A flexible MBA for working professionals in Switzerland lets you keep your job while you study. UIBS offers three MBA formats. You can study in Zurich, Geneva or online, with up to 8 start dates a year. This guide compares them.


At a glance

  • Three formats: the MBA, the MBA for Experienced Professionals and the Professional MBA
  • Graduate courses run in weekday, evening and seminar formats
  • Up to 8 start dates a year, with transfer between campuses each quarter
  • Fees for the MBA for working professionals are charged in Swiss francs

Which flexible MBA formats work for a working professional in Switzerland?

Three UIBS formats fit working professionals: the MBA, the MBA for Experienced Professionals and the Professional MBA, with study at our Swiss campuses or online.

Each one has its own entry route and final project. So here is how each flexible MBA for working professionals in Switzerland differs:

MBA

60 ECTS credits, or 90 with the optional extension. You choose a concentration, such as Business Analytics, Digital Marketing or Organizational Leadership, and finish with a thesis or electives.

MBA for Experienced Professionals

For applicants with a Bachelor’s degree and at least three years of work experience. Optional Impact MBA tracks focus on Digital, Global, Social or Sustainable Business.

Professional MBA

60 ECTS credits built around a Business Project and a Business Internship. With three or more years of relevant experience, the internship may be waived.

You can compare them on our MBA programs page. For the professional route, see our Professional Master’s programs page.


How do evening and online classes fit around a job?

Our graduate courses run in weekday, evening and seminar formats, and the Professional Master’s programs run on campus in a hybrid format or fully online.

In addition, visiting faculty teach some courses as a three-day intensive. So you can plan study blocks around your working week. That is what makes a flexible MBA for working professionals in Switzerland workable in practice.

Our academic year also runs in quarters. As a result, you can study one quarter in Zurich and the next in Geneva. You can also continue online when work gets busy. Our Online campus page explains how online study works, and our Zurich campus and Geneva campus pages show the two Swiss locations.

Good to knowAfter a campus move, not every course is guaranteed to run face to face. Check the next term’s schedule with an advisor first.

When can I start a flexible MBA in Switzerland?

UIBS offers up to 8 start dates a year, so you can begin when your workload allows instead of waiting for September.

That choice of start dates is central to a flexible MBA for working professionals in Switzerland. However, the two summer starts are online, because the Summer quarter runs online only. Our guide to business schools with multiple start dates in Europe lists the 2026-27 dates. Then see our admission page for the steps to apply.


What does a flexible MBA cost in Switzerland?

Our fee schedule MMXXVI.01 lists the 60-credit MBA for working professionals at CHF 24,549, charged in Swiss francs across our campuses.

You also choose how to pay. Both pricing models are set out in our fee schedule:

Pricing model How you pay Overall cost
Program-based You commit to the full program and pay in full or by an approved installment plan Fixed total, lower overall
Credit-based You pay per credit attempted each quarter, after an initial deposit Higher overall

So credit-based pricing costs more, but it follows your pace if your workload changes. Fees are the same whatever your nationality. Our fees and scholarships page sets out the current fees, and an advisor can tell you which flexible MBA for working professionals in Switzerland fits your budget.


What is the status of a UIBS MBA in Switzerland?

Our MBA is a private qualification, awarded by our headquarters in Switzerland, and it is not regulated under the Swiss Higher Education Act.

So before you choose a flexible MBA for working professionals in Switzerland, check its status. We say this plainly, because it matters for your plans. “Our institution also does not hold US-regional accreditation, and the qualifications awarded by the school’s HQ are not regulated under the Swiss Higher Education Act of September 2011.” For accreditation, “United Institute is institutionally-accredited by the EQAR-listed British Accreditation Council (BAC). Its main constituent school, UIBS, further holds programmatic accreditation from the EQAR-listed ‘Fundación para el Conocimiento Madri+d’ for its Professional Master’s programs, and from the CHEA-recognized Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) for several of its Bachelor’s and Master’s programs.”

Our Zurich and Geneva campuses have also held EduQua certification since 2013. EduQua is a quality label for continuing education institutions in Switzerland, according to SQS, one of its certification bodies. Our quality page sets out each body and its scope.


Frequently asked questions

Can I keep my job while I study for an MBA at UIBS?

Our graduate courses run in weekday, evening and seminar formats, and the Professional Master’s programs run hybrid or fully online, so you can plan study around work.

Do I need work experience for the MBA for Experienced Professionals?

Yes. You need a Bachelor’s degree and at least three years of work experience to join the MBA for Experienced Professionals.

Can I move between Zurich, Geneva and online?

Yes. UIBS students can transfer between campuses each quarter, or continue online. Check the next term’s schedule with an advisor first.

Is there a flexible MBA for working professionals in Switzerland that I can take online?

Yes. The Professional Master’s programs, including the Professional MBA, can be taken fully online, and our Online campus charges fees in Swiss francs.


Join us to study for an MBA in Zurich, Geneva or online, without putting your career on hold.

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