Preparation for the Informatikmittelschule (IMS) Entrance Exam in Aarau

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ABOUT THE EXAM

More information: IMS Entrance Exam Prep Courses in Aarau

Informatics Middle School (IMS) in Aarau

In the canton of Aargau, the IMS program is primarily offered at the Cantonal School of Computer Science / New Cantonal School of Aarau (NKSA). It requires top grades or successful completion of the three-subject cantonal admissions process.

What exactly is the Informatics Middle School (IMS) in Aarau?

IMS Aarau is designed for young people with a strong aptitude for logical thinking, mathematics, and information technology. The program lasts 4 years.

Structure: 3 years of full-time classroom instruction at the cantonal school, followed by a 1-year supervised long-term internship in the IT department of a partner company.
Dual Degree: Graduates earn both the Swiss Federal Certificate of Competence (EFZ) in Computer Science (specializing in application development) and the Vocational Maturity Diploma (with a focus on business and services, business track) at the same time.
Perspective: Direct, exam-free admission to Swiss universities of applied sciences (FH) for computer science and data science programs.

How does the admission process work in Aargau?

In the canton of Aargau, admission to the IMS is based on the grades from the first semester of the graduating class or on the cantonal achievement test.

Graduation from the District School Without Exams: Third-grade students at the District School are promoted without having to take exams, provided they earn at least a 4.0 in German and mathematics and achieve a qualifying overall grade point average.
Graduating from secondary school without exams: Students in the 3rd year of secondary school must have a grade of at least 4.0 in German and mathematics, as well as a very high overall average of at least 5.3 across all relevant subjects.
The cantonal entrance exam: Students who do not meet these strict grade requirements in the January midterm report can still qualify by taking the cantonal entrance exam in the spring.

The Cantonal IMS Entrance Exam in Aargau for the 2026/27 School Year

Anyone who misses the opportunity to enter without an exam must take the written entrance exam at Kanti:

Exam Subjects: The three core subjects— German, mathematics, and English—are tested in written exams.
Content: The exam material is based on the competencies outlined in the Aargau Curriculum 21 up to the middle of the first semester of the graduating class.
Passing Grade: The exam is considered passed if the unrounded average of the three exam grades is at least 4.0.

Registration Deadlines and IMS Dates for Aarau 2027

The administrative deadlines in the canton of Aargau are binding:

Registration Period: The cantonal online portal for registration will open in January 2027 and will close definitively at the end of February 2027. Both candidates exempt from exams and students taking exams must register here.
Exam Date: The centralized written entrance exams for the IMS will take place in the canton of Aargau in March 2027.
Start of the School Year: Classes at IMS Aarau will begin in August 2027, following the summer break.

Why is it worth preparing specifically for the IMS in Aarau?

The IMS places extreme demands on logical and mathematical understanding. Professional guidance helps take the pressure off the system:

Ensuring a Smooth Transition Without Exams: For secondary school students, the 5.3 grade threshold is extremely high. Our targeted tutoring in the fall and winter helps stabilize grades in time for the crucial January report card.
Focus on mathematical logic: Complex algebraic topics and practical problem-solving are systematically explored in depth for aspiring programmers.
Simulation under real-world conditions: We work extensively with actual Aargau exam series from previous years so that the students can manage their time perfectly on exam day in March 2027.

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