As per the recent policy changes in the big four countries – Canada, the UK, the USA and Australia – the International community is seeing Europe with lots of hope and optimism, and the two countries which are known for quality education, recognised degrees, safety and a high standard of life are Germany and Switzerland. Both countries share a border in the Euro area. Both are known for high salary packages, safe environments, greenery, and stable economies. These factors all create a tough question amongst international students as to which one is best for studying: Germany or Switzerland?
Germany vs Switzerland : The Main Differences
Admission Criteria
The admission criteria for bachelor’s degrees in both of these countries ask for 13 years of education to be eligible for direct entry, whereas in the majority of the countries, the student pursues the studies for 12 years, which puts a little bit of disappointment in the brain of international students, but thanks to the German studienkolleg course, which fills the gap between the student foreign school-leaving certificate and the german university entrance qualification. The student can take this two-semester program and meet the academic eligibility criteria; on the other hand, in Switzerland, there is no such pathway by which the international student can compensate for the eligibility criteria.
Living Expenses
For any international students, living costs are a big factor, which comes after tuition fees. For Germany, the living expenses are known as the blocked account; The student needs to open this account before applying for the German student visa and put in a minimum of 11904 per year or 992 per month. Whereas for Switzerland, the living expenses are almost double, which is around 21000 CHF
Post-Study Work Permit
Germany is attracting international students by giving a nice opportunity to work or look out for work after completion of the programme, which is known as a post-graduate work permit. Germany has 18 months for PGWP, whereas Switzerland allows only 6 months of stay-back options after completion of the program
Fee Structure
The education in both countries is highly backed by the government, and even in front of global forums, Germany has a tagline of ‘free education’, which is somewhat true, as German universities do not ask for any tuition fee except the administration fee. Swiss universities are also funded by the government,, but still, they do have a minimum fee value which starts from CHF 500
Universities’ Reputations in the Global Forum
Germany has more than 310 public universities, whereas Switzerland has only 12 public universities. as far as global reputations are concerned, as per the QS World University Rankings, Germany has 5 universities that come under the top 100, whereas Switzerland has 2 universities that come under the top 100 list.
Language Barriers
Since both countries belong to the European region, both have their own official language. Germany has german as their official language, but still, a huge community speaks English; especially youngsters in Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich are able to understand English. on the other hand, Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh. English is not that prevalent in the local area or outskirts of the cities.
Key difference between Germany and Switzerland
| Parameter | Germany | Switzerland |
| Admission Process | Moderate | Tough |
| Living Expense | Affordable | Super Expensive |
| Fee Structure (Public Institution) | Free Education | Affordable |
| PGWP | 18 months | 6 months |
| Part-time | 20 hours per week | 15 hours per week |
| Minimum Wage | 13 euros | 25 CHF |
| Public Universities | 313 | 12 |
| Official Language | German | German, Italian, French, Romansh |
Which one is best for studying Germany or Switzerland?
International students can easily understand the key differences between Germany and Switzerland, as Germany excels in engineering, technology, natural sciences, and business. The approach is more towards skill development plus research and practical learning, whereas on the other hand, Switzerland is more into research, specifically in science, finance, and technology. Germany somehow won the margin in a big manner, as it can be easily seen as per the latest data and statistics; Germany had around 470,000 international students, whereas Switzerland had around 80,000 international students till now. The reasoning is clear that both countries are perfect for the students, depending on the scope of the programme and financial burden, plus language understanding.
