Réseau Éducation Suisse centralizes support for young Swiss people abroad and students from Swiss schools abroad who are considering training in Switzerland. Knowing which contact channel to use, and for what type of request, avoids unnecessary delays and directs to the right contact from the first exchange.
Available contact channels: comparison by type of request
The services of educationsuisse offer several ways to get in touch. Each corresponds to a specific use, and the processing time varies according to the complexity of the request.
| Channel | Type of request suitable | Available languages | Indicative delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email ([email protected]) | Questions about admission conditions, diploma recognition, cantonal scholarships | FR, DE, IT, ES, EN | Several working days |
| Phone | Quick clarifications, verification of registration deadlines | FR, DE, IT, ES, EN | Immediate (business hours) |
| In-person consultation (Bern) | Personalized professional or university guidance | FR, DE, IT, ES, EN | By appointment |
| Online consultation | Same scope as in-person, for people residing abroad | FR, DE, IT, ES, EN | By appointment |
Many questions can be resolved by phone or email, without requiring an appointment. Personalized consultations with a career and university guidance counselor from BIZ Bern are, however, paid and require prior registration via email.
The complete contact details and the contact form are accessible from the Réseau Éducation Suisse website, which also gathers information on the different training paths.
Multilingualism of the service: a concrete advantage for complex files
The linguistic coverage (French, German, Italian, Spanish, English) goes beyond simple conversational comfort. For a young Swiss student enrolled abroad, being supported in their comfort language changes the quality of advice.
An admission file for a Swiss higher education institution involves documents written in the language of the host canton. A French-speaking student aiming for training in Zurich must understand requirements formulated in German. The educationsuisse counselor can then translate the administrative constraints, explain diploma equivalences, and verify that the file meets the specific criteria of the targeted canton.
This operational multilingualism distinguishes educationsuisse from a simple directory. The support covers procedures that most expatriate families struggle to navigate alone:
- Verification of the language skills required by the target institution, with guidance towards recognized certifications if necessary
- Clarification of cantonal registration deadlines, which vary according to fields and times of the year
- Assistance in preparing the application file for cantonal scholarships, whose criteria differ from one canton to another
Paid consultation with BIZ Bern: when the request exceeds general information
Educationsuisse offers free advice for general information questions. Specific consultations for professional or university guidance are paid and are conducted by a qualified counselor from BIZ Bern (cantonal center for professional, university, and career guidance).
The distinction between the two levels of service deserves to be clearly stated. A question about admission conditions to a business school falls under free advice. A structured support to choose between a dual apprenticeship and a gymnasial path, taking into account the schooling completed abroad, falls under paid consultation.
Registration for these specialized consultations is done via email at [email protected]. The sessions take place online or at the offices in Bern. The BIZ Bern counselor evaluates the candidate’s profile based on the actual requirements of Swiss fields, not a generic reference.
Profiles that benefit most from this consultation
Students who have followed a curriculum in an educational system very different from the Swiss model (Anglo-Saxon systems, international programs) often encounter difficulties in matching levels. A secondary school diploma obtained in a third country does not automatically correspond to a Swiss gymnasial maturity.
The BIZ counselor can then identify existing pathways, additional exams to take, or alternative fields that lead to the same professional goal via a different route.
Umbrella organization of Swiss schools abroad: a little visible coordination role
Educationsuisse is not limited to individual advice. The organization is recognized as the umbrella organization of Swiss schools abroad, which gives it a coordinating role between institutions, sponsoring cantons, and federal authorities.
This structural position means that the information provided during a contact does not come from a compilation of public sources. It reflects direct knowledge of regulatory developments, the employment conditions of detached teachers, and the charters governing the operation of Swiss schools abroad.
For a parent or a student, this translates into a concrete advantage: the answers take into account the specificities of each Swiss school and its sponsoring canton, not just the general rules of the federal education system.
- The sponsoring cantons exercise pedagogical oversight over Swiss schools abroad, and educationsuisse connects families with these cantons
- Admission conditions in Switzerland may vary depending on the Swiss school attended abroad, and the advice takes these differences into account
- Partnerships with programs like the WIWAG Economic Weeks complement the educational offer accessible through the network
The free basic advice, combined with the effective multilingualism in five languages, makes educationsuisse a unique entry point for expatriate Swiss families. The most suitable channel depends on the nature of the question: email for documented files, phone for quick verifications, formal consultation for structuring orientation choices.
