Preparatory courses for grammar school entrance exams (Region Zürich):
3 Provider

If you would like to send your child to a long-term grammar school after Year 6 or to a short-term grammar school after Year 2 or 3, preparation for the entrance exam usually begins one to two years beforehand. This time can be very challenging for you and your child. The pressure of expectations, uncertainty and many unanswered questions often cause stress and a great deal of psychological strain.

It is therefore worth drawing up a clear and realistic study plan at an early stage. It is best to find out the exact content of the Gymi exam directly from your child's teacher. As soon as you know which topics will be tested, you can include them in the learning plan. Plan repetitions consciously so that what has been learned can be consolidated in the long term.

Make sure that your child gets regular repetition, but not too much. More is not automatically better. Your child still needs time for hobbies, friends and relaxation. Only those who are balanced can concentrate on learning.

Short learning units of around 30 to 45 minutes on three to four days a week are ideal. This keeps learning effective and easy to integrate into everyday life.

If you find that organizing or carrying out the preparation is a heavy burden or you don't want to take on this task yourself, there are many alternatives. Numerous education providers offer preparatory courses for the entrance exam, with different intensities, time models and locations.

Don't forget: in addition to professional preparation, emotional support is also important. Help your child to develop confidence in their own abilities and take away their fear of failure. A calm, positive attitude is often the best companion on the way to the Gymi exam.

The following aids are permitted for the cantonal school entrance examination:

• Long grammar school
  • the Schülerduden or Duden Volume 1 for the German essay
  • Ruler, compass and protractor for the math exam (calculators are not allowed)
• Short grammar school
  • the Schülerduden or Duden Volume 1 for the German essay
  • a bilingual dictionary for writing the text in French
  • A ruler, compass, protractor and calculator with the requirements specified in the secondary school mathematics teaching materials are permitted for the written mathematics examinations

The grammar school entrance examinations contain both a written and an oral part. The content of the exam varies from canton to canton, so it is not possible to give a uniform answer to this question. In the canton of Zurich, the following parts of the examination were taken in 2026 for admission to grammar school after year 6:

• German (45 minutes): Text comprehension and language observation (grammar)
• German (60 minutes): Writing an essay
• Mathematics (60 minutes): Arithmetic, algebra and geometry

For the short-term grammar school, the following "grammar school entrance examination" contents applied:

• Mathematics (90 minutes): Arithmetic, algebra and geometry
• German (45 minutes): Text comprehension and language observation
• German (90 minutes): Writing an essay

A certificate from the 6th primary school class (fall semester) is required for admission to the central entrance examination for the Langgymnasium. Anyone who turns 15 after April 30 of the year of entry can register for the exam. The written examinations take place at the beginning of March. A report from the 2nd secondary school class in the fall semester or the 3rd secondary school class in the fall semester is required for the central entrance examination for the short grammar school, which also takes place at the beginning of March. Anyone who turns 17 after April 30 of the year of entry can apply. To be on the safe side, ask your canton about the applicable conditions.

The following is practiced in preparation for the Gymi entrance exam:

• German
• German essay training
• Mathematics
• French (for short-term grammar school)
• Preparatory course - for example abstract thinking, which is required for the grammar school entrance exam
• Exam simulations

All learning content is aimed at ensuring that students are perfectly prepared for the Kanti exam.

The following students are suitable for the Gymi exam preparation:

• Interest in learning of their own accord (not just for the sake of their parents)
• Willingness to go the extra mile and put other things on hold
• sufficiently independent and responsible to find their way in a new environment
• can take over the planning for everyday school life themselves
• can accept failure and still stay motivated
• can perform well under pressure and stress
• can deal with the fact that they are no longer automatically among the best at grammar school

Especially when transferring to a long-term grammar school, you need to ask yourself in advance whether the grammar school is the right path for you, because the general conditions at elementary school are very different from those at grammar school. As a rule of thumb, you should have an average grade of at least a 5 in the subjects German and mathematics in the sixth grade. However, you have a realistic chance of passing the exam with an average of 5.25. So your Gymi exam grade point average should be 5 or higher. For the Kurzgymnasium, the subjects German, mathematics and French count and the average should be around 4.75. However, no preliminary grades count here. However, no previous grades count here.

If the canton in which you live prescribes an entrance examination for entry to the Gymnasium, you must take and pass it in order to be admitted. For more detailed information, examination regulations and rules for the grammar school entrance examination in your canton of residence, please contact the relevant cantonal schools directly.

No, the regulations for admission and the grammar school entrance exam to be taken beforehand are not standardized throughout Switzerland. In most cantons, previous grades in particular are decisive for the opportunity to take part in an entrance exam, but not in all cantons. In the canton of Thurgau, for example, recommendations from secondary school teachers are regarded as the most important criterion for admission to the exam. This system also offers pupils with lower grades but apparently high potential the opportunity to prove themselves at the Gymnasium. In addition, not all cantons have a grammar school entrance examination after the sixth grade. In the cantons of Nidwalden, Obwalden, Uri, Zug, Schwyz and Lucerne, the experience and opinions of teachers count more than test results.