Switzerland is one of the richest and most well-resourced countries in the world. It is a country famous for its amazing architectural buildings, banks, clocks, crystal clear water, and the most delicate cheese and a delicious chocolate. This country boasts not only for the high standard of living, but also for its highly developed education. People from all over the world come there “to gnaw granite of science”. The system of higher education in Switzerland, which has given the world more than a dozen Nobel laureates and millions of excellent professionals, is especially notable.
Higher education in Switzerland is equally available both for Swiss and foreign citizens. However, there are exceptions from all rules: receipt of a foreign citizen in a medical specialty in Switzerland is almost impossible because medical professions are so popular there that there are not even enough places in the university for citizens of the country. Set on the physiological and pharmacological departments is very limited for applicants from abroad. This is due to the fact that vast majority of Swiss themselves enter these specialties. But all the other specialties are fully open to foreigners and in average of universities in Switzerland 18% are enrolled international students, and in Geneva – 33%.
The higher educational system in Switzerland includes 12 public universities. Along with the state universities the country has branches of private and international universities. Universities in this country are extremely small and in the largest of them – the University of Zurich – about 20,000 students are trained. In Swiss universities specialists in different fields of knowledge, art, law, theology, science, social sciences, and medicine are trained.
Higher education in Switzerland can be both paid and free. It all depends on your knowledge, skills and abilities. Fee for education for international students can be from 500 to 800 Swiss francs per semester, with the exception of a small Italian-speaking university Universita della Svizzera Italiana, located in Lugano, where the cost of tuition per semester is 4000 Swiss francs.
The school year in Switzerland is divided into two semesters, as in most other countries. The term of study at the university is between 4 and 6 years (with the students enrolled in the faculties of medicine, study takes 6 years). Entering the Swiss university, you should be careful, because the majority of diplomas of local private universities are not listed here. Another feature of the Swiss universities is that most of these graduates are able to obtain several diplomas. This is possible due to the good international relations of Swiss universities and mutual accreditation with other universities.
So, if you clearly decided that you need to get education in Switzerland, you will have to meet several criteria. First of all, you have to reach legal age, possess German, Italian or French, have a certificate on received education (each university has its own requirements regarding the certification, you can find out by contacting the institution).
Having determined that all of the above fits you, you can proceed to the next step. Write a detailed letter to chosen university, which describes the scope of your interests and certainly point at what faculty you want to enter. Enclose a copy of the student certificate, the diploma and the conclusion of the state commission into the envelope. The story of what you have gone through during the study will be a great attachment to the sent package. If your candidacy is approved, it is likely you will be asked to pass exams (held twice a year).
As an American lawyer and member of the Democratic Party Ronald James “Ron” Kind said “The one thing we can do is invest in the quality of education, especially higher education”, so these investments will bring you high results in the future if you work for your welfare increase.
