Tips for the BMS entrance exam 2026 (Vocational Maturity School Zurich) and FAQs

To increase the chances of passing the BMS entrance exam 2026, and thus the chance of being admitted to a vocational maturity school in Zurich - also known as a vocational secondary school - it is recommended, among other things, to follow some tips for preparing for the BMS exam.

In the following article, we will provide some such tips for preparing for the BMS exam. We will also answer some frequently asked questions (FAQs) that arise in connection with the BMS entrance exam in the canton of Zurich, such as how to register, how to report illness, or what to do if the BMS exam 2026 is not passed.

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Table of contents

• Preparation tips for BMS entrance exam 2026
   
  • When should students start preparing for the BMS entrance exam?
     
  • BMS preparation courses
     
  • Simulation of the BMS entrance exam
     
• Frequently asked questions about the BMS exam 2026 (FAQs)
   
  • What does BMS stand for?
     
  • What is the BMS exam?
     
  • What are the requirements for taking the BMS exam?
     
  • Which subjects are tested in the BMS entrance exam?
     
  • Is there an oral exam in the BMS exam?
     
  • What aids are allowed in the BMS exam?
     
  • When is the BMS exam passed?
     
  • How are the preliminary grade, BMS exam grade and BMS overall grade calculated?
     
  • What is the procedure for registering for the BMS exam?
     
  • How does the exam-free registration for the vocational maturity school work?
     
  • Is exam-free registration at a Zurich BMS possible for inter-cantonal transfer?
     
  • How high are the training costs at the vocational maturity school?
     
  • How much is the registration fee for the BMS exam (ZAP3)?
     
  • When can you register for the BMS exam in 2026?
     
  • When will the BMS entrance examination take place in 2026?
     
  • Where will the BMS examination take place?
     
  • What should you do if you fall ill before the examination?
     
  • When will you find out the result of the BMS examination?
     
  • If you fail the BMS examination, can you take it again?
     
  • What happens after passing the BMS entrance examination?
     
  • Is there a probationary period at the vocational maturity school (BMS)?

Preparation tips for BMS entrance exam 2026

If you want to attend a vocational maturity school (also known as a vocational secondary school, or BMS for short), you first have to pass the entrance examination. Only under certain circumstances can you enter the BMS without having to take the exam. In the canton of Zurich, the next BMS exam will take place in 2026.

In the following sections, we will give students and parents a number of tips on how to prepare for the BMS entrance examination in order to increase their chances of passing the BMS exam.

When should students start preparing for the BMS entrance exam?

Ideally, students should begin BMS exam preparation half a year before the entrance examination. Sufficient preparation time is important because it is not enough to learn the exam material by heart. Rather, the student must understand the material so that the learning material is retained and can also be recalled under exam stress.

Exam candidates who have prior achievements from school included in the overall grade of the BMS exam need to plan even more preparation time. These students should work on achieving good results in school for years before the actual BMS entrance examination so that they can get good grades on their school report.

BMS preparation courses

Another tip for preparing for the BMS entrance exams is to attend preparatory courses specifically designed to prepare for the BMS exam.

In Zurich, for example, you can attend such preparatory courses for the BMS exam at the Lern-Forum. Highly qualified teachers teach there. The relevant school material for the BMS exam in the subjects German and mathematics is systematically taught and reinforced through exercises. Thanks to the small group sizes of 3-8 participants, the teachers can address the individual needs of each student specifically.

The course materials for the preparatory course are created by the Lern-Forum experts themselves and are therefore perfectly tailored to the course. These course materials are adapted to the current requirements every year.

In addition to learning and understanding the exam material, it is also important to be able to apply this material independently to solve the exam tasks in order to increase your chances of passing the BMS exam. The Lern-Forum teachers therefore also teach the students how to make their work techniques more efficient.

Both quarterly and holiday courses can be booked for the BMS preparation courses. Here you can find the right BMS preparation course.

And by the way: The preparation courses not only increase the chances of passing the BMS entrance examination, but also increase the chances of getting better school grades. This is particularly beneficial for those students who can include their preliminary grades in the overall grade of the BMS examination.

Get information about the BMS preparation at the Lern-Forum

Simulation of the BMS entrance exam

Part of the preparation for the BMS entrance exam should also include taking part in a simulation of a BMS exam.

Such BMS simulation exams can also be taken at the Lern-Forum. In the simulation exams, the BMS exam subjects German and mathematics are tested as if it were a real BMS entrance exam. The duration and the assessment also correspond to a real BMS entrance exam.

The purpose of a BMS simulation exam is, on the one hand, to familiarise the candidates with the exam situation so that they can work more routinely and stress-free in the real exam. On the other hand, candidates can find out through taking a BMS simulation exam which exam subjects still require learning and practising.

Sign up for the BMS simulation exam now!

Frequently asked questions about the BMS exam 2026 (FAQs)

When it comes to the BMS entrance exam, there are certain questions that are asked more often than others. We have answered some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the BMS entrance exam below, including answers to questions about the BMS exam 2026.

What does BMS stand for?

The abbreviation BMS stands for vocational maturity school, also called vocational secondary school, and there is a distinction between vocational maturity school 1 (BM 1) and vocational maturity school 2 (BM 2).

The special feature of the vocational maturity (BM) is the combination of vocational practice with advanced general education, as the vocational maturity is only awarded if one is doing an apprenticeship during the vocational maturity school (BM 1) or before the vocational maturity school (BM 2).

For certain apprenticeships, there is also the option of "BM 1 flex", where the lessons of the vocational maturity school are extended over a longer period of time. The vocational maturity is completed later than the apprenticeship. The "BM 1 flex" option is offered for the following three-year apprenticeships:

• Optician EFZ
• Care assistant EFZ
• Health assistant EFZ
• Laboratory technician EFZ
• Food technologist EFZ

The Vocational maturity education (BMU) has five different subject areas:

• Technology, architecture, life sciences
• Nature, landscape and food
• Economy and services (type economy, type services)
• Design and art
• Health and social care

The vocational maturity school 1 (BM 1) begins after the end of compulsory schooling. In Switzerland, compulsory schooling ends with the end of secondary school. The vocational maturity school 2 (BM 2), on the other hand, begins only after the end of apprenticeship training, either directly after apprenticeship training or at a later time after the end of apprenticeship training.

After successfully completing the vocational maturity school, one has the qualification to start a university of applied sciences degree with the vocational maturity certificate. The alternatives to the vocational maturity school are the gymnasium and the vocational secondary school (FMS).

What is the BMS exam?

The BMS exam is usually meant to refer to the entrance exam for the vocational maturity school, also called the BMS entrance exam. The BMS exam is a central entrance exam (ZAP) that one must pass in order to attend the vocational maturity school. However, under certain conditions, it is possible to enter the BMS without taking the exam.

There are different categories of central entrance exams (ZAP), namely ZAP1, ZAP2, and ZAP3. These three categories differ according to the time at which the exam is taken and the type of secondary school (long-term gymnasium, short-term gymnasium, HMS, IMS, BMS, or FMS):

What are the requirements for taking the BMS exam?

To be eligible to take the BMS entrance examination in 2026, certain requirements must be met, with a distinction being made between those who wish to attend the Vocational Maturity School 1 (BM 1) and those who wish to attend the Vocational Maturity School 2 (BM 2):

Which subjects are tested in the BMS entrance exam?

As part of the BMS entrance examination, the subjects German and Mathematics are tested, with the German exam consisting of the parts "Composition of a text (essay)" and "Language analysis and text comprehension".

Is there an oral exam in the BMS exam?

There is no oral examination in the BMS entrance examination. There are only written exams, in the subjects of German and mathematics.

What aids are allowed in the BMS exam?

The following aids are allowed when taking the BMS entrance examination:

• Fountain pen, ballpoint pen or felt-tip pen, the ink of which must be blue or black
• Eraser or Tipp-Ex
• Pencils only in geometry problems, if specifically requested
• Ruler
• For German essay:
  • the dictionary used in secondary school, or
  • Duden, Band 1: "Die deutsche Rechtschreibung"
• For mathematics:
  • Pencil and eraser only in geometry problems, if specifically requested
  • Compass and protractor
  • Candidates whose mother tongue is not German may use a bilingual dictionary "mother tongue - German" in the mathematics exam (this must, however, be indicated in the remarks field when registering for the BMS exam)
• The following calculator models are allowed:
  • TI-30 ECO RS (Texas Instruments)
  • TI-30X IIS (Texas Instruments)
  • CASIO FX-82 SOLAR II
  • SHARP EL-501 T

The following items are not allowed in the BMS entrance examination:

• erasable pens (except pencil, if specifically required in geometry problems)
• own paper (the candidates will receive paper sheets during the exam)
• all digital devices, such as smartphones and smartwatches, must be handed in to the exam supervisor before the exam; it is therefore recommended to bring an analogue watch to the exam so that you know what time it is at all times during the exam, which can be helpful for better time management

When is the BMS exam passed?

The overall grade at which the BMS entrance examination 2026 is considered passed depends on whether the respective candidate can bring in prior achievements for the overall grade or not.

Prior achievements in the form of the preliminary grade (also called the prior achievement grade) are only taken into account in BM 1 examinations, and only if students attend the secondary level of Division A without requirements levels at a public school or if students attend the secondary level of Division A with requirements levels at a public school (all subjects offered at the requirements levels must belong to requirements level I, i.e. the highest level). In all other cases, no prior achievements are taken into account.

Candidates who can bring in prior achievements (only possible in BM 1) must achieve an average of the preliminary grade and the BMS examination grade of at least 4.5 as the overall grade to pass the BMS examination.

Those candidates who cannot bring in prior achievements (possible in BM 1 and BM 2) must achieve a BMS examination grade of at least 4.25, which is also the overall grade.

How are the preliminary grade, BMS exam grade and BMS overall grade calculated?

If the preliminary work is taken into account in the BMS examination, i.e. a preliminary work mark can be entered, the BMS overall mark is calculated as the average of the preliminary work mark and the BMS examination mark.

The preliminary work mark is calculated as the average of the marks in the following subjects, each accounting for one fifth of the mark:

• German
• Mathematics (only arithmetic and algebra)
• English
• French
• Nature and Technology

If a mark is missing in one of these subjects, it is not possible to enter the preliminary work mark.

As for the calculation of the BMS examination mark, this is calculated as one quarter of the German examination part "Composition of a text (essay)" and one quarter of the German examination part "Language analysis and text comprehension". The BMS examination mark is thus half the mark for the German examination, while the other half is the mark for the mathematics examination.

If it is not possible to enter a preliminary work mark, the BMS examination mark is also the BMS overall mark.

What is the procedure for registering for the BMS exam?

The registration process for the Central Entrance Exams (ZAP), which includes the ZAP3, i.e. the BMS exams, involves two steps:

1. Registration on the ZAP registration page of the Canton of Zurich
2. Completing the registration

Registration is required every year.

If candidates can include prior achievements, i.e. preliminary grades, in the overall ZAP score, they must upload their January report card when registering.

Once you have selected the desired school and paid the examination fee, you can complete the registration process.

How does the exam-free registration for the vocational maturity school work?

Those who are eligible to attend the vocational maturity school without taking the exam must still register for the desired vocational maturity school by 10 February 2026 using the registration page for the central entrance examination.

The requirements for entering the vocational maturity school without taking the exam depend on whether it is a BM 1 or BM 2.

To be eligible to enter the 1st class of a BM 1 without taking the exam, one of the following requirements must be met:

• having passed the ZAP for the BM 1 in the previous year, or
• having the opportunity to transfer from the 3rd class of a public long-term grammar school to the next class in the year in which one wants to enter the BM 1, or
• having the opportunity to transfer from any class of a public short-term grammar school, a public commercial school, a public informatics school or a public vocational school to the next class

To be admitted to a BM 2 without having to take the entrance examination, you must meet one of the following conditions:

• you must have passed the ZAP for the BM 2 in the previous year, or
• you must have dropped out of the BM 1 with the same orientation within the last two calendar years, or
• you must have obtained the Swiss Federal Vocational Qualification Certificate (EFZ) with an overall mark of at least 5.0 within the last two calendar years (if you do not have the EFZ at the time of the decision on admission without an entrance examination: use the school grades of the vocational basic training from the end of the first semester of the last school year)

However, there is an exception for the educational programme with the orientation towards business and services, type business, where you can only be admitted to a BM 2 without having to take the entrance examination:

• if you passed the ZAP for the BM 2 in the previous year, or
• if you completed the vocational basic training as a business manager with an average mark of at least 4.5 in the following subject grades: standard language, first foreign language, second foreign language, business and society I and II (if you do not have the EFZ subject grades at the time of the decision on admission without an entrance examination: use the grade from the last semester report for the respective subject, with the subject business and society counting twice)

Is exam-free registration at a Zurich BMS possible for inter-cantonal transfer?

At a vocational maturity school in Zurich, you can also register without taking the exam if you have successfully completed the admission procedure for a public vocational maturity school in another canton.

If you are a learner living outside the canton of Zurich but have your place of training in the canton of Zurich or attend a vocational school in the canton of Zurich, you will be admitted to BM 1, provided the admission conditions of the canton of residence are met.

To be admitted to BM 2 with a residence outside the canton of Zurich, you must have the cost-covering approval of the canton of residence under the right to a grant.

How high are the training costs at the vocational maturity school?

If the learner has his or her place of study in the canton of Zurich or attends vocational school in the canton of Zurich, then attending BM 1 in the canton of Zurich is free of charge for the learner. However, the learner must pay for the costs of teaching materials, school supplies, excursions, project weeks, foreign language stays, own electronic devices such as a computer, external certificates, etc. .

If the learner attends BM 2 in the canton of Zurich, then attending the course is free of charge for the learner if he or she has his or her residence for the purposes of receiving a grant in the canton of Zurich. If the learner has his or her residence for the purposes of receiving a grant in another canton, then he or she must clarify the assumption of costs with the competent office in the canton of residence. All learners must pay for the costs of the lump-sum materials fee and for the costs of teaching materials, school supplies, excursions, project weeks, foreign language stays, own electronic devices such as a computer, external certificates, etc..

How much is the registration fee for the BMS exam (ZAP3)?

The registration fee for the central entrance examination ZAP3, which also includes the BMS examination (BM 1 and BM 2), is CHF 50 per school year. If you register for the examination more than once during a school year, you only have to pay the fee once. Students who transfer to the vocational maturity school without taking the examination do not have to pay the registration fee.

Multiple registrations are possible within one school year for three different entrance examinations:

• IMS examination
• HMS examination and/or short gymnasium examination
• FMS examination or BM 1 examination

When can you register for the BMS exam in 2026?

Registration for the BMS examination (BM1 and BM2) is possible from 1 January 2026 to 10 February 2026, with this registration period also being referred to as the registration window.

When will the BMS entrance examination take place in 2026?

The BMS exams will take place on the following days in 2026:

• BM 1 entrance exam: Wednesday, 4 March 2026
• BM 2 entrance exam (all orientations): Saturday, 14 March 2026
• BM 2 entrance exam (Business and Services, three-semester programme): Friday, 19 June 2026

The times at which the individual exam parts will take place have also been fixed:

• 8:00 to 9:30: Mathematics
• 10:00 to 10:45: German: Language analysis and text comprehension
• 11:15 to 12:45: German: Writing a text (essay)

Where will the BMS examination take place?

The BMS examination takes place at the vocational maturity school where the candidate has registered.

What should you do if you fall ill before the examination?

If the candidate is unable to take the exam, for example due to illness or an accident, they must submit a medical certificate to the vocational maturity school where they are scheduled to take the exam within three days. This allows the candidate to participate in the BMS re-examination. 

However, once you have taken the exam, you can no longer claim to be ill afterwards. Because with the examination attempt, you are considered to be fit to take the exam.

When will you find out the result of the BMS examination?

The results of the BMS entrance examination are sent to the candidate by post approximately two weeks after the examination.

If you fail the BMS examination, can you take it again?

In the case of BM 1, a repeat of the BMS exam is possible next year if the course also only starts next year. This is because the start of BM 1 is at the same time as the start of the course.

The BM 2 exam can be repeated once a year after the course as often as you wish.

What happens after passing the BMS entrance examination?

If the BMS exam has been passed, entry into BM 1 and entry into BM 2 depend on different conditions.

If, at the time of entry into BM 1, a training contract for a three- or four-year vocational training course is in place, one is entitled to enter BM 1 in the school year immediately following the BMS exam, and to enter BM 2 in the following school year.

To enter BM 2, one must have a Federal Vocational Qualification Certificate (EFZ) after passing the BMS exam. Entry into BM 2 is then possible in the school year immediately following the BMS exam, and in the following school year.

In principle, you can choose any vocational maturity school in the canton of Zurich, except for BM 1, where the place of training and the vocational college are decisive.

The choice of school - as long as there is freedom of choice - is made by the candidate when registering for the BMS exam, although choosing a particular BMS does not guarantee admission to exactly that BMS. If a particular BMS is overcrowded, students may be transferred to a different BMS than the one they wanted. A transfer can be made before or after the entrance examination. The affected students will receive a written notification of the transfer.

If the candidate has passed several ZAP exams for different types of school, he or she must deregister from the schools he or she does not want to attend, and must do so within the deadline set in the admission decision. The registration form for the centralised entrance examination can be used for this deregistration/deregistrations.

Is there a probationary period at the vocational maturity school (BMS)?

No, there is no probationary period at the vocational maturity school (BMS) as one might know it from the first semester at a gymnasium or a vocational secondary school (FMS).

Book a BMS preparatory course with Lern-Forum

Registration for the BMS simulation exam with Lern-Forum

Sources

https://www.lern-forum.ch/en/gymnasium-preparation/bms-exam/registration

https://www.zh.ch/content/dam/zhweb/bilderdokumente/themen/bildung/schulen/maturitaetsschulen/zap/empfehlungsformular_sek_b.pdf

https://www.zap.zh.ch/newregistration.php

https://www.zh.ch/de/bildung/schulen/maturitaetsschule/zentrale-aufnahmepruefung.html