School curriculum in Switzerland
Experience the intersection of three European cultures by living with a host family and attending a local school in Switzerland
Starting date: August 2027
Yearly Program
Spots available
Spots available
With four official languages (German, French, Italian, and Romansh), Switzerland is an ideal location for international education. The country's motto is: "Unity, yes; uniformity, no."
A year in Switzerland will give you the opportunity to experience diversity in a peaceful and collaborative environment. Living with a host family and studying at a local high school, you will be fully immersed in the life of a teenager in the country.
Admission requirements
Participants must be between 15.5 and 18 years old on the day of departure.
The AFS program
You'll be leaving for a year, a semester, or even a trimester. You'll attend high school in the community where you'll be living. You'll have the opportunity to be hosted by a family carefully selected by AFS so you can enjoy an immersive stay that will leave you with unforgettable memories.
AFS offers training, orientation, and activities before, during, and after your stay. You'll meet young people from all over the world.
The school system
Each region of Switzerland has its own school calendar, but school usually begins in mid-August or early September and ends in late June or mid-July. Holidays are divided as follows: approximately six weeks in the summer, one or two in October, two for Christmas, one or two in February, and one or two in April or May.
The school week begins on Monday and ends on Friday, with classes held from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., but students usually have one afternoon off during the week. Classes last approximately 45 minutes with breaks of 5 to 15 minutes between them, and the lunch break lasts two hours.
What’s included in your experience
Learning paths that evolve with the world
AFS helps people of all ages and backgrounds develop the knowledge, skills, and understanding needed to connect with diverse people, succeed in a global environment, and contribute to a positive impact on the world.
