The schooling system of Switzerland explained

Switzerland has a largely decentralised education system. Each canton has its own head of education. Together, they make up the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education. The education system is broken down into four stages: preschool or kindergarten, primary, secondary, and tertiary or higher education. English is taught from primary school level. Although private schools exist, the majority of students attend state-run schools. Education in Switzerland is compulsory until the age of 16.

International education
Foreigners make up 45% of Geneva’s population. The International School of Geneva is the only officially recognised international school. Founded in 1924, it has 3700 students to its credit from all nationalities. It offers education from the ages 3-18. However, parents must consider that it is a non-profit educational foundation, and demands financial support over and above fees.  Other international schools can be found in Basel, Berne, Leysin, Lugano, Montreux, Zug and St.Gallen.

Exams and diplomas

• The International General Certificate of Education (IGCSE)
  The IGCSE is a UK-based qualification administered by the Cambridge Local Examining Board. It is equivalent to school years 10 and 11, or British O-Levels. IGCSE requires students to take a minimum of eight subjects. The IGCSE diploma is particularly helpful for students applying to British universities, although it is not limited to the United Kingdom.

• The International Baccalaureate diploma (IB)
  The International Baccalaureate originated at the International School of Geneva, and today over 1700 schools in over 120 countries offer this diploma. It is considered equivalent to the British system of A-levels, and caters to students in the age group 16-19.  The diploma requires students to study six subjects within two years, as well as additional academic courses like Theory of Knowledge (philosophy), 150 hours of CAS (Creativity, Action, Service), and a final Extended Essay.

Universities
There are 11 universities in Switzerland, of which nine are run by the cantons. These provide education in non-technical subjects. The remaining two run by the confederation of Zurich and Lausanne provide technical subjects, and are called The Federal Institutes of Technology. The latter are regulated by the central government. Other university cities are located in Basle, Berne, Fribourg, Lucerne and St.Gallen.  To be accepted for a bachelors programme at a Swiss university, any foreign certificate must be recognised by the university as being equivalent to state-recognised Swiss certificate.

[Expatica, 2008]