In Switzerland, there is no central authority that decides on the recognition of foreign educational qualifications for admission to studies. The admissions offices of the individual Swiss universities decide independently and on a case-by-case basis under what conditions the holder of a foreign diploma must meet to be admitted to a degree programme. Foreign applicants must therefore apply directly to the university of their choice.

Universities of applied sciences UAS

Admission to universities of applied sciences depends largely on the applicant's educational background and language skills. As a rule, admissions are made "sur dossier". To do this, admissions committees check and grade the education and language certificates. The admission decision is then communicated in writing, possibly with additional conditions.

Federal law does not regulate admission with foreign educational credentials. The Lisbon Convention IV serves as the foundation for an equivalency check with Swiss admission certificates for admission purposes.

Guidance for the equivalency check is provided by the country list with university admission requirements for foreign upper secondary school-leaving certificates and Swiss Universities' 2021 recommendations for the assessment of foreign upper secondary school-leaving certificates, which are effective from the 2023/2024 academic year.

Further information: swissuniversities.ch swissuniversities.ch.

Universities of Teacher Education

Admission to universities of teacher education depends largely on the applicant's educational background and language skills. A prerequisite is a command of the language of instruction, i.e. the language in which the future teacher will be teaching.

For admission to a Bachelor's degree programme at a PH or another higher education institution for teacher training, the conditions of the relevant higher education institution apply in addition to the Federal Act on Funding and Coordination of the Swiss Higher Education Sector HEdA and the Diploma Recognition Regulations of the EDK, the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education. These may impose additional requirements, such as aptitude tests, mastery of the language of instruction, supplementary examination of the universities of teacher education and or supplementary examination ECUS.

Foreign students wishing to enrol at a Swiss university of teacher education are advised to contact their chosen institution directly, if possible, a year before the planned start of their studies.

List of the accredited Swiss Higher Education Institutions: swissuniversities.ch.

Universities

Admission to universities is essentially dependent on the following requirements: sufficient prior education and language skills, as well as sufficient free places in the relevant degree programme.
Further information on admission requirements by country: swissuniversities.ch.

• Admission may be made dependent on passing an entrance examination, in the event of insufficient prior education.
• A foreign degree is generally not recognised if it is not issued by a university listed in the "World Higher Education Database", whed.net.
• Available study place capacities on medical degree programmes in Switzerland are exceeded every year, and strict restrictions apply to foreign applicants. It is therefore generally not possible to admit foreign nationals living abroad to medical degree programmes in Switzerland.
• Prospective foreign students with a recognised foreign educational qualification that is not equivalent to a Swiss Matura level can be registered for the central supplementary examination of the Swiss universities ECUS by the university in question after their application for admission has been reviewed. The universities also organise their own entrance examinations, some of which have different requirements. The universities in French-speaking Switzerland organise French examinations for applicants whose language skills have not been validated. Further information can be obtained directly from the universities.
• The University of St.Gallen only accepts a limited number of foreign applicants. All foreign applicants must take an entrance examination. For holders of a foreign school-leaving certificate recognised by the University of St. Gallen, the examination takes place in St. Gallen. Applicants with only partially recognised certificates take part in the central supplementary examination of the Swiss universities ECUS. Further information: University of St. Gallen, unisg.ch.