Study Abroad > Study in Switzerland

Why study in Switzerland

World-class universities and colleges: World-class universities and colleges: Switzerland's 12 universities comprise 10 cantonal universities and 2 Federal Institutes of Technology. In addition, there are various Universities of Applied Sciences. In business and management studies, University of St. Gallen, (HSG) and International Institute for Management Development (IMD) are the leaders. Switzerland has the second highest rate of foreign students in tertiary education, after Australia.
Lower tuition costs: The cost of a Swiss education is significantly lower than many of the country’s European counterparts. Due to low tuition fees and university-sponsored scholarships, Switzerland becomes an irresistible destination.
Work while you study: International students can work up to 15 hours a week during the semester and they can work full-time during holidays, but only after they have been living in Switzerland for at least six months. The hiring company/employer gets the work permit for the student.
The country offers world renowned Swiss MBA and Hospitality programs: It is home to some of the best business minds particularly in the fields of hospitality, banking, pharmaceuticals and chemicals, making it a premiere place to learn and work.
Many working opportunities: Many working opportunities: Many multinational corporations are headquartered in Switzerland which provides with better working opportunities. 15 Fortune 500 Companies call Switzerland home.

Education System in Switzerland

In Switzerland, most children go to public schools. Private schools usually are expensive and people tend to think that students of private schools probably didn’t make it at the public school. Public schools include Kindergarten, Volksschule (“elementary school”), Gymnasium (“secondary school”) and Universität (“universities”). Most municipalities provide kindergarten, primary and secondary schools. Most cantons provide at least one secondary school. There are eleven universities in Switzerland, nine are run by cantons, and two are run by the confederation. After elementary school, kids may either choose to go to secondary school or to start an apprenticeship. In the latter case, after finishing the apprenticeship, it is still possible to start an academic career at either a secondary school or a so-called Fachhochschule(FH) (“technical college”).

School:In Switzerland, every child must attend at least the elementary school. Our country provides various schools at different levels. Because the cantons are responsible for the educational system, the names, the subjects, the starting age of the students and the duration vary significantly between the cantons. The rest of this document therefore focuses on how it works in the canton Zürich.
Volksschule “Elementary school”: The Volksschule (“elementary school”) is mandatory for all Swiss children. They must either attend the public school or must go to a private school. Elementary school starts at the age of seven and lasts at least eight, but usually nine years.
Berufslehre “Apprenticeship”: In Switzerland, most kids start a Berufslehre (“apprenticeship”) after elementary school. Depending on the profession, an apprenticeship takes two to four years. Apprentice will get trained at a company or organization, but also attend school for one or two days a week. Some companies also provide additional classes on their own. After apprenticeship and depending on their education, young people can either start a job or join other schools for further education.
Universität “University”: There are eleven Universitäten (“universities”) in Switzerland, nine of them are run by a canton, two are run by the confederation. In general, the universities run by the cantons provide non- technical subjects, whereas the universities run by the confederation provide technical subjects. The later are therefore called “Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology”.
To be able to attend a university, a student must have finished a Gymnasium and own a graduation diploma. Studying at a university usually lasts four and a half years.
One of the technical universities run by the confederation is located in the German speaking part of Switzerland, the other in the French speaking part.
The two Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology are currently adapting their education process to the so called “Bologna declaration”, an attempt of the European universities to align their educational program to make it not only easier, but also possible for a student to change from one university in one country to another university in another country during his or her study.
The education is now broken up into two parts similar to the education in the USA:
Bachelor study (three to Four years)
Masters study (one and a half or two years) After a successful completion of the master’s study, one can start working on a thesis in order to get a doctor title. This takes usually three to four years
Fachhochschulen “Technical College”: After an apprenticeship, a young person can still start an academic career. Depending on the profession, she or he may attend a Fachhochschule (“technical college”). A technical college provides a similar education as the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology but not to the same extend. While an engineer ETH (graduate of one of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology) has a stronger theoretical background, an engineer FH (graduate of one of the technical colleges) usually has more practical experience because she or he had finished an apprenticeship which lasted four years. The study lasts three and a half years.

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Scholarships in Switzerland

Besides scholarships that your study institution may offer, international students looking to study in Switzerland have a number of scholarship options available to them, including the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships. This scholarship is awarded to young researchers who have completed a master's degree or PhD and to foreign artists holding a bachelor's degree, and is aimed at encouraging international exchange studies.

Other scholarship options for international students include the Erasmus+ program and the Pioneer Fellowship.

The Geneva Excellence Masters Fellowships also offer financial support to students pursuing a master's degree in Switzerland.

Intakes

Major Intakes: January, April, July, October

Popular courses

Undergraduate Level

Tourism
Business Administration
Tourism Marketing
Management
Banking
Communication Design
Human Resources
Accounting
Sports Management
Media Science
Systems Engineering
Civil Engineering

Postgraduate level

Hospitality Management
Tourism
Business Administration
Entrepreneurship Management
Information Science
Engineering

Tuition fees and Living costs Tuition fees

Tuition fees : (Public)

Level of Education	Tuition Fees per year (in CHF)
Bachelors	15,000 to 20,000 CHF
Masters	22,000 to 25,000 CHF
MBA Hospitality	29,000 to 35,000 CHF

Living Expenses: Are between CHF 19,000 -29,000 per year.

Language test eligibility criteria

IELTS overall 6 bands needed

Student Accommodation in Switzerland

Top Study locations in the USA

Student accommodation options in Switzerland are various, ranging from university-owned student housing, women-only guesthouses, apartments, student residences, rooms and private studios.
Universities in Switzerland often have their own student housing which they rent out to students at cheaper prices than the average 1-bedroom flat in the country. Most Swiss universities also offer on-campus accommodations where students have access to the best college facilities. The price range for on-campus housing is between 360 and 800 EUR per month.
Apartments are also a common option for international students, which they can either rent or share with someone.
Popular cities for student housing in Switzerland include Geneva, Basel, Zurich, and Bachenbülach. However, Zurich, Geneva, Lausanne, and Basel are also known to be the most expensive cities for student accommodation in Switzerland. Student housing monthly rent in Zurich and Geneva ranges between 1700 CHF and 5000 CHF. In Lausanne, if a student can't find a place in the city's student village, accommodation will cost between 1500 CHF and 2800 CHF.
In conclusion, students in Switzerland have a variety of accommodation options to choose from, including university-owned housing, apartments, student residences, rooms and private studios. The cost of student housing varies depending on the city and type of accommodation.
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Language exams for studying in Switzerland

IELTS or TOEFL with 6.0 overall at least in IELTS or its TOEFl equivalent. Some institutions / courses may need higher scores.

Academic scores needed for Switzerland

For Undergrad - 10+2 completion with 65% in best of 4 subjects excluding languages
For Master's - Bachelor’s degree ideally from a relevant background, with at least 60%. Work experience is preferred but may not be essential.

Documents required for student Visa

Passport (valid three months beyond the planned stay)
Four passport-size photographs
Statement of Purpose
Resume
Degree / Provisional Degree certificate

Language exams score card copy
Letters of recommendation (Two at least)
Letter from college
Marksheets from 10th grade to last completed education
Work experience letters / certificates, if any

VISA

Within 14 days of entering Switzerland, EU/EFTA citizens must register with the local authority at the place of residence and apply for a residence permit.