Enrolment in the vocational secondary school in the Swiss canton of Zurich
The vocational secondary school, short BMS, offers Swiss students the opportunity to obtain the vocational Matura. This not only opens up better career opportunities for the students, but above all enables them to study at a university of applied sciences. Therefore, many Swiss students take advantage of the opportunity to take this qualification in parallel to their basic vocational apprenticeship. This option is called vocational secondary school 1, short BM(S) 1. In addition, there is also the option of BM(S) 2, where the vocational secondary school is attended after completion of the apprenticeship. Students can choose between one year of full-time classes and two years of part-time classes.
As a third option, students can also choose the so-called BM 1 flex option, which extends attendance at the BMS over a longer period for certain three-year apprenticeships. With this option, the vocational baccalaureate school, i.e. the vocational baccalaureate, is also only completed after the apprenticeship.
In any case, students must first pass a central entrance examination in order to be admitted to a vocational secondary school in the canton of Zurich. For this reason, we have compiled all the important information on this page about a successful entry to a vocational secondary school, as well as dates and requirements. There are a number of differences between the vocational secondary schools due to the different fields of specialization.
Course dates and registration
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All important dates for the vocational secondary school
The vocational baccalaureate school offers several dates for the central entrance examination, depending on which option you have chosen:
- Examination date BM 1: Wednesday, 4 March 2026
- Examination date BM 2 (all specialisations): Saturday, 14 March 2026
- Examination date BM 2 (business and services, three semesters): Friday, 19 June 2026
Registrations for all three options must be made during the following registration window: 1 January 2026 to 10 February 2026
Before the registration period begins, information evenings will be held at your children's schools, where you will receive all the important information and data you need to register your children for the central entrance examination. Ultimately, registration takes place via an online portal, which you can find at the following link: Registration for the central entrance examination BMS
While BM-1 candidates are allowed to take the exam from the last school year of secondary level 1, levels A and B, the situation is different for BM-2 candidates. As is well known, they are already in apprenticeships and are allowed to take the exam from the penultimate year of their apprenticeship. For BM-2 students, the exam is therefore valid for a full two years.
The BMS exam procedure
The central entrance examination for vocational baccalaureate schools is taken on a single day, but there are different examination days depending on the option chosen (BM 1, BM 2 (all specialisations) and BM 2 (business and services, three semesters)) (see above).
The examination subjects and the examination procedure are the same for all BMS variants on the respective examination day:
- 8:00 to 9:30 a.m.: Mathematics
- 10:00 to 10:45 a.m.: German: Language analysis and text comprehension
- 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.: German: Writing a text (essay)
The calculation of the BMS test scores
Your children will receive the results of the BMS exam by post approximately 2.5 weeks after they have taken the exam.
The BMS exam grade is calculated as 50% from the maths exam grade and 50% from the German exam grade, with the German exam grade consisting of 50% from the exam grade for the German exam section ‘Writing a text (essay)’ and 50% from the exam grade for the German exam section ‘Language analysis and text comprehension’.
If the preliminary performance grade counts, the overall grade for the BMS exam is calculated as 50% from the exam grade and 50% from the preliminary performance grade. If the preliminary performance grade does not count, the overall grade corresponds to the exam grade.
If your child has achieved an average grade of 4.5 (with preliminary grade) or 4.25 (without preliminary grade), they have passed the BMS examination and may transfer to the vocational baccalaureate school.
You can find out how the preliminary grade is calculated on our page ‘Grade Calculator for Grammar School Exam Zurich - Grade calculation’.
Course dates and registration
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- BMS Preparation (Video)
- BM 1 / BM 2
- Exam requirements
- A secure career
Learning objectives in comparison BMS-Gymnasium
When asking for opinions about the entrance exams to the Gymnasium, one often hears the statement: "There were things asked that we have never covered before!" This is true insofar as the exams for the Gymnasium often include tasks that the students do not know. This is done to test the ability of logical thinking as well as the comprehension skills of the prospective high school students.
In the case of the entrance examination for the vocational middle school, the whole thing looks somewhat different: the examination tasks focus more on the concrete learning objectives. If you compare the learning objectives for the entrance exam for the BMS with those for the Gymnasium, at first impression you have the feeling that the BMS exam is much more difficult, because more learning objectives are listed for the prospective BMS students.
However, the reality is different: the entrance exam for the BMS is more of a "learning exam" than the one for the Gymnasium. Although the learning objectives are more extensive, fewer tasks are set in which the students are "thrown in at the deep end".
With the appropriate preparation, you can succeed in the BMS exam!
The Vocational High School (BMS) - Springboard for a Successful Future
Many pupils dream of going on to university or similar higher education. They want to attend grammar school to obtain their school-leaving certificate and open the door to numerous educational pathways. For many, their world falls apart when they fail the grammar school entrance exam. However, the vocational baccalaureate school (BMS) now offers an alternative route that is better suited to many young people. Some struggle with the theoretical nature of grammar school education and would like to gain practical experience earlier. This is possible with the BMS.
An entrance exam must also be taken for the BMS, but it differs from the grammar school exam in several respects. The exam tests the level of knowledge at the end of the first semester of the third secondary level.
The BMS entrance examination is a ‘learning examination’. If a student has mastered the material covered in secondary school and is also familiar with the structure and procedure of the entrance examination, they have a good chance of passing the examination. In the preparatory course offered by the Lern-Forum, young people learn what is important for successful exam preparation. They are given an overview of the material covered in the exam and an in-depth insight into the topics relevant to the exam. By practising with old exams, it becomes clear what is required. This enables students to identify their own weaknesses and improve them in good time.
Course dates and registration
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Attending the BMS course
For some students, BMS is "Plan B" when they fail to pass the entrance exam for short-track Gymnasium. Then the question arises of whether it is necessary to attend a BMS prep course when they have already completed the prep course for Gymnasium.
The learning objectives for admission to the BMS differ from those for admission to the short-term grammar school. The pupils are at a completely different stage: the BMS examination tests the level of knowledge at the end of the first semester of the third secondary level. The short-term grammar school examination, on the other hand, tests the level of knowledge at the end of the first semester of the second secondary level.
- BMS preparation
Tutoring and intensive holiday courses of highest quality so your child can prepare for the BMS and FMS entrance exam.
- IMS preparation
Tutoring and intensive holiday courses of highest quality to optimally prepare your child for the IMS entrance examination.
- FMS Preparation
Tutoring and intensive vacation courses of highest quality to prepare your child optimally for the FMS entrance exam.
- Matura Preparation
Repetition preparation courses of all relevant subjects for the Matura examinations in mathematics and French.
- Supplementary courses
[Translate to Englisch:] Mit unseren Ergänzungskursen legen Schülerinnen und Schüler den Grundstein für gute Zeugnisnoten und eine Aufnahme ins Gymnasium. Erfahren Sie im Folgenden, für wen sich Ergänzungskurse lohnen und welche Inhalte behandelt werden.