Passer au titre

Anglais: Information on education and occupations in Switzerland

Are you a native English speaker living in Switzerland? Here you will find information about the key education and skills development milestones from compulsory education onwards.

Links & factsheets

There are a number of factsheets that can help answer important questions about education and skills development, whether it be vocational or scholastic options. These factsheets also provide links to additional information. You can read these factsheets online or print them out. Take along the factsheets that interest you most to a vocational, educational and career counselling office in your canton of residence.

Each factsheet posted on this webpage has a number assigned to it. This number allows you to find the same factsheet in a different language. By clicking on the link French, for example, you will find a list of the same factsheets with the same numbers, but in French.

Compulsory education

In Switzerland, compulsory education is provided by the different cantons and regulated at a cantonal level. As a result, compulsory education is structured in different ways, depending on the canton. The Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK) provides an overview in German, French, Italian, Romansh and English: www.cdip.ch.

Structures scolaires cantonales en Suisse et dans la Principauté du Liechtenstein [PDF, 7.14 MB]

More details on cantonal school systems can also be found on the websites of the cantonal education departments.

  • Factsheet 1 Transition from primary school to lower-secondary school [PDF, 62 KB]

Swiss education system

Vocational education and training (VET)

List of apprenticeship positions

orientation.ch/apprentissage

General education

Other topics relating to skills development

  • Factsheet 13 Education and training costs and financing in Switzerland [PDF, 95 KB]
  • Factsheet 14 Recognition of foreign certificates and diplomas [PDF, 310 KB]
  • Factsheet 15 Language learning and skills development [PDF, 171 KB]

Information guide

If you would like more detailed information in your language about education and training pathways in Switzerland, illustrated through testimonials from migrants and locals, refer to the guide entitled "What happens after school?"

Information in French

The website orientation.ch offers a great deal of additional information as well as databases on occupations and skills development in Switzerland. This information is available in German, French and Italian. Here are a few important links in German:



orientation.ch