Study in Switzerland
Switzerland is known as the mountainous Central European country besides being the home to several picturesque villages, lakes, and of course the high peaks of the Alps. The cities here comprises medieval quarters, having the landmarks including Zytglogge Clock Tower found in the capital Bern and the wooden chapel bridge in Lucerne. Switzerland is an ideal place for its ski resorts and hiking trails.
Why Switzerland
With Switzerland, the international study experience you get is like no other. It has several cantonal universities apart from the top two Institutes of Technology known for their state of art facilities. Besides, the country has several colleges that are spread all across the nation for accommodating the increasing number of local and global students. As of now, more than 50,000 students are present all across the world, which comprises the total 20 percent of Switzerland’s total student population. The Swiss Management programs are world famous apart from the quality hospitality programs offering lucrative job offers.
Visa Requirements for Switzerland
Let's first see which students need a visa and/or a residence permit to study at a Swiss university:
- students from the European Union (EU) don't need a visa if they plan to stay for less than 90 days. To stay longer, they need to contact the competent Cantonal Authority and apply for a residence permit within 14 days after arriving in Switzerland.
- students from EFTA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) follow the same rules as EU students. No visa is required for stays shorter than 3 months, but they need a residence permit for longer periods.
- students from non-EU/EFTA countries need to apply for a visa to enter Switzerland. They can apply at the local Swiss embassy or consulate in their home country. After arriving in Switzerland, they also need to apply for a residence permit.
- Non-EU/EFTA students can apply for 2 types of visas:
- short-term visa (up to 90 days, Schengen visa): if you plan to study a short-course or a language programme. You can submit a short-term visa application online.
- long-term visa (over 90 days, National visa): if you plan to study a full-time degree. You can submit a long-term visa application only in-person, at a local Swiss embassy or consulate in your country.
The residence permit is valid for the entire duration of your studies or for one year. You can renew the permit until you finish the academic studies. Remember to apply for the renewal at least 2 weeks before the expiry date!
If you need a long-term visa, you should schedule an appointment at the Swiss embassy or consulate in your area as soon as you get the acceptance letter from the Swiss university. Schedule the appointment for a visa interview as early as 6 months prior to studying in Switzerland but no later than 10 weeks before your departure.
Unless the application form and all required documents are in French, German or English, you will need a certified translation of all documents in one of these languages.
Processing time:
- Short-stay visas: 10–15 days
- Long-stay visas: at least 8–10 weeks