HOW TO STUDY IN SWITZERLAND AS A NIGERIAN STUDENT

Switzerland is a great advantage for Nigerian students who desire quality education, has passion for beautiful landscapes, adventure and loves to meet new people. As an international student, you will find Switzerland great in showing benevolence, big economy, alongside a welcoming international student atmosphere. Advanced research and great living standard is made available to all students coming to the country from all over the globe.

There are lots of things to enjoy during your studying in Switzerland. The country excels in almost all things relevant to education.

HOW TO APPLY TO UNIVERSITIES IN SWITZERLAND

As it stands, you simply have to check the website of the program you chose and:

Complete the online application;
Pay the application fee;
Finally, the necessary documents should be uploaded before the deadline.

Note that each degree and university has its own requirements, you have to pay attention and check the list of documents carefully.

Usually, the documents required are:

A printed and signed copy of your application form;
Two passport photos;
A copy of your I.D.;
Official academic transcripts, from each university you attended;
High school diploma or your Bachelor’s degree;
Language proficiency certificates for German, French, or English;
CV;
Evidence you paid the application fee;
Personal essay or motivation letter.

Also you need to

Show how well you performed in your past records as a student with evidence of your Grade Point Average (GPA)
Increase your chances of going to Switzerland by being sure you apply to more than one university

How to increase your chances of admission to a university in Switzerland

Take International Admission Test: Tests such as GRE, GMAT, SAT, IELTS and TOEFL so on are so much important in boosting your chances of securing admission. An attractive score in any of these examinations is one of those criteria that the admission officers use to select international students. You may need to ask appropriate questions to know which is most suitable for you with respect to your proposed course of study. It might also be necessary to attend a preparation class in order to perform well in these tests.

Prove of language proficiency may also be important as it shows your ability to participate in class. It may not be necessary for those attending post graduate courses but it is helpful in any case. English, French and German are mostly important in Switzerland as a language of instruction. It is hence important that you know which is important in increasing your chances. Note also that in a multilingual environment like Switzerland, your ability to speak more than one language is key.

The university you applied to will determine what would be your language of instruction. However, there are lots of universities in Switzerland that deliver lectures in English Language.

There are certificates that shows your proficiency in different languages

For German: DSH, TestDaF, OSD, telc, and others;
For French: DELF or DALF;
For English: IELTS or TOEFL.

You can as well take language courses in the university that you are going before commencing your study.

What is it like to study in Switzerland?

You will feel like home in Switzerland. Seeing as I’m not sure what your country of origin is, that’s a great assumption on my part, but I’m backed up by the international environment.

Those who have studied in Switzerland have said a lot of good things about the people, places and diversities of the country.

Campuses are beautiful, classes are interesting and instructors are very friendly and well qualified. In addition, there are standard libraries and enough educational resources in the country. In Switzerland, there is more focus on research, papers and theisis. The evaluation of your performance depends on how well you are in all of these activities and not only on course work alone.

Work while studying in Switzerland

If you’re from Nigeria, you will need a work permit to combine studying with working in Switzerland. As an international student, you will need to apply for a resident permit which would need some procedures to get.

· How can I apply?

The employer will apply for a work permit on your behalf.

· Application requirements

You are qualified for work permit if you have been studying in the country for at least 6 months

Your employer has to prove that a citizen of an EU/EEA cannot be recruited for the job you applied for. Your work time is also limited to 1000 hours in total per year.

· Duration of work permit

1 YEAR

Work permits generally expire after one year. You will have to renew it after it expires. You can only renew it once.

· Maximum hours of work per week

15 HOURS/WEEK

You will be allowed to work 15 hours per week. You can work full-time during holidays. Some cantons may allow more hours of part-time work per week.

You will be able to apply online, and universities’ international and admissions offices should be available to help you if you have any problems.

HOW TO STUDY IN SWITZERLAND AS A NIGERIAN STUDENT