When should a child be enrolled in a Swiss school after moving in?

In general, you must register with the local municipality within 8–14 days after moving in. If you move during the school year, the child should be enrolled within a few weeks, because most cantons do not allow a longer waiting period.

Which office does the school enrollment process start with?

The process starts at the municipality of residence, at the Einwohnerkontrolle. From there, either further information arrives automatically, or the parent must contact the district school.

What documents are needed for enrollment?

Usually you need the child’s identity document, birth certificate, the parent’s residence permit or Swiss ID card, proof of address registration, and previous school records. In some places, a vaccination record is also requested.

Does the child need a Swiss residence permit to start school?

If the parent has a B or C permit, the Hungarian child also needs their own residence permit. The permit can be arranged in parallel with the move registration, but its absence does not prevent immediate school attendance.

What determines which class a child is placed in?

Age is the main factor, but previous school records, the local language level, and a short conversation with the parents are also taken into account. Some schools also conduct a short assessment, especially to determine knowledge of the language of instruction.

What happens if the child does not speak the local language?

This does not prevent school attendance, but it may affect class placement. In some cantons, the child may be placed in an integration reception class, where they intensively learn the local language of instruction.

How much does public school cost in Switzerland?

Public education is free, but certain expenses are borne by the parents. These may include notebooks, writing materials, the cafeteria, excursions, and school camps, for which support may also be available on social grounds.

How do I enroll my child in school in Switzerland?

How the Swiss school system is structured — for Hungarian parents

The structure of public education in Switzerland differs from the Hungarian system, and it can be surprising at first. The system is divided into three levels:

1. Primary education (Primarstufe / enseignement primaire) The level corresponding to kindergarten and the lower grades of primary school. Depending on the canton, it lasts 6–9 years (typically 6 years), and is compulsory from ages 4–6. In some cantons (e.g. Zürich, Bern), the two-year Kindergarten / jardin d'enfants is already compulsory.

2. Lower secondary education (Sekundarstufe I / cycle d'orientation) This corresponds to the upper grades of Hungarian primary school and usually lasts 5–6 years. At this level, students are placed into classes of different levels based on their performance — one of the most important differences compared with the Hungarian system.

3. Upper secondary education (Sekundarstufe II) This includes Gymnasium (Gymnasium / Maturitätsschule), vocational secondary school and vocational training (Berufslehre / apprentissage). Around 65–70% of Swiss students start out on a vocational track — this is not a downgraded path, but the backbone of the Swiss economy.

A key difference from the Hungarian system: In Switzerland, education is a cantonal responsibility. Each of the 26 cantons has its own curriculum, school starting age and grading system. National-level coordination is attempted through the HarmoS agreement (Interkantonale Vereinbarung über die Harmonisierung der obligatorischen Schule), which most cantons have joined, but there are still significant differences in how it is implemented.

Compulsory schooling: generally lasts from around age 4–5 until age 15–16, depending on the canton. A child with Hungarian citizenship and residence in Switzerland attends public education under the same conditions as a Swiss citizen — this is guaranteed by the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (Freizügigkeitsabkommen / FZA, 1999).

When and where should the child be enrolled?

What is the general procedure?

The enrolment process is as follows: after moving in — typically within 8–14 days — the parent registers with the local municipality (Einwohnerkontrolle / contrôle des habitants), where the child’s place of residence is recorded. After that, the municipality or the school will either automatically inform the parent about the next steps for enrolment, or the parent will need to contact the district school directly.

If you move during the school year the child must be enrolled within a few weeks after the move — most cantons do not allow a longer waiting period.

When does the regular enrolment take place?

The annual enrolment period varies from canton to canton:

Canton	Enrolment period (informational)	Note
Zürich	January–February	Kindergarten and 1st grade
Bern	January–March	Can be clarified on the cantonal website
Geneva	February–March	Also in the case of Cycle d'orientation
Basel-Stadt	February	Primarily Kindergarten
Vaud	February–March	Cantonal coordination
Aargau	January–February	May vary at Gemeinde level

⚠️ Exact deadlines change every year — in all cases, you should check the website of the Gemeinde where you live or the cantonal education office (Bildungsdirektion / Direction de l'instruction publique).

What documents are needed for enrolment?

The set of required documents may vary slightly from canton to canton and from school to school, but the following documents are needed almost everywhere:

The child's identity document (passport or identity card)
Birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde / acte de naissance) — in some places with a certified translation
The parent's residence permit (Ausländerausweis / permis de séjour) or Swiss identity card
Address card / registration confirmation (Anmeldebestätigung / attestation d'établissement)
Previous school documents (report card, school report, certificate of school attendance) — especially if the child is already of school age
Vaccination record / proof of vaccinations (Impfausweis / carnet de vaccination) — mandatory in some cantons, recommended in others

Important for Hungarian parents: Hungarian school documents (report card, school report) do not have to be translated and certified automatically — many schools accept them as they are and will request a translation themselves if needed. It is worth asking the school in advance.

Does the child need a Swiss residence permit?

A child with Hungarian citizenship, if one parent has B or C permit (Ausländerausweis B or C), also needs their own residence permit. The permit can be applied for at the same time as the move is reported to the Einwohnerkontrolle. The lack of a permit does not prevent the child from starting school immediately, but the paperwork should be sorted out as soon as possible.

How is the child placed in the appropriate class?

What are they based on?

Criteria for class placement (Einstufung / évaluation):

Age — the basic basis for placement
Previous school documents — the Hungarian report card and school certificate
Short assessment — in some schools, a brief oral or written assessment is held, especially to determine knowledge of the local language of instruction (German, French, or Italian)
Meeting with the parent — the school usually holds a short interview with the parent (an interpreter can be provided)

Important: if the child does not speak the local language of instruction, or speaks it only very little, this is not an obstacle to starting school, but it may affect class placement. In some cantons, the child is then placed in an integration language class (Aufnahmeklasse / classe d'accueil) before or alongside the start of school.

What is an Aufnahmeklasse / classe d'accueil?

An integration reception class (Aufnahmeklasse / classe d'accueil) is a transitional class format in which the child learns the local language of instruction intensively before moving into a regular class. Depending on the canton and the child, it can last from a few months to a full school year. This is not discrimination — its purpose is to help the child become a full member of the regular class as quickly as possible.

What integration support is available?

Language and school integration programmes

Most Swiss schools offer some form of integration support for newly arrived pupils. These include:

Deutsch als Zweitsprache (DaZ) / Français langue seconde (FLS): teaching the local language as a second language, alongside regular school attendance
Aufnahmeklasse / classe d'accueil: full-time integration class (see above)
Hausaufgabenhilfe: homework support, organised by many schools or municipalities — usually free or low-cost
Schulsozialdienst: school social worker who helps address adjustment difficulties

Specifically for Hungarian children

In Switzerland there is no state-funded Hungarian-language education, but in several cities there are Hungarian weekend schools and community organisations:

Zürich: Hungarian School Zürich (weekend programme)
Bern: Hungarian community programmes
Genève: Hungarian cultural organisations

These do not replace regular schooling, but they help the child preserve their mother tongue and cultural ties. You can find the exact contact details on svajc.com’s social media page, in the events calendar, and among the classifieds.

What types of schools can you choose from?

Public school (öffentliche Schule / école publique)

This is the default and free option. The child is automatically assigned to the district school in their place of residence. The quality of public schools in Switzerland is generally high, but there are differences between cantons and regions — in urban schools, the share of foreign students is typically higher, which also affects the integration experience.

Language of instruction:teaching takes place in the canton’s official language (German, French, Italian, or Romansh). In Zürich and most German-speaking cantons, the local dialect (Schweizerdeutsch) and standard German (Hochdeutsch) are used side by side — which can be surprising at first.

Private school (Privatschule / école privée)

There are many private schools in Switzerland, which typically:

Work with smaller class sizes
Use a more flexible pedagogical approach
Charge tuition fees (typically between CHF 1,000 and 3,000 per month, depending on the institution)

Private schools are also required to comply with cantonal curriculum requirements if they offer a Swiss school-leaving qualification (Matura / maturité).

International school (internationale Schule)

In larger cities (Zürich, Genève, Basel, Bern, Lausanne), there are several international schools that teach in English or another language and typically offer the IB (International Baccalaureate) programme. These are mainly relevant for families staying in Switzerland for a short time or moving between countries.

Tuition fee:typically between CHF 2,000 and 5,000 per month, depending on the school and city. This amount does not include all additional costs (enrolment fee, textbooks, meals).

For Hungarian parents:if the stay in Switzerland is long-term or permanent, public school usually provides better integration than an international school. If returning to Hungary is a realistic scenario, it is worth thinking the issue through carefully.

How much does school cost, and what support is available?

Public school: what is free, and what is not?

Public education in Switzerland is free, but some expenses are borne by the parents:

Item	Typical situation
Tuition	Free (public school)
Textbooks	Usually free or loaned
Notebooks, stationery	Paid by parents (a few hundred CHF per year)
School trips	Paid by parents, but can be reduced on social grounds
Canteen / school meals	Paid by parents (typically CHF 10–15/day)
School camp (Schulreise, Skilager)	Paid by parents, but can be reduced on social grounds

Social support

For families with lower incomes, several forms of support are available:

Stipendien / bourses d'études: scholarships that vary from canton to canton
Schulgeldreduktion / réduction des frais scolaires: a reduction in certain expenses on social grounds
Sozialdienst: the local social services office can provide information about available support

Applications for support can be initiated at the local Sozialdienst (social services office) or with the school social worker.

Sources

ch.ch — the official Swiss information portal: https://www.ch.ch/en/
State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SBFI): https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/
swissuniversities — Association of Swiss higher education institutions: https://www.swissuniversities.ch/
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (BFS / OFS) — education data: https://www.bfs.admin.ch/
Zurich Directorate of Education (Bildungsdirektion Kanton Zürich): https://www.zh.ch/de/bildung.html
Bern Directorate of Education and Culture: https://www.be.ch/de/start/themen/bildung.html
HarmoS Agreement (EDK/CDIP): https://www.edk.ch/