Entrance exam for the Gymnasium Schwyz explained
In Switzerland the gymnasium (short: Gymi), also called the Kantonsschule (as it is operated on the level of the cantons), serves as a preparation for the universities. After 4 years students at the gymnasium will take a final exam – the Matura –, which will allow them to attend any University in Switzerland without any further exams. Whether your child can attend the gymnasium in the Canton of Schwyz is decided based on their secondary school grades and an entrance exam. The next entrance exams will take place on 17 and 18 March 2027.
Both school grades and the entrance exam contribute 18 points each, for a total of 36 points. A score of 27 points is required for admission to the Gymnasium.
Preliminary School grades
To be admitted to the entrance exam, your child needs good school grades from secondary school. The grades from the last report card before the entrance exam are weighted as follows:
- Mathematics counts for 40%
- German counts for 20%
- The foreign languages English and French each count for 10%
- The subjects “Nature and Technology” and “Spaces, Times, Societies” also each count for 10%
The preliminary score calculated in this way is multiplied by three. Anyone who achieves more than 13.5 points is eligible to take the entrance exam.
Example: A student has the following grades: Mathematics 5, German 4.5, French 3.5, English 4, Nature and Technology 6, Spaces, Times, Societies 5.5. Their calculated grade is: 4.8
To calculate the points, this grade is multiplied by 3. In this example, the student receives 14.4 points from their school grades and is therefore allowed to take the exam.
Entrance exam
The entrance exam consists of three parts: Mathematics, German, and foreign languages (English and French). All parts are graded from 1 to 6 and contribute equally to the final result.
Mathematics is tested with a two-hour written exam. Geometry and arithmetic are tested together. Allowed tools are a compass, a set-sqare/ruler, and a non-graphing calculator.
The German exam consists of two parts: a language exam covering grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension, and the writing of an essay. Each part lasts 65 minutes and is graded separately. The final grade is the average of both.
Foreign languages: English and French are tested separately. One language is examined in writing, the other orally. Which language is tested in a written exam, and which orally is announced in autumn before the exam. The decision for the 2027 exam has not yet been announced.
In the written exam, assesses reading comprehension, listening
comprehension and grammar are tested. In addition, a short
essay must be written.
In the oral exam, students must read and discuss a short text.
They are also asked to describe a picture. In addition,
speaking skills are assessed in a dialogue and a short role
play. The written exam lasts 70 minutes, the oral exam 10
minutes. Both are graded separately, and the final grade is
the average of the two.
The grades from all three exam parts are added together to give the total exam score.
Example: A student achieves 4.5 in Mathematics, 5.5 in German, and an average of 4.5 in the foreign languages. This results in 14.5 points. Together with 15 points from her grades from secondary school, the total is 29.5 points, and she is admitted to Gymnasium.
Recommendation from the secondary school:
The student’s secondary school teachers can make a recommendation that the student be admitted to the Gymnasium. Such a recommendation counts as half a point, meaning that with a recommendation, you are already admitted with a score of 26.5 points or higher.
