Are you from another canton or abroad but would like to attend a Zurich long-term Gymnasium? Or do you have a disability? Here you will find all the special regulations and when they can be applied.
Transfer from another canton to a Zurich long-term Gymnasium
Anyone who has successfully completed the admission procedure for a long-term Gymnasium in another canton can enroll at a Zurich long-term Gymnasium without taking an exam. Candidates from other cantons can be admitted if they meet the requirements, places are available and the costs are covered. This is based on an intercantonal agreement on school fees.
Example
Students from foreign education systems who wish to enroll in a long-term Gymnasium can, at the discretion of the school administration, either take an entrance exam or be accepted as guest students for up to two semesters. In the second semester, they are subject to the promotion requirements, and if they are successful, they can be accepted on a permanent basis. Interested parties can find more information at the link below.
Example
A 12-year-old student from Germany moves with his family to the canton of Zurich and would like to attend a Zurich long-term Gymnasium. As the German school system is structured differently from the Swiss system, he cannot be automatically admitted.
The school administration of the desired Gymnasium will decide whether he must take an entrance exam or whether he will first be accepted as a guest student. In this case, they may attend classes for up to two semesters without being officially enrolled in the Gymnasium.
During the second semester, he must fulfill the requirements for promotion, i.e., achieve good academic performance. If he meets these requirements, he will definitely be admitted to the Gymnasium and can continue his school career as normal.
Compensation for disadvantages
Disability compensation is an individual measure that enables young people to compensate for disadvantages caused by disabilities. Possible measures include extending the time allowed to complete an exam or the use of supportive work tools. There are other possible measures. If you would like to apply for disadvantage compensation due to limitations or would like more information, you can do so on the official website of the Canton of Zurich. Please follow this link.
Example
A student with a reading and spelling disorder (dyslexia) wants to take the entrance exam for a long-term Gymnasium in Zurich. Since she needs more time for reading and writing than her classmates, she applies for compensation for her disadvantage.
Nach Prüfung ihres Antrags entscheidet die Schule, ihr bei schriftlichen Prüfungen eine Zeitverlängerung von 20 % zu gewähren.
These measures ensure that the student has fair exam conditions despite her disability and can demonstrate her knowledge without unnecessary disadvantages.
Sources
- Information on admission (August 2025)
- Information on compensation for disadvantages (August 2025)




