Advice and help for those wanting to study in Switzerland

The employees of educationsuisse advise young Swiss Abroad as well as graduates of Swiss schools abroad on all matters relating to education or training in Switzerland. This free advice in German, French, English, Italian or Spanish usually takes place by email or telephone. The team provides information on admission to higher education institutions, required language skills, vocational education, scholarships, accommodation and other topics. A personal consultation on-site in Bern is also possible by appointment.

Specific consultation on choice of profession and course of study is offered by educationsuisse in collaboration with the Berufsberatungs- und Informationszentrum (BIZ) Bern-Mittelland (Career Consulting and Information Centre). These consultations can be carried out via Skype or on-site in Bern. In a personal dialogue with a qualified specialist, individual questions about the choice of profession and course of study are addressed. Registration for these fee-based consultations can be done via educationsuisse.

Once there is a plan in place for a vocational education or university studies in Switzerland, there are many practical matters to be addressed. The financing of the education or training has to be clarified. While fees for studying or training in Switzerland are rather low, the cost of living is higher than in many other countries. In principle parents are responsible for financing the education of their children. For those with more limited financial means, there is the possibility of applying for a cantonal educational grant (scholarship). Responsibility for educational grants to young Swiss Abroad lies with the home canton. It should be checked first, though, if in the parents’ country of residence support would be given for education or training in Switzerland. Sometimes universities or private foundations also grant education subsidies. educationsuisse assists in clarifying scholarship entitlement and takes care of the scholarship dossiers of young Swiss Abroad. Furthermore, thanks to various funds, educationsuisse can also award educational grants in the form of scholarships or loans. Employees of educationsuisse can be reached by email at info@educationsuisse.ch or by phone on +41 (0)31 356 61 04.