Colegios y guarderías en Suiza

Inscribir a los niños en el colegio o la guardería es una de las prioridades de las familias expatriadas. El sistema educativo suizo varía según los cantones e idiomas, y los colegios internacionales ofrecen programas en inglés. Ya sea que optes por el sistema público o privado, te acompañamos en todas las etapas del proceso de inscripción.

The Swiss education system: an overview

The Swiss education system is recognized for its excellence and is distinguished by its federalist structure: each canton has its own educational legislation. Compulsory school (Harmos) lasts 11 years, from ages 4 to 15, and includes 2 years of nursery school (kindergarten), 6 years of primary school and 3 years of secondary school I.

The language of instruction in public schools corresponds to the official language of the region (French, German, Italian or Romansh). Expatriates also have access to a dense network of international and private schools, offering English, French or bilingual programs.

Public schools vs international schools

The choice between public school and international school is a major decision for expatriate families. Public school offers rapid integration into the local culture and is free, while international schools provide educational continuity for children who change countries.

Switzerland has more than 260 private and international schools, concentrated mainly in the cantons of Vaud, Geneva and Zurich. The most common programs are the International Baccalaureate (IB), the British program (IGCSE/A-Levels) and the French program (Baccalauréat).

Nurseries and childcare facilities

Early childhood care in Switzerland is based on a mixed system of public (subsidized) and private daycare centers. Daycare places are rare and waiting lists can reach 6 to 12 months in large cities. It is strongly recommended that you register your child as early as possible, ideally before your arrival.

Prices for subsidized crèches depend on the parents' income and vary from CHF 20 to CHF 140 per day. Private daycare centers charge fixed prices, generally between CHF 100 and CHF 160 per day and per child.

School enrollment procedure

For public schools, registration is done automatically via Resident Control during your municipal registration. You will receive a letter from your local school administration indicating the school assigned to your child. In certain cantons, a language integration course is offered to allophone children.

For international schools, it is recommended to start the process 3 to 6 months before the desired start of the school year. Admission procedures generally include an application file, translated school reports, an English level assessment and sometimes an interview.

• • School report cards from the last 2 years (translated into English or French)
• • Birth certificate of the child (apostilled)
• • Up-to-date vaccination record (required for daycare)
• • Recent ID photo
• • Registration fees: CHF 500 – 2,000 for international schools (non-refundable)

Our support for your children's education

We help expatriate families find the educational solution best suited to their situation. Our knowledge of educational establishments, admission procedures and selection criteria allows us to guide you effectively and maximize your children's chances of admission.

We manage registrations, organize school visits and support you in putting together application files. For nurseries, we identify available places and carry out pre-registrations with several structures simultaneously.

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