If you have been searching for the best business schools in Switzerland, then you can start your journey from the schools on our list.
Switzerland has one of the best educational systems and also one of the top systems, not just in Europe but in the world. Just like the healthcare system in the country, the educational system is also decentralized in Switzerland.
The standards of education there are set by each canton. The few differences that might be noticed are dependent on whether the canton is predominantly German, Italian, or French.
This is also the reason that if you switch from one canton to another as a student, some adjustments would be required from you.
If you are considering schooling in Switzerland, you should note that the schools there can vary widely.
They can vary from their school calendar to educational structure to teaching methods and even their curriculum.
The good news is that no matter where you choose a school in Switzerland, the quality of education is high there.
Reasons Switzerland Stands out as a top Study Location in Europe,
Now, if you are considering schooling in Switzerland and you are looking to get a degree in business or management of a related discipline, then you are in luck.
This is because Switzerland is home to some of the world’s best business schools. In addition to that, the country also offers a high quality of life.
There are several reasons Switzerland stands out as one of the top study locations in Europe, but let us look at three main reasons:
Top-ranked Education:
Most of the best business schools and universities in Europe are located in the country.
High-paying Career Opportunities:
Switzerland has stood as one of the world’s major financial and banking hubs. Due to this, finding entry-level positions for graduates with a business degree would be much easier than in most other European countries. They also promise handsome pay from the get-go.
The Quality Of Life:
Switzerland has cities that have long been considered to have an incredible quality of life. The high quality of life goes beyond just earning high salaries and a wonderful educational system.
The country also provides some of the world’s best healthcare systems, a balance in work and life, social connections, housing, environmental quality, and personal security.
To this end, we will be looking at some of the best business schools in Switzerland in this article. Keep reading to find out some of them.
Application Process in Switzerland
If you are a student applying for a university in Switzerland, the application process is quite simple.
I have put together a list of the necessary steps you would need to follow to apply for the university and degree program you want.
Choose The Program/School You Want:
Switzerland is a technologically advanced society, and this makes the country a popular study destination for several disciplines, including business-related disciplines.
The country offers top-quality degrees in finance and accounting, banking, and business administration.
You have to take into consideration the reasons you want to study business in Switzerland and then choose the school you want to study in.
Check The Admission Criteria Of The School/Program:
There might be specific admission requirements from the school or even the program you choose that you have to pay attention to when you are preparing to start the application process for the school of your choice.
Sometimes, the requirements might depend on the objective, your nationality, and the academic level of your studies.
To be on the safe side, you can make a detailed plan, visit a Swiss Embassy or Consulate and get additional information.
Also, you can check the university’s website for more information and contact the student support services for any queries.
Prepare The Necessary Documents:
Switzerland is a multilingual country. This affects you because you might need to translate your documents into either French, Italian, or German.
This depends on the location of the university of your choice.
The Swiss Embassy at your location should be able to assist you during the application process by offering translation services.
The documents needed for applying to a university in Switzerland would depend on the canton the University is located in.
But some of the common documents that would be required are:
- A filled and signed application form.
- A valid passport and passport-size photographs.
- High school diploma or previous academic transcripts and diplomas, if applicable.
- Language proficiency certificates in English, Italian, French, or German.
- Curriculum vitae.
- Motivation letter explaining the reasons you chose to study in Switzerland.
- Evidence of paying the application fee.
Submit Your Application:
After you must have gathered, filled, signed, and translated the needed documents, it’s time to submit your application.
The admission system for applying to Swiss universities is not one size fits all. Once you have decided on the university and program, explore the website of the university to ascertain that you fulfill all the academic requirements for admission.
After that, you apply directly to the university via their application portal. If it is a private university, contact them directly, because they might have their own admission rules.
Apply For A Visa/Residence Permit:
This is where the congratulations start pouring in.
After you receive your letter of admission, you should apply for a visa/residence permit as soon as possible, because the procedure might take time for long-term visas.
Some people might even start applying for a visa sooner.
You can also contact the nearest Swiss Embassy or Consulate for more information about the visa procedure.
6. Go To Switzerland:
At this point, a special study experience is about to begin for you.
After you have gained admission and obtained your student visa, there is nothing left to do but to start looking for a student home.
You can search online or contact the school directly for help. Then prepare your suitcase and book a flight for Switzerland. Bon, voyage!
Requirements to Study Business in Switzerland
Apart from the requirements, you also have to first confirm from the school’s website if you are eligible to apply to the university.
The eligibility criteria may differ from institution to institution, so be sure to check.
If you are eligible to apply, the next step is to check the documents that are required for the application process.
This is where I come in. In the same way, the eligibility criteria differ from university to university, specific requirements are needed by each university for the process. We will look at some common requirements asked by universities:
- The completed and signed application form.
- Proof of English language proficiency. Either the IELTS test or the TOEFL test is required to prove your proficiency in the English language. Some business schools may either ask for GMAT or GRE scores.
- A photocopy of a valid passport.
- Official High School transcripts and diploma.
- Two letters of recommendation.
- Motivation letter.
- Curriculum Vitae (CV).
- Passport-size photographs.
- Proof of English proficiency.
- Evidence of sufficient financial means and/or sponsor letter.
- The completed and signed Offer Letter, upon acceptance.
The List of Best Business Schools in Switzerland
Switzerland is home to some of the best business schools in the world. Below is a list of a few of the best business schools in Switzerland; that includes the best undergraduate business schools in Switzerland and business schools for graduate students.
International Institute for Management Development (IMD):
IMD is a business school located in Lausanne, Switzerland. The school specializes in executive education and offers open enrollment programs for senior executives.
For IMD business school ranking, IMD’s MBA program is consistently ranked among the best in the world. The degree programs have triple accreditation by AACSB, AMBA, and EFMD(EQUIS).
Being one of the best business schools in Europe, this business school is top-ranked and it is an expert in developing leaders, transforming organizations, and creating immediate and long-term positive impact.
For details about the tuition fee in the school, click here.
The University of St. Gallen (HSG):
HSG is a public research university located that was established in 1898. The school specializes in business administration, economics, law, and international affairs. It is ranked among the top business universities in the world.
HSG is known to have the largest faculty for business administration in Switzerland. It is a member of the CEMS and APSIA and has a triple crown from EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA.
The university is an international place that widens the horizons of students and fosters relations with a wide variety of countries with students from more than 80 nations.
The details of HSG’s tuition fee can be accessed here.
Business School Lausanne (BSL):
BSL is a private business school and is part of the Lemania Group of Swiss Private Schools.
The school was founded in 1987, and they specialize in providing business and management education with an emphasis on sustainability, responsible leadership, and entrepreneurship.
The business school offers private degree programs in undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. BSL tries to provide a learning platform for a new generation of leaders and entrepreneurs.
The school offers real and practical learning to students from over 60 countries in small, personalized classes.
The school is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
The tuition fee for the school can be seen here.
The University of Zurich (UZH):
UZH is a public research university located in the city of Zürich, Switzerland. The school is known as the largest university in Switzerland and was founded in 1833.
The university offers the widest range of subjects and courses of any Swiss higher education institution.
The school has seven faculties covering some 100 different subject areas, including a department of Business Administration.
The University offers a wide variety of Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. programs.
Click here to view the tuition fee details.
The International University in Geneva (IUG):
IUG was founded in 1997, it is a private business school and the school offers graduate programs in Business Administration, Business Analytics, International Management, Digital Media, International Trade & Finance, International Relations, and Diplomacy and Digital Marketing Communication.
The graduate program courses combine both theoretical and practical approaches to educate students.
The school offers individual and group exercises that require in-depth academic research, critical analysis, and professional delivery of results.
Take a look at the details of the tuition fee here.
The International Institute of Management in Technology (IIMT):
IIMT is a leading educational institute in Switzerland for its competence in offering excellent training programs and cutting-edge research since 1995.
The institution is part of the University of Fribourg. They prepare future managers and entrepreneurs to lead global business organizations.
Their vision is to develop students who will be future game-changers and have an impact on society.
Graduates who can face technology-driven challenges and provide solutions for emerging issues in a global business environment.
The institution tries to pool people, cultures, ideas, services, and technologies to add value to society.
Details of IIMT’s tuition fees can be viewed here.
The Basel School of Business (BSB):
BSB is a private business school that is located in Basel, Switzerland.
It is the only business school in the Basel region that offers bachelor’s degrees as well as MBAs and EMBAs in English.
The school offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration on-campus degree, a Bachelor of Business Administration (Top-Up) degree completion program, a flexible Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, and a cohort-based management Executive Master of Business Administration degree.
The Bachelor of Business Administration (Top-Up) program allows students who have an accredited higher national diploma to earn a bachelor’s degree by completing a 27-credit upper-level undergraduate sequence of courses.
This program can be taken online or on-campus, full-time or part-time.
Tuition fees can be seen here.
The Taylor Institute – Franklin University Switzerland:
The Taylor Institute at Franklin University Switzerland develops and manages Executive, Research, and Graduate programs related to business and management.
The Institute brings together a learning ecosystem made of multi-stakeholders.
The institute aims to prepare students who are critical thinkers, culturally literate, ethically aware, intellectually courageous, and business savvy.
The institution envisions leaders that become responsible, compassionate, and collaborative in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.
View the details of the school’s tuition fees here.
IMI International Management Institute:
This educational institution is among the best business schools in Switzerland.
It is a private school that offers programs from foundation level to Master of Science.
It offers students the opportunity to undertake paid, practical internships as part of their program either in Switzerland or internationally.
The institution aims to offer students a highly personalized educational experience. The school has over 25 years of experience offering Swiss hospitality education.
The school was founded in 1991. They offer all programs in the English Language, but you still have the option to learn French or German as a second language.
The school offers a combination of quality academic teaching, Swiss practical training, excellent industry contacts, and breathtaking scenery.
Take a look at the tuition fee details right here.
The Rushford Business School:
This business school is certified by Swiss quality label eduQua and is a member of ACBSP and IACBE, among others.
The Rushford Business School is the official name of the Business School of James Lind Institute.
This institution offers higher degree programs and online master’s degree programs in Business and Management.
The school offers higher degree programs in Business and Management. They also have 100% online programs that are well suited for students from all over the world.
The details of the Tuition fee are here.
Is Switzerland Good For Business Studies?
Switzerland can comfortably be said to be one of the best countries to pursue a business degree in.
You can find some of the world’s best business schools in Switzerland. The country is sometimes regarded as one of the leading places when it comes to hospitality education.
This means you just might find business schools that provide special management programs specifically designed for this field.
Whether you are looking to specialize in a particular field or you are looking to pursue a standalone program, the schools in Switzerland offer several programs in many subjects including:
- Business Administration & Management.
- International Business.
- Finance.
- Business Analytics.
- Entrepreneurship.
- Supply Chain Management & Logistics
How To Pick The Right Business School In Switzerland?
Picking the perfect business school for you is indeed a difficult task. Also, it is normal for you to sometimes be overwhelmed by the number of choices available.
The good news is that many factors can be used to gauge the quality of a business school in advance. Some of those factors include:
Accreditation:
The first factor you should look at is business schools that are accredited through third-party accreditation organizations.
This can help narrow your choices down.
The duties of these organizations are to evaluate some of the essential factors of business schools, like the teaching quality in the school, before they can give the school a seal of approval.
The most reputable of these accreditations are those awarded by AACSB, AMBA, AND Equis.
If a school obtains all three of these accreditations, they are known to achieve the “triple crown.”
There are other reputable accreditation authorities, some of them are ACSBP, IACBE, and in Switzerland specifically, the eduQua.
Partner Universities:
Some business schools award their degrees through partner universities.
The private institutions in Switzerland often collaborate with some of the most prestigious and high-ranking British universities.
In cases like these, the value of the degree you obtain is reinforced by the reputation of the school’s academic partners.
Study-abroad Options:
Multi-campus institutions such as EU Business School sometimes provide the opportunities to study abroad for one or more semesters.
As a student in business, if you study at an additional university for a time frame in the course of your program, it can demonstrate to employers that the student can integrate and adapt to different cultures.
Partner Companies:
Many educational institutions look for partnerships with companies that are well-established.
This means if a company partners with an educational institution, this implies quality on the part of the institution.
No company would want to be associated with a questionable school.
These partnerships can make it easier for students to land internships or even graduate jobs after they must have completed their business degree at an educational institution in Switzerland.
Can I Work While Attending Business School In Switzerland?
Yes, you can. It is possible to work while you attend a business school in Switzerland.
International students can work up to 15 hours per week while they are studying and have zero time limit when they are on semester breaks.
Although, students from third-world countries can only start working while schooling after spending six months in the country.
Also, their employers must submit a request to help the student get a work permit.
Most universities also allow students to find part-time jobs on the side, either at the university or through partner companies.