The school system in Switzerland is designed to equip young people with the skills to excel in their lives and careers. Much of the Swiss system is designed to set up children to do a specific form of work or to go on to complete higher education. Switzerland’s schooling system is publicly funded and run by your local canton. If you are starting a family in Switzerland and want your child to attend a Swiss school, it is important to know what is offered, whether any schools are selective and how much mandatory schooling each canton offers.
What are Swiss schools like?
Swiss school days are relatively short, with classes beginning between 8.30 and 9.30am. Your child is expected to return home at noon for a one-and-a-half-hour lunch break.
There is then an afternoon session that concludes around 3.30 to 4.30pm. Some technical schools use afternoons to send students to designated apprenticeships, occasionally with international companies. It also must be noted that in addition to school holidays, Swiss students have every Wednesday afternoon off. This time is usually allocated for sports or extracurricular activities.
Early childhood education in Switzerland
In the earliest years of your child’s life, you have the opportunity to send your child to childcare and then preschnool. This is offered between birth and the age of four to six. This time is an ideal opportunity to socialise your child and allow them to get used to attending school.
Early childhood education in Switzerland is a mix of private and public facilities. While parents will usually have to foot the bill of childcare until their child is around four years old, some cantons have mandatory early years programmes which are paid through the Swiss tax system.
Primary schools in Switzerland
Primary education is mandatory for all children in Switzerland and lasts somewhere between six and nine years. When children start their schooling depends on their canton of residence, but most begin school at the age of six to seven.
Over 90 percent of primary students attend public primary schools,. The primary school system is designed to build up your child’s confidence with basic problem solving, cognitive function and social interaction. There are no significant internal assessments at the primary education level, apart from applications to secondary education. Although each canton has control over its curriculum, state education is closely monitored by national authorities to ensure a high standard of learning.
Primary education (Volksschule)
Primary education is typically your child’s first experience of school. Class sizes range from 15 to 30 students and usually have one teacher and an assistant. Children will receive all their classes from a single teacher, with the exception of foreign languages. Primary school lasts for six years and leads into higher primary education, or applications for long gymnasium.
Higher primary education (Oberstufenschule)
Higher primary education is an elementary school that lasts for three years and is designed to give students more time to decide on their middle and higher education. These schools are usually found within primary schools and are used to teach technical skills or encourage higher learning. These schools also offer extensive career counselling and are tasked with finding and assigning apprenticeships.
Secondary education in Switzerland
The secondary education system in Switzerland is where students begin to specialise for their future careers. Once a child has completed primary education, they have the choice of three different routes:
- Short grammar school, for students who want to get into university quickly
- Long grammar school, for students who want more time to prepare for higher education
- Apprenticeship programmes, for students who want to take up a vocational career
Switzerland differs from English-speaking countries in that many students leave after the mandatory 11 years of school and choose apprenticeships over higher education. This is one of the reasons why the enrolment rate in universities is comparatively low in Switzerland compared to other nations.
Short grammar school (Kurzzeitgymnasium)
Short gymnasiums in Switzerland are similar to middle and high schools. They are designed for those who wish to go to university quickly, as most short gymnasiums last four and a half years. Unsurprisingly, therefore, standards for entry are very high, with good knowledge of maths, German, sciences, other languages and humanities essential to apply. These schools are selective and extensively test prospective students.
When you are choosing your gymnasium, it is important to find out what the school specialises in. Due to the relaxed approach to the subjects required to earn a Matura, all gymnasiums have specialised in different subjects. Some of the most common specialisations are:
- Sciences
- Mathematics
- Humanities
- Languages
- Music
- Theatre
- Sport
Each year at gymnasium, students much achieve the passing grade or face being held back a year or even expelled. Once a student has completed the short gymnasium, they will receive a Matura certificate that is a requirement for university, similar to A levels, SATs or an IB diploma.
Children that need more time to prepare for their final exams can instead attend a long gymnasium, which offers the same qualifications, but with a slower pace of teaching.
Long grammar school (Langzeitgymnasium)
The most common route for those who wish to attend university in Switzerland is the long grammar school or long gymnasium. This is exactly the same as a short gymnasium, only the curriculum is extended over six to seven years.
Each year, long gymnasiums students must pass their annual exams, but teachers are typically more lenient and may offer students other options if they are struggling. This is why some Swiss students only begin attending university at age 20. Once a student has completed their long gymnasium, they will receive the same Matura leaving certificate as students at the short gymnasium.
Apprenticeship (Berufslehre, Berufsschule, LIRA)
Apprenticeship programmes are still the most popular route for Swiss students to take after primary school. In this system, each canton has a list of employers who will give apprenticeships to primary school leavers. These companies receive subsidies from the state in order to educate the students.
The amount of time the student spends at work versus school is dependent on the type of apprenticeship being completed, with more administrative and technical roles usually retaining an even split of work and school until the final year.
The types of apprenticeships on offer range from becoming a farmer to becoming a financial advisor. It is also not uncommon for apprentice graduates to go to university after spending some time working. Once the apprenticeship is complete, if the student has chosen a more specialised job sector, they will go on to higher education at a college.
What happens when you graduate in Switzerland?
Most students in Switzerland end their education at around 16 to 20 years old. After receiving a Matura, LIRA or technical qualification, they have the opportunity to access higher education in Switzerland. Graduates from an apprenticeship can access evening colleges, applied science universities and Matura schools. Graduates from gymnasiums can go on and attend a university in Switzerland. Those who don't will start looking for a job.
School system by canton
When you are thinking of moving to Switzerland, it is important to know what system of schooling is used in your local canton, how many years of school are mandatory, and what your options are for your child when entering secondary education.
The rules on mandatory schooling, per canton, is as follows:
- 9 years mandatory schooling: Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Graubünden
- 10 years mandatory schooling: Appenzell Innerrhoden, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Uri, Zug
- 11 years mandatory schooling: Aargau, Basel Land, Basel Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Glarus, Jura, Neuchâtel, Schaffhausen, Solothurn, St. Gallen, Thurgau, Ticino, Valais, Vaud, Zurich
The length of primary school, per canton, is as follows:
- 5 years of primary school: Ticino
- 6 years of primary school: Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel Land, Basel Stadt, Bern, Glarus, Graubünden, Luzern, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, St Gallen, Thurgau, Uri, Zug, Zurich
- 8 years of primary school: Fribourg, Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel, Valais, Vaud
All cantons with the exception of Appenzell Ausserrhoden (2 years) and Ticino (4 years) have 3 years of mandatory middle school.