General
Information on Swiss Universities
Switzerland has two main national languages ;German and French
Italian is also spoken by a minority
There are 12 university-level national institutions in Switzerland:
In
German-speaking Switzerland:
Basel, Bern
and Zurich Universities, the
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
Zurich (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule, ETHZ),
the University of St. Gallen
for Business Administration, Economics, Law and Social Sciences,
and the University College of Lucerne.
In French-speaking Switzerland:
Genève, Lausanne,
Neuchâtel, Fribourg
Universities (Fribourg is bilingual, i.e. German and French)
and the Swiss Federal Institute
of Technology Lausanne (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale,
EPFL).
In Italian-speaking Switzerland:
Lugano.
OVERVIEW:
While each university has its own character, all have a similar
structure. They are divided into schools: law, social sciences,
arts, theology, natural sciences, and medicine. Fribourg
and Neuchâtel Universities
have no medical school, but provide a medical curriculum up to
the pre-diploma level. The two Federal Institutes of Technology
train engineers, architects, chemists, physicists, and mathematicians.
The Federal Institute of Technology
in Zurich also has courses in pharmacy, agriculture, forestry,
mathematics, and natural sciences. The
University of St. Gallen prepares its students for management
positions in industry (Master of International Management), business
administration, and for teaching positions in business. Lucerne
specializes in Catholic theology and philosophy. The newly established
Università della Svizzera italiana has schools of architecture,
economics, and communications. The academic year is divided into
two semesters, the winter term lasting from mid-October to early
March and the summer term from mid-April to mid-July. Swiss universities
do not provide on-campus accommodations.
Eligibility
Those wishing to enrol must have a state-recognized Swiss
matriculation certificate or a foreign certificate/diploma of
equivalent value. All Swiss university-level institutions are
autonomous, and therefore requirements for admission can vary..
Candidates holding a certificate, which is only partly equivalent
to Swiss matriculation, can sit for one of the entrance examinations
held twice a year in Fribourg by the Swiss universities. Applications
are made through the Secretariat of the university to which entrance
is desired, which will also supply detailed information about
the examinations. The candidate may wish to prepare for the entrance
examinations by attending courses specifically designed for this
purpose in Fribourg.
Duration of Study
The total duration of studies up to the first academic examination
is generally eight semesters, six under exceptional circumstances,
depending on local rules; in the case of medical studies, it is
six years. In practice, the actual period of study is longer,
depending on the program of studies and the degree pursued.
Private Universities
In addition to the institutes of higher education mentioned above,
there are a number of private colleges in Switzerland. The studies
and examinations offered by these colleges are not recognized
in Switzerland. Some of these colleges may offer extral curricular
courses. We therefore advise anyone interested in following such
a course to make careful initial investigations into the recognition
issue.
HOTEL MANAGEMENT SCHOOLS
Switzerland is very famous for Hotel management. It has a long
established and outstanding reputation for excellence in hospitality
education. The hospitality and Tourism industry is predicted to
triple in size with in the next fifteen years.
Medium of Instruction
The medium of instruction in these schools are fortunately English.
The programmes are practical oriented .For every six months of
study a paid internship of six months is offered. During internship
a student can expect a salary of 2000-2400 CHF
These colleges do not insist on English Language proficiency.
Students are absorbed from good campuses for placement in European
and American countries.
Cost Of Study
Cost is inclusive of tuition, living and accommodation
.It varies between CHF 19000 -28000
In takes
Generally in January/February and August
