If Switzerland is your preferred study destination, what a smart decision you made. However, to move to Switzerland, you will have to pass the study visa interview at the Switzerland embassy or consulate. From the title, you can tell that today’s topic is about Switzerland student visa interview questions. I’ll share with you common questions you might face during your interview, and by the end of this post, I’ll offer tips that will help you to respond to these questions successfully.
Don’t be scared—Switzerland’s student visa success rate is between 92% and 97%. That’s an average of 5.5% rejection in 2024. This means that your chance of being approved is very high. However, you must be prepared with the visa questions so that you can pass this interview. So, keep reading, and let’s get in.
Switzerland Student Visa Interview Questions
One thing you shouldn’t take for granted is that the consular officer expects your responses to sound as natural as possible, and not scripted or rehearsed. Some students just walk in and start rehearsing their answers, which is why they typically get rejected. That said, let’s look at the common questions you’ll be asked.
1. Could you tell me about yourself?
The first question you are likely to encounter is about your personal information. This includes your name, your date of birth, and your place of birth. Even though the interviewer already has these details on paper, they want to hear you confirm that the information matches what you have provided in your documents. You might think these questions are unnecessary, but it’s just something you need to go through. So, be prepared to share your name, your date of birth, and your place of birth.
2. What Course Are You Studying?
As part of the Switzerland student visa interview questions, the second question you are likely to be asked is about your course of study. When asked, “What course are you studying?” you already know what they are asking, so you just answer them.
3. What is the Duration of Your Studies and School Location?
Following that, you’ll be asked about how long your studies will take and where your school is located. The question might be, “Is your study duration two years, one year, or six months?” You should be ready to share this information. Sometimes, the question about why you’re traveling comes up early in the conversation. You might be asked, “But why are you traveling?” To which you might respond, “Oh, I’m traveling for my master’s,” or “I’m traveling for a bachelor’s.”
4. Do you have any family members in Switzerland?
Another Switzerland student visa interview question that comes up is about your connections in the destination. You might be asked, “Do you have family members in this place?” or “Do you have friends located in this place?” Provide as much information about the people you know over here in Switzerland. If you have nobody residing in Switzerland, just tell them that you have no one here.
5. Have you traveled to Switzerland before?
You will also be asked about your travel history to specific countries. The question could be, “Have you traveled to Switzerland before?” or “Have you traveled to France before?” Or they might ask if this is your first time traveling there. Just provide an honest answer here.
6. Why do you want to study in Switzerland?
So, the question that comes up next is likely to be, “Why Switzerland and not France or Germany? Why did you choose to study in this place instead of your home country? Why didn’t you apply to a school in your own country? Is there something not right with your home country?” Sometimes, this is one of the Switzerland student visa interview questions that might seem a bit aggressive, but you need to answer it. For this question, your response has to be based on your desire. It could be for exposure. So, you can just say, “My country doesn’t have much expertise in what I want to pursue because my field is international law and economics. So, my thought process was I just want to be exposed, and the school I’m aiming for specializes in what I’m interested in studying.” This response should help address the question.
Switzerland is a top country for your education. In 2024, this county has two schools ranking in the top 40 in the world, including ETH Zurich (11th global ranking) and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (33rd global ranking), according to Times Higher Education.
7. Have you made any plans for your accommodation?
The next common Switzerland question you are likely to face is about your living situation. “Do you have accommodation there? Where will you be staying? Will you be living with family or friends, or will you be on your own?” For this part, you also need to show documentation, whether it’s to confirm that you’ll be living with family or that you’ll be staying by yourself. If you have secured a dorm for yourself, let the visa officer know about that.
8. What are your after-school plans?
The next question you might face is about your plans after your study in Switzerland. It’s not advisable to say you plan to work or stay in the country after your studies. Obviously, what you have is a study visa and not a work visa. If you give the impression that you want to work in Switzerland, the consular officer will consider it your ulterior motive and reject your visa application.
I recall having to write a cover letter before coming here, which was required. In that letter, I mentioned that once my studies were completed, I intended to return home. So, the expected response is that you plan to return to your home country. Don’t even mention your plans such as getting married, building a house, or finding a job. Instead, say that you plan to go back to your home country to contribute to its development. It might sound amusing, but that’s the preferred answer.
9. What do you do?
Another question that might come up is about your activities before applying to this school. They might ask if you were working, studying, completing your school, or acquiring a new skill. Share a little about what you were doing before deciding to study at this particular institution.
10. How will you fund your studies in Switzerland?
As part of the Switzerland student visa interview questions, you might be questioned about how you are going to pay for your studies. Are you paying for it yourself, or do you have someone helping you out, like a sponsor or a guardian? If you do have someone helping you, it’s a good idea to bring along bank statements or a letter from them saying, “This person is my daughter or my son, and I’m sponsoring them.” If you’re on a scholarship, you should bring a document that shows you’re being funded by an organization and that you’re on a scholarship.
11. Do you have any criminal records?
Another question that could come up is about your criminal records. They might ask if you have any criminal records. So, if you do have a criminal record, and you have documents like a probation report showing you are a good citizen, you should bring those documents with you.
12. How many universities have you applied to?
The final question I have is about the number of universities you applied to. They don’t ask every applicant this question, but it seems like a common question among most people I know. So, they might ask you, how many universities have you applied to? Just be honest about it. If you have applied to none, just say it.
Tips for Switzerland Student Visa Interview
So, now I want to give you the tips for answering these Switzerland student visa interview questions as well as beating the interview.
Prepare Photocopies of Your Documents
First of all, for to have photocopies of about like about six to seven photocopies. I’m sure that they would tell you this, but in addition, have six to seven photocopies of everything because I didn’t have enough, and I had to go and photocopy, and it was so bad because the lady was like, I’m living here by one o’clock. If you’re not back, your interview is canceled and will be scheduled.
Be Punctual
The second tip is for you to be very punctual. Come early, so that you can be attended so early. The next question is that if you do not get a question, or you do not have the answer to it, just ask, sorry, pardon, please, could you repeat the question again? So, that gives you extra time to think about your answer.
Prepare Well for this Interview
And it’s very wise for you to practice these questions at home before you go there, and then you’re startled. I know it’s a very nerve-wracking interview, or it can be. You can feel nervous, but just be calm, and make sure you don’t rush, or you don’t talk fast. Just answer these questions very slowly, and you are good to go.
Dress Well
Dress well. You don’t have to wear a suit or whatever, but just, you know, look good, dress well, and, smell good. Just get any corporate-looking wear ready for this interview.
Avoid Arguing with the Interviewer
Do not argue with the interviewer. It’s quite amusing, yet it’s true. Don’t argue with the interviewer. Simply respond to the questions. If they are not understanding you, just stay calm and speak politely. But if you argue with the interviewer, it’s very wrong, to begin with, and it’s very beneficial for you to go through the interview, even though the person is being difficult, you understand what I’m saying.
Conclusion
So, these are the Switzerland student visa interview questions you should expect to be asked at the embassy. We have also looked at the possible answers you should give and tips that will help you pass this interview.
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