The quality of education and schools in Basel is high, as is the case in Switzerland as a whole. Options include public schools, which are free but teach in Swiss German, and private schools, some of which teach in English or other foreign languages.
The best option for your family will depend on your children's ages and your intended length of stay in Switzerland.
Generally speaking, the younger a child is, the more easily they can adapt to speaking a new language. And if you’re planning to stay in the country for the long haul, local schooling is a great way to integrate with the local community.
On the other hand, if you’ll only be in Switzerland for a year or two, it makes more sense to opt for an international school where children can be taught in their home language and learn a familiar curriculum.
Public schools in Basel
Schools are managed at the canton level (Basel-Stadt). Schooling is compulsory for 11 years, from age 4 or 5 to 16, although most students continue until age 18.
Compulsory schooling consists of the following levels:
- Kindergarten, age 4 to 6
- Primary school (Primarschule), ages 6 to 12
- Upper-level school (Sekundarstufe I), ages 12 to 15
Following Sekundarstufe I, students are split into three streams depending on academic proficiency. The options are:
- Vocational studies or apprenticeship (Berufslehre)
- Professional high school (Fachmaturitätsschule)
- Academic high school (Gymnasium)
Gymnasium attendees graduate with the Swiss Matura, which allows them to attend university in Switzerland.
It’s worth mentioning that although teaching is in Swiss German, there is a good amount of support for non-native speakers in the form of extra classes to improve proficiency.
For more on the Swiss school system, including info about special-needs education and tutors, see Education and Schools in Switzerland.
Useful links
Private and international schools in Basel
Parents opting for private and international schools in Basel usually do so because of language concerns. Many of these schools teach in languages other than Swiss German, such as English or French. Quite a few are bilingual, teaching in two languages.
International schools teach a global curriculum, such as the International Baccalaureate (IB) or that of a foreign country. The IB is particularly popular because of easy transferability between schools all over the world, making changing schools less disruptive overall when moving. Some schools also teach the Swiss curriculum, allowing students to graduate with the Swiss Matura.
Useful links
- International School of Basel (IB in English and German)
- Swiss International School, Basel (Swiss Matura and IB in English and German)
- Academia International School (Cambridge Primary, Secondary, IGCSE and A-Levels in English)