Visas and permits

Study visa application for non-EU students (third country nationals)

Before entering Switzerland, students from a non-EU-27*/EFTA** State must apply for a student visa at the Swiss consulate in their country of origin and wait for the visa to be obtained without leaving their country.

The visa must have been received and affixed to the passport prior to leaving.

The visa application process is the student's responsibility and can take between 2 and 4 months. For this reason, the application should be submitted as early as possible.

The following documents are required for the issue of a study visa:

admission to a recognised Swiss higher education institution;
personal study plan stating the study objective;
personal CV;
declaration of the intention to leave Switzerland after completion of the education

In addition, on arrival in Switzerland student must apply for a residence permit from the regional Office for Foreign Nationals and register with the local migration office in the host town.

More information is available on the site www.ch.ch

Residence permit B for study purposes for students from EU-27/EFTA States

Students from EU-27*/EFTA** States wishing to live in Switzerland for the duration of their studies must apply for residence permit B for study purposes (or residence permit B for study purposes with ancillary gainful employment).

In order to apply for residence permit B for study purposes, students should go on www.ti.ch/stranieri, select from "Servizi online" the permit B and follow the procedure for filling the permit application form.

The following documents must be attached to the duly completed form:

Valid identity document
Copy of a rental contract or statement of accommodation
Declaration of regular enrolment at the Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana (issued by the Academic Office)
Criminal record statement (not required for renewals)

To complete the procedure, the student must register with the local inhabitant control office in the commune of residence.

Residence permit B for study purposes for students from outside of the EU (third country nationals)

Students from outside of the EU-27*/EFTA** States wishing to live in Switzerland for the duration of their studies must apply for residence permit B for study purposes (or residence permit B for study purposes with ancillary gainful employment, available only after 6 months of studies).

The following documents must be attached to the duly completed form:

Valid passport with a study visa
Copy of a rental contract or statement of accommodation
Declaration of regular enrolment at the Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana (issued by the Academic Office)

The regional Office for Foreign Nationals then sends a letter in which the student is asked to make an appointment to complete the procedure for issuing a residence permit B for study purposes.

During this appointment, a photograph is taken, to be put on the residence permit for study purposes and biometric data is collected.

The residence permit for study purposes must be paid for at the end of the appointment.

The student must then report to the inhabitant control office in the commune of residence to register his or her arrival.

Registration at the inhabitant control office in the commune of residence

All students must register with the inhabitant control office in the commune of residence, whether they are from EU-27/EFTA States or non-EU citizens (third country nationals).

Registration must be carried out no later than 8 days after arrival in Switzerland (start of the lease), presenting the following documents:

Passport (including study visa) or valid identity document
Copy of a rental contract or statement of accommodation
Certification of entitlement to a health insurance fund (e. g. Academic Care) or, for students who have so requested, a duly completed photocopy of form 6.1 “Exemption from compulsory health care insurance”.
Residence permit B for study purposes (in the absence of a permit, inform the Office of any application for the same)

NOTE: In the case a student changes their address, marital status, Canton, or any other relevant information, they are obliged to immediately notify both the Inhabitant Control office in their town/city of residence and the Cantonal Migration Office. For the latter, a request for changing the study permit must be submitted.

Students who decide to leave Switzerland during, or at the end of their studies, are obliged to immediately notify both the Inhabitant Control office in their town/city of residence and the Cantonal Migration Office.

*The following countries are part of the EU-27: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

**EFTA: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland