Switzerland

Winding roads to the most amazing slopes...and chocolate

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The country’s spectacular landscape includes snow-capped Alps and grassy hills spotted with grazing cows together with 1,500 sparkling, crystal-clear lakes.

School in Switzerland is very demanding. High school students therefore usually focus on their homework during the week. Many of them also engage in after-school sports, take music lessons or are part of extracurricular clubs. On weekends, many teenagers participate in various clubs or are involved in community activities such as village festivals, gymnastics meets or historic celebrations. Plan on lots of opportunities to go skiing, hiking or getting together in cafés.

People & Community

You’ll most likely live in a German-speaking region in a suburban town, but some students are also placed in rural or urban areas. Swiss families can be very diverse but most are hard-working and extravagance is frowned upon. Most families have only one or two children. It’s important for most Swiss families to spend time with their closest family members and do activities together. Many families in Switzerlan have pets, a cat or a dog. On weekends, people often take trips to visit extended family or friends.

You’ll most likely live in a German-speaking region in a suburban town, but some students are also placed in rural or urban areas. Swiss families can be very diverse but most are hard-working and extravagance is frowned upon. Most families have only one or two children. It’s important for most Swiss families to spend time with their closest family members and do activities together. Many families in Switzerlan have pets, a cat or a dog. On weekends, people often take trips to visit extended family or friends.

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School

Swiss students are highly motivated and disciplined when it comes to academics and the school system is very competitive. You’ll most likely attend a baccalaureat school, a high school that prepares students for university. A typical day starts around 8 am and ends around 6 pm, with days ending earlier on one wee day around noon. There are seven compulsory core subjects which include national and foreign languages, maths, natural sciences, humanities and social sciences, and visual arts and/or music.

Language

With four official languages (German, French, Italian, and Romansch), Switzerland is an ideal place for international education.

A Swiss-German dialect is spoken in the German-speaking areas of Switzerland. French is spoken in the western part of the country and Italian in the south. Romansh is a language that derives directly from a cient Latin and has survived and developed in the isolation of Alpine valleys. No matter where you will be staying, previous knowledge of a language is very useful and highly appreciated. You will also have the chance toattend an intensive language course in the first weeks of your program, and AFS Switzerland will offer you an online Rosetta Stone language course.

With four official languages (German, French, Italian, and Romansch), Switzerland is an ideal place for international education.

A Swiss-German dialect is spoken in the German-speaking areas of Switzerland. French is spoken in the western part of the country and Italian in the south. Romansh is a language that derives directly from a cient Latin and has survived and developed in the isolation of Alpine valleys. No matter where you will be staying, previous knowledge of a language is very useful and highly appreciated. You will also have the chance toattend an intensive language course in the first weeks of your program, and AFS Switzerland will offer you an online Rosetta Stone language course.

A photo posted by Irene Grossetto (@gin90611) on

Food

Healthy meals are important to Swiss families Swiss cuisine is mainly a union of French and German alpine cuisine. One famous dish is fondue, in which Emmenthaler andGruyère cheese is melted with white wine and eaten with bread cubes. Rosti (a crispy, fried, shredded potato) is the Swiss-German national dish. Swiss chocolate is world-famous and beloved by all.

Let AFS guide your intercultural adventure

Go abroad with AFS to discover who you really are, make new lifetime friendships and immerse yourself in a fascinating intercultural experience.
TEEN PROGRAMS (UNDER 18 YEARS OLD)

Our learning program will prepare you for an amazing AFS intercultural experience. The program begins at your home country with a pre-departure orientation and continues with orientations and other supported learning activities and facilitated conversations will help you maximize your experience, cope the challenges of navigating a new culture and community and gain knowledge, skills, and a global understanding, throughout your time abroad, and as you return to you home country. AFS volunteers will be there to support and guide you and your host family through your learning journey abroad.

ADULT PROGRAMS (18 YEARS OR OLDER)

The Global Competence Certificate (GCC) program will support your intercultural learning experience. This state-of-the-art program prepares you to successfully navigate new cultural environments—during your AFSNext experience and long after you finish the program. Online intercultural learning modules combined with in-person sessions help you develop practical and global skills, knowledge and attitudes that employers need and mission-driven organizations believe will help achieve their social impact goals. You will receive your certification upon completion of the training program.   

Explore the Programs Available in Switzerland