Bonjour tout le monde!
I have an opportunity to study in Zurich. I have already been to Kantonsschule Oerlikon which provides a programme with 5 subjects in English but the rest in German However, I have never been studying German before. I realized it would be worthed for me to commute to french-speaking part of Switzerland every day (I`ve been learning French for 2 years). Currently, I`m supposed to go to 3th grade of Gymnasium. I`d like to find a public school where the studying language would be English or French (or even both . Can anyone please give me any referece?
Thank you in advance.
Eva

Will you be living in Zurich? It will take you hours to travel to the french speaking part every day!!

For example Zurich to lausanne is roughly 2 hours 20 mins by train. If you had to be at school at 0830 you would need to be on the train before 0600.

Would this school be of any interest to you, Ms. Eva?

If it's a public school, you cannot go wherever you please but must go to the one you're allocated to based upon where you live. Hence, certainly not in another canton.

Yes, I`ll be living in Zurich. I went to Lausane for a weekend so I`m aware how long does it take;-) I just thought that I can find a school in Bienne/Biel or Morat/Murten... which are located on the "border" between french and german speaking part.

I`ve already checked that school but I would be more interested in public school which I find more challenging=)

hmm.. wow.. I have never realized it can be so tangled in the swiss school sysem. Do you happen to know if there is any exception for international students? What would you suggest if I don`t speak german at all?

When you say a public school, I think you mean a state school, where everyone can attend for free? In England at least, a public school is a very good type of private school. It doesn't mean what it sounds like.

It's not tangled at all. In most countries of the world, when attending public (i.e. state-funded) schools you go to the one allocated to your neigborhood (universities excluded).

If you don't speak german you can either learn it, or move to a french speaking region...

When you enrol in a public (state funded) school in Deutschschweiz, you'll obviously tell them that you don't speak German, then when it's time to start on your first day they'll already be prepared with an extra german teacher (I get 6 hours of "Intensivdeutsch" per week) who will start from the very beginning (which is very boring if you're like me and can figure all that stuff out by yourself) then you'll keep getting those extra german lessons until you can speak the language fluently enough to get by on your own I should also note that whenever you have a test or even an exam they mark yours with the thought in mind that you don't speak German and then your marks on your report will be a lot better (which makes sense really).

PM me if you need any more info.

Cheers, Jordan.

Anyway, I really appreciate your help. Good luck=)
Eva.

Sometimes you can choose your Kantonsschule (within your canton of residence). I had a friend from rural Aargau who had the choice of attending Kantonsschule in Aarau or Baden. She chose Baden in the end because it was closer to Zurich, but was half-contemplating Aarau just so she could say she went to the same school as Albert Einstein.
Heather

If you are speaking of Rustygrabens suggestion of the Lycée Français de Zurich (fee paying but part of the french national education system) I would like to know why you don't find it challenging enough?

My daughter goes there and it is brutal.