Franziska Widmer Müller graduated from the Zurich-Unterstrass Protestant teacher training college and then studied German, Russian, general history and art at the University of Zurich. In 1979 she obtained her doctorate. From 2007 to 2015, Franziska Widmer Müller was rector of the Rychenberg cantonal school in Winterthur. Today she is a member of the Zurich Cantonal Matura Commission.