The Zurich Gymnasium Entrance Exam (ZAP), explained

If your child attends a public school in the Canton of Zurich and you want them to enter the Langgymnasium (the long-track academic high school) after 6th grade, they sit a central entrance exam — the Zentrale Aufnahmeprüfung, or ZAP. Here is what it involves.

When is it?

The exam is held once a year, typically in early March. The 2027 date is Montag, 8. März 2027. Registration usually opens in December/January via the cantonal education office (zh.ch).

What is tested?

Two subjects: German and Mathematics. German has two parts — a written essay (Aufsatz) and language analysis plus reading comprehension. This matters for international families: the exam is entirely in German, and the essay in particular is hard to help with if German isn't your first language.

How is it graded?

The exam grade is weighted:

• ¼ essay
• ¼ language analysis & reading comprehension
• ½ mathematics

If the preliminary grade counts (public 6th grade), the final grade is the average of the preliminary and exam grades, and the pass mark is 4.75; otherwise the exam grade alone decides, with a pass mark of 4.5. You can estimate the outcome with our grade calculator.

How to prepare

The exam rewards steady daily practice more than last-minute cramming — especially for the German essay, which is graded on four official criteria. ZAPready gives an AI tutor that explains every mistake, essay grading against those criteria, and 22 real past exams as timed simulations. The parent dashboard shows an estimated grade, so you can see where your child stands even if you can't help with the German yourself.