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Study in Switzerland Overview

If you want to study, challenge yourself, and expand your job opportunities in another country, then besides countries like the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, etc., don’t forget Switzerland is also one of the ideal places to study. For many years, countries around the world have always recognized and welcomed the Swiss brand. Not only famous for its beautiful landscape, pleasant living environment but also especially for its top-class education with prestigious universities which are recognized and appreciated by countries around the world.

There are many other reasons Switzerland attracts thousands of international students to study every year. Join us to find out why you should choose Switzerland to study abroad.

Overview of Switzerland

Switzerland (also known as the Federal Republic of Switzerland) is a small country in the center of Europe. The country is bordered by Germany to the north, France to the west, Austria and Liechtenstein to the east, and Italy to the south. With an area of 41.285 km², the country is only slightly smaller than the Netherlands or half of Scotland. The population is quite modest, around 8.647.000, less than the population of the UK capital London. The capital is Bern. This is a country with no official language, people can speak many languages such as German, French, Italian, and Romansh (they spoke mostly in the Swiss canton of Grisons). The country is surrounded by the Alps and its climate is classified as temperate. The climate here is quite mild and highly dependent on altitude. Most have cool climates, cold winters and sub-zero temperatures, and warmer summers. The country has a suitable climate for international students to study comfortably.

Swiss world-leading education system

The Swiss education system is known worldwide for the quality of its teaching and its wide range of research-intensive fields. They have famous schools that are internationally recognized and qualified. The top universities in Switzerland are all ranked in the top 100 in the world according to the QS World University Rankings.

Prestigious universities in Switzerland are widely known for research and technology such as ETH Zurich University (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) ranked 7th best in the world, focusing mainly on technology and natural sciences such as Cybersecurity, Landscape Architecture, ... or EPFL is a research university specializing in natural sciences and engineering ranked 22nd among the best schools in the world.

This country also specializes in training in the tourism, restaurant, and hotel services industries. The industry has always been a thriving business with high economic benefits. However, employers face many difficulties in finding high-quality human resources with expertise and knowledge in this field. Therefore, the job demand of this industry is always open and diverse. Today, Switzerland is a great destination for those who want to study for a high-quality Hospitality degree. The country is home to the Tourism and Hospitality industry. Because when the tourism industry was budding, the Swiss Government paid great attention and formed services to serve tourists. Since then, it has become a solid destination and cannot be missed by anyone who wants to experience and visit the scenery here.

Currently, Switzerland has up to 30 schools specializing in training in Hotel and Restaurant Management, of which 4 are listed in the top schools specializing in this profession such as EHL (Swiss School of Hotel Management), Institute of Education and Training (Swiss School of Hotel Management), Ghilon University, Les Roches School, and Swiss School of Hotel Management (SHMS). The general education model is to equip students with the most basic and core knowledge and skills. From there, students learn and understand each role in each position and practice for themselves. In addition, the schools always focus on a rigorous practical approach to help students observe the operation, as well as create a professional attitude, meticulousness in every detail, and the ability to improvise in all matters. Therefore, the degrees and teaching quality of the schools are always the top in the world.

In addition, if you are interested in Business or Banking Finance, come to Switzerland to study. This country is famous as one of the important economic and financial centers in the world, with two major financial centers, Geneva and Zurich. Many companies consider it the preferred place to operate and set up headquarters. In addition, there is a diversified and developed banking system with over 266 banks as of 2017. Named in the world as the world’s most reliable treasury with standard quality and the ability to guarantee incredible customer confidentiality.

Swiss innovation

Switzerland has been known as the most innovative country in the world over the years, according to the Global Innovation Index. This is the country with the most patent applications in Europe each year. Success in innovation is because of a combination of Government, excellent universities, massive investments in research and world-class infrastructure. Besides innovation, the country is also extremely friendly to companies and businesses. Always create conditions for them to start up as well as develop different fields, especially the high-tech field.

Job opportunities in Switzerland

Despite its small population and lack of area, Switzerland still has one of the most stable economies in the world with a low unemployment rate of 2.3%. Switzerland is one of the major economic and financial centers in the European region with over 25.500 foreign multinational companies such as Nestle, Adecco, Roche,... operating and headquartered. According to Fortune, there are 14 companies in the top 500 large companies in the US operating in Switzerland. This place is considered to be the highest concentration of Fortune anywhere. The country is also becoming the European hub for cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. In particular, the town of Zug is known as the electronic valley. Therefore, about 25% of the workforce are foreign citizens, including graduates, enough to see the job demand and the ability to work in multinational companies is very high. Another good thing is that Switzerland has the highest hourly wage in Europe (CHF 60/hour equivalent to VND 1.487.532/hour) and Geneva City has the highest minimum wage in the world (CHF 23/hour equivalent to VND 1.487.532/hour) equivalent to 570.220 VND/hour).

The country with a high standard of living

When you study in Switzerland, you will experience a learning environment with a high standard of living. Swiss cities are constantly ranked in the world’s best cities, such as Zurich, Geneva, Lucerne... Although the living standards of these cities are quite expensive, they make up for high wages and an amazingly low crime rate. In addition, this country is also ranked in the top five happiest countries in the world. With a friendly, peaceful and stable environment, outstanding quality of life, world-class infrastructure, it is an ideal place for students to study.

Multicultural environment

Switzerland is proudly a multicultural country with many ethnicities and cultures. Perhaps because of its central location in Europe and intersection of countries such as Italy, Germany, and France, this country has no official language but mainly uses other languages to communicate such as French, German, Italian and Romansh spoken in different states. Studying here will give you the opportunity to approach an international environment and learn many languages (not just English), especially French, the second most widely used language in Europe and the official language of 29 countries. It provides an international environment that helps you to approach many cultures and create conditions for your future self-development.

Tourism in Switzerland

Coming to Switzerland, the scenery will extremely surprise and admire you here. Every year, countless tourists come to Switzerland to visit and admire the scenery. Switzerland’s nature has many beautiful scenes, featuring high mountains such as the Matterhorn (the symbol of Switzerland), Jungfraujoch (the top of Europe),... In addition, there is the Aletsch glacier (the longest in Europe), a UNESCO heritage site or the ravishing Lauterbrunnen Valley. During summer days, you can cycle or sit on sightseeing trains along the trails surrounded by forest trees. In winter, you can ski or snowboard in the high Alps.

If you are an art lover, don’t miss the museums, art galleries or opera houses. In addition, you can also try famous dishes such as cheese, chocolate or traditional dishes of the peoples living in Switzerland. They will bring you the best experiences.

Switzerland is not only known for its wonderful landscapes, famous brands such as chocolates, cheeses, watches or unique exhibitions and museums, it is also considered a place worth living in the world with a peaceful, friendly environment and a high quality of life. In addition, for a long time, Swiss education has been evaluated as a world-class education with diverse training in many fields, effective teaching methods and quality degrees recognized by friends around the world. Let’s learn about this education system with us.

In Switzerland, education is focused and invested. The government and the states work closely together to provide a well-rounded education for pupils and students. The education depends on each canton of Switzerland (including 26 cantons), the cantons all have different educational policies, methods and study time but all follow the common framework of the Government. They ensure the quality and effectiveness of the educational program. In the educational process that spans from primary school (including pre-school) and secondary school (middle school and high school) and post-secondary education (university level), almost all tuition fees are completely free for the required curriculum and are funded by the Government and states. Although there are still private schools, almost 95% of Swiss children are sent to public schools by their parents.

Compulsory study program in Switzerland

The compulsory curriculum comprises 11 years, starting from 2 years of kindergarten to 3 years of junior high school (from 4 to 15 years old) depending on the state.

Primary

Primary school is 8 years old, including kindergarten, which lasts from 4 to 12 years old. Before entering primary school, children can attend preschool classes (these kindergartens are optional) but if they are part of the state elementary curriculum, they are required to attend. However, most states send children to kindergarten when they are 4 years old. After completing 2 years of kindergarten, they will enter elementary school.

However, there are some states that combine kindergarten with the first years of elementary school, often referred to as the first school cycle. As in the German-speaking states, children between the ages of 4 and 8 will be in the same class during the first school cycle. Or the French-speaking states consider the two years of kindergarten as part of the first year of primary school, which lasts for four years. The state of Ticino alone has 7 years of primary school, and 3-year-olds can go to school for another year before entering 2 years of kindergarten. There are also a few German-speaking states that do not require kindergarten or only require one year. Mostly, kindergarten classes teach children manners and basic knowledge of Math, Language and Swiss Culture.

Middle School Level

Compulsory education includes a 3-year junior high school (four years in Ticino state), usually from grades 7 to 9 (ages 11 to 15). The academic year in Switzerland usually begins in mid-August or September and ends in May or June. Schools follow a three-month (12 weeks) semester system with two semesters per year. After finishing primary school, based on academic ability or transfer exam, determine the student’s ability to be placed in a suitable high school.

There are 3 different models of High School structure:

Threading model: comprise separate fields and classes with different program requirements. Based on academic performance, students will be admitted to a different type of school.
Collaborative model: include classes with different levels of academic achievement and program requirements (general or advanced).
Integrated model: comprise non-selective classes and students of different levels all in the same class. All school models focus on providing an environment for personality development, problem-solving, as well as training in teamwork.

The subjects taught are mainly Languages Spoken in the States, Foreign Languages (English for other electives), Mathematics, Natural and Social Sciences, etc. In addition, there are several additional fields. interdisciplinary such as Information Technology, Sex Education, some related to Culture, Religion, ...

In most states, students receive grades and progress reports every two years. Or there will be end-of-term tests to assess student ability depending on the state. Parent-teacher meetings take place regularly to discuss their child’s academic performance.

High School Level (After Compulsory Curriculum)

After completing compulsory education, students can choose to go to high school or not. However, most students choose to study up. During the transition to high school, junior high schools will open classes to equip students with the best skills to prepare for high school.

General high school (15 years old to 19 years old) divides into schools with General Education Program and schools with Vocational Training Programs.

Schools with a general education program: including Baccalaureate School and High School for the Gifted

For Baccalaureate School (about ⅓ students attend): usually lasts up to 4 or 6 years depending on the state. They prepare students for higher education programs without going too far into professional qualifications. Students after obtaining the Baccalaureate Diploma (Matura / Maturité) can apply to study at State Universities, Teacher Training Universities and Institutes of Technology.
For the Senior High School (about 5% of students enter): they provide general education and professional education programs in specific career areas. Students can earn a Specialized Baccalaureate Diploma (Fachmaturität / maturité spécialisée) and study at Universities of Applied Sciences and pre-school and primary teacher courses at Teacher Training Universities.

Schools with Vocational Training (VET): most students choose this education after completing a compulsory program. Vocational schools have over 250 different careers that students can choose from. In Switzerland, professional degrees can be obtained at the upper secondary level, while in other countries these degrees must be obtained from universities. Vocational schools train based on practice along with theory, improving students’ skills. Students will receive either a Federal VET or a Vocational Baccalaureate diploma upon completion of the course. They are allowed admission to Universities of Applied Sciences.

Undergraduate and Graduate Levels in Switzerland

Universities in Switzerland are very prestigious and prestigious in the world. The schools are among the top schools with a reputation for teaching quality and a long history. This is also the home of famous universities in Europe with extensive experience in fields such as Science, Technology, Finance, Banking and Restaurant - Hotel. The schools are in different language-speaking states such as France, Germany, Italy. Therefore, educational programs may be entirely or partly in English, so please find out the information about the school before coming to study. In Switzerland, there are 10 cantonal universities and 2 federal institutes of technology. The cantonal universities are operated and managed by the cantons while the Institutes of Technology are directly responsible for the Swiss Government. Besides the above two types of schools, there are two other types of schools: 12 Teachers Colleges that provide practice-oriented education and 8 Schools of Applied Sciences and Arts that provide scientific and professional education, all of which train and offer Bachelor and Master degrees. Only 12 state educational institutions (10 State Universities and 2 Federal Institutes of Technology) may grant PhD degrees.

With beautiful landscapes and a perfect living environment: low crime rate, good health care services, developed economy and the highest salaries in Europe, it is no wonder that this place is a popular study abroad destination for many students. However, many international students have to be extremely hesitant when studying abroad because the cost is quite expensive.

That is why we are going to offer you several scholarships that will help in your decision to study in Switzerland.

To meet the academic needs of international students, the Swiss Government and cantons and schools offer a range of attractive scholarships to support international students.

Scholarship from the Swiss Government

Every year, the Swiss Government awards excellent scholarships to international students to promote long-term exchange and research cooperation with over 180 countries. The scholarships are open to those who wish to pursue a Master’s and Doctoral Graduate Program in any discipline. You can study at one of the 10 public schools in Switzerland, the Federal Institutes of Technology and public research and teaching institutes.

There are 2 main types of scholarships:

Various types of research scholarships are available to those (who already hold a Master’s degree) who want to go to Switzerland to study and do long-term research into a PhD and Postdoctoral program.

Arts scholarships are available to students who wish to pursue a Master’s degree at Swiss universities. Students can study at any Conservatory or School of the Arts here. However, the scholarship is only available to certain countries.

Scholarship value: completely free of tuition fees, plus a subsidy for living expenses as well as housing, health insurance, etc.

Scholarships of top Swiss universities

Besides government and state scholarships, universities also offer several attractive scholarships to attract international students to study and work.

ETH Zurich University Scholarship (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology)

ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities in Science and Technology and is ranked 6th in the QS World University Ranking 2021. The university has 16 faculties offering educational and scientific research courses in the fields of Engineering, Architecture, Chemistry and Physics... Teaching methods combine solid theoretical knowledge with practical application on an academic foundation.

The school supports scholarships for excellent students who want to study for a Master’s degree at the school with 2 attractive scholarship programs, the Excellence Scholarship and Opportunity Program (ESOP) and the ETH-D Scholarship.

Scholarship Value

Excellence Scholarship: subsidizes study expenses (including tuition fees) and living expenses up to CHF 12.000 per semester (approximately 297.506.425 VND/semester).
ETH-D Scholarship: partially supports living, tuition and research costs with CHF 7.500 per semester (approximately 185.941.516 VND/semester).

École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Scholarship

EPFL University is ranked 14th in the QS World University Ranking 2021 and specializes in training in Natural Sciences and Engineering. It is one of the two leading Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology. It offers a dynamic international learning environment with many partners around the world. The three missions that the university carries out are teaching, research and technology transfer. The scholarships offered by the school are open to students who wish to study a Master’s Program at the school.

Scholarship value: tuition fee 8,000 CHF equivalent to 198.337.616 VND per semester (32.000 CHF about 793.350.466 VND for 2 years and 24.000 CHF about 595.012.850 VND for 1.5 years). There is also room, part-time job support, a French language course and permission to do an internship in Switzerland or abroad during the scholarship.

University of Geneva Scholarship

The University of Geneva is among the top universities in the world and is ranked 106th according to the QS World University Ranking 2021. It is the third-largest university in Switzerland in terms of the number of students, up to 40% are international students. The school offers diverse training in many fields and specialities such as Biology, Medicine, Physics, Arts and Humanities, ...

The school offers Master of Science Excellence scholarships to all students (domestic and foreign) who want to pursue a Master’s program in fields such as Computer Science, Mathematics, Pharmaceutical Science.

Scholarship Worth: provides a stipend of up to 10.000 CHF/year (equivalent to 247.922.021 VND) and can last up to three or four semesters of a Master’s programme.

University of Bern Scholarship

The University of Bern is ranked 114th in the QS World University Ranking 2021. It is the school that provides the world’s leading quality of teaching with specialized fields such as Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Chemistry, Arts and Humanities. literature,… The school will award 6 scholarships to those who want to study. The scholarship applies to all disciplines except Biomedical Sciences and Medicine.

Scholarship Worth: a monthly stipend of 1.600 CHF (approximately 39.667.523 VND)

University of Basel Scholarship

The University of Basel is ranked 149th in the QS World University Ranking 2021. This school offers the oldest and leading education in Switzerland (with a history of teaching and research over 550 years). Every year, many international students come here to study and work. The university has five focus areas of research namely Vision Studies, Vision Science, Nanoscience, Sustainable Energy Science, European and World Studies.

The school has different funds, such as school funds and student collective funds to support providing scholarships for students to study. The scholarships are usually available to final year Bachelor and Master students.

Value of Scholarship: These scholarships all support costs from 200 - 1.000 CHF per month (about 4.958.440 - 24.792.202 VND per month).

Switzerland is one of the most livable countries in the world with an excellent quality of life and a safe and friendly international environment. In addition, this country is always proud to be a multicultural country. You can understand more about the cultures of different people. This will be an opportunity for you to adapt more quickly to the international environment. In particular, there is education with standard teaching quality in many outstanding fields such as Science, Technology and Engineering, Restaurant-Hotel Management, Finance-Banking,... There are many benefits when you live and study here. However, many international students have to think very hard whether to choose Switzerland as their study place in the future or not. Since a high quality of life often goes hand in hand with high costs, Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in the world.

If you do not get scholarships from the Government and schools, self-study abroad will be extremely expensive. Money is not everything, but it is the decisive key to help us meet our personal needs and fulfill our dreams. Therefore, most international students to Switzerland work part-time while studying to cover their living expenses as well as reduce the burden on their families back home.

Below we will provide you with some essential information related to part-time jobs you need to know as well as the jobs you can do while studying in Switzerland.

Work Permit in Switzerland

To meet the needs of students, the Swiss Government has provided information on issuing a work permit during the study abroad process.

Non-EU (European Union)/EFTA (European Free Trade Association) nationals must get a work permit before applying for a job. You must submit this form to the Competent Authority of the state in which you will work soon. To get a work permit, you have to wait about 6 months after admission. For those who are studying for a Master’s program (with a Bachelor’s degree abroad) who are studying at Swiss institutions, there is no need to wait. You will be licensed as soon as you enter. Make sure you study full time and that part-time jobs won’t affect your studies or achievements.

Working time in Switzerland

The Swiss government allows up to 15 hours of overtime work per week (i.e. about 2 hours per day) during the study and full-time work during semester breaks. You will be able to work part-time after 6 months from the date of admission. Most employers will pay you a minimum wage of CHF 24.50 per hour (about 2.000 to 2.800 CHF (a month).

Part-time jobs while studying in Switzerland

You should be prepared for any job available such as cleaning, kitchen help, dog walking, babysitting, snow removal, media assistant. There are many other jobs that you may be interested in, such as:

Hotel-Restaurant staff: Switzerland is favored by nature for its fresh air, beautiful scenery such as rivers and lakes, cliffs, valleys... Taking advantage of the above treasures, Switzerland has built High-quality Travel Service and also the origin of the Travel Service, Restaurants and Hotel industries with many palatial long-standing hotels in the world. Therefore, you will be surprised to see restaurants and eateries covering all over the country and they are constantly recruiting staff for them. Here, you will be able to try yourself in a professional environment, practice carefulness, meticulousness, ingenuity in working as well as good improvisation when facing difficult problems. This job can solve the job time to balance between work and study.

Babysitter (babysitter): If you are a person who loves children, this job will be great for you. Most families in Switzerland have little time to take care of their children, so they are always looking for a nanny for their children. This will be an easy job for you with a flexible working time frame. However, any job requires certain requirements and experience. This job requires you to be a person who really loves children, has high patience, knows how to take care and communicate with children.

Call centre worker and customer consultant: This is a job chosen by many students. Switzerland is a multicultural country, each canton uses a distinct language (German, Italian, French and Romansh of the canton of Grisons). Therefore, if you know more than 3 languages (Native Language, English Language and Other Languages like French, German, Italian) can be a huge advantage. The job will require you to be friendly, a good communicator, tactful and flexible problem solver. This job also helps you to improve your vocabulary, to interact with many people of different cultures living in Switzerland.

In addition, universities also offer some part-time jobs for students such as student assistants, laboratory assistants or teaching assistants for on-campus courses. These jobs require experience related to the field you are pursuing as well as your education needs to be good. The job will help you gain experience, practice a professional and careful attitude, perseverance (because it can be very stressful), as well as help, beautify your CV after graduation.

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