Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a federal parliamentary republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities, the so-called “federal city”. The country is situated in Western and Central Europe where it is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east.
Switzerland has the highest nominal wealth per adult (financial and non-financial assets) in the world. However, Switzerland is also the most expensive country in the world to live in, as measured by the price level index. Zürich and Geneva have each been ranked among the top cities with the highest quality of life in the world.
Education System :
Higher education in Switzerland comprises academic studies at the 10 cantonal Universities and the 2 Federal Institutes of Technology, at the more professionally-oriented Universities of applied sciences and at the Universities of teacher education. A few more University-level institutions are considered public institutions of higher education.
University continuing education is firmly established in Switzerland. It is regulated under university legislation and in the Bologna Recommendations of the Rectors’ Conference of the Swiss Universities (CRUS) and has its own, clearly defined place in the Qualifications Framework for the Swiss Higher Education Area alongside Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctoral qualifications.
Swiss universities and universities of applied sciences use the same terms for continuing education programmes, but the admission requirements and general focus of the programmes are usually different. Universities are normally more academic and require a Master’s degree and professional experience as the conditions of admission, while universities of applied sciences tend to be more practically oriented and generally require a Bachelor’s degree plus professional experience. This is connected with the fact that the normal final degree from a university of applied sciences is the Bachelor’s degree, while students at universities normally graduate with a Master’s degree.
Intakes :
In Switzerland as well as in other countries in Europe, the academic year is divided into two semesters
- Fall semester: runs from September through December
- Spring semester: runs from February through June
Although application deadlines for studies in Switzerland vary depending on the study program and the university or college, students are usually required to submit their applications in the Spring semester for studies beginning the following academic year.
Requirements :
For Bachelor’s Program :
The decision concerning admission to a course of studies rests with the individual institution. The basic admission requirement is a Swiss secondary high-school-leaving certificate or a foreign secondary high-school-leaving certificate considered equivalent. Students not holding fully recognized certificates qualifying for university entrance may be required to take a university entrance exam.
For Master’s Program :
The prerequisite for access to a Master’s programme is a successfully completed Bachelor’s level programme. Each university makes its own decisions as to whether a foreign Bachelor’s degree can give the holder access to Master’s programmes, and what are the conditions, if any (entrance examinations, further requirements).
An increasing number of study programmes at Master’s level are offered in English, thus a solid knowledge of English language is advisable for all prospective students.
Education and Living Costs: :
Tuition Fees :
If you hold a foreign or international secondary or higher education degree, you will have to pay registration and tuition fees at public universities and colleges in Switzerland. In general, foreign students must pay registration fees of approximately EUR 50 – 80. Tuition fees for foreign students range from ca. EUR 750 to EUR 3000 per semester depending on the school.
Living Cost :
The cost of life in Switzerland is similar to that of big European cities. In most areas of Switzerland, cost of life is cheaper than Paris or London, although some items, such as food, are on average more expensive than elsewhere in Europe.
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