Our curriculum

Subject selection and duration of study

Six subjects in A Levels are generally required in order to be accepted at a university. International A Levels (IAL) offer you maximum flexibility and an opportunity to focus on your strengths.
A consultation interview will take place to discuss your goals, wishes and strengths as well as determine which subjects should be selected and the period of time necessary for achieving this.
You can select your subjects from an extensive range including Mathematics, Natural Sciences, the Humanities and Economics as well as numerous languages.
Depending on your previous knowledge and the desired study workload, International A Levels can be completed within one to three years. Up to 80% of your time can be dedicated to another activity carried out in parallel. The course can be joined at any time.

Instruction in English

The language of instruction is English. If your proficiency in English does not yet correspond to the required B2 level, you may attend our internal preparation courses and start with individual subjects such as German, French or Mathematics. By the time you finish your International A Levels, you should be able to speak English at a near native level.

Form of study

You can decide whether you want to study in a classical classroom setting at one of our locations in Aarau, Basel, Bern, Lucerne or Zurich, or online in the comfort of your home. Our programmes are based on the curricula of the largest education providers worldwide: Cambridge Assessment International Education and Pearson Edexcel.

Study and examinations

In parallel to the lessons, you will study and revise the material on your own. You should allow for approximately two hours of self-study for each hour of instruction. The amount of time invested would depend on the subject, previous knowledge and your learning aptitude. Should questions arise during your independent study, you can use our NEO LMS learning platform to contact a subject teacher directly or spontaneously exchange information with other students. You also have access to regularly updated course material.

Each subject is completed individually; several exams may sometimes be required for one subject. Each exam can be repeated as often as desired. Exams are held at the Academia locations in Basel and, starting from 2021, will also be offered in Zurich.
Apart from your teachers, both the educational management and our administration staff are available and happy to support or advise you as required throughout the period of study.

You can for example take the following subjects:

  • Biology
  • Business
  • Chemistry
  • Economics
  • English
  • French
  • Geography
  • German
  • History
  • Mathematics
  • Physics

Additional subjects are offered upon request.

Do you prefer studying in a traditional school setting? Academia International School offers you an A Level programme in Basel und Zürich.