What Swiss Exams does

Swiss Exams GmbH is a privately held Swiss exam management organisation founded in 1989 and headquartered in Winterthur, operating as an authorised Platinum Centre for Cambridge Assessment English and an official exam centre for Goethe-Institut (German), British Council/IELTS, and France Education International (TCF, French). The company administers language certification exams in multiple formats — Digital@Centre (computer-based at test centres), Paper@Centre (traditional paper-based), and Digital@Home (AI-remote proctored) — across 11 major Swiss cities, conducting more than 200 exam sessions annually for over 100,000 lifetime candidates and serving more than 800 schools and institutional partners. Its technology stack combines the proprietary Swiss Exams Access portal for registration and results delivery with the Certify SmarTest Suite (Invigilate for AI-assisted remote proctoring, Examiner for exam creation and marking, and Nexus for scheduling and payment), supported by the Swiss Exams Academy preparation platform and an e-commerce shop distributing Cambridge Test & Train products.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: per-candidate exam registration and administration fees (transaction-based), Academy online preparation courses (recurring), exam preparation materials and digital self-study tools (one-time licence), and remote proctoring services sold to institutions (usage-based). Pricing ranges from CHF 35 for self-study access to CHF 540-820 for combined preparation course and exam bundles. Go-to-market is multi-channel: direct-to-consumer through the website and Access portal; enterprise field sales targeting schools, vocational institutions, and corporate HR departments with group registration and collective billing; and channel partnerships through the Cambridge, Goethe, IELTS, and TCF boards as well as the Certify technology partnership. The customer base spans individual candidates, secondary and higher education institutions, commercial vocational (KV) schools, and corporate HR/training functions.

Name

Swiss Exams

Legal name

Swiss Exams GmbH

Website

https://swiss-exams.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Swiss Exams GmbH is a Swiss exam management organisation founded in 1989 that administers Cambridge English, Goethe German, IELTS, and TCF French certification exams across 11 Swiss cities for over 100,000 lifetime candidates and 800+ institutional partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Language Certification and Exam Management Services

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Language Schools (611630)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Language Proficiency Exam Prep (CEFR, TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test, PTE) (EDANACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Exam Preparation Materials (IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAGAHAE), Language Proficiency & Admissions Testing Prep (TOEFL/IELTS/DELE/HSK, etc.) (EDAGADAE), Exam Preparation for Language Proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS/DELE/HSK/JLPT, etc.) (EDAMAFAF), Exam Preparation Language Programs (IELTS/TOEFL/DELE/DALF/HSK, etc.) (EDAIAEAD)

Keywords

• Language certification exams
• Exam management services
• Remote proctoring solutions
• Cambridge English testing
• Online assessment platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Winterthur

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Exam Registration and Administration Fees: Primary revenue stream from administering language certification exams (Cambridge, Goethe, IELTS, TCF, Linguaskill) to individual candidates and institutional clients. Fees vary by exam type and format (paper vs. computer-based).
2. Swiss Exams Academy Online Courses: Revenue from structured online preparation courses including placement tests, sprint theory courses, full sprint courses with exam bundles. Modular pricing with course + exam combination packages.
3. Exam Preparation Materials and Books: Sales of exam preparation materials through the online shop including Test & Train digital products, Cambridge books, practice tests, and study guides.
4. Remote Proctoring Services: Revenue from providing AI-based remote proctoring infrastructure and services to educational institutions and corporate clients, including platform fees and per-candidate charges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Swiss Exams is the largest provider of Cambridge English, Goethe, Linguaskill, IELTS, and TCF exams in Switzerland, delivering language certification services through 11 exam centres and digital/remote formats. The company administers over 200 exam sessions annually for individual candidates, schools, and corporate clients, supported by the Swiss Exams Access portal, Swiss Exams Academy preparation courses, and an AI-based Digital@Home remote proctoring platform built in partnership with Certify Assessment Solutions.

Product overview

Swiss Exams is a comprehensive exam management organisation offering language certification and professional assessment services across Switzerland. The portfolio includes core language exam products (Cambridge English, Goethe German, IELTS, TCF French, and Cambridge Linguaskill) delivered through multiple formats: Digital@Centre (computer-based at exam centres), Paper@Centre (traditional paper-based), and Digital@Home (AI-remote proctored from any location). Supporting the exam delivery are the SmarTest Suite platforms (Invigilate for proctoring, Examiner for exam creation, Nexus for scheduling/registration), the Swiss Exams Access portal for candidate and institutional management, and Swiss Exams Academy for online exam preparation courses. Additional offerings include the Online Shop for exam registration and preparation materials, remote proctoring services via Certify partnership, exam management services, and teacher training programmes. Founded in 1989, the company serves over 100,000 candidates through partnerships with over 800 schools and organisations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Swiss Exams Academy: Online preparation platform offering top-tier, expert-guided, highly effective, and flexible online exam preparation for language certificates including Goethe Exams, Cambridge English Language Assessment, Cambridge Linguaskill Business and IELTS Tests.
• Digital@Centre
• Paper@Centre
• Digital@Home
• Swiss Exams Digital@Home
• SmarTest Nexus
• SmarTest Examiner
• SmarTest Invigilate

Products and services

• Cambridge English Exams Authorised Platinum Exam Centre for Cambridge English Exams in Switzerland, covering qualifications from Young Learners through Proficiency (all CEFR levels), delivered via Digital@Centre, Paper@Centre, and Digital@Home formats.
• Goethe German Exams Official exam cooperation partner and exam centre of the Goethe-Institut, organising German examinations at all CEFR levels from A1 to C2 across Switzerland, with SEM recognition for migration and naturalisation.
• IELTS Official IELTS test centre in Switzerland offering IELTS Academic, IELTS General Training, and IELTS for UKVI at test locations across Swiss cities.
• TCF (Test de connaissance du français) Official testing centre for the Test de connaissance du français (TCF) in Switzerland, offering this multi-adaptive French test from A1 to C2 at multiple locations.
• Cambridge Linguaskill Flexible digital English test with remote proctoring in Switzerland, offered in Linguaskill General and Linguaskill Business versions, ALTE Q-Mark certified, adaptive test delivering results in 3-5 working days.
• Swiss Exams Digital@Centre Computer-based exam delivery at Swiss Exams official exam centres in cities including Basel, Zurich, Geneva, and Lausanne.
• Swiss Exams Paper@Centre Traditional paper-based exam format delivered at Swiss Exams official exam centres across Switzerland.
• Swiss Exams Digital@Home Computer-based exam from home with AI-based remote proctoring, including identity verification, environment checks, and real-time monitoring in partnership with Certify Assessment Solutions.
• Swiss Exams Academy Online exam preparation platform offering modular 6-8 week courses for Cambridge Linguaskill, Goethe, Cambridge English, and IELTS, including placement tests, mock speaking tests, essentials webinars, sprint theory courses, and personal coaching.
• Linguaskill Business Academy Dedicated preparation and certification programme for commercial vocational schools (KV), bundling an 8-week preparation course with the official Cambridge Linguaskill Business exam at CHF 820 per student.
• SmarTest Invigilate Secure platform by Certify Assessment Solutions for session recording and AI-assisted remote proctoring, with identity verification, environment checks, real-time support, and incident recording.
• SmarTest Examiner Secure e-assessment platform for exam creation, session tracking, and marking, with diverse question types, automated and human grading, and LMS integration.
• SmarTest Nexus All-in-one platform for exam registration, remote proctoring management, scheduling, payment, and results reporting, designed for educational institutions, universities, and professional organisations.
• Swiss Exams Access Self-developed all-in-one portal for candidates and schools to manage exam details, registration, entry statements, and results, available as a candidate portal and a School Access version for institutional use.
• Swiss Exams Online Shop E-commerce platform for purchasing exam registration, preparation materials, Cambridge books, and digital products for Cambridge, IELTS, Goethe, and TCF exam preparation.
• Test & Train Digital self-study tool developed by Cambridge for exam preparation, hosted on the Cambridge One Platform, covering levels A2 Key to C1 Advanced with over 500 practice questions across 6 exam sets, activated with 18-month codes.
• Exam Management Services Professional exam management services including exam registration, exam day coordination, result processing, and candidate support, serving over 100,000 candidates with 800+ school and organisational partnerships.
• Teacher Training and Development Free teacher training, community events, webinars, and seminars for partner schools, including exam preparation resources for each examination and certification offered.
• Cambridge English Skills Test (CEST) CEFR-aligned skills assessment from A1 to C1 designed for internal assessment, tracking progress in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, with results available in 48 hours.

Quantifiable outcome

• 88.41% attendance rate across 638 successful remote proctored exams
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• Certify Assessment SolutionscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Partnership for AI-based remote proctoring technology. Launched in 2025, provides SmarTest Suite (Invigilate, Examiner, Nexus) for secure, scalable online assessment delivery with GDPR-compliant hosting in Europe.
• Cambridge Assessment EnglishcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthorised Platinum Exam Centre status - highest level partnership for Cambridge English exams in Switzerland. Conducts over 200 exam sessions annually. Partnership covers Cambridge English Qualifications, Linguaskill, and related exam delivery.
• Goethe-InstitutcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExam cooperation partner and exam centre for German examinations at all levels (A1-C2). Goethe-Zertifikate recognised by SEM for migration, naturalisation, and professional purposes.
• British Council (IELTS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial IELTS test centre in Switzerland offering Academic, General Training, and UKVI tests. Partnership provides wide range of test dates across Switzerland.
• France Education International (TCF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial testing centre for Test de connaissance du français (TCF) in Switzerland. Offers multi-adaptive French test in many locations for migration, study, and work purposes.
• Microsoft (Dynamics 365)supportingTechnology or IntegrationUses Microsoft Dynamics 365 for marketing email campaigns and customer/prospect data management. Data processing agreement in place per Swiss Data Protection Act (revDSG) with processing primarily in EU data centres.
• Google (Google Ads)supportingTechnology or IntegrationUses Google Ads for online marketing activities including Enhanced Conversions feature for conversion tracking and measurement accuracy. Data transfer to USA based on Standard Contractual Clauses.
• Talent-Campus BodenseeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCase study partner - commercial vocational school implementing Linguaskill Business certification for students. Testimonial from department head Oliver Suter endorsing the programme.
• AIA (Association of International Accountants)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProfessional certification body using Swiss Exams remote proctoring services for conducting exams remotely from UK to Beijing, achieving 638 successful exams with 88.41% attendance rate.
• ICB (Institute of Certified Bookkeepers)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLargest assessment body using Swiss Exams remote proctoring solutions. Case study demonstrating tailored solutions for low-bandwidth connectivity challenges with custom validation system.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Prometric: Global test-delivery and proctoring network operating thousands of centres. Comparable as an incumbent assessment-infrastructure provider that could partner with or compete against Swiss Exams for institutional remote-proctoring contracts in Switzerland and Europe.
• Pearson VUE: Global computer-based testing and remote-proctoring infrastructure provider serving professional certification and academic programmes. Comparable to the Certify-powered remote-proctoring arm of Swiss Exams and a potential entrant into Swiss high-stakes language assessment.
• Cambridge Assessment English: Owner of Cambridge English Qualifications and Linguaskill, and the entity that grants Swiss Exams its Platinum Centre status. Comparable as the upstream authority whose product economics and delivery policy decisions directly determine Swiss Exams' revenue and authorisation.
• France Éducation International (TCF): Owner of the Test de connaissance du français (TCF) and the upstream authority for French-language certification that Swiss Exams delivers. Comparable as a governing body whose policy on authorised centres vs. direct delivery affects Swiss Exams' positioning.

Direct peers

• EF Education First: Global language-school operator with its own curriculum and standardised proficiency products. Comparable to the Swiss Exams Academy component as a competitor in Swiss language-preparation, particularly for adult learners and corporate English.
• Goethe-Institut: Owner of the Goethe-Zertifikat and the German-language certification standard that Swiss Exams administers in Switzerland. Direct peer because Goethe operates its own exam centres globally and could expand direct delivery in Swiss cities, displacing Swiss Exams.
• British Council: Co-owner of IELTS and the largest global operator of IELTS test centres, including in Switzerland. Direct peer because Swiss Exams runs the British Council's IELTS product under partnership, and any change in British Council's own delivery model in Switzerland would directly affect Swiss Exams.
• Kaplan International: International language-school chain offering exam-preparation courses including IELTS and Cambridge-aligned programmes. Comparable to Swiss Exams Academy as a global brand competing for Switzerland-based corporate and individual language-prep spend.

Regional players

• Linguamax (formerly ABCCambridge): Regional Swiss partner running authorised Cambridge exam preparation and administration. Comparable as a directly competing regional Swiss exam centre also operating under Cambridge authorisation, competing for the same institutional and candidate pipeline in Switzerland.

Emerging players

• Certify Assessment Solutions: Provider of the SmarTest Suite (Invigilate, Examiner, Nexus) used by Swiss Exams for remote proctoring. Comparable as both a technology supplier and adjacent assessment-platform competitor that could offer its own exam-administration services to Swiss institutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/SwissExamsExpertsinExamManagement
• Facebookfacebook.com/CambridgeCandidates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swiss-exams-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/swissexams
• Xx.com/MyCambridgeNews

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Swiss Exams