Gymnasium admission in Lausanne: what is the RAC Matu for and how can you succeed in it?

The essentials in 2 minutes

• What is it: an intensive one-year preparation course for the cantonal entrance exams to the gymnasium, offered at a private school in Lausanne.
• For whom: students coming from the general track (VG), pre-gymnasium track (VP), a private school, another canton, a CFC (Federal VET Certificate), or a foreign education system.
• What is studied: French, mathematics, German, and English, which are the four subjects tested in the cantonal entrance exam.
• What it leads to: the gymnasium (maturity school), the school of general culture (ECG), the business school, or a vocational baccalaureate (professional maturity).
• What makes the difference: not all RAC Matu programs are equal. The level of support, class sizes, and the exam preparation methods are decisive factors.

Who is RAC Matu for?

The RAC Matu is a bridge to the gymnasium open to a wide range of student profiles, which is one of its main strengths. It is aimed in particular at:

• Students who have completed the general track (VG) and wish to enter the gymnasium without going through the public system, where access to RAC 2 requires an average of 5, which excludes many students who are nevertheless motivated and capable of succeeding with appropriate support.
• Students from the pre-gymnasium track (VP) who have not obtained sufficient grades to enter the gymnasium directly.voie prégymnasiale (VP) n'ayant pas obtenu les points suffisants pour entrer directement au gymnase
• Students from private schools whose certificate is not recognized for direct admission to the cantonal gymnasium.
• Students coming from another canton or from a foreign education system; we will come back to this later.
• Apprentices or students holding a VET Federal Diploma (CFC) who wish to transition to gymnasium-level education.
• Students who have interrupted their schooling and wish to resume an academic pathway in a supportive and structured environment.

What these profiles have in common: a genuine academic ambition and the need for a year to strengthen their foundations, fill in gaps, and approach the gymnasium entrance exam under the best possible conditions.

Are you coming from another country or another school system?

Moving to Lausanne with a teenager at the end of compulsory schooling raises an immediate question: how can you enter the Vaud gymnasium when coming from another system?The profiles concerned are numerous: French-speaking students coming from France with a brevet or having completed lower secondary education, students from Belgium, Quebec, or even another Swiss canton where the curriculum differs from the Vaud system (Geneva, Fribourg, Valais). For all these students, the private RAC Matu is often the only realistic option to access the Vaud gymnasium, because without the required Vaud certificate, direct admission is not possible.Some specific points of attention for these profiles:

• German: often underdeveloped in foreign education systems, yet it is one of the four subjects in the cantonal exam. Targeted preparation is essential, except for students aiming for the Matura or the school of general culture who plan to choose beginner Italian in the first year of gymnasium.
• Mathematics level: curricula vary depending on the country and the canton. A detailed assessment upon arrival helps quickly identify the gaps that need to be filled.
• The structure of the Vaud cantonal exam: it has no direct equivalent in other education systems. Knowing it and preparing specifically for it is a necessity, not an advantage.

A private school that is familiar with the Vaud school system can adapt the preparation to each student’s exact profile, without assuming that they start from the same point as a student who has completed their entire schooling in the canton.

What are the admission requirements?

The admission requirements for the private RAC Matu are less restrictive than those of the public system, but every application process begins with an interview with the school management to assess the student’s actual profile. The main requirements are:

• Age requirement: The student must not be more than two years ahead or behind the standard age for their cohort. Therefore, please check the specific requirements directly with the institution.
• Academic level: An interview with the school administration is used to assess whether the student has sufficient foundational knowledge to enter this year with a realistic chance of success.
• The study plan: Motivation and clarity of the academic plan are key factors, as the RAC Matura is a demanding year that requires serious commitment.

For the official conditions of the cantonal entrance exam to the gymnasium, the Canton of Vaud publishes detailed information on vd.ch: dates, subjects, procedures, and passing criteria.

How do I register?

The registration process for the RAC Matura in a private school is done directly with the chosen institution, without going through the public system. In general:

1. Initial contact with the school: by phone, email, or online contact form.
2. Admission interview with the school administration to assess the student’s profile and needs.
3. Preparation of the application file: recent school reports, obtained certificates, and a motivation letter if required.
4. Enrollment confirmation: since places are limited, it is recommended to apply early in the spring for a September start.

In some institutions, including École Vinet, mid-year enrollment may be possible depending on available places.

How does a RAC Matu year work?

This is often a question families hesitate to ask because they are not exactly sure what to expect. Here is a concrete overview of what the year involves.

What are the prospects after the RAC Matura?

This is an aspect that few institutions explain in detail, yet it is essential to ensure that the student’s goals are clear from the outset. If the student passes the cantonal entrance exam to the gymnasium, they gain access to:

• The Matura school: to prepare for the Swiss Matura and gain access to universities, universities of applied sciences (HES), and Swiss and international higher education institutions.
• The School of General Education (ECG): for a more diverse pathway, oriented towards careers in health, social work, or education.
• The School of Business (commercial school): for a program combining general education with professional skills.

In the event of insufficient results, some students may move on to:

• Integrated vocational baccalaureate (MPi): to combine vocational training with an academic qualification.
• An additional year in certain schools: to retake the entrance exam the following year.

Succeeding in the first year of gymnasium: what few students anticipate

The real question families don’t always feel comfortable asking is not “Will my child pass the exam?” but rather “Will they be able to keep up once they are in gymnasium?”This is where the quality of preparation makes all the difference. A well-run RAC Matura does not simply prepare students for the exam; it prepares them for what comes next. Concretely, this means:

• Developing a solid study method: time management, organization of independent work, and autonomous note-taking—skills that gymnasium assumes students already have but does not explicitly teach.
• Identifying one’s strengths and weaknesses before entering gymnasium, rather than discovering them under pressure during the first year.
• Having already experienced a demanding academic pace: gymnasium represents a significant step up in level for most students.
• Having chosen one’s gymnasium pathway (Matura, general education, or business) with full awareness, and with the support of an academic advisor, in order to avoid a costly change of direction during the first year.

Students who have completed a serious RAC Matura often arrive better prepared than those who entered gymnasium directly, not because they are more academically gifted, but because they already know how to study effectively.

Is the RAC Matura suitable for your child?

This is often the most difficult question, not because it is complex, but because it touches on the trust one has in their child and their ability to bounce back.Here are some concrete signs that the RAC Matura may be a good option:

• Your child has a clear goal: they know they want to go to gymnasium and understand what level of effort this requires.
• They have sufficient academic foundations to work at the required level—not necessarily excellent grades, but the ability to progress with good support.
• They need a transition year to mature, rebuild confidence, and enter gymnasium under better conditions, rather than starting too early and missing an opportunity that is not easily regained.
• They would benefit from individualized support in a smaller and more supportive setting than the public system.

Conversely, the RAC Matura is not suitable if the student does not yet have a clear academic plan, if their gaps are too significant to be filled within one year, or if they are not ready to commit to a sustained and demanding work pace.

When the RAC Matura restores confidence—and that is often the real turning point.

The student who enters the RAC Matura is not always the one people imagine. They are not necessarily a student in failure; more often, they are someone who has experienced something that feels like a setback: insufficient grades at the end of lower secondary school, an unsuitable educational orientation, or a personally difficult year. They may sometimes carry a sense of failure that needs to be addressed before even opening a maths textbook.What changes in a smaller, more supportive learning environment is precisely this: being seen, being guided, and being able to ask questions without fear of judgment. No longer just one student among twenty-five—simply a student.What families most often report after a successful RAC Matura is not primarily the exam results. It is the change in how their child sees themselves. A student who returns to gymnasium not only with their results, but also with the belief that they are capable—that is the turning point that lasts.

“École Vinet strengthened my foundations, which had been built too quickly. It encouraged my growing interests. My classmates from that time became lifelong friends. This school was formative on so many levels that it is difficult for me to list them all.”
— Alexander Wolhoff