APPLYING TO UNIVERSITIES SWITZERLAND cont.
grades, transcript, and diplomas.
second language, mathematics, natural sciences (biology, chemistry, and physics), humanities and social sciences (geography, history, economics/law), and specific electives taken during the last three years of secondary school.
Most universities of applied sciences and arts will not admit students with only a high school diploma and will ask for at least one year of practical, internship, or work experience relevant to the degree. Generally, this means a gap year is needed to get the work experience.
Further, most universities will require five Advanced Placement (AP) subject tests in particular areas with scores of 3 or higher (several AP subjects are not recognized, such as art history and psychology), or two years of university-level work on top of the applicant’s high school diploma. If you are enrolled in the IB program, they will also have specific subject requirements, including the fact that math and/or science be taken at the Higher Level (HL). ETHZ will require both HL math and one science (Bio, Chem or Physics) while EPFL will require HL Math and HL Physics. The 10 cantonal universities ask for a minimum IB score of 32/42 (excluding TOK and the Extended Essay), while ETH and EPFL ask for a minimum score of 38/42 (again excluding TOK and the Extended Essay). If you are considering applying to Swiss public universities, you really need to speak to a university advisor before selecting your grade 10 courses. If you enrol at LAS in grade 11, you must tell the university advisor before picking any courses and finalizing your course schedule. How to Apply There is no common application in Switzerland. Students must apply to each individual university. Most universities follow a two-part application process. Part one generally requires an application, photo, passport copy, and the intermediary grades from the last two years of high school, as well as language certification. The second part includes final
When to Apply Many Swiss public universities will accept first/preliminary applications from January to the end of April. The second part of the application (final results/grades) are submitted by mid-July. Students who require a visa to study in Switzerland are encouraged to submit the first part of the application by the end of February. UNITED KINGDOM (UK) The UK is home to over 125 different universities. Universities in the UK usually ask that students choose, apply to, and then focus on a single area of study (though you may also have the chance to combine two areas of study, such as French and History or Business and International Relations). To search for courses in the UK, use this website: https://digital.ucas.com/search. If you are someone who is certain of the subject you want to study in university, a UK university could be a good choice for you. If you are undecided about your major, be aware that in order to apply to the UK, you will have to make a decision about what you will study. Note that transferring to a different subject will usually entail starting your degree over from the beginning. Most degree programs in the UK take three years to complete; the notable exception to this is Scotland, where many degree programs are four years long.
