Overview
The Matura (Maturität in German, Maturité in French, Maturità in Italian) is Switzerland's federally recognised general upper-secondary leaving certificate, awarded at the end of a Baccalaureate school (Gymnasium, Collège or Liceo). Each of Switzerland's 26 cantons runs its own Baccalaureate schools and sets its own exam dates, but a Matura certificate carrying Swiss-wide recognition is based on common minimum standards set jointly by the cantons, through the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK), and the Confederation. The EDK's Maturitätsanerkennungsreglement (MAR) lays down these minimum requirements; the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SBFI) and the Swiss Maturity Commission run the federal side of the recognition process on a canton's request. A recognised Matura entitles its holder to apply for admission directly to Swiss cantonal universities, the two Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH Zurich and EPFL), and universities of teacher education.
Who can apply
Students generally enter a Baccalaureate school after completing compulsory schooling, at around age 15 to 16. The most common track runs four years; some German-speaking cantons also offer a longer track that starts straight after primary school and runs about six years, and a three-year track exists where an extra preparatory year of lower-secondary schooling has already been completed. There is no separate nationwide entrance exam to start a Baccalaureate school — admission depends on each canton's own lower-secondary grades or its own cantonal assessment. Students who complete the programme and pass the final exams are awarded the Matura, typically at around age 18 to 19.
Exam pattern
A recognised Matura programme examines ten basic subjects, one specific-option subject and one complementary subject, alongside a Matura thesis.
| Component | Covers |
|---|---|
| Basic subjects (10) | First national language, a second national language, a third language (a third national language, English, or an ancient language), mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, history, geography, and visual arts and/or music |
| Specific-option subject | Chosen from a defined list of subjects or subject groups that the school offers |
| Complementary subject | Chosen from a wider defined list of subjects that the school offers |
| Matura thesis (Maturaarbeit) | A substantial independent piece of written or documented work on a topic the student defines, completed individually or in a small group, and presented and defended orally before registering for the final exams |
The final Matura exams must include a written exam in at least five Matura subjects; language subjects are also examined orally. Cantons decide, within the MAR framework, exactly which of the remaining subjects are examined in writing, orally, or both, and schools set their own exam calendar inside the normal Swiss school year, which runs from around mid-August to early summer.
Marking and results
Switzerland uses a 6-point scale for the Matura, with 6 the highest grade and 1 the lowest; half-grades (such as 4.5 or 5.5) are common. A grade of 4 is sufficient to pass a subject; anything below 4 is an insufficient grade.
Under the MAR, a candidate passes the Matura overall when, across all Matura subject grades, twice the sum of the shortfalls below 4 is no greater than the sum of the surpluses above 4, and no more than four of the subject grades are below 4. The Matura thesis counts as one of the graded components toward this overall result.
After the exam
A Matura certificate that carries Swiss-wide recognition gives its holder the right to apply directly for admission to any Swiss cantonal university, to ETH Zurich or EPFL, and to a university of teacher education, without a separate university entrance exam. A small number of fields set their own additional admission step on top of the Matura: medicine and some related health programmes at several universities use a numerus clausus, admitting students by a separate aptitude test rather than by Matura grades alone. Recognition of the Matura outside Switzerland depends on the receiving country's own rules.
Preparation tips
Choose the specific-option and complementary subjects early and with the intended field of study in mind — they are graded Matura subjects in their own right, not electives outside the final result.
Start planning the Matura thesis topic well before the deadline each school sets, since it must be completed, written up and presented before registration for the final exams.
Track the balance of grades above and below 4 through the final years, not only the overall average — passing depends on the specific double-weighted shortfall rule, not a simple mean.
Confirm the written/oral mix for each subject with the school directly, since this is set within the national framework but decided canton by canton.
Is the Matura the same exam in every Swiss canton?
No. Each canton runs its own Baccalaureate schools, sets its own exam calendar, and decides some subject-level details such as which subjects are examined orally. What is common across cantons is the set of minimum requirements laid down in the EDK's Maturitätsanerkennungsreglement, which is what allows a cantonal Matura to carry Swiss-wide recognition.
Does a Matura guarantee a place at any Swiss university?
It gives the right to apply directly, without a separate entrance exam, to Swiss cantonal universities, ETH Zurich, EPFL and universities of teacher education. A small number of fields, most notably medicine at several universities, add their own numerus clausus admission step on top of the Matura.
What grade is needed to pass the Matura?
Grades run from 1 to 6, with 4 as the pass mark for a subject. The overall Matura is passed when, across all graded Matura subjects, twice the sum of the shortfalls below 4 does not exceed the sum of the surpluses above 4, and at most four subject grades fall below 4.
What is the Maturaarbeit?
It is an independent piece of written or documented work that every Matura candidate completes on a topic they define themselves, individually or in a small group, and then presents and defends orally. It must be finished before the student registers for the final Matura exams, and it counts as a graded component of the overall result.