DISCOVER SIERRE
FIND YOUR STUDY PROGRAM IN SIERRE
SIERRE AT A GLANCE
Sierre (German: Siders) is the capital city of the Sierre district with some 16,300 inhabitants. Pleasantly nestled among vineyards, the city is one of the last cities in the canton of Valais that officially speaks French. The city is nicknamed “City of the Sun’’ as it is blessed with nearly 300 days of sunshine and great weather. Thanks to its central location, Sierre is the perfect city for living and studying, as it is an ideal starting point for exploring the entire region, as well as the rest of the country. Formed after multiple little settlements were joined together, Sierre is nowadays a modern town with a historical flair that can be felt after a walk around the heart of the city, richly decorated with ancient houses, medieval churches, and picturesque streets. Sierre is a great place not only for living but also for studying, which is why many students choose this location for their studies every year. As already mentioned above, Sierre enjoys a great deal of sunshine, which in turn is a prerequisite for the overall warm weather all-year round. Moving around the city is pretty easy with the help of city busses circulating in four lines that cover all neighbourhoods of Sierre. Traveling to and from the city to other regions within Switzerland can be also done with a car or a train. Sierre is a quite diverse city, and so newcomers, especially those from other countries will easily adapt here without too many issues with the language barrier. The most spoken languages within Sierre are French, Portuguese, German, Italian.
Academic Year
Winter Semester: September – February
Official Language
French, German
Higher Education Institutions
1
Population
16800
Living Costs
1000 – 1500 CHF
STUDYING IN SIERRE
Sierre is home to some of the schools of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland Valais (HES-SO Valais-Wallis). Here students will find three of the five schools: the School of Management, the School of Arts, and the School of Social Work. The university offers twelve degree programs in total and nine research institutes, making HES-SO Valais-Wallis one of the leading higher education institutes for preparing students for the professional world. Over 2,800 students are enrolled here studying programs that range in different fields such as Business Administration, Tourism, Physiotherapy, Life Technologies, Systems Engineering, and more. Students can choose studying some of the degree programs in German, French or English as well as in full-time or part-time. Some programs also allow participants to obtain a double Bachelor’s degree by attending some of the semesters at a partner university abroad and thus also gain international experience. Students coming to Sierre for their studies will have to find accommodation by themselves. The university provides a section on their official website with adverts related to accommodations within the city. There are many different offers that vary between studios, single rooms or entire apartments for share. The average price for renting within Sierre range between 500 CHF and 1,500 CHF depending on the type of the accommodation.
SIERRE LIFESTYLE
Sierre might seem like a small town, yet its cultural life is quite bubbly and diverse. Students will find here a range of activities of different nature that will help them socialize and make new friends while exploring the local traditions and culture. To begin with young adults can enjoy some of the local festivals taking place throughout the year like the Valais Multicultural Festival, Couleur Pavé, and more. There one can find a subtle blend of entertainment, culture, street arts, concerts, and good food. Students who want to be involved in other activities outside of their university can join one of the local clubs or associations that promote even more cultural activities related to music, visual arts, dancing, acting, painting, and more. Sports enthusiasts can also enjoy some of the sporting facilities like the Guillamo swimming pool or any of the 15 gyms located throughout the city. During the warm sunny days, students can also explore the surrounding region, since Sierre is situated on top of mountain hills offering amazing landscapes with green fields, forests and rivers. Outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, or even mountain climbing can be practiced by everyone who wants to enjoy some time within nature. In addition, Sierre is also known for its wine region and vineyards, so anyone who is interested in experiencing the largest vineyard in Switzerland with nearly 5,000 hectares of vines can also add this to their list of activities.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN SIERRE
Students can experience the variety of career opportunities offered in Switzerland as early as during their studies. Working while studying is a common scenario amongst students, especially for those who choose Switzerland as their study destination. International students in Switzerland are allowed to work for no more than 15 hours per week during their studies, and up to 100% during their semester holidays. Students coming from outside of the European Union are subject to other regulations. For example, they can start working only six months after starting their studies. In Switzerland students will find a wide range of part-time jobs of which the most common ones are in the field of retail, restaurants, bars, or within the university.