OpenFieldFormed through the strategic alliance of the renowned HSR Rapperswil, FHS St. Gallen, and NTB Buchs, OST Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences (Ostschweizer Fachhochschule) is the leading public university of applied sciences across the six cantons of Eastern Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein. Situated along Lake Zurich and the Rhine Valley, OST is an international powerhouse in precision optics and photonics (Institute of Microtechnology and Photonics - IMP), renewable energy and solar technologies (SPF Institute for Solar Technology), computer science, and landscape architecture.
Review checked academic pathways and funding options below:
Competitive Swiss research assistantships providing formal cantonal employment contracts, high standard of living, and direct participation in high-tech industrial innovation projects funded by Innosuisse.
Nationally accredited Master of Science in Engineering profile delivered at the Buchs campus in the Swiss Photonics Valley, specializing in laser material processing, optical metrology, and micro-optical sensors.
Advanced Master of Science profile at the SPF Institute for Solar Technology in Rapperswil, training engineers in photovoltaic thermal collectors (PVT), heat pump systems, and building energy decarbonization.
Doctoral research conducted within the Institute of Microtechnology and Photonics (IMP), developing ultra-short pulsed laser micromachining, nanometer-precision optical surface metrology, and fiber optic sensors.
Applied research post at the Institute for Software in Rapperswil, collaborating with Swiss industrial leaders on automated software verification, cloud-native architectures, and robust computer vision models.
Eight-week summer research traineeship at the SPF Institute for Solar Technology in Rapperswil, performing acoustic and thermal testing on high-efficiency heat pumps and solar collector pilot test benches.
Senior research engineering role at the IMP Buchs campus, leading industry-collaborative Innosuisse projects on femtosecond laser micromachining of brittle materials, medical implants, and precision semiconductor dies.
Tuition fees at OST are among the most accessible in Switzerland: standard semester tuition is CHF 800 to CHF 1,000 per semester for Swiss residents and CHF 1,500 per semester for international students. Doctoral research assistants (wissenschaftliche Assistenten) are employed on formal Swiss cantonal research contracts, receiving an annual salary of CHF 52,000 to CHF 64,000 per year gross under Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and Innosuisse funding scales.
Distinguished researchers and laboratory heads at OST University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland:
Professor of Optical Engineering and Head of the Institute for Microtechnology and Photonics (IMP) · Photonics, Laser Micromachining, Optical Metrology, Laser Systems
Professor of Solar Energy and Director of the SPF Institute for Solar Technology · Solar Energy, Solar Thermal Technology, Photovoltaic Thermal Systems, Building Decarbonization
Professor of Computer Science and Head of the Institute for Software (IFS) · Formal Methods, Software Verification, Cybersecurity, Programming Languages
Facts reflect official OST University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland documentation reviewed 2026-10-15. Degree admissions, scholarship awards, and employment positions are subject to formal university review. OpenField does not charge students application fees.
Reviewed 2026-10-15 · Editorial standards · Report an issue