Swiss Hotel and Hospitality Management Schools for ASEAN Students
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 07, 2026 • Study Abroad
Swiss hospitality schools like EHL, Les Roches, and Glion actively recruit ASEAN students because their paid internship semesters count as part of the curriculum, not separate employment, which keeps the visa process simpler than it looks.
🎓 Admission needs a completed secondary diploma, proof of English proficiency, and often a personal interview.
💵 All three schools sit in the premium tier for cost, with published fee schedules updated every semester, so check each school's current page rather than a fixed number.
⏱️ Non-EU students on a Swiss student permit get up to 15 hours of work a week during term and full-time hours during breaks.
Curriculum-mandated internships count as part of your studies, but the hiring hotel still needs its own migration authorization to host you.
Bachelor's programs run 3 to 4 years and combine classroom semesters with paid industry placements.
Why Swiss Schools Recruit in ASEAN
Switzerland built the modern hotel management school model in the late 1800s, and its top schools still set the reference standard for the global hospitality industry. Hotel groups across Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and the wider region hire graduates from these schools directly into management-track roles, so a Swiss hospitality degree carries weight with ASEAN employers.
The three most recognized names are EHL Hospitality Business School in Lausanne, Les Roches in Bluche, and Glion Institute of Higher Education near Montreux, with a second campus in London. All three run bachelor's and master's programs built around paid, curriculum-linked internships, the main draw for international students who want work experience alongside a degree.
Admission Requirements
A completed upper-secondary diploma (SPM, STPM, International Baccalaureate, A-Levels, Philippine Senior High School diploma, or equivalent).
English proficiency, evaluated through IELTS or TOEFL, with the exact minimum score set by each school and program.
A personal statement or interview, since these schools screen for service-industry aptitude, not grades alone.
Some programs run a foundation or preparatory term for applicants whose academic English or math background needs strengthening before the core bachelor's starts.
Application cycles run on rolling or multiple-intake calendars, commonly January, April, and September, so check each school's own calendar rather than assuming a single yearly deadline.
What It Costs
All three schools sit in the premium tier of global hospitality education, and total tuition for a full bachelor's degree runs into six figures in Swiss francs once you add up the full program length. Exact per-year figures shift by campus, program length, and intake, so treat any number on a comparison blog as a starting estimate, not a fixed price.
Check each school's own published fee schedule before you budget: EHL , Les Roches , and Glion all update these figures each semester.
Budget separately for housing, meals outside the meal plan, uniforms for internship placements, and Swiss health insurance, mandatory for every resident including students.
How the Internship-Linked Visa Works
Switzerland issues non-EU/EFTA students a residence permit tied to their study program. Under Swiss federal rules published by the State Secretariat for Migration , students on this permit work up to 15 hours a week during term time and full time during official semester breaks.
A hospitality school's curriculum-mandated internship counts as part of your education rather than outside employment, which is what makes the Swiss model attractive. That said, the hotel or resort hosting your internship still needs its own migration authorization arranged through the canton's labor office before it hosts a foreign trainee, so confirm your placement employer has that clearance lined up, not just your own study permit.
Staying in Switzerland for full-time work after graduation requires a separate residence permit tied to a job offer, and the employer must show the role could not go to a Swiss or EU/EFTA candidate first. Treat the internship period and post-graduation employment as two different visa steps, not one continuous process.
Choosing Between the Three Schools
| School | Main campus | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| EHL Hospitality Business School | Lausanne | Oldest hotel school model, strong alumni network in Asia |
| Les Roches | Bluche, plus a Marbella campus | Multiple campus options, wide industry placement network |
| Glion Institute of Higher Education | Montreux/Bulle, plus a London campus | Dual Switzerland/UK study options |
All three sit inside the same tier of global hospitality education and recruit similarly from ASEAN secondary schools and colleges. Compare specific program structure, internship placement countries, and total cost across campuses rather than picking on name recognition alone.