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Swiss matriculation certificate

Those wishing to enrol at a Swiss university must produce a state-recognized Swiss matriculation certificate ("Maturity") or a foreign school-leaving certificate of equivalent value. All Swiss university-level institutions are autonomous in the recognition of foreign secondary school-leaving certificates, yet they apply the same, coordinated criteria.

In Switzerland, upper secondary schooling takes place in the grammar schools, which require a two to four years' preparatory schooling at the secondary level. The actual grammar school courses last some four years, bringing the leaving-age of their pupils up to about 19. At present, about 20 % of the corresponding age-group of the 19 year old population obtain a maturity diploma.

The Swiss "maturity"-diplomas are officially recognized both by the Confederation and the cantons, thus setting a comparable standard for the access to universities. This explains why, so far, there has been no need for additional entrance examinations to the universities.

The Swiss Maturity Regulations were revised in 1995 and lie henceforth in the formally shared competence of both Confederation and cantons. They abolish the previous system of five predetermined "types" in favour of a more supple range of subjects. This allows for a greater flexibility for pupils, teachers, and schools in that there will be a greater choice of subjects (including also psychology, pedagogy, philosophy, besides the traditional range of languages, history, mathematics, science etc.) and an increased emphasis on the fields of economy and law, as well as a greater influence of Italian as a third foreign (national) language. In addition to the exams in nine subjects the pupils have to write a comprehensive interdisciplinary paper ("maturity thesis", similar to that required by the International Baccalaureat) before the final maturity exams. The first modernized maturity diplomas have been delivered in 1999. Thus, the Swiss system is being brought up to date and made comparable to other European forms of leaving-certificates.

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