The Swiss education system: school, gymnasium and apprenticeship
A school system run by the cantons, around 11 years of compulsory schooling, then a choice between gymnasium and apprenticeship: the Swiss education system explained.
In Switzerland, schooling is a cantonal matter: there are therefore, in part, 26 school systems. A national concordat (HarmoS) harmonises the broad lines — duration, starting age, objectives — but the details vary from canton to canton.
About eleven compulsory years
Compulsory schooling lasts about eleven years: it begins around age 4 (with kindergarten) and covers primary then lower-secondary school. Public education is free and attended by the vast majority of pupils.
Gymnasium or apprenticeship: the Swiss specificity
After compulsory school, young people diverge: a minority aims for the maturity certificate at gymnasium, the royal road to university; a majority choose an apprenticeship — a “dual” vocational training combining school and work in a company. This highly valued dual system is one reason for Switzerland's low youth unemployment.
Frequently asked questions
At what age does school start in Switzerland?
Compulsory schooling starts around age 4 with kindergarten and lasts about eleven years.
What is the dual apprenticeship?
A vocational training that alternates school lessons and paid work in a company. It is the path chosen by a majority of young people after compulsory school.
Related reading
- Working in Switzerland: work permits and cross-border commuters
B, C and G (cross-border) permits, free movement with the EU, high salaries: what you need to know to work in Switzerland, explained simply.
- The Swiss political system: Federal Council, Parliament, cantons
A seven-member government, a two-chamber Parliament, 26 cantons and direct democracy: how the Swiss political system really works.