Compulsory education
You're allowed to and you have to go!
Compulsory schooling consists of primary school and secondary school, level 1.
Duration
Compulsory schooling lasts nine years in Switzerland. Pupils between the ages of six and fifteen must attend school. Most cantons also offer a tenth school year. The nine compulsory school years consist of primary school and secondary school, level 1. The duration of primary school varies according to cantonal rules: in most cantons, it is six years but in some it is five or four. Correspondingly, secondary school, level 1 usually lasts three years but in some cantons it lasts four or five years. The school year, which lasts between 37 and 40 school weeks, begins in August in all cantons; there is no teaching in the remainder of the year.
Costs
This schooling is compulsory for all children and is free of charge - it is financed by the canton and the local community. For this reason, no grants are awarded. The curriculum is decided on by the individual cantons and the local community must provide this education. Particular effort is put into integrating foreign pupils into the Swiss education system so that they can join the mainstream classes as soon as possible.
