Study in Switzerland Consultant

 Working while studying in Switzerland

 You can work up to 15 hours per week during term time as a foreign student in Switzerland. During holidays, you can work full-time. However, you will have to inform your cantonal immigration office about your work.

 Students from outside the EU/EFTA can only take up employment in Switzerland after living there for six months. Additionally, your employer will need to get a work permit for you.

 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 straight away.

 You can find out more in our guides to Swiss work visas, finding a job in Switzerland, and Swiss CV and job application techniques.

 Family members joining on a Switzerland student visa

 Although EU/EFTA students can bring spouses/registered partners and dependent children with them to Switzerland, those from outside the EU/EFTA on a student visa cannot bring any family.

 Family reunites, Switzerland student visa

 This is because the Switzerland student visa only entitles you to a temporary B residence permit. If you are granted the right to stay after your studies and obtain a C settlement permit, certain family members can join you.

 Cantonal migration offices can grant discretionary Swiss family visas in certain instances. Contact your local office for information. Standard exceptions are for those holding Confederation grants, doctoral students, visiting professors, post-docs, and other academics.

 Our Guide to Swiss family visas explains all you need to know

 After your study finishes and your Switzerland student visa expires

 After you’ve completed your studies in Switzerland you can extend your temporary 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 your cantonal migration office and provide:

 A certificate or other proof that you have finished your course

 Evidence that you can support yourself financially during this time

 If you find a job in Switzerland, your employer must submit an application to the cantonal authority 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.

 If you want to continue your studies as a postgraduate at a Swiss university, you can apply to extend your residence permit but you must already have an offer of a place. The maximum extension period is two years.

 Appeals and complaints about student visas in Switzerland

Study in Switzerland Consultant

 You can appeal any decisions to refuse you a student visa within 30 days of the refusal. Contact the Swiss embassy or consulate in your home country and explain why you are unhappy with the decision.

 If you are still not satisfied, you can contact the SEM, the Swiss authorities who deal with Swiss visas and permits. You will need to pay an advance on costs of CHF 200.

 If SEM rejects your appeal, your final avenue is the Federal Administrative Court. You should file your appeal within 30 days. Send your appeal along with any supporting evidence to:

 Step 1: Choose a university and a programme

 Browse through the official database on www.studyprogrammes.ch. Choose the type of university, the language of instruction, the level and the field of study.

 Step 2: Check the admission requirements

 Switzerland does not have a centralised admission procedure. With this said each university is autonomous and sets its own admissions criteria. For specific information, you must therefore contact the admissions office of the university of your choice directly.

 Switzerland does not have a centralised admission procedure. With this said each university is autonomous and sets its own admissions criteria. For specific information, you must therefore contact the admissions office of the university of your choice directly.

 Here is some general information on admission to universities:

 Admission to a bachelor programme: the main requirement is an upper secondary school-leaving certificate considered to be equivalent to the Swiss Matura/Maturité/Maturità. Go to Admission to universities to check whether your certificate is accepted. Please note that additional requirements must be met and that admission to undergraduate programmes in the field of medicine is extremely restricted.

 Admission to a master’s programme: the main requirement is a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in a specific field of study.

 Admission to a doctoral programme: the main requirement is a master’s degree from an accredited university in a relevant field of study.

 Language requirements: good knowledge of the language of instruction is the prerequisite for successful studies indeed. Check Step 3 below or the university profiles for more information on the language of instruction of the different universities.

 Step 3: Contact the university

 The university of your choice will provide specific information on application deadlines, required documents, admission procedures and enrolment.

 The Swiss universities are listed according to university type here.

 The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) has an information page regarding entry into Switzerland and residence, including visa requirements. Other than that it has a helpline attainable by phone, fax or e-mail (Switzerland Entry Residence)