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Study in Switzerland
Switzerland is often referred to as heaven on earth and perhaps this is
one of the reasons that tourism flourishes here as a major industry.
Rather, tourism has also emerged as one of the most popular subjects
that students want to study here. The hospitality industry here is one
of the most efficient ones and some of the best universities in this
reference are located here. In fact, along with theoretical knowledge
one gets expertise in practical training too.
If you are one of
those students who wants to expand their cultural horizons, Switzerland
would definitely be the perfect choice as a study abroad destination.
Basically here are 4 national languages here — Swiss German, French,
Italian and Romansch. Students can enjoy a unique cultural diversity
here along with a blend of fun and some serious studying too. There are
12 general universities in Switzerland and there are plenty of other
universities of applied sciences and research universities. The
government generously supports most of the Swiss universities and fees
for nationals are low. However, foreign students can avail grants and
other benefits. There are many universities too where the fees are the
same for foreign students or there is only a small premium. The
deduction in fees is focussed for attracting students from different
countries, outside the EU too. Of the many students doing their degrees
in the university of Switzerland, 21% are international students.
Work Opportunities in Switzerland
Switzerland's economy mostly
focuses on the highly skilled labor force. The major job prospects are
in the areas of micro technology, hi-tech, biotechnology and
pharmaceuticals, as well as banking and insurance know-how. There are
plenty of job opportunities available in the competitive food industry
too considering that the Swiss are known as the best-known export items
chocolate and cheese. Watchmaking is popular too. Hence mechanical and
electrical engineering and chemistry are the main sources of revenues
here. Apart from this, job options in Consulting, banking, insurance and
tourism also make up a significant part of international trade. It also
has an international reputation as a research center is beyond dispute.
Universities in Switzerland
Along with the beautiful locales
and spectacular landscape there is also plenty of opportunities here.
Switzerland has some of the highest ranked university in Continental
Europe in the 2014–15 QS World University For instance, the ETH Zurich
(the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), which is ranked 12th. Other
popular ones include Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne at 17th,
University of Zurich at 57th and University of Geneva at 85th. You will
find that most of the courses taught here are in the English language,
especially at the masters level. However, when it comes to the
undergraduate ones, you would find that a majority of them are taught in
German, Italian or French. The number of courses available at an
undergraduate level in English is slowly growing and this mostly applies
to the universities of applied sciences and tourism.
Almost 8 of
the many universities located here have featured in the QS World
University Rankings 2015/16, all of which rank in the top 350. With a
population of just 8.2 million, it is impressive to see the growth
prospects and quality of education here. There is also the presence of
international ranking tables, universities in Switzerland are also very
international in terms of their student and academic communities. And
the country performs equally well when comparing the percentage of
international academic staff members.
Student Visa Requirements in Switzerland
The application for a residence permit or a visa is different for
EU/EFTA
citizens and for people from other countries. Students from EU/EFTA
countries have to register with the Residents' Registration Office of
the local authorities of their municipality of residence within 14 days
and apply for a residence permit. They would require-
- Personal application for residence permit
- Valid passport or identity card
- Proof of registration at the university
- Evidence of sufficient funds (bank certificate or certified document)
- Proof of address at place of residence
- 2 passport-size photographs
Non-EU/EFTA countries:Students
from non-EU/EFTA countries have to get in touch with the Swiss Embassy
or the Swiss consulate in their native country and apply for a visa.
Students are responsible for gathering the information and the documents
required for the visa issuing process. Among other things, they must
submit proof of registration at a university. The average visa
processing time here can take a few weeks to a few months. So it is
advised that one does the same in advance.
Work Permit in Switzerland
Switzerland admits employed
foreign students on the basis of a dual system. Those coming from the
EU/EFTA countries gain with the Agreement on the Free Movement of
Persons (there are transitional differences for Bulgaria and Rumania
till 2016). People from all other countries are subject to different
directives.
EU/EFTA citizens who are studying in
Switzerland are permitted to accept a side job, which is permissible for
a maximum of 15 hours per week. For doing the same, there is no
additional permit or notification required. Students are eligible to
continue doing the same for the entire period of validity of their
student permit.
There is also the option of getting a
short-term employment where the EU/EFTA citizens working in Switzerland
for less than 3 months per year do not need a work permit. All they have
to do is register with the competent authority.
Long-term
employment that exceeds a period of 90 days per year, EU/EFTA requires
the students to acquire a work permit. The work permit application can
be handed in to the local municipal office at the place of residence or
work.
For those who are citizens from non-EU/EFTA countries, but
studying in Switzerland and working have certain restrictions in their
access to the Swiss labor market. Those who are highly qualified
professionals are admitted and issued a work permit. But the non-EU/EFTA
citizens studying in Switzerland are permitted to accept part-time
employment for a maximum of 15 hours per week. However, this is only
applicable if the student has been residing in Switzerland for a minimum
of 6 months. Students must maintain full-time student status and show
regular progress in their studies.
However, those who are doing
their Master students with a Bachelor degree from a university abroad
working for their Swiss university/institute do not have to wait 6
month. They can get employment straight away.
Grants and Scholarships in Switzerland
Scholarships,
especially governmental scholarships are available for foreign nationals
too. The Swiss Government provides scholarships to foreign students and
artists on the basis of reciprocity or within the framework of a
scholarship pool to several countries. There are also a plethora of
scholarships for postgraduate candidates or researchers from across the
world.
To apply for a scholarship, you have to first check whether you are entitled to one or not in their
official website.
Out here you will get a list of relevant countries and further
information on the governmental scholarships, such as application
requirements, duration of scholarship, scholarship amount, application
procedure etc. The Website of the State Secretariat for Education,
Research and Innovation provides you with all of this information.
Candidates
who are below 35 years of age with proficiency in English, German,
French and Italian can consult with the Swiss higher Education
institution in order to get a written confirmation of acceptance. There
are also separate universities that offer private scholarships and
students can check the eligibility criteria for the same over there.
General Eligibility Criteria
If you want to get admission to
a bachelor's program, then along with the prerequisites of the school,
the basic admission requirement is a Swiss secondary high-school-leaving
certificate (Matura, Maturite, Maturita) or a foreign secondary
high-school-leaving certificate considered equivalent. Those without
recognized certificates qualifying for university entrance may be
required to take a university entrance exam.
For the masters
program, on should have successfully completed Bachelor's level program.
But there are grade specifications for different universities and each
university makes its own decisions. There could be further entrance
examinations and further requirements. The same procedures apply for
Ph.D. too where students should have completed their masters.
Language Requirements
All Swiss universities make it
mandatory that the students must have good knowledge of the language of
instruction. Some of the French universities include Fribourg,
Neuchatel, Geneva and Lausanne, and Federal Institute of Technology in
Lausanne. Fribourg is a bilingual university that offers courses in both
French and German. Then there is the Universita della Svizzera
italiana, which teaches in Italian. But over the years, many
universities have also introduced programs in English, making it
possible for foreign students to pursue their favorite courses.
The top courses in Switzerland are:
Hospitality Management and Tourism
One of the most popular
courses in Switzerland is bachelors of tourism and hospitality. The
course offered here is about 2 years and it includes paid internships by
most universities too. Some of these courses are affiliated and
validated by international institutes. There are also many government
owned universities here that provide these courses. The focus is on key
practical and management skills to gain sufficient knowledge of these
industries before choosing from one of the specialist pathways for your
last year of study. Students can choose from International Hotel
Management; International Hotel & Tourism Management; International
Hotel & Events Management; International Tourism & Events
Management; International Hospitality Entrepreneurship. There is also
culinary courses specialisation available for some of the institutes.
- Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
- University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland
- University of St. Gallen
- University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland
- International School of Tourism Management- IST
- International Business School Hotel & Tourism Management, VATEL(Switzerland campus)
- International Hotel Management Institute Switzerland- IMI (ISO Certified)
- International Hotel and Tourism Training Institute- IHTTI (ASEH member)
Applied Sciences
Over the past decade, there has been a huge
inflow of foreign students in Switzerland to study different kinds of
applied sciences. With state of the art facilities and latest techniques
available, this scenic country has the worlds leading and most
innovative universities of applied sciences. The courses here range from
Applied Psychology, Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geomatics, Art
and Design, Life Sciences, Music, Teacher Education to Social Work,
Engineering and Business. You will find modern campuses across the
country, which are affiliated with the top companies in the world to
ensure a job post the degree. Aside from the education and training
offering, a lot of knowledge is also given to applied research and
development. Students will take part in research projects alongside
national and international partners from industry, business, culture,
administration and institutions.
- University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW
- Switzerland’s Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS)
Click here for more information on education in Switzerland