Studying in Switzerland: Visas, Permits, Lifestyle and Useful Information
Everything you need to know if you want to send your children to study in Switzerland
The university education you can receive in Switzerland is among the best in the world.
There are currently 12 public universities,including 2 federal polytechnics in Zurich and Lausanne. Then there are 7 public universities of applied sciences and 14 universities of teacher education.
Switzerland also has some of the best and most exclusive private schools in the world, from kindergarten through university level.
The costs associated with university studies in Switzerland, compared with Great Britain, for example, are low. This happens because the sector is largely financed by the state.
There are many parents who decide to send their children to study in Switzerland.
We at La Relocation have accompanied many students in moving to Switzerland, so here is some useful information we have gathered for those preparing for this experience or thinking about it.
The documents and permits needed to study in Switzerland
In order to study in Switzerland you need a declaration of admission from your chosen school. After obtaining this declaration you can apply, depending on your nationality, to the relevant cantonal authorities to apply for a residence permit or to the Swiss representation in your home country to apply for a visa.
Regarding Entry and Stay in Switzerland, a distinction must be made between:
EU/EFTA citizens who must report within 14 days to the competent authority (residents’ control office) of their place of residence and apply for a residence permit.
The following documents are required:
- personal residence application
- valid travel document from the country of origin
- confirmation of university admission (confirmation of matriculation)
- proof that you have the financial means necessary to pursue your studies (e.g., a bank certificate from an authorized bank in Switzerland)
- proof of residence address in one’s place of residence
- 2 passport photos.
For non-EU/EFTA students – they must contact the Swiss embassy on the spot and submit an application for a visa.
The latter will have to accept the application, provided that the conditions for entry into the country and stay for study purposes are met.
If you want to delegate this paperwork to competent people, feel free to contact La Relocation! We are at your disposal!
Lifestyle in Switzerland for students
There are 19,000 international students in Switzerland.
Nestled in the heart of the Alps, which cover as much as 58 percent of the country’s surface area, in Switzerland you can ski six months of the year and enjoy wonderful hikes in warm weather.
An experience such as moving to Switzerland to study can be done by enrolling in a university in the Canton of Ticino, or by participating in an exchange program (such as Erasmus) that allows one to go to Swiss universities in cities in German-speaking Switzerland or French-speaking Switzerland.
When considering moving to Switzerland to study, several factors need to be taken into account in addition to the necessary documents: how to look for housing, the cost of living in Switzerland, including the cost of study, but also the integration of the child into the new city is important.
La Relocation’s relocation packages for students
We are relocation experts, and as such we have come up with useful and convenient solutions tailored for students about to move to Switzerland, which we can summarize in these points:
- Paperwork processing: we support the family in obtaining all necessary documents and permits quickly, thanks to collaboration with local authorities and a deep knowledge of the area.
- Accommodation Finding: alone or sharing, depending on preferences, we will find accommodation close to the University and that meets all the standards the family wants for their child.
- House Cleaning and Tidiness and Laundry Management: one of the worries of students is precisely that they are not used to managing a house and keeping it tidy, so we will take care of it so that they can concentrate on their studies and settle down in their new city more peacefully
- Managing mail, profit and loss account and car: do you think that for your kids in their twenties or so managing mail, profit and loss account and car is a bit much? We will do it, detailing all expenses and actively involving you in management.
- Selection of leisure activities according to age: If your kids are shy, or simply to accelerate integration, we will propose them activities suitable for making new friends and spending free time while also taking care of selecting events, activities , associations or clubs for socialization!
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