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Frequently asked
The questions people actually ask us
We have collected the answers from hundreds of consultations, the uncomfortable ones included. If your question is not here, ask us directly.
Admission, fees and financing
How do I apply?
The usual route starts with a conversation. You book an appointment, we look together at where you stand and which programme fits, and only then comes the school contract. If you prefer to call: 044 310 10 67.
How late can I apply?
Applications are open until the official start of the school year. In individual cases we accept late applications too. Apply early and you get access to the e-learning platform earlier.
How is the contract concluded?
Every contract is preceded by an assessment of where you stand. We look at German, English and a second national language (French or Italian) as well as basic mathematics. That includes the honest question of whether your resilience and staying power are enough for the pace.
I am not sure whether this is realistic for me. Who can I turn to?
That is exactly what the consultation is for. It costs nothing, takes about 30 minutes and you leave with a clear assessment. Including when that assessment is that a different route suits you better.
How can I finance the fees?
Every programme can be paid in instalments: payment in advance, two instalments, 12 instalments or 24 instalments. Paying by instalments increases the total amount and requires a credit check. The Canton of Zurich also awards scholarships and student loans, and you will find the guide to them under Downloads.
Are there costs beyond the school fees?
Yes. The federal examination fees are invoiced individually, for the vocational baccalaureate CHF 500.-. Additional study material of around CHF 900.- is optional and individual.
Can I work while studying?
On a full-time programme we advise against it. The part-time programmes are built so that a workload of up to 80% remains possible. For self-study we recommend a maximum of 60 to 80%.
Are there price differences between the Matura options?
Full-time in one year and part-time cost the same. The two-year Matura costs more because it contains more teaching.
Matura
Is the Matura in one year really doable?
For some yes, for others no. Some people on the programme finished lower secondary school ten years ago, others we advise to take the preparatory course first. Which applies to you we tell you in the consultation, before any contract is on the table.
Who sets and marks the examination?
The federal government, not us. The Swiss federal Matura examination is run by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation. That is why the qualification is worth the same everywhere, no matter where you prepared for it.
Can I start as a minor?
Yes, from the age of 16. In the year of the final examination you must turn 18, that is a federal requirement.
How many hours a week should I expect?
Full-time means a full-time occupation, lessons plus follow-up work. Part-time, alongside an 80% workload, realistically means evenings and weekends. The exact number depends on your prior knowledge, and that is precisely what we look at in the consultation.
Vocational baccalaureate (BMS)
The BMS leads to a university of applied sciences. The examination is the federal vocational baccalaureate examination (EBMP) in Bern.
Do I have to sit an entrance examination?
No. But you do need a completed Swiss Federal VET Diploma (EFZ), otherwise the federal government will not admit you to the examination.
Which orientations do you offer?
Business and Services as well as Health and Social Work, each on site or by distance learning. Engineering, Architecture and Life Sciences has been available only as self-study since the 2025/26 school year.
Can I choose the orientation freely, regardless of my EFZ?
Yes. Unlike BM1, with BM2 you are free to choose. It makes sense to align the orientation with your later studies, not with the apprenticeship you have completed.
How long does the BMS take?
Two semesters full-time, a maximum of four semesters by self-study.
Does the vocational baccalaureate get me into university?
Not directly. You have admission without examination to every university of applied sciences in Switzerland. For a university you then add the Passerelle, which is two further semesters.
Where does the examination take place?
In Bern, at the federal authority. The examination sessions are published on the SERI website by 1 December of the preceding year at the latest. We prepare you, the examining happens elsewhere.
Can I have language diplomas credited?
Yes. From a certified B1 level you can be exempted from the written part, the oral part still takes place. Exception: for the business orientation, English and French require B2.
What is the IDPA?
The interdisciplinary project work, an independently produced piece of work and part of the EBMP. Without it there is no vocational baccalaureate certificate. SERI sets the topic for each orientation, it cannot be chosen freely.
Do I get support with the IDPA?
Yes. Together with the subject teacher you draw up a plan for your approach and structure.
By when must the IDPA be submitted?
The topic is announced on 1 November, submission in Bern is due by 1 May.
What workload lets me manage the BMS through self-study?
We recommend no more than 60 to 80%. It depends on prior knowledge, language certificates and your own schedule.
Passerelle
Who is admitted to the Passerelle?
Anyone holding a vocational or specialised baccalaureate certificate. Nothing more is needed, there is no additional entrance examination with us.
What exactly is the Passerelle?
The federal supplementary examination. It tests five subjects (German, English, mathematics, natural sciences and humanities) and then opens every Swiss university and the ETH.
How long does it take?
Two semesters full-time, correspondingly longer by self-study.
Does the free repeat year apply to the Passerelle?
No. Since the 2022/23 school year the Passerelle has been excluded. It is stated here so that you know before you sign, not after.
Video lessons and e-learning
How long do I have access to the recordings?
Until the end of your contract. Lessons are recorded, and there are worked solutions and short explanatory videos across the whole range of subjects.
How do I log in?
You receive an email asking you to set a password. After that the platform is open to you.
I have not received my login details.
Usually the email is in the spam folder. If not, write to it.support@academic-gateway.ch.
Is access extended if I do not pass the examination?
There is no free extension. There is, however, a paid extension option, just ask us about it.
Free repeat year
This is the section you should read before signing. The conditions are strict and they all apply at the same time.
What exactly does the free repeat year mean?
You take the failed programme again in full, including all additional services. With no further school fees.
Which conditions do I have to meet?
Four points, and they apply cumulatively. First: you did not pass the SERI examination. Second: your physical attendance across the whole programme is at least 95%, sick days included. Third: you completed 100% of the graded assessments and attended the feedback meeting. Fourth: in the feedback meeting you were expressly recommended to sit the examination, or at least did not sit it against explicit advice.
Which programmes does it apply to?
One-year full-time Matura, part-time Matura and two-year full-time Matura (there only the final school year).
Which programmes does it not apply to?
Since the 2022/23 school year it does not apply to BMS full-time, BMS part-time, Passerelle full-time, Passerelle part-time or self-study. We would rather say this clearly here than have you discover it later in the contract.
What if I switch programmes?
If you switch programmes, the entitlement lapses.
The school
How many classes and students does the school have?
In the 2024/25 school year there were 11 classes with more than 200 students, on site and online.
How large are the classes?
That depends on the format. In the lecture there are up to 72 people in the room, just as at a university. The practice lessons that follow take place in small groups, where you work through problems, ask questions and get corrections. Anyone looking for «small classes» should know this difference before signing.
Are the mock examination weeks compulsory?
No, taking part is voluntary. They comprise two full mock examinations including marking, feedback and review. For the vocational baccalaureate there is a mock phase for the EBMP.
Who teaches at your school?
22 teachers, most of them holding a teaching diploma for baccalaureate schools and most with experience of teaching at university. They teach themselves, there is no layer of assistants in between.
Is Academic Gateway certified?
Yes, the school is eduQua-certified. The certificate and the audit reports are available under Downloads and documents.
We will tell you in the consultation whether this is realistic for you.
Even if your school years were a long time ago. In the consultation we look together at where you stand, which route is realistic and what it costs. Free, no obligation, with the school management.
Book a free consultationAround 30 minutes · no obligation · you leave with a clear assessment