A grammar school preparation course is also worthwhile, especially if you have a poor knowledge of German. This is also due to the fact that German is one of the subjects that is practised in a grammar school preparation course - for example in Zurich.

Even if you don't pass the Gymi exam, by attending a Gymi course you will still have done something to improve your German language skills, which are important in all professions, even outside of an academic career.

In the following article, we explain why a grammar school course is particularly important for pupils with poor German language skills to prepare for the grammar school examination, why a grammar school preparation course is definitely worthwhile to improve German language skills and which pupils from abroad do not need a grammar school examination at all.

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Table of contents

Why a grammar school course is important for poor German skills
Gymi preparatory course to improve German language skills is always worthwhile
Some pupils from abroad do not have to sit the Gymnasium exam

Why a grammar school course is important for poor German skills

Many public schools in the canton of Zurich as well as private providers - such as the Lern-Forum in the city of Zurich - offer courses to prepare students for grammar school. In these grammar school preparation courses, participants are prepared for the grammar school examinations in German and maths.

But does it make sense for someone whose German language skills are poor to take part in a Gymi preparation course? The answer must be: For children who have grown up in Switzerland and whose German language skills are poor, but who are not starting from scratch, it is definitely worth attending a gymnasium preparation course.

Of course, admission to grammar school is not guaranteed even if they attend a grammar school course. And poor German language skills reduce the chances of passing the grammar school exam. However, as German is one of the examination subjects in the grammar school exam, it is all the more important that pupils who have particular difficulties in this subject prepare specifically for German, preferably with the help of a professional Gymnasium preparation course.

The advantage of a grammar school preparation course at the Zurich grammar school exam preparation institute Lern-Forum, for example, is that the small groups of participants mean that the learning needs of individual students can be addressed in a targeted and personalised manner. So if a pupil has major or minor problems in certain areas of the German language, this pupil can be helped individually to overcome these language problems.

However, it is necessary for all pupils who want to transfer to the Gymnasium to prepare for the Gymi exam, as the nature of the tasks in the grammar school exam is different from those in the regular lessons at primary or secondary school.

Please also read our article ‘Preparation for Gymnasium exam necessary to pass’.

Gymi preparatory course to improve German language skills is always worthwhile

But even if the exam candidate does not pass the Gymi exam, attending the Gymi preparation course is usually not in vain. After all, participation in the Gymnasium course should always lead to an improvement in German language skills.

You may also be interested in the following article: ‘Is my child suitable for grammar school?’.

In German-speaking Switzerland, a command of the German language is essential for life, especially for professional success. Many doors are open to young adults in terms of education, such as transferring to a university of applied sciences, university or a CAS further education programme, depending on their qualifications. However, a good knowledge of German is always required.

The many training courses at universities of applied sciences and universities that the Swiss state makes available to young adults are inexpensive and recognised in the professional world.

The vocational baccalaureate programme (BMS), for example, which combines school education with an apprenticeship and subsequent studies at a university of applied sciences, has the advantage that you complete your studies with professional experience. This combination of practice and study is very helpful for fine-tuning your career as an adult.

However, the German language is not only important during the training itself, but also after the training in the application process when applying for a job. Job interviews in particular require applicants to have a good command of German.

The importance of mastering the German language is therefore by no means limited to the grammar school entrance examination.

Attend a preparatory course for the Gymi exam at Zurich's long-term grammar school now.

Pupils can also attend a preparatory course to prepare for the Gymi exam at a short-term grammar school.

Attend a preparatory course for the Gymi exam at Zurich's short-term grammar school now.

Some pupils from abroad do not have to sit the Gymnasium exam

It should also be noted that not all pupils need to take an entrance examination to transfer to a long or short grammar school in the canton of Zurich.

If, for example, a student from abroad - who has not been in Switzerland for long - would like to enter a Zurich long or short grammar school, interested students with a comparable grammar school education can apply for a so-called 'Hospitation' - without a prior grammar school examination - at a long or short grammar school. The respective school management decides whether the student in question is accepted for such a 'Hospitation' or is required to take a Gymi examination.

As a rule, pupils are accepted for a maximum of two semesters as a guest student at the grammar school. At the end of the second semester, the same promotion regulations apply to the guest students as to the other grammar school pupils. If the guest student fulfils these promotion requirements, he or she can then be definitively admitted to the grammar school.

Find out now about grammar school preparation in Zurich.