Qualifications Framework in Swiss Higher Education

The Qualifications Framework in Swiss Higher Education (nqf.ch-HS) is based on a three-cycle system: Bachelor, Master and Doctorate. The nqf.ch-HS covers both formal study programmes at higher education institutions for all three cycles as well as non-formal advanced studies programmes (CAS, DAS and MAS) offered by these institutions.

The EU has a separate Qualifications Framework in the European Higher Education Area (QF EHEA), which was developed as part of the Bologna Process. The QF EHEA is fully compatible with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

In the EU’s Council Recommendation of 22 May 2017 on the EQF, Bachelor's degrees are referenced at level 6, Master's degrees at level 7 and Doctorates at level 8.

Switzerland's Qualifications Framework in Higher Education (nqf.ch-HS) is thus indirectly correlated with the National Qualifications Framework for Vocational and Professional Qualifications (NQF VPQ). The EU’s EQF enables these two national qualification frameworks to be compared.