Ranked as the number one country in the world in terms of the quality of life, Switzerland has always held its own position among the best countries in the world to live in. This is on account of many reasons. The main ones are economic and political stability. If there is a true democracy anywhere in the world, it’s probably here. It’s another matter that women got the right to vote in the federal referendums in this country only in 1971.
German, French and Italian are the three official languages in Switzerland and which language is spoken most widely will depend upon the region where you stay in and the university you study at. You will also find that quite an appreciable percentage of Swiss people speak English.
Would you prefer to study in warmer country? Choose Faro and Portimao, Algarve, Portugal.
Cost of Living
University students are allowed to work 15 hours a week and during vacations they are permitted to work full time. The call for minimum wages was voted down by the Swiss public. However, you can take heart in the fact that the wages in Switzerland are quite good even if you work part time. While there is no official cut off line on minimum wages, it is largely unheard of anyone earning less than 3,500 Euros per month on a full time basis.
All that said, Switzerland is among the most popular destinations for international students and approximately 21 percent of the student population at universities comprises of foreigners from different parts of the world.
While university education is free or almost free, Switzerland is quite an expensive country to live in and you would need between 1,600 to 1,800 Euros equivalent towards your monthly expenses, inclusive of shared accommodations.
Very few universities offer accommodations and it is best to look for a shared accommodation through the students housing association or get together with other students and find yourselves a flat in the free housing market. One of the links that is helpful is here.
Basel university
Basel university offers education in German and English. This is the first university that was established in Switzerland.
A little about Basel as a city. For one thing it is home to some of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. The cultural scene is among the best in the world and you have any number of theatres. Since the city is built on the banks of the Rhine river the views are quite spectacular, especially after sun down.
Added to all of the above, a university student who is about to complete her or his studies will have many opportunities to approach some of the largest companies in the world that participate in the trade fairs in Basel across many industries, right from gems and jewelry to chemicals to engineering and a host of others.
As usual we would request you to visit the website of the university to apprise yourself of the many courses that are offered. This university is ranked among the top 100 in the world. Official website.
Photos: Shutterstock
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