VSUZH

What VSUZH does

VSUZH (Verband der Studierenden der Universität Zürich) is a public-law student corporation established under §20 of the Zurich University Act on October 1, 2012, following years without formal student representation after the dissolution of its predecessor associations. It serves as the official representative body for all Bachelor, Master, and teaching-diploma students at the University of Zurich (UZH), operating a 70-seat elected student council (Rat), 7 parliamentary factions, and a 7-member executive board (Vorstand) led by two Co-Presidents and a full-time Managing Director (Geschäftsführerin).

The organization delivers a portfolio of services rather than commercial products. Its technology footprint is modest — a Wix-hosted website with Google Analytics, Google Forms/Sheets, and the swiftliving.ch student housing platform co-developed in-house. Physical infrastructure includes the Rämistrasse 62 headquarters (board office, meeting rooms, lounge, garden, free legal clinic, Impulsfabrik advisory) and the VSUZH Stübli study/social space on Irchel Campus. Member benefits comprise discounted tickets with Opernhaus Zürich, Schauspielhaus Zürich, and Tonhalle Orchester; free legal consultations; engagement documentation appended to UZH diplomas; and financial/space support for Fachvereine and accredited StudOrgs. VSUZH also participates in governance through VSS (national) and ESU (European) advocacy networks.

Revenue is generated almost exclusively through a voluntary semester membership fee of 14 CHF per student. Membership is opt-in; the organization estimates its representation base in the thousands across UZH's enrolled population. GTM is community-led: recruiting via on-campus events (Activity Fair, Ersti Rave, Irchelfest), Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and an ~8 newsletter-per-semester email cadence. Pricing is uniform (14 CHF/semester, annual billing aligned to the academic year) with no tiered offerings. Expanded service lines — swiftliving.ch, Impulsfabrik consulting for student organizations, and engagement-confirmation credentials — represent diversification beyond traditional representation into service-delivery.

Name

VSUZH

Legal name

Verband der Studierenden der Universität Zürich

Website

https://vsuzh.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VSUZH (Verband der Studierenden der Universität Zürich) is the statutory public-law student representation body for University of Zurich students, providing advocacy, services, events, and member benefits including cultural discounts and legal advice. It is funded by voluntary semester membership fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Semester Membership Fees: Voluntary membership fees of 14 CHF per semester. Students pay to become members and gain access to benefits including cultural discounts, legal advice, physical spaces, and representation services. The organization uses these fees to fund student projects, events, and operational costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

VSUZH is the public-law student representation body at the University of Zurich, providing voluntary membership services that include free legal advice, discounted tickets to Opernhaus Zürich, Schauspielhaus Zürich and Tonhalle Orchester, access to physical student spaces (VSUZH Stübli at Irchel Campus and Rämistrasse 62), event organization, the swiftliving.ch housing platform, mental-health and study-financing support, Impulsfabrik advisory for student projects, and Diploma Supplement engagement confirmations. Membership is funded by a 14 CHF per semester fee.

Product overview

VSUZH (Verband der Studierenden der Universität Zürich) is a student union that serves as the official student representation body at UZH. Rather than a commercial product company, it offers a portfolio of student services including its website and member portal, physical facilities (VSUZH Stübli at Irchel Campus and Rämistrasse 62 office/lounge/garden), event organization (Signature Events like Ersti Rave, Irchelfest), free legal advice services, Impulsfabrik advisory for student engagement, cultural discount programs with partner institutions, material and space reservations, and the swiftliving.ch housing platform. The organization also supports student organizations through its Impulsfabrik platform, provides engagement documentation for diploma supplements, and operates various forms for financial support requests, expense reporting, and commission applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Impulsfabrik: Advisory service for student engagement helping students get projects started and connecting them with the right contacts
• Diplomzusatz
• Impulsfabrik

Products and services

• VSUZH Student Membership Voluntary paid membership at 14 CHF per semester giving University of Zurich students access to free legal advice, discounted cultural tickets, physical student spaces, the swiftliving.ch housing platform, Impulsfabrik advisory, mental-health and study-financing support, and participation in VSUZH governance.
• VSUZH Stübli (Irchel Campus) Student lounge and workspace facility at Irchel Campus (Y10-F-24) offering amenities including microwave, coffee machine, water boiler, kitchen, exchange board, meeting room, and game nights for learning, relaxation, and student-organization events.
• Rämistrasse 62 (RAD) Student Facility Multi-purpose student facility at Rämistrasse 62, 8001 Zurich, housing the VSUZH executive office, meeting rooms, lounge, garden, and dedicated spaces for student organizations, legal advice appointments, and Impulsfabrik consultations.
• Free Legal Advice (Rechtsberatung) Free legal consultation service for University of Zurich students, delivered at the Rämistrasse 62 office by VSUZH.
• Impulsfabrik Advisory Service Advisory service for student engagement that helps UZH students start projects, access contacts, and navigate the accreditation process for new and existing student organizations.
• Discounted Cultural Tickets Program (Vergünstigungen) Reduced-price ticket program for VSUZH members covering Opernhaus Zürich, Schauspielhaus Zürich (TheaterCampus), Tonhalle Orchester Zürich, and other cultural institutions, with members limited to two tickets per event and required to present a valid Legi at purchase and entry.
• swiftliving.ch Student Housing Platform Free and ad-free online housing platform jointly developed with VSUZH, providing WG room and roommate search functionality for students.
• Signature Events (Ersti Rave, Irchelfest, DiHive, Tanz am Irchel, Stornierbar, Board Exchange) Annual flagship events organized by VSUZH, including Ersti Rave, Irchelfest, DiHive, Austausch mit dem Vorstand (Board Exchange), Stornierbar, and Tanz am Irchel, held on campus for UZH students.
• Material and Space Reservation Service Online reservation system allowing student organizations and Fachvereine to book the VSUZH Stübli, meeting rooms, lounge, garden, and equipment lending.
• Student Engagement Confirmation (Diploma Supplement) Official confirmation service documenting extracurricular student engagement such as Fachverein board positions, VSUZH involvement, and commission participation, included as an entry in the UZH Diploma Supplement.
• Impulsfabrik StudOrgs Platform Online platform supporting the discovery, accreditation, and management of student organizations at UZH, including consultation and networking for new and existing StudOrgs.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• swiftliving.chcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent housing platform developed jointly with VSUZH. Free and ad-free platform for students to find shared apartments (WG-Zimmer) or roommates. Represents a practical tool addressing student housing needs.
• Opernhaus ZürichcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOpera house partnership offering discounted ticket pre-sales to VSUZH members once per semester. Students must present valid student ID (Legi) at purchase and entry. Maximum 2 tickets per person.
• Schauspielhaus ZürichcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTheaterCampus partnership providing special offers including rehearsal visits, premieres, guided tours, and ticket lotteries exclusively for VSUZH members.
• Tonhalle Orchester ZürichcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerConcert hall partnership selling student-priced tickets for selected concerts through VSUZH. Next sale dates and concert listings published on website.
• VSS (Verband der Schweizer Studierendenschaften)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVSUZH is a member of VSS, the national union representing students at Swiss universities, universities of applied sciences, and pedagogical universities. VSS represents student interests at the federal level and is a member of ESU (European Students' Union). Core topics include higher education policy, student participation, equal opportunities, gender equality, quality assurance, sustainability, student mobility, and solidarity.
• University of Zurich (UZH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal relationship as recognized student representation body under University Act. VSUZH participates in university governance, coordinates with UZH administration, and delivers joint services like the Diploma Supplement for student engagement.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• fvmed (Fachverein Medizin Zürich): UZH's medical faculty student association with 1,500+ members, the largest medical student association in Switzerland. Closely affiliated faculty-level organization within VSUZH's ecosystem offering comparable services to a specific student segment.
• skuba (Studentische Körperschaft der Universität Basel): University of Basel's student corporation. Directly comparable Swiss university student representation body with similar structure, advocacy role, and member services.
• AGEPoly (Association Générale des Étudiantes de l'EPFL): EPFL's student association. Directly comparable Swiss technical-university student union with similar democratic structure, services portfolio, and representation mandate.
• SUB (Studentenschaft der Universität Bern): Official student body of the University of Bern. Directly comparable Swiss university student representation body with similar mandate, governance model, and service portfolio.
• VSETH (Verband der Studierenden an der ETH Zürich): ETH Zurich's student association under the same Swiss higher-education framework. Directly comparable as a public-law-style student body serving a peer Swiss university with overlapping services (legal advice, cultural discounts, housing support, governance representation).

Broad incumbents

• ESU (European Students' Union): European-level umbrella for student unions that VSUZH indirectly belongs to via VSS. Operates at a much wider geographic and policy scope, comparable as the federation VSUZH participates in.
• VSS-UNES (Verband der Schweizer Studierendenschaften): National umbrella of Swiss student bodies, of which VSUZH is a member. Broader scope than VSUZH, operating across all Swiss higher-education institutions and providing policy advocacy at the federal level.

Regional players

• Cambridge Students' Union: UK university student union with comparable democratic representation, advocacy, and member services. Operates in a different geography and regulatory environment but mirrors the model of a recognized university-wide student body.
• Oxford SU: University of Oxford's student union. Comparable in structure and breadth of services (representation, advice, spaces, events) though operating under a different national higher-education framework.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookde-de.facebook.com/vsuzh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vsuzh
• Instagraminstagram.com/vsuzh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VSUZH