Preparation for the Informatikmittelschule (IMS) Entrance Exam in Basel

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ABOUT THE EXAM

More information: IMS Entrance Exam Prep Courses in Basel

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

The IMS Basel (offered primarily in the region at the Wirtschaftsmittelschule Basel-Stadt and the kvBL ) is designed for young people with a strong aptitude for logical thinking, computer science, and mathematics. The program lasts 4 years.

Structure: 3 years of full-time classroom instruction at middle school, followed by a 1-year integrated long-term internship in a company's IT department.
Degree: Graduates earn both the Federal Certificate of Competence (EFZ) in Computer Science (specializing in application development) and the Vocational Maturity Diploma (with a focus on business).
Opportunities: Direct, exam-free admission to Swiss universities of applied sciences (FH) for degree programs such as computer science, data science, or business informatics.

What is the admissions process like for the IMS in Basel?

The Basel admissions process for the IMS consists of two stages and is based on academic performance and an assessment of technical aptitude.

Step 1: The school's profile (no exam or exam):
- No Exam Required: Students in the 3rd year of secondary school (P or E track) who meet the high cantonal grade point averages and score requirements on their January report card are automatically qualified for admission.
- Central Admissions Exam: Students who narrowly fail to meet the academic grade requirements in January must qualify through the cantonal voluntary admissions exam in the spring.
Step 2: The mandatory IT aptitude test: Regardless of their high school grades, all applicants to the IMS must take an external aptitude assessment (usually the Multicheck ICT Application Development test) and submit the certificate. The number of spots at the IMS is limited.

The Basel Cantonal IMS Entrance Exam 2026/27 (Academic Section)

If the academic record is not sufficient in January, admission to the school will be determined by the standardized Basel entrance exam.

Exam Subjects: The only subjects tested in writing are German and mathematics. There are no foreign language exams in this centralized exam.
Exam duration: Each subject is administered in a separate 90-minute session in accordance with strict cantonal guidelines.
Passing Requirement: The unrounded overall average of both exam grades must be at least 4.0. Since computer scientists must be strong in mathematics, this part forms the core foundation of the preparation.

Registration Deadlines and IMS Dates for Basel 2027

The dates in the Basel area require early planning, especially because of the external IT test:

Fall/Winter 2026: Register independently and take the Multicheck ICT (Application Development) exam, as the results must be included with your school application.
Application Window: The official online application for the IMS and registration for the entrance exam will open in January 2027 and will close on a firm deadline in mid-February 2027.
Exam Date: The centralized written entrance exams will take place in March 2027.

Why is targeted IMS preparation in Basel worthwhile?

The IMS is extremely popular due to its combination of the Computer Science EFZ and the Vocational Maturity Diploma, which is why spots are highly competitive. Professional support gives young people the decisive edge:

Focus on Math for Aspiring Developers: The mathematical requirements for the exam and in later IMS work (especially algebra and logical operations) are high. We systematically reinforce these skills.
Preparation for the logic section of the aptitude test: We help students understand how the Multicheck works and the typical logic problems it includes, and ensure they can recall the information accurately.
Mock exam under time pressure: Since students have only 90 minutes to complete the complex math exam in Basel, we drill them in proper time management using actual past exams from Basel so that everything goes smoothly on the big day.

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