School in Switzerland: from age four, for eleven years, and in your canton's language

Your child goes to your municipality's state school in Switzerland, with the same rights as a Swiss child: the free movement agreement with the EU arranges that. It starts early. As a rule a child goes to Kindergarten at four, and in most cantons compulsory schooling lasts eleven years, kindergarten included. The school year starts in August. The pitfall for Dutch families isn't in the paperwork but in the language: the canton decides which language your child goes to school in, so you choose it with your address.

What does Swiss school look like?

Education is a matter for the cantons, but they have aligned the main lines in the HarmoS concordat, in force since 2009. The picture that follows from it:

Part	In most cantons	Exception or detail
Start	at four, after the summer	cut-off date usually 31 July
Compulsory schooling	eleven years, including kindergarten	set per canton
Primarstufe	eight years, including two years of Kindergarten or Eingangsstufe	seven years in Ticino
Sekundarstufe I	three years	four years in Ticino
School year	starts in August	holidays per canton and municipality
Child allowance via the employer	at least CHF 215 per child per month	cantons may give more

If your child is four by 31 July, they go to Kindergarten after the summer holidays. In nineteen cantons 31 July is the cut-off date; a few cantons in eastern and central Switzerland use a different date. If you want your child to start a year later, in most cantons you must submit a request to the school authority, and often it's only possible with a reason, such as a developmental delay. In a few cantons you decide yourself.

In which language does my child go to school?

In your canton's language. The constitution has four national languages and lets each canton choose its own official language, and the cantons work with three language-regional curricula. If you want your child to learn in a different national language from your canton's, that's a choice for another canton or for a private school.

Choose the canton as a school too. The school language hangs on your address, as do the school structure and the holidays. If you're torn between two cantons, put the EDK's school structures side by side before you sign a lease; after the move that choice has been made.

The aim of Swiss schools is to include children who don't speak the language yet in a regular class; there are accompanying intensive language courses for that. How these are organised per school differs per canton and municipality.

How do I enrol my child?

Ask your municipality how to enrol your child, as soon as you're registered there. According to the constitution, state basic education is free of charge. A private school or home schooling is also possible, but the canton sets the rules for them; ask before you decide. The Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education, the EDK, publishes an overview of the school structure per canton, handy if you're still torn between two cantons.

What allowance do I get for my children?

The Swiss child benefit is called Familienzulagen, and you receive it through your employer. The child allowance is at least CHF 215 a month until the child is sixteen; after that, a child in training gets a training allowance of at least CHF 268 a month, up to age 25 at most. Cantons may pay higher amounts. You claim it through your employer or its Familienausgleichskasse; as self-employed through the fund you're affiliated with. There's an income threshold: employees must earn at least CHF 630 a month. Anyone not working is only entitled on a modest income.

What else comes up in your first year is in your first year in Switzerland.

In Vertrekklaar this is phase 5 of 5 of the journey, step 5.4: the same steps, but for your situation — in your order, tickable, and with the deadlines watched. See the whole journey to Switzerland or go straight to step 5.4 in the open plan.