We understand that university life can sometimes feel overwhelming, whether due to academic workload, personal challenges, or difficult situations within the study environment. At MSA, we are committed to creating a welcoming, respectful, and safe community for all students.

If you need support, advice, or someone to talk to, we, Eva (+41 78 751 90 70) and Alessio (+41 77 228 15 12), are happy to be a first point of contact. As fellow students, we can offer a confidential, peer-to-peer conversation, listen to your concerns, and help you identify possible next steps or suitable support resources.

If you prefer to seek support independently, this page provides an overview of available resources and contact points to help you find the right support for your situation.

VSETH has also compiled an overview of available support offers, which can be a great starting point: https://help.vseth.ethz.ch/

Psychological Counseling and Help

Psychological Counseling Services

The Psychological Counseling Services are offered jointly by UZH and ETH and are available to all students. They provide psychological counseling free of charge here.

Agencies recommended from the psychological counselling services for emergencies:

• Die Dargebotene Hand:
  • +41 800 143 000 (6-11pm) in English
  • 143 (24/7) in German/French/Italian
  • Chat (10am – 10pm) in German/French/Italian

• Aerztefon (emergency psychiatrist): +41 800 33 66 55
• KIZ (Crisis Intervention Center) from the Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich (PUK) (24/7): find their webpage here (in German)
  • Zurich: +41 44 296 73 10 or +41 58 284 20 00
  • Winterthur: +41 52 264 37 00
• Crisis Intervention Switzerland. Find their website here
• Emergency, University Hospital Zurich USZ: +41 44 255 11 11

Nightline

Nightline is a free and confidential listening service run by students for students. You can call them to talk about anything that is on your mind: +41 44 633 77 77 (every day from 20-24 hours). They also offer a chat option if you prefer writing instead of speaking.

Harassement and Discrimination

Counselling & Coaching Centre

The Counselling & Coaching Centre (StS) offers a wide range of counselling and support services. The centre provides guidance not only for study-related challenges, but also in situations that require additional coordination or support. All services are free of charge and confidential. Find their website here.

Respect Office ETH

If you are experiencing sexual harassment, discrimination, bullying, or have witnessed inappropriate behaviour, and the issue cannot be addressed through the existing channels such as the Counselling & Coaching Centre, affected persons can contact ETH’s internal Respect Office. It provides advice, support, and conciliation services in a confidential setting. Find their website here.

AVETH, for (post-)doctoral students

If you are in you doctoral studies, you might be interested in the conselling services provided to you by AVETH. They offer support and an open ear for doctoral students and postdocs. Furtheore they collect different resources from around ETH to help you with legal, institutional, and other issues. Find their website here.

Emergencies, threats, and violence

Emergency Desk ETH

The Emergency Desk is the contact point for all incidents connected with personnel, building and equipment security systems. It also serves as an information point out of office hours.

• From internal connections: 888 (24/7)
• From external connections / mobile phones: +41 44 342 11 88 (24/7)
• Find their website here.

Safety, Security, Health and Environment (SSHE) department

SSHE advises you on how to deal with risks and hazards to protect people, infrastructure and the environment and assists in realising measures.

• Contact by phone: +41 44 342 11 88
• Find their website here

External Emergency Medical Services

In life-threatening situations you should definitely contact the external emergency centers as well. Here is a collection of the most important phone numbers in Switzerland:

• Fire brigade: 118
• International Emergency Number: 112
• Police: 117
• Ambulance: 144

Victim Support

The Victim Support Switzerland services are available to anyone who has suffered direct harm to their physical, psychological or sexual integrity as the result of a criminal act in Switzerland. The service is free of charge and anonymous. It is aimed not only at victims who are seeking guidance or support in dealing with a violent situation, but also at their family members and close friends. This is their website.

• Victim Support Switzerland hotline: 142. Please mind that the hotline is not an emergency number.