SWITZERLAND

The Swiss education system is a reflection of it’s federal system. Confederation, cantons and communes (municipalities) share responsibility for various parts of the system. This educational system can be divided into four levels. Higher education is part of the tertiary level of the education system.

At the tertiary A level there are two types of higher education institutions:

• o The traditional universities, including cantonal universities and federal institutions of technology. Here, education is centered on basic research. These types of higher education institutions are regulated by the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA).
• o The universities of applied sciences Here, education is based on applied research. They are regulated by the Federal Department of Finance (FDF).

In addition there is the field of higher vocational education and training (Tertiary B level).

Types of Institutions:

Currently, Switzerland has 12 recognized traditional universities (10 cantonal universities and 2 federal institutions of technology), 8 universities of applied sciences, 15 universities for teacher education, and further university-level institutions funded by the Swiss Confederation.

In addition to these institutions, there are also a number of private universities and educational institutions in Switzerland.

Types of Degrees:

The Swiss degree structure is in line with the three cycle degree system of the European Higher Education Area.

• o Bachelor's degree
  The Bachelor's degree is the first degree. A bachelor’s program takes 180 ECTS credits or approximately three years of full-time study. A Bachelor's degree is the pre-requisite for admittance to Master's level.
• o Master's degree
  The second degree is the Master's degree. A master’s programme takes 90 or 120 ECTS credits. This equals one year or a year and a half of full-time study. A Master's degree and good grades are the pre-requisite for undertaking a doctorate.
  Furthermore, the universities can confer Master's degrees in further education, the so-called Masters of Advanced Studies, with a minimum of 60 ECTS credits. This degree does not give access to doctoral studies.
• o Doctorate degree
  The third degree is the Doctorate degree.

Intake Period

Like many universities in the U.S., Switzerland’s school year conventionally begins between August and September and will carry on for two periods of 12 weeks at a time.

Language Requirements

IELTS / TOEFL scores required.

The above is exempted if students has completed school and college in English medium and have also scored above 70% in the main exams.

Tuition and Living - All costs in Swiss frans

Tuition fees for universities and colleges in Switzerland vary from institution to institution. The cost of tuition is minimum SFr 1500 to maximum SFr 8500.

Living Costs - On average, a student would require SFr 16,000 to SFr 24,000 depending on the place and standard of living.

Submit your application in person at the Trade Office of Swiss Industries in Taipei. Additional documents may be requested by the TOSI at any time. Processing your application may take between 8 and 12 weeks. A non-refundable charge has to be paid in cash when applying. Visas and permits to study in Switzerland

If you want to come to Switzerland to study at a university or equivalent, first you must find a course and get accepted onto it. You can find links to Swiss universities through CRUS (Rectors Conference of the Swiss Universities). Once you have confirmation that you have a place (a certificate of enrolment), you can apply for a visa (if you need one) to study in Switzerland.Certain nationalities will require a visa to enter Switzerland.

For courses of up to three months – summer courses, language schools – you may need a short-term Schengen C visa; for courses longer than three months, you may need a long-term national D visa.

You cannot come to Switzerland on a three-month tourist visa and change it to a student residence permit after you have arrived in Switzerland. Thus, even if you are exempt from needing an entry visa, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Malaysia or Singapore nationals, you will still need to apply for a residence permit before you arrive if you plan to stay longer than 90 days.

Working in Switzerland while you’re a student

If you are coming to Switzerland to study you may take up part-time work for up to 15 hours a week in term time and full-time during holidays, but only after you have lived in Switzerland for six months.

If you already hold a Master’s degree from a foreign university and you’re in Switzerland working for your Swiss university or institute, you don’t have to wait six months but can start work straightaway. Your employer will need to get a work permit for you. You will need to maintain your full-time student status and show that you are continuing to make progress in your studies.

Foreign graduates in Switzerland

After you’ve completed your course you can obtain a residency permit allowing you to stay for a further six months to look for a full-time, permanent job. During this job search period, you can work for up to 15 hours a week. This permit cannot be extended after six months.

To apply, you’ll need to go to the cantonal migration offices and provide:

• • A certificate or other proof that you have finished your course;
• • Evidence that you can support yourself financially during this time;
• • Proof you have somewhere suitable to live.

Once you find employment, before you can actually start the job, the employer must submit an application to the authorities in the canton where you’ll be working. While foreign graduates from Swiss university-level educational institutions are treated the same as Swiss graduates in terms of entering the job market – that is, the job does not have to be offered to Swiss or EU candidates first – the employer will still have to prove that the job (or you) is of particular economic or scientific importance before you will be issued with a Swiss work permit.

Postgraduate studies

If you want to continue your studies as a postgraduate at a Swiss university, you can apply for a residence permit to stay but you must already have an offer of a place. It is the employer who submits the application on your behalf. The maximum residence period is two years.

Family members of students coming to Switzerland

Your family members cannot come with you or join you while you are a student in Switzerland. This is because students are issued with a temporary residence permit (eg. permit B) and only foreigners holding a settlement permit C can bring their families to join them.

10. Professor - Electrical Engineering - 250,000 CHF (£200,272)

Education: Professors at universities should typically have at least an MSc in Electrical Engineering. But a PhD is usually preferred for career advancement depending on your level of experience and the school in question.

9. Risk Analyst – 250,000 CHF (£200,272.71)

Education: Employers prefer graduates with a BSc in risk management or an MSc in financial-related risk management or financial markets. Those without a degree need to have proven experience in finance or insurance along with professional qualifications.

8. Compensation Manager – 270,000 CHF (£216,292)

Education: A BSc or BA in business, human resources, accounting or a related field is highly recommended. Also, 5+ years of experience in compensation, accounting, human resources or a relevant field is required.

7. Government Affairs Director – 280,000 CHF (£224,303)

Education: At least a bachelor’s degree in law, government affairs or in a similar area is required. Also, extensive experience (10+ years) in a government affairs and/or administration position with thorough understanding of the legislative and regulatory framework is a plus.

6. Program Manager – 285,000 CHF (£228,310)

Education: A qualification in project management or equivalent is a must.

5. Director of Application Development – 300,000 CHF (£240,327)

Education: A Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, industrial engineering, operations management or finance along with 10+ years’ management experience in an IT position, are highly recommended.

4. Automotive Assembly Manager – 324,000 CHF (£259,540)

Education: For this role, a Bachelor’s degree in a technical or business field of study is preferred or extensive manufacturing management/supervisory experience in a high-volume, dynamic environment.

3. Corporate Director – 350,000 CHF (£280,368)

Education: This position requires you to possess an MBA or Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credentials. Also, a minimum of 5 years of experience working in a role related to corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions.

2. Chief Executive Officer – 373,333 CHF (£299,059)

Education: A CEO should have at least a Bachelor’s degree in Business, and an MBA. This position requires candidates to have a minimum of 5 years of experience in a senior management position.

1. Chief Investment Officer – 400,000 CHF (£320,434)

Education: People in this position usually have a background in Business or Investment Management, while an MBA would definitely be a plus.