An education credit, education funding in Switzerland, an education loan
Education during compulsory schooling is free in Switzerland. However, a person who is educated and/or their parents are generally responsible for funding further schooling at university or in another institution for education and further education.
Education or further education can be quite expensive, but worth the cost. On average, a student spends about CHF 25,000 per year on his/her education, or in some cases even more for foreign students who have to pay higher prices than Swiss students due to the lack of access to universities in their respective countries. Costs vary depending on where you live; however, there are other costs as well, e.g. enrolment costs or materials necessary during the studies, and these costs gradually build up together with rent and grocery costs.
As you see, when it comes to acquiring a good education, costs can accrue rather quickly. Tuition, accommodation and food, textbooks, school materials – the list is infinite. In that case, an education loan may be of great help.
Possibilities for education funding in Switzerland
Scholarships
Scholarships are a type of education funding. In Switzerland, they are granted by some cantons, while there are also criteria depending on the family and financial situation of both students and scholarship users.
In order to get a scholarship for higher education, you usually need to meet several criteria. First and foremost, you must have a place of residence in your canton. Swiss legislation about scholarships says that, if there are several equally qualified applicants, the applicant with the more modest economic background will be taken into consideration. Moreover, there may be certain age limits regarding the scholarship itself.
The scholarship amount is determined by different systems. According to the scoring system, bonuses and penalties are calculated to establish how many points have been collected by each applicant, which then facilitates the decision on granting a scholarship.
In some cases, there may be combinations of these two types, e.g. when living costs also need to be taken into account against education costs – it will depend on the most relevant type(s) in deciding who will be funded by a certain opportunity/initiative etc.
More information about how to apply for a scholarship can be found on the official web-pages of the respective cantons. For those living in the territory of the City of Basel, there is an extensive web page with useful advice and guidelines about the conditions and factors affecting the qualification for funding – everything is available on the web-page Education Department in the Swiss canton of Basel-Stadt.
Many universities offer financial aid to their students. The University of Basel, for example, offers plenty of information on its web page for those who are studying or would like to study there in the next few years.
Parents’ support for education funding
There are many different ways in which parents can fund their child’s education. Some of them can save or earn monthly income, but when those possibilities are insufficient, there is still a loan available. A private loan is not specially related to schooling costs and instead, it functions rather like any other kind of loan – the borrower (in this case the dear parent) is subject to a credit check-up that determines the conditions.
Private foundations and funds
There are many foundations and funds offering scholarships to students. These foundations and funds usually have different criteria, such as regular income or place of residence, that determine who is entitled to a scholarship. If, apart from the state scholarship, you also receive a scholarship from a private foundation or fund, you must notify the Scholarship Granting Service.
The University of Basel offers further information regarding Foundations and Funds on its web-page.
Students’ work
Since the education system in Switzerland is quite demanding, many students already work during their studies. Almost half of all students work half-days and two days a week in order to earn money and gain experience in their chosen area. However, the Bologna System applied in Switzerland makes it difficult to work with shorter working hours.
How to get an education loan
Education loans are a good way of financing your education.
Education loans can help you pay various costs related to school, such as tuition, accommodation and food, textbooks and much more. When asking for a loan, you should compare the interest rates and conditions of different lenders.
Essentially, the following may be said:
- Education loans are a good way of financing your education.
- Education loans can help you pay various costs related to school, such as tuition, accommodation and food, textbooks and much more without giving up on important study education due to costs.
- When asking for a loan, you should compare the conditions of different lenders (e.g. with the loan request via Miro Kredit AG).
Why does a private loan and/or funding by Miro Kredit make sense?
Education is one of the most important investments to be made by someone during their lifetime. It opens up the possibility of a better future and enables people to make their dreams come true. However, education may be expensive and not everyone can afford to pay for it in advance. A private loan from Miro Kredit may be of great help. Miro Kredit AG is a Swiss credit service provider that has been family-owned since 1978. Our mission is to offer our clients the quick, discreet and uncomplicated processing of their requests for loans and mortgages. We have tens of thousands of satisfied and loyal clients who recommend us to their friends and families.
Speaking of funding your education, Miro Kredit is a good choice because:
- We have been doing business for more than 35 years and have the reputation of offering good-quality services
- We offer our clients competitive interest rates and conditions
- We are a family company
- We are discreet and simple in our cooperation
Conclusion
Funding your studies may be a terrifying task, but there are many different ways to achieve it. In this blog post, we have presented some of the most common methods of funding education in Switzerland – from state scholarships and private loans to students’ work and foundation scholarships. We have also spoken about how to get an education loan and explained some of the advantages and disadvantages of taking out a loan for funding your education. We hope this information will help you to make the best decision for yourself and your family.