How to Begin Teaching in Switzerland

It’s also spectacularly beautiful with lakes and mountains everywhere you go.

Look past the silk-smooth chocolate, cuckoo clocks and yodelling

Cheese lover? Chocoholic? Then welcome to Switzerland: a country deservedly famous for its many culinary specialities. Bordered by France, Italy, Germany and Austria, it’s perfectly situated – a gateway to the rest of Western Europe.
The first stop for most visitors is Geneva – a very international and cultural city – or Zurich – a big, cosmopolitan city with a thriving nightlife. Another favourite is Lausanne, on the shores of Lake Geneva, known as the Swiss wine country, which has amazing views of the Swiss and French Alps. For the more sports-oriented, Interlaken is a must for its bungee jumping, canyoning and skydiving. Hiking is, of course, a popular activity to enjoy the scenery of the mountains – especially the iconic Matterhorn. Railway fans can take many different railway journeys on a number of scenic routes through the mountains.
On the downside, Switzerland is a budgeter’s nightmare with an extremely high cost of living, so don’t expect to be living like a king. Zurich and Geneva are known to be especially expensive and are often ranked as the most expensive cities in the world. At the same time, Switzerland is a very safe, organised and beautiful country so as long as you’re expecting the expense, it shouldn’t come as a nasty surprise.

Teaching Opportunities

Switzerland is a linguistic marvel, with residents speaking either French, German, Italian or Romansh. English is becoming more popular and was recently introduced as a compulsory subject in schools. Consequently there are teaching opportunities to be found in Switzerland, though the salary is probably not what you would hope for in an expensive country like this.
You’re also likely to find work in a private language school in Zurich, Geneva, Basel or Bern. These positions will be paid an hourly rate and your working hours may be split into shifts. Switzerland is also known for its hotel schools which prepare their students for the hospitality industry. These schools have a compulsory English element to their curriculum so it’s a good idea to look for employment here.

Teaching Requirements

Degree Requirement	Typical Contract Length	Peak Hiring Seasons	Visa Info	Typical Students	Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency	Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency

BA/BS required

6 – 12 months

September, January

B visa

Students, adults

CHF 2 000 – CHF 2 500 (£1 400 – £1 700)

CHF2 300 – CHF 4 000 (£1 600 – £2 800)

Degree Requirement

BA/BS required

Typical Contract Length

6 – 12 months

Peak Hiring Seasons

September, January

Visa Info

B visa

Typical Students

Students, adults

Average Monthly Cost of Living in £ GBP & Local Currency

CHF 2 000 – CHF 2 500 (£1 400 – £1 700)

Average Monthly Salary in £ GBP & Local Currency

CHF2 300 – CHF 4 000 (£1 600 – £2 800)

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