Gymnasium exam

What should you know about the Gymnasium exam?

The Gymiprüfung is the Central Entrance Examination for Gymnasiums in the Canton of Zurich and must be successfully passed in order to attend a Gymnasium. Therefore, every March, several thousand Swiss students write the Gymiprüfung Zürich. Registration takes place via the Website by means of a PIN code, which is handed out at the orientation evening of the Gymnasium for a fee.

However, on average only half of all participants pass, which is why intensive preparation for the entrance exam is highly recommended. Generally speaking, students with a grade point average of at least 5 have a realistic chance of passing the Gymiprüfung Zürich, although it also matters whether the exam is for the short- or long-term Gymnasium.

What changed in the Gymnasium exam 2023

In 2023 there were some important changes for participants in the gymnasium examination. These affect students from the second and third secondary levels, as well as students from the sixth primary level.

Second- and third-secondary school students are no longer tested in French, but only in Mathematics and German, in the Zürich gymnasium examination. In addition, the preliminary grades are also taken into account. These are made up of one-fifth of each of the grades in Mathematics, German, French, and English. Together with the examination grade, this results in the final grade. The entrance examination is considered to have been passed with an average of at least 4.75.

For students in the sixth primary level, the same applies. The examination is also considered to have been passed with an average grade of at least 4.75. This is made up of 50 % examination grade and 50 % preliminary grade. This is made up of 50 % each of the examination grade and the preliminary performance grade.

Gymnasium exam in Zurich

Examination of long-term gymnasium

Students who wish to continue their school education at a long-term gymnasium only need to take a written exam. In addition to 60 minutes of Mathematics, this consists of 60 minutes of essay writing in German and 45 minutes for text comprehension and language review, also in German.

The examination is considered passed if the participants achieve a grade of at least 4.5. However, this grade is not only made up of the examination grade, which weights Mathematics to 50 percent and German to 50 percent, but also half of the incoming grade. The latter is derived from the grades of the February report, also 50 percent in Mathematics and 50 percent in German.

If students have attended a private school, there is no incoming grade and the minimum grade for passing the Gymi exam Zurich is 4.0.

Examination of short-term gymnasium

Students who wish to continue their studies at a short-term gymnasium, a business secondary school or a specialized secondary school must take a similar entrance examination. This examination consists of a written and possibly also an oral part, whereby the incoming grades are not taken into account.

The written exam consists of 90 minutes Mathematics, including arithmetic/algebra and geometry, 90 minutes essay in German, 60 minutes listening and reading comprehension as well as a language exercise and a writing assignment. In addition, 45 minutes of text comprehension and language review in German will be tested.

If the student achieves a grade of at least 4.0 in the written examination, the entrance exam for the short-term gymnasium and the specialized secondary school is considered passed. A grade of 3.87 is sufficient for the business secondary school.

Students who have not achieved this grade in the gymnasium examination, but who have achieved a grade of at least 3.75 for the short-term gymnasium and the specialized secondary school and a grade of 3.37 for the business gymnasium, will be asked to take the oral examination. In this exam, Mathematics, and German as well as French are examined for 15 minutes each.