH Zurich is my dream University for Earth Science Department ❤️

[@itsdavidalonso]

For a good reason! It's the best in the world! www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2021/earth-marine-sciences

[@jeffzee3791]

Yes i also like eth, not mit, ucb...😊

[@johndoe6011]

Since when is ETH best known for marine sciences?

[@itsdavidalonso]

www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2021/earth-marine-sciences

[@eternalcycle6380]

Guys be careful, my nerd-o-meter was off the charts when I passed by ETH last time

[@itsdavidalonso]

🤣 I'm not surprised

[@bodaciouscans]

Not really on topic. But I hope you guys are dating, you two look so good together lol

[@AshishAT10]

Wow thank you so much for making this video. It feels like it was made serendipitously as I just got into both Unis for my Masters and choosing is turning out to be a big conundrum. 😅 I'm finding it a bit hard to connect with students from the specialization i intend to pursue at ETH. If you could give me some suggestions, I would really appreciate it! Thanks a ton once again. 😁

[@itsdavidalonso]

Hey Ashish! Thanks leaving a comment and I'm glad you liked the video! So if I understand correctly, you've been admitted to both ETH and TU Delft and now have to decide? What Masters are going to do?

[@AshishAT10]

@@itsdavidalonso Hey! KZbin didn't notify me about this reply🤷‍♂️ But yeah, I have got admits from both in the electrical engineering department (EEMCS at TUD and D-ITET in ETH)! I'm specializing in Energy and Power Electronics. I really wish I could study a little in both universities as I feel I would be missing out on something whichever way I choose 😅

[@itsdavidalonso]

@@AshishAT10 Every choice you make in life opens one door and closes another, so fomo will always be there haha. If you can, I would visit both universities and see what environment you prefer. Either door will be great!

[@AshishAT10]

@@itsdavidalonso I wish I could come visit both haha! But I'm in India rn and don't have my visa yet 😅 In any case I've been talking to a lottt of students and trying to get inputs. I would say my main worry at ETH is that it's very hard for non-EU citizens to get a job in Switzerland. But in the plus side, tuition is really cheap and I love the two campuses! I was thinking maybe I'll complete my Masters at one and PhD at the other so I can get a mix of all experiences. 😅

[@itsdavidalonso]

@@AshishAT10 that's a fair point, but from the volume of non-EU students at both of these universities, I don't think it's a huge issue. I'm actually planning to make a video where I chat to some of my non-EU friends here about how they have found internships and jobs

[@thanasisbaltatzis2532]

Νice Video

[@itsdavidalonso]

Thank you so much Thanasis!