Students on the baccalaureate course for adults acquire a broad general education. The baccalaureate for adults gives them the opportunity to specialize in certain subjects. The baccalaureate promotes abstract, scientific thinking and leads to the general ability to study at a university. With this qualification, students have exam-free access to Swiss and foreign universities, federal institutes of technology and universities of teacher education.

Since the 2017/2018 school year, not only people with a Federal Vocational Baccalaureate can start studying at a university via the supplementary examination (Passerelle), as was previously the case, but now also people with a Specialized Baccalaureate. It is therefore no longer mandatory for students with a vocational baccalaureate to complete the Baccalaureate for adults.

Depending on the teaching model chosen, the Matura for adults takes three to four years to complete. Tuition can be full-time or part-time, as well as by distance learning, which involves attending in-depth block courses in addition to self-study.

The gymnasiale Matura for adults is aimed at the following people:

• Adults who are seeking a broad general education qualification at upper secondary level with access to higher education in Switzerland and abroad for further professional development
• Vocational baccalaureate students
• Graduates of a technical secondary school

With the adult Matura, these target groups can further their education by studying at university and increase their career opportunities.

The "Matura nachholen Erwachsene" course concludes with the Matura examination. The following subjects are examined:

• German
• French
• Mathematics
• Main subject
• English or supplementary subject

The Matura examination is conducted by teachers from the school under the supervision of the Cantonal Matura Commission. After passing the baccalaureate examinations, graduates receive a Swiss-recognized baccalaureate certificate.

After passing the Swiss Baccalaureate examination, it is possible for graduates with the Baccalaureate for adults to study at a university.

At some schools that offer the Baccalaureate for adults, different specializations can be chosen, such as biology and chemistry, economics and law, modern languages or Latin, as well as a combination of philosophy, education and psychology. Other specializations are also possible, depending on the school.

Attending a school to prepare for the Swiss Matura examination is not mandatory, but highly recommended. Self-study preparation is also possible, in which case the overall grade is determined solely by the final exam and not, as is usually the case with Matura schools, by several sub-grades. Good preparation for the Matura for adults is definitely worthwhile.

The admission criteria for the adult Matura are as follows:

• Completion of secondary level A or B
• Knowledge of three years of secondary school material
• Completed vocational training or at least three years of regulated professional activity
• Good knowledge of German
• Age of majority in the year before entry
• Partial maximum age at entry, e.g. 40 years

These criteria may vary depending on the Matura school for adults, please enquire with the school in advance.