Top 6 GCSE schools in Switzerland

Swiss schools with GCSEs, like many other educational institutions, are divided into different types: single-sex and coeducational, day and boarding, state and private. Among foreign applicants, private boarding schools with mixed education are popular.

• SiBS Swiss International Boarding School teaches you to challenge yourself every day by teaching students sports to improve the physical quality of their lives. In addition, employees raise students' self-esteem through real achievements and support for consistent standards of behavior. Attention — on academic excellence, commitment to multiculturalism and lifelong learning, in order to prepare students for future success.
• College Du Leman educates students from more than one hundred nationalities! The college accepts foreign students into a variety of secondary education programs and organizes short-term language camps during the summer months. The school occupies 8 hectares of picturesque territory, which includes a football field, 4 basketball courts, 4 tennis courts and a swimming pool, and the educational buildings house 9 science laboratories, a library, 4 phonetics rooms, 4 computer centers and 104 classrooms. The residential fund is represented by 12 comfortable residences and a multifunctional complex where students can engage in sports, creativity and other activities outside of their main academic schedule.

Examples of the best Swiss schools with a GCSE program:

1. College Du Leman,
2. Leysin American School,
3. SiBS — Swiss International Boarding School,
4. Institut Monte Rosa,
5. HIF Swiss International School and Sports Academy.

Studying and living in private GCSE boarding schools in Switzerland costs an average of 65,000CHF to 120,000CHF per year.

The administration and regulation of the school system in Switzerland are carried out by the cantons, while the general framework is established by the central government. Each canton establishes its own school calendar and criteria for educational approaches, and the entire system is supervised by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).

In most cases, the length of the academic year in Switzerland is 10 months, lasting from September to June. The academic period is divided into three trimesters, so students go on vacation from mid-December to mid-January, and then for two weeks in April.

The GCSE schedule necessarily includes special time for sports activities, various types of creativity and active leisure. At the end of training, to obtain a GCSE certificate, students take exams in several subjects (from six to eight). Grades A, B, C are considered successful results (equivalent to the Russian system 5, 4, 3 respectively), with the highest grade being A*. All grades below C are considered a failure.

• In addition to quality academic knowledge and skills, an important advantage for students on the GCSE program is a certificate recognized worldwide.
• Switzerland regularly ranks at the top of rankings as the best place to study abroad in Europe. In individual school ratings, Swiss schools with the GCSE program are famous for their high positions: such ratings are based on factors such as career achievements, personal development and access to better teaching.
• Studying in private schools in Switzerland simplifies the admission process to universities worldwide. Switzerland has an excellent education system, so a certificate from one of its schools opens many doors for graduates for further education at the world's best universities and building a successful career anywhere in the world. In addition, completing school in Switzerland often exempts students from taking pre-university programs.

To apply, a foreign school student needs to have a good level of English and knowledge in basic subjects determined by the school and its specific teaching program. To confirm their knowledge level, students are offered to take entrance exams; each school determines the specific entrance tests and their number independently.

In addition to passing the exam part, students need to provide the following documents:

• language certificate,
• grades for the previous two-three years of study,
• medical certificate,
• recommendation letter from a former teacher,
• birth certificate,
• confirmation of residence permit in the country or student visa.