Pupils attend an academic baccalaureate school for four years, either from the last year of secondary level I or following the last year of secondary level I. With the academic baccalaureate pupils can go on to study at a cantonal university.
Learners enrolled in a Swiss vocational education and training programme also have the option of preparing for a general education examination (in Switzerland: federal vocational baccalaureate examination) either in parallel to their training for the Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training or after obtaining this qualification. Those who pass the FVB examination are awarded the federal vocational baccalaureate. This university entrance qualification provides the holder with direct access to a Swiss university of applied sciences (UAS) in a field of study relevant to the completed VET programme. The various preparatory options for the FVB are as follows:
FVB1 option: attendance of preparatory general education classes at an FVB school in parallel to their training for the Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training;
FVB2 option: attendance (on a part-time or full-time basis) of preparatory general education classes at an FVB school after obtaining the Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training;
Self-study for the FVB examination.
Federal Vocational Baccalaureate
Holders of a federal vocational baccalaureate may also broaden their access to the Swiss higher education sector by preparing for the University Aptitude Test (UAT). Those who pass the UAT may enrol in a Swiss university or university of teacher education.
Upon completion of the first three years of study at a Swiss specialised school, pupils are awarded a specialised school diploma. At this point, they have the option of completing a fourth year to obtain the specialised baccalaureate. The latter is a university entrance qualification that entitles the holder to enrol directly in a study programme in a related field of study at a Swiss university of applied sciences (UAS) or university of teacher education (UTE) (e.g. study programme to obtain teaching credentials for primary school, including Kindergarten/pre-school).
Holders of a specialised baccalaureate may also broaden their access to the Swiss higher education sector by preparing for the University Aptitude Test (UAT). Those who pass the UAT may enrol in a Swiss university or university of teacher education.