Switzerland is one of the wealthiest and most productive countries in the world. Not only for Bachelor’s programme, there is also an increasing number of Master's and PhD programmes addressed to international students. In fact, more than 49,000 international students chose to study in Switzerland since 2009. That is over 21% of the student population body!

If you plan to offer your children a chance to get admitted to the high standard institution in Switzerland, IMI University Centre is a good choice to consider.  Education Ladder has asked a series of critical questions for parents and students to consider.

Q:  Which programmes does IMI University Centre (IMI) hope to recruit Hong Kong and mainland China’s 

students? What are the programmes’ admission criteria for Hong Kong and mainland China’s students?

A: IMI University Centre offers a wide variety of quality programmes to our students ranging from undergraduate programmes to postgraduate programmes.  Undergraduate Programmes range from Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Hospitality, Tourism and Events Management, to Global Business Management, to International Culinary Arts (offered by IMI’s International Culinary Institute).

In terms of Postgraduate Programmes, IMI also offer MBA in International Hospitality Management, IMI Luzern MBA with four different pathways of focus: Swiss Hotel Management Operations / Sustainable Hotel and Tourism Management / Social Media Marketing / Luxury Brands and Services Management, Master of Arts in International Events & Conference Management, Tourism Management, Global Strategic Management and also the Postgraduate Diploma in Hotel and Events Management

Students applying for the Undergraduate programmes at IMI should have an IELTS of 5.0 or TOEFL IBT 59 or equivalent certification and must be at least 17 years of age. For students enrolling in the Postgraduate programmes, they should have an IELTS of 6.0 to 6.5 or TOEFL IBT 79 to 89 and a holder of a Bachelor’s degree.

Q:  Any foundation course/bridging course offered those students who failed to meet the admission requirement?

A: All of IMI’s programmes are taught in English; therefore, proof of English level is the key to meeting the admission requirement. One of the first things we require from students is their IELTS / TOEFL certificate or equivalent qualification. For students who hold an IELTS of 4.0 or 4.5, IMI offers University English Preparatory courses as a bridging course to the undergraduate / postgraduate programmes.  

Q: Does IMI accept transfer students, e.g. those holding postsecondary qualifications obtained in Hong Kong?

A: IMI recognizes credits earned at other accredited universities, colleges or hotel schools, therefore transferstudents are welcome.

Q: What are the most popular subjects among students from Hong Kong mainland China?

A: Currently, our Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Hospitality, Tourism and Events Management programme and MBA in International Hospitality Management  programme seem to be the most popular choice amongst Hong Kong and Chinese students. Recently, there has been an increase in popularity for the Global Business Management programme and the International Culinary Arts programme offered by IMI’s International Culinary Institute.

Q: What are the tuition fees for international students? What is the overall estimated budget per year for international students? Does IMI provide any financial assistance and scholarships for internationals students in both undergraduate and postgraduate levels?

A: Tuition fees vary depending on the programme students wish to enrol in and scholarships are granted on a case-by-case basis evaluated by the academic board at IMI. Detailed information regarding tuition fee, accommodation and board can be found on IMI’s homepage.

Q: How many international students are studying at IMI?

A: With only 250 students on campus per semester, we have over 50 different nationalities studying at IMI and we vigilantly maintain the diversity of our student body so that all our students can enjoy a student life interacting in a multi-cultural environment as the hospitality industry is the embodiment of this international diversity.

Q: Does the school have any assistance for internationals students regarding student visa issues?

A: One of IMI’s unique advantages is that we are a small school, hence all our staff and faculty can provide support and assistance to our students any time.  Specifically, IMI’s Registrar handles all visa-related issues for our students.

Q:  What type of accomodations can be allocated to international students each year?

A:  At IMI, we offer 4 different choices of accommodations to our students either on campus or off campus:

• Standard twin (shared bathroom)
• Twin with en-suite bathroom
• Single (shared bathroom)
• Single with en-suite bathroom

We will introduce more on the internship opportunities and career path in the next few days.  For further inquiries, please visit and apply through http://www.imi-luzern.com/en/  or contact joyce.chu@imi-luzern.com.