Study in English, French, German or Italian
Private Educational Institutions in Switzerland predominantly teach in English.
Some
educational
programs
are
also
taught
in
one
of
the
country’s
main
official
languages (German, French or Italian).
The
schools
running
the
private
educational
market
in
Switzerland
include
some
of
the
most
famous
and
oldest
in
the
country.
Great
efforts
are
made
to
maintain
the
quality
standards
of
the
schools
which
attach
their
names
to
the
traditional
Swiss
quality
brand.
In
Switzerland
about
200,000
pupils,
students,
and
apprentices,
from
a
wide
variety
of
regions
within
the
country
and
from
over
100
other
countries
are
educated
in
private
schools.
The
private
schools
&
universities
of
Switzerland
offer
a
wide
variety
of
different
courses.
Ranging
from
language
studies,
hospitality,
and
hotel
management
programs,
to
Commercial management courses for BBA, MBA, Executive MBA and DBA degrees.
Study
fees
are
notably
higher
than
public
schools,
and
the
academic
entry
prerequisites
can
vary
greatly
from
institution
to
institution.
Meaning
that
it
is
up
to
the
student
to
investigate which school they wish to attend.
By
definition,
private
schools
&
universities
are
totally
independent
of
the
Swiss
government.
Verification
of
their
educational
standards
is
usually
conducted
by
various
external accreditation bodies and not the Swiss government.
However,
degrees
from
distinguished
private
schools
&
universities
hold
a
lot
of
weight
in
international
industries.
As
seen
in
the
hotel
industry,
Switzerland
has
a
long-standing
tradition,
forming
a
high
percentage
of
the
world’s
top
hotel
managers.
The
most
prestigious
of
these
schools
have
been
operating
for
over
100
years,
their
exemplary
standards
and
already
well
established
reputations
gain
them
recognition
and
respect
among the world’s leading hotel groups.
Although
the
expected
level
of
command
of
English
may
vary
depending
on
the
school
and,
above
all,
the
study
program
or
course,
the
usual
average
English
language
requirement
you
will
be
required
to
have
to
study
in
Europe
is
550
points
(paper-based
TOEFL
test),
or
213
points
(computer-based
TOEFL
test),
or
79-80
points
(internet-based
TOEFL
test),
or
5.5
-
6.5
score
in
the
IELTS
test.
If
you
have
not
taken
either
the
TOEFL
or
IELTS
tests
and
you
would
like
to
prove
your
level
of
knowledge
of
English
with
other
exams,
you
will
need
to
prove
you
have
a
level
of
command
of
English
corresponding
to
the B1/B2 level (intermediate).
The
SIEPS
Educational
Database
includes
some
of
the
most
significant,
internationally
recognised and oldest private international schools and universities in Switzerland.
Their
excellence
is
guaranteed
by
the
various
accreditation
levels
and
quality
labels
they
have earned.
SIEPS
helps
students,
parents,
schools
and
universities
come
closer
together
by
providing
an Educational Database comprised of:
•
A
quality
oriented
list
of
some
of
the
oldest
and
most
prestigious
private
schools
and
universities in Switzerland
•
Including their respective educational programs offered
•
A complete list of accreditation agencies
•
An exhaustive list of affiliation bodies
•
A list of degrees and what they mean to you
Accreditation
is
a
type
of
voluntary
quality
assurance
process
under
which
educational
programs
are
evaluated
by
an
external
non-governmental
body
to
determine
if
applicable
standards are met. If this is the case, the agency grants an accredited status.
Accreditation
is
not
permanent.
It
must
be
maintained.
A
school
has
to
demonstrate
during
a
regular
review
process
that
it
has
developed
and
grown,
not
just
maintained
the
status quo.
Accreditation
also
permits
an
evaluation
on
an
international
level
regarding
recognition
or
equivalency of the degree you receive.
Bachelor
of
Business
Administration
(BBA)?,
Master
of
Business
Administration
(MBA)?,
Executive
MBA
(EMBA)?,
Master
in
International
Business
(MIB)?
Master
in
International
Diplomacy?
Which
educational
program
is
best
for
me?
What
is
the
difference?
How
can
I
quickly
compare
educational
programs
offered
by
private
schools
and
universities
in
Switzerland?
Even
better,
how
can
I
print
out
a
list
of
private
schools
and
universities
in
Switzerland
that
match my specific requirements?
The
degrees
offered
by
schools
and
universities
the
world
over
may
be
the
same
but
not
all
educational
approaches
to
obtain
that
degree
are
the
same!
Each
private
school
or
university
in
Switzerland
offers
their
specific
tailored
made
approach
to
education.
This
approach
is
expressed
in
the
way
they
adapt
their
educational
curriculum
in
order
to
meet
their own respective standards of excellence.
An
academic
degree
is
a
college
or
university
diploma,
often
associated
with
a
title
and
sometimes
associated
with
an
academic
position,
which
is
usually
awarded
in
recognition
of
the
recipient
having
either
satisfactorily
completed
a
prescribed
course
of
study
or
having
conducted
a
scholarly
endeavour
deemed
worthy
of
his
or
her
admission
to
the
degree.
Understanding
what
degree
is
right
for
you
can
be
a
daunting
task!
To
this
effect
SIEPS
has
made
available
an
exhaustive
list
of
degrees
offered
by
private
schools
and
universities in Switzerland. Browse and learn!
An affiliation is not an accreditation process, but merely an association with another entity.
The
main
advantage
of
affiliation
bodies
is
that
they
often
incorporate
an
international
network
of
partners,
associates,
business
networks
and
professionals
in
various
industries
and
therefore
offer
interesting
opportunities
for
students
to
enter
the
“real
world”
and
the
international job market through their affiliates worldwide.
Affiliation
bodies
can
also
include
a
select
and
alumni
group
of
dedicated
professionals
or researchers that have affiliates in your area of interest for further study application.
International Schools
An
international
school
is
a
school
that
promotes
international
education,
in
an
international
environment,
either
by
adopting
a
curriculum
such
as
that
of
the
International
Baccalaureate,
Edexcel
or
Cambridge
International
Examinations,
or
by
following a national curriculum different from that of the school's country of residence.
Many
career
driven
parents
consider
international
schools
for
their
children
to
help
ease
the
transition
between
institutions
when
moving
country.
Others
parents
wish
simply
to
install in their children a strong sense and understanding on globality from an early age.
Studies
have
shown
bi-
and
multilingual
studies
increase
a
child’s
mental
flexibility
and
overall
play
a
positive
role
in
their
academic
success.
Not
to
mention
the
necessity
of
a
second, or even third language in today’s competitive global arena.
Most
Swiss
children
go
to
state
(public)
schools.
However,
there
are
also
more
than
20
bi-
or
multilingual
international
schools
in
Switzerland,
some
of
them
private,
some
under
federal
control.
Most
of
them
offer
the
International
Baccalaureate
plus
several
other
programs leading to country- specific university entrance qualifications.
As
of
January
2015,
the
International
Schools
Consultancy
(ISC)
listed
Switzerland
as
having
105
international
schools.
ISC
defines
an
'international
school'
in
the
following
terms:
"ISC
includes
an
international
school
if
the
school
delivers
a
curriculum
to
any
combination
of
pre-school,
primary
or
secondary
students,
wholly
or
partly
in
English
outside
an
English-speaking
country,
or
if
a
school
in
a
country
where
English
is
one
of
the
official
languages,
offers
an
English-medium
curriculum
other
than
the
country’s
national
curriculum
and
is
international
in
its
orientation."
This
definition
is
used
by
publications
including The Economist.
International Business Schools
An
International
Business
School
is
a
university-level
institution
that
confers
degrees
in
business
administration
or
management.
Such
a
school
can
also
be
known
as
school
of
management,
school
of
business,
school
of
business
administration,
or,
colloquially,
b-
school
or
biz
school.
An
International
Business
School
teaches
topics
such
as
accounting,
administration,
strategy,
economics,
entrepreneurship,
finance,
human
resource
management,
information
systems,
international
business,
logistics,
marketing,
organizational
psychology,
organizational
behavior,
public
relations,
research
methods
and real estate among others.
In
addition
to
teaching
students,
many
International
Business
Schools
run
Executive
Education
programs.
These
may
be
either
open
programs
or
company-specific
programs.
Executives
may
also
acquire
a
MBA
title
in
an
Executive
MBA
program
within
an
International
Business
School.
Many
International
Business
Schools
seek
close
co-
operation with companies.
There
are
3
main
accreditation
agencies
for
International
Business
Schools
in
the
United
States.
ACBSP,
AACSB,
and
the
IACBE.
In
Europe,
the
EQUIS
accreditation
system
is
run
by
the EFMD - The Management Development Network.
International Hotel Management Schools
Hospitality
management
is
the
study
of
the
hospitality
industry.
A
degree
in
the
subject
may
be
awarded
either
by
a
university
college
dedicated
to
the
studies
of
hospitality
management
or
a
business
school
with
a
relevant
department.
Degrees
in
hospitality
management
may
also
be
referred
to
as
hotel
management,
hotel
and
tourism
management,
or
hotel
administration.
Degrees
conferred
in
this
academic
field
include
BA,
Bachelor
of
Business
Administration,
BS,
BASc,
MS,
MBA,
and
PhD.
Hospitality
management
covers
hotels,
restaurants,
cruise
ships,
amusement
parks,
destination
marketing organizations, convention centers, and country clubs.
In
Switzerland,
hospitality
and
tourism
management
curricula
follow
similar
core
subject
applications
to
that
of
a
business
degree,
but
with
a
focus
on
hospitality
management.
Core
subject
areas
include
accounting,
administration,
finance,
information
systems,
marketing,
human
resource
management,
public
relations,
strategy,
quantitative
methods, and sectoral studies in the various areas of hospitality business.
International Boarding Schools
A
boarding
school
is
a
school
at
which
most
or
all
of
the
students
live
during
the
part
of
the
year
that
they
go
to
lessons.
The
word
'boarding'
is
used
in
the
sense
of
"bed
and
board,"
i.e.,
lodging
and
meals.
Some
boarding
schools
also
have
day
students
who
attend
the institution by day and return to their families in the evenings.
Many
independent
(private)
schools
are
boarding
schools.
Boarding
school
pupils
(a.k.a.
"boarders")
normally
return
home
during
the
school
holidays
and
often
weekends,
but
in
some
cultures
may
spend
most
of
their
childhood
and
adolescent
life
away
from
their
families.
In
Switzerland,
boarding
schools
comprise
various
grades,
most
commonly
grades
seven
or
nine
through
grade
twelve—the
high
school
years.
Other
schools
are
for
younger
children,
grades
two
through
eight.
A
military
school,
or
military
academy,
also
features military education and training.
Some
Swiss
boarding
schools
offer
a
post-graduate
year
of
study
to
help
students
prepare
for
college
entrance,
most
commonly
to
assimilate
foreign
students
to
Swiss
culture and academics before college.
The
Swiss
government
developed
a
strategy
of
fostering
private
boarding
schools
for
foreign
students
as
a
business
integral
to
the
country's
economy.
Swiss
boarding
schools
offer
instruction
in
several
major
languages
and
have
a
large
number
of
quality
educational facilities.
Exams and Diplomas in Switzerland
International
schools
offer
students
either
nationally
or
internationally
recognised
qualification.
The
IB
and
GCE
(A
Levels)
are
both
internationally
recognised
and
are
almost
always prerequisites for entry into top universities.
The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE)
and GCE (A Levels)
The
IGCSE
is
a
UK-based
qualification
administered
by
different
exam
boards
such
as
EDEXCEL,
OCR,
AQA,
WJEC
and
CIE.
It
is
equivalent
to
school
years
10
and
11.
IGCSE
requires
students
to
study
and
take
exams
across
a
range
of
subjects
including
Maths,
English,
Sciences
and
Humanities.
Students
who
complete
IGCSEs
have
the
option
of
studying
for
their
A
Levels
(GCE)
which
are
recognised
by
universities
in
the
UK,
North
America and Europe.
The International Baccalaureate diploma (IB)
The
International
Baccalaureate
originated
at
the
International
School
of
Geneva,
and
today
over
1,700
schools
in
over
120
countries
offer
this
diploma.
It
is
considered
equivalent
to
the
British
system
of
A
Levels,
and
caters
to
students
aged
16-19.
The
diploma
requires
students
to
study
six
subjects
within
two
years,
as
well
as
additional
academic courses in philosophy, creativity and service, and writing a final essay.
Types of International Education
1.
INTERNATIONAL CURRICULUM
a.
International Curriculums, such as International Baccalaureate (IB) or International
Primary and Middle School Curriculum (IPC, IMYC), is specifically designed to
capitalize on global awareness and development. It uses "units of inquiry", or themes,
to bridge different disciplines from the same basic topic. There is an emphasis on the
learning process rather than on factual repetition. These schools are often strong in
creative programs. The international approach emphasizes individual progression, so
students work to their ability, which accommodates student differences with
flexibility and tries to keep students within their age group.
b.
An International Business Curriculum, such as a Bachelor in Business Administration
(BBA), a Master in Business Administration (MBA) or a Doctor in Business
Administration (DBA) prepares the student with the right tools for the international
world of business.
The core courses in an International Business Curriculum cover various areas of
business such as accounting, finance, marketing, human resources and operations in
a manner most relevant to management analysis and strategy.
Accreditation bodies specifically for International Business Curriculum programs
ensure consistency and quality of education. Business schools in many countries
offer programs tailored to full-time, part-time, executive, and distance learning
students, many with specialized concentrations.
c.
An International Hotel Management Curriculum, Hospitality Management is the
study of the hospitality industry. A degree in the subject may be awarded either by a
university college dedicated to the studies of hospitality management or a business
school with a relevant department.
Degrees
in
hospitality
management
may
also
be
referred
to
as
hotel
management,
hotel
and
tourism
management,
or
hotel
administration.
Degrees
conferred
in
this
academic
field
include
BA,
Bachelor
of
Business
Administration,
BS,
MS,
MBA,
and
PhD.
Hospitality
management
covers
hotels,
restaurants,
cruise
ships,
amusement
parks,
destination marketing organizations, convention centers, and country clubs.
2.
NATIONAL CURRICULUM
The
National
Curriculum
structure
is
modeled
after
your
home
country.
It
could
help
to
ease
the
process
of
transferring
back
to
your
home
country,
whether
it
be
after
a
short
or
a
long
stay
in
Switzerland.
Insistence
on
language
of
instruction
proficiency,
or
a
mother
tongue
connection
to
the
language
in
the
family,
will
often
distinguish
national
curriculum
schools.
Nevertheless,
the
experience
will
be
adapted
to
accommodate
the
multiple
nationalities in the student body.
Schools
with
a
national
curriculum
are
often
more
open
to
the
local
culture,
introducing
daily
instruction
in
the
local
language
in
parallel
to
the
home
country
program.
Students
in
these
programs
therefore
take
on
extra
academic
loads,
in
addition
to
their
core
program at home, that help them bridge to the local environment.
Institutions
which
provide
national
curriculums,
often
place
some
emphasis
on
Swiss
integration
for
their
students.
Meaning
that,
they
provide
your
home
country
program
while
in
parallel
introducing
daily
instruction
in
the
local
language.
While
these
curriculums
are
academically
heavier
for
students,
they
also
help
bridge
their
integration
to the local environment.
3.
BILINGUAL CURRICULUM
The
interest
in
fully
bilingual
curriculums
has
considerably
increased
over
recent
years.
Studies
which
attest
to
the
positive
impact
bilingual
studies
have
on
a
student’s
ability
to
learn
and
assimilate
information
more
easily
are
at
the
forefront
of
these
developing
curriculums.
The
younger
the
student,
the
easier
it
is
to
adapt
to
a
bilingual
curriculum.
However,
the
bilingual
approach
to
learning
is
available
to
students
of
all
ages.
With
the
right
initial
dedication
while
the
student
acquires
the
basics
of
a
new
language,
anyone
can
fully
adapt to these pioneering curriculums; the benefits of which far outweigh the extra work.
An environment for success
With
its
4
official
languages,
landscapes
of
immense
beauty,
varied
climates
and
cultures,
and
a
harmonious
political
environment,
for
sure
make
Switzerland
a
great
place
to
visit,
but they also make it an even better place to study!
For
over
a
century,
Swiss
private
schools
-
offering
individualized,
innovative
and
high-
standard
educational
opportunities
-
have
been
one
of
the
top-quality
products
of
Switzerland.
Switzerland
is
part
of
the
global
community
and
maintains
a
worldwide
network
of
cooperations and partnerships in education and science.
Switzerland
boasts
both
the
highest
number
of
registered
patents
in
all
European
countries and one of the highest numbers of Nobel Prizes pro capita in the world.
Switzerland
ranks
among
the
world’s
15
largest
economies
and
hosts
20
Fortune
500
companies.
Educational Rankings
In
1995
Switzerland
took
part
in
the
Trends
in
International
Mathematics
and
Science
Study
(TIMSS)
assessment.
TIMSS
is
an
international
assessment
of
the
mathematics
and
science
knowledge
of
fourth-
and
eighth-grade
students
around
the
world.
It
was
developed
by
the
International
Association
for
the
Evaluation
of
Educational
Achievement
(IEA)
to
allow
participating
nations
to
compare
students'
educational
achievement
across
borders.
In
1995,
Switzerland
was
one
of
forty-one
nations
that
participated
in
the
study.
They
did
not
participate
in
later
studies.
Among
8th
graders,
Switzerland
ranked
15th
overall, 8th in math and 25th in science.
A
National
Center
for
Education
Statistics
(NCES)
study
that
used
the
TIMSS
assessment
among
12th
graders
found
similar
results.
The
Swiss
students
were
in
their
upper
secondary
education
and
were
attending
either
a
gymnasium,
general
education,
teacher
training
or
advanced
vocation
training.
In
math,
the
Swiss
scored
a
540
(the
average
score
was
500),
and
were
3rd
out
of
21.
Their
science
score
was
523,
which
was
8th
out
of
21.
In
physics,
they
scored
488
(the
average
was
501)
and
were
tied
for
9th
place
out
of
16.
The
advanced mathematics score was 533 which was 3rd out of 16.
The
World
Economic
Forum's
Global
Competitiveness
Report
for
2010-11
ranked
Switzerland
as
first
overall.
Under
the
fifth
pillar
of
the
report,
Higher
education
and
training,
the
Swiss
had
a
score
of
5.79,
which
is
the
fourth
highest
among
all
the
countries
surveyed.
Accreditation Agencies
EDUCATIONAL ACCREDITATION.
is
a
type
of
quality
assurance
process
under
which
services
and
operations
of
educational
institutions
or
programs
are
evaluated
by
an
external
body
to
determine
if
applicable
standards are met. If standards are met, accredited status is granted by the agency.
In
most
countries
in
the
world,
the
function
of
educational
accreditation
is
conducted
by
a
government
organization,
such
as
a
ministry
of
education.
In
the
United
States,
however,
a
quality
assurance
process
exists
that
is
independent
of
government
and
performed
by
private
membership
associations.
The
U.S.
accreditation
process
developed
in
the
late
19th
century
and
early
20th
century
after
educational
institutions
perceived
a
need
for
improved
coordination
and
articulation
between
secondary
and
post-secondary
educational
institutions,
along
with
standardization
of
requirements
between
the
two
levels.
Question:
Is accreditation necessary?
Accreditation
is
a
status
granted
by
organizations
which
have
been
authorized
by
state
authorities
to
do
so.
Accreditation
is
a
highly
prized
designation
which
has
to
be
earned
by
the
accredited
schools.
Accreditation
is
your
guarantee
that
a
school
has
met certain minimum standards during a thorough review by a body of its peers.
Answer:
Accreditation
implies
approval
of
a
school's
programs
and
their
implementation.
It
implies
ongoing
development
and
adherence
to
established
standards.
It
demonstrates
to
present
and
future
clientele
that
the
institution
is
serious
about
its
mission.
It
validates
a
school's
hard
work
and
progress
in
a
variety
of
important
areas.
Parents
should
ask
if
a
school
is
accredited
as
it
indicates
thatthe
school has undergone a rigorous program of peer review.
APPROVAL
Approval
is
not
granted
just
because
a
school
applies
for
accreditation
and
pays
a
fee.
Look
at
the
process
by
which
hundreds
of
private
schools
have
achieved
accreditation
in
NEASC.
The
oldest
of
the
six
regional
accrediting
associations,
the
New
England
Association
of
Schools
and
Colleges
was
founded
in
1885.
It
now
claims
some
1,848
schools
and
colleges
in
New
England
as
accredited
members.
In
addition
it
has
over
92
overseas
schools
which
have
met
its
criteria.
The
Middle
States
Association
of
Colleges
and
Schools
lists
similar
standards
for
its
member
institutions.
These
are
serious,
exhaustive evaluations of schools, their programs and their facilities.
SCHOOLS MUST MAINTAIN ACCREDITATION
Accreditation
is
not
permanent.
It
must
be
maintained.
A
school
has
to
demonstrate
during
a
regular
review
process
that
it
has
developed
and
grown,
not
just
maintained
the
status
quo.
The
Obligations
of
Affiliation,
for
instance,
of
the
North
Central
Association
of
Schools
and
Colleges
specifically
states
that
a
member
school
must
undergo
review
not
later
than
five
years
after
original
accreditation
was
granted,
and
not
later
than
ten
years
after each satisfactory review.
STANDARDS
The
word
“standards”
has
been
used
seven
times
so
far.
But
that's
what
accreditation
is
all
about:
standards,
high
standards,
uniform
standards.
Standards
are
important
to
parents who are investing in their child's future.
The
question
every
parent
is
silently
asking
is
a
simple
"Is
it
worth
it?"
High
standards
reassure them that it is indeed worth it.
Affiliation Bodies and Recognition
Many
schools
will
advertise
their
recognition
by
an
affiliation
with
Swiss
or
international
organisations,
mainly
in
the
United
Kingdom
and
the
United
States.
This
can
be
confusing
for
a
student
in
search
of
the
best
possible
school
and
more
precise
information
on
this
should be requested.
An
affiliation
is
not
an
accreditation
recognition!
Accreditation
is
not
affiliation!
Some
affiliation
bodies
are
accredited
but
an
affiliation
body
cannot
accredit
a
school
or
university!
This
confusing
but
important
difference
is
widely
abused
in
the
educational
industry worldwide and must be interpreted with the most acute attention.
The
affiliations
with
organisations
and
other
schools
abroad
can
be
very
beneficial
as
they
may
enable
a
student
to
transfer
to
other
schools
without
loosing
any
credits.
Academic
recognition
and
acceptance
in
prestigious
universities
also
proves
excellence
in
teaching
and in the program of the school in question.
Generally,
the
Swiss
Federal
authorities
(the
central
government)
do
not
"recognise"
any
private
school,
as
education
is
the
prerogative
of
the
Canton.
Therefore,
local
authorities
(cantonal
level),
ensuring
that
certain
standards
of
quality
are
respected,
may
grant
certain
forms
of
recognition
to
the
schools.
As
all
commercial
enterprises
in
Switzerland,
a
school
also
has
to
be
registered
in
the
commercial
registers
of
the
Canton.
This
is
not,
however,
an
official
recognition
of
the
school,
Remarks
such
as
"School
recognised”
or
“accredited
by
the
Swiss
Government
or
authorities"
are
thus
sometimes
misleading.
In
such a case, one should exert caution with that school.
Likewise,
the
mentioning
"Swiss”
in
the
name
of
some
schools,
as
well
as
the
use
of
the
Swiss
cross
in
the
school's
logo
refer
strictly
to
the
geographical
location
of
the
school
and
has
no
association
whatsoever
with
an
official
recognition
of
that
school
or
its
diploma.
Alumni Association
An
Alumni
Association
is
an
association
of
graduates
or,
more
broadly,
of
former
students
(alumni).
In
the
United
Kingdom
and
the
United
States,
alumni
of
universities,
colleges,
schools
(especially
independent
schools),
fraternities,
and
sororities
often
form
groups
with alumni from the same organization.
Alumni
associations
often
organise
social
events,
publish
newsletters
or
magazines,
and
raise
funds
for
the
organisation.
Many
provide
a
variety
of
benefits
and
services
that
help
alumni
maintain
connections
to
their
educational
institution
and
fellow
graduates.
In
the
US,
most
associations
do
not
require
its
members
to
be
an
alumnus
of
a
university
to
enjoy membership and privileges.
Additionally,
such
groups
often
support
new
alumni,
and
provide
a
forum
to
form
new
friendships and business relationships with people of similar background.
Alumni
associations
are
mainly
organised
around
universities
or
departments
of
universities,
but
may
also
be
organised
among
students
that
studied
in
a
certain
country.
In
the
past,
they
were
often
considered
to
be
the
university's
or
school's
old
boy
society
(or
old
boys
network).
Today,
alumni
associations
involve
graduates
of
all
age
groups
and
demographics.
Some
alumni
associations
also
run
placement
services
for
students
who
have
just
graduated. This could be an important factor to finding your first job opportunity.
English language requirement to study in Switzerland
The
English
language
requirement
to
Study
in
Switzerland
varies
between
different
programs
and
educational
institutions.
As
a
general
guide
line,
if
English
is
not
a
mother
tongue, schools require a minimum of:
•
550 points (paper based TOEFL test)
•
213 points (computer-based TOEFL test)
•
80 points (internet-based TOEFL test)
•
5.5 to 6.5 IELTS score
These
test
scores
are
used
to
demonstrate
an
English
B1
/
B2
level
to
the
educational
institution you are interested in joining.
Should
your
test
results
not
meet
these
requirements,
it
is
prudent
to
contact
the
school
of
interest
before
deciding
to
not
apply.
Private
institutions
are
often
flexible
with
language
requirement
in
that
they
either
offer
you
an
opportunity
to
improve
your
language
skills
during
the
course
of
your
studies
or
provide
integrated
language
courses
for their students before entering the main program.
How to apply for university studies in Switzerland
The
first
step
after
having
identified
a
University
in
Switzerland,
is
submitting
your
application
form.
The
University
of
choice
will
cross
reference
your
application
against
their
entrance
requirements
to
see
whether
you
are
eligible
for
the
course
you
wish
to
peruse. An application made from a foreign student general consists of:
1
.
The
filled-in
application
form
for
the
selected
study
program
or
course.
Most
schools
in Switzerland have online application systems.
2
.
A recent passport-sized photo
.
3
.
A notarized copy of your foreign certificates
.
For
students
applying
for
undergraduate
(first
cycle)
courses,
a
notarized
copy
of
your
school leaving certificate is required.
For
students
applying
for
graduate
(second
cycle)
courses,
a
notarized
copy
of
your
bachelor’s degree is required.
For
students
applying
for
postgraduate
(third
cycle)
courses,
a
notarized
copy
of
your
master’s diploma is required.
Administration Links
Travel Links
Useful Links
Chemin des Bruyères 5
•
CH-1007 Lausanne
•
Switzerland
Tel: +41 (0) 21 616 00 11
•
•
Email:
Finding a suitable Private School or University in Switzerland
For
international
students
finding
a
suitable
private
school
or
university
in
Switzerland
can
be
a
very
time
consuming
process.
Furthermore,
the
amount
of
degrees,
educational
programs,
diplomas,
entrance
requirements,
language
requirements,
accreditation
and
affiliation agencies, and what they all mean to you can be overwhelming!
THE ANSWER: SIEPS!
SIEPS
recommends
educational
programs
of
only
those
private
educational
institutions
which
SIEPS
has
visited
and
with
which
SIEPS
has
drawn
up
a
collaboration
agreement
that
guarantees
transparency
with
regard
to
faculty
members,
class
size,
nationality
mix,
grading
system,
class
attendance,
recreational
activities
and
boarding
house
facilities
to
mention only a few examples.
International High Schools
A
Secondary
School
or
a
High
School
is
both
an
organisation
that
delivers
level
2
junior
secondary
education
or
level
3
(Upper)
secondary
education
phases
of
the
ISCED
scale,
and
the
building
where
this
takes
place.
Level
2
junior
secondary
education
is
considered
to
be
the
second
and
final
phase
of
basic
education.
Secondary
schools
typically
follow
on
from
primary
schools
and
lead
into
vocational
and
tertiary
education.
Attendance
is
compulsory
in
most
countries
for
students
between
the
ages
11
and
16.
The
systems
and
terminology remain unique to each country.
International Junior Schools
A
Junior
School
is
a
type
of
school
which
provides
primary
education
to
children,
often
in
the
age
range
from
8
and
12,
following
attendance
at
Infant
school
which
covers
the
age
range 5-7.
As
both
Infant
and
Junior
Schools
are
giving
Primary
Education
pupils
are
commonly
placed
in
a
unified
building
housing
the
age
ranges
of
both
Infants
and
Juniors
-
a
Primary
school.
Where to start? - The SIEPS Educational Database
By Reputation
By Accreditation
By Educational Program
By Degree
By Affiliation