There is no Swiss school system, strictly speaking. There are 26 of them. Education belongs to the cantons, which decide when your child starts, what language they learn in, how the school year is organised and what happens to a child who arrives halfway through the year without speaking the local language. The good news is that public school is free and open to every child domiciled in the canton, whatever their nationality. This guide to schools in Switzerland for expat families explains how the system works, using Geneva as the main example, and how to compare cantons.
How are schools in Switzerland organised?
The cantons organise school, within a framework agreed between them. Part of the cantons signed the HarmoS agreement on compulsory schooling, in force since 1 August 2009, which harmonises compulsory school at 11 years starting at age 4. Geneva applies it. The list of signatory cantons is published by the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (edk.ch); we could not read that page automatically, so check it for your canton.
In practice, you must find out three things from the canton where you will live: the age of entry, the cycles (for example primary school, then lower secondary school, called the cycle d'orientation in Geneva) and the language of instruction. Do not apply the rules of one canton to another.
What language will your child be taught in?
The language of the canton: French in Geneva and Vaud, German in Zurich, Italian in Ticino. If your child does not speak it, schools provide support, which varies. In Geneva, a child who does not speak French follows an ordinary class and, half-time, a welcome class (classe d'accueil). Each canton organises welcome classes or intensive language courses in its own way, so ask the school or the department of public education.
For families, this is a major criterion when choosing where to live. French speakers may prefer French-speaking Switzerland (Geneva, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Jura and parts of Fribourg and Valais), where school is in French. See best places to live in Switzerland.
How does school enrolment work in Geneva?
- Check the age. A child must be enrolled in primary school if they are 4 years old by 31 July and live in Geneva (article 55 of the public education law).
- Look at the canton's dates and places for enrolment. A procedure exists for children arriving during the year.
- Prepare the documents: proof of the child's identity, proof of address or arrival, and the latest school reports. The exact list depends on the school, which gives it at enrolment.
- Enrol with the canton or school as indicated.
Schooling is compulsory from age 4 to 15 in Geneva, then young people aged 16 to 18 must be in training. Do not leave a four-year-old out: enrolment is mandatory.
A move mid-year, a child with special needs or siblings of different ages quickly makes the school question specific to you. Moovy can help you list what to ask the school and the canton, and the documents to prepare, but the canton decides on placement.
What should you ask the school or the canton?
Phone or write with this short list, in the language of the canton if you can:
- At what age does my child start, and in which year group will they be placed?
- Which documents do you need, and can I send them in advance?
- What language support do you offer for a child who does not speak the language of instruction?
- When does the school year start and what are the holidays?
- What are the arrangements for lunch and for care outside school hours?
- Is there a catchment area, and does it depend on my address?
Ask the questions before you sign a lease, because your address may decide the school. The answers are not the same from one canton to another, and sometimes not from one commune to another.
What is a sensible timeline for a family move?
Because the school year in Geneva starts in mid-August, a family arriving in the summer should look at enrolment as soon as the address is known. Registration at the commune gives you the proof of residence that schools ask for (see moving to Switzerland: the step-by-step guide). If you arrive during the year, use the procedure for children arriving mid-year.
Your children, as members of an EU or EFTA citizen's family admitted in Switzerland, hold their own permits tied to yours, so organise the family file in one go. Health insurance is also required for each child, within three months of domicile or birth (see health insurance in Switzerland).
Public, private or home schooling?
You can choose between public school, a private school or home schooling. In Geneva, home schooling is declared to the competent service. Public school is free. Private and international schools are paid and often expensive, and each sets its own fees, so ask for a price list and the admission criteria. Because of the language of teaching, many expat families consider international schools, particularly for a short stay. Weigh the cost against the benefit of integration in the local school, where your child will meet neighbours and learn the language.
What about young children?
In Geneva, a place in a crèche or other childcare setting is possible up to 3 years of age. Tariffs depend on family income and are set by the commune or the structure, so ask your commune. Other cantons have their own arrangements.
What are the school holidays?
Each canton has its own calendar. Geneva's 2026-2027 calendar, for example, starts on Monday 17 August 2026, with autumn holidays from 19 to 23 October 2026, Christmas from 24 December 2026 to 8 January 2027, a February break from 15 to 19 February 2027, Easter from 26 March to 9 April 2027 and summer from 5 July to 25 August 2027. Other cantons differ, which matters if you have children in different places or a spouse who works in another canton.
How do you get your own qualifications recognised?
For your own diplomas, the portal reconnaissance.swiss tells you which authority applies. For regulated professions and vocational training, the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) decides; the fee is between CHF 90 and CHF 1,000 depending on the decision, and the delay depends on your file. For university diplomas, Swiss ENIC of swissuniversities issues, on request, a statement of level, which is not binding. For work-related questions see working in Switzerland as an EU citizen.
What mistakes should you avoid with schools in Switzerland?
- Applying one canton's rules to another. Ages, cycles and languages vary.
- Underestimating the language barrier, especially in German-speaking Switzerland where daily life is in dialect.
- Forgetting to enrol a child of 4 in Geneva: it is compulsory.
- Choosing a commune without checking the school calendar and options.
- Comparing private fees only on price. Look at the admissions, languages and diplomas offered.
For the rest of your daily life, read daily life in Switzerland.