All you need to know for your application
This article will tell you all you need to know about Switzerland and its educational system. Starting from some facts, Switzerland has 12 public universities and the public educational offer is complemented by 9 public vocational university schools and 14 high educational schools.
In addition, Switzerland also offers higher education through three institutes which enjoy a status similar to that of a university; these are the Institut de hautes études internationales et du Développement in Geneva, the Institut de hautes études en administration publique of Lausanne, the Institut universitaire Kurt Boösch de Sion and, finally, the distance university education of Brig.
The advantages of studying in Switzerland are manifold and concern mainly the prestige and quality of the education offered, recognised all over the world, and the possibility to study in as many as 4 different languages depending on the canton (region) chosen and the level of studies.
In first-level degree courses, immediately following completion of a high school diploma, courses tend to be offered in most cases in the canton’s official language (French, German or Italian). In addition to these main languages, there are numerous courses offered in English.
According to the 2021 QS World University ranking, Swiss universities hold excellent positions: among these stands the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, sixth in the world.
Although the cost of living is fairly high, the cost of education is still low and this is because the sector is largely financed by the state itself.
Structure of the university system
Switzerland adopts the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). The university system is structured in three basic levels: bachelor, master and doctorate/PhD. However, vocational colleges and higher pedagogical schools only issue the first two titles.
- The first level of university studies corresponds to the Bachelor’s degree and, in order to be able to access it, it is necessary to hold a federal or equivalent diploma. The bachelor’s degree lasts 3 years for a total of 180 ECTS;
- Then, there are two-year master’s degrees for a total of 120 ECTS;
- Finally, there are doctorates/PhDs whose length depends on the time spent on writing the dissertation, usually between two and five years.
How to apply to study in Switzerland
The first step to apply to a Swiss university is to be in possession of a diploma. Next, it is important to proceed with the preparation of the application according to the timetable indicated by the chosen university: Switzerland does not have a fixed period for the submission of applications, it varies according to the chosen institution. Most Swiss universities accept online applications.
On arrival at the university, however, it is necessary to submit some documents in the original (such as your high school diploma to sign up to Bachelor degrees or your degree certificate if you are to sign up to a Master’s course) in order to complete the admission procedure.
The documents generally required for the application are the following:
- a copy of the high school diploma for the Bachelor’s degree, the degree certificate for the Master’s degree
- a detailed curriculum vitae
- an identity document
- two photo cards
- a letter of motivation
- letters of reference
- language certificates as proof of knowledge of the language in which the student will study
Sending an application has an average cost of around 100 Swiss francs. If the application is accepted, the candidate will then be sent an official offer from the university.
Tuition fees
Tuition fees in Switzerland vary depending on the university and whether this is public or private. In addition, another important factor that will affect the cost of tuition fees is the country of origin of the student: very often, the costs are higher for students who do not come from a country of the European Union or the Schengen area.
On average, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at public institutions cost between 400 and 3,700 Swiss francs per year, and Phd degrees between 100 and 900 Swiss francs per year. Private universities require higher fees, which are calculated at their discretion.
Scholarships
Grants for foreign students can be offered directly by the university on the basis of specific criteria that may vary from institution to institution: some important variables may be a student’s merit (grades average) and financial necessity (calculated on available individual or family financial resources).
The Swiss government also offers scholarships to international students which are awarded through the Federal Grants Commission for Foreign Students: most of these are offered to master level and doctoral students.
Language tests
There are three official languages in Switzerland: German, French and Italian. These three languages are often central to undergraduate programs, so an appropriate knowledge of the language of instruction is necessary for admission: usually, the required level is around a B1/B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, but this can vary from university to university.
As far as Master’s and PhD programmes are concerned, English is also an important language which knowledge must be certified. The level required again depends on the institution, but a B1 level is a must.
The tests available to prove knowledge of the different languages spoken in Switzerland are many.
- For German: Goethe-Zertifikat, Testdaf, ÖSD Zertifikat, TELC Deutsch Test;
- for French: DELF and DALF;
- for Italian: CELI test, available in various levels depending on your level of knowledge of the language;
- for English: TOEFL test and the IELTS test.
For a detailed explanation of all available language certificates for each language, check Dreamando Languages!
Translators: Giulia Bernardini, Liliana Onorato.