Private Boarding Schools in Switzerland – When it Comes to Education, Only The Best Counts
Private Boarding Schools in Switzerland usually are expensive and people here believe that students of private schools didn’t make it at the public school. Reason enough why almost all children in Switzerland go to public schools. The educational system at Swiss schools is indeed different in each Canton and I must admit that it is a little confusing, even for us Swiss. For example, some Cantons start to teach the first language at grade four while others start rather late at grade seven. There is no minimum entry age to attend Kindergarten and neither is it mandatory. However, most children do go to Kindergarten. To qualify for the primary school that starts around mid August, the children need to have accomplished their 6th birthday. It takes six years and is almost in all Cantons the same. After that, the children enter the Oberstufenschule (upper high school), which lasts three years. The Volksschule (elementary school) divides into the Primarschule (primary school) and the Oberstufenschule. The Sekundarschule (secondary school) is the highest level and some technical apprenticeships require this level of education. Therefore, the complete period of schooling in Switzerland consists of twelve years. Few youngsters enter private boarding schools in Switzerland or are pursuing an academic career. The reasons for the low interest are that many average professions still pay a decent salary. Most teenagers prefer to do a three or four year apprenticeship rather then study at the university. There are signs that this is beginning to change and more young Swiss begin to study for an academic career. However, most highly qualified foreign employees or celebrities and the wealthy that relocated to Switzerland send their children to private boarding schools. While national schools register a modest student growth, there was a strong growth for Swiss private schools during the last few years. Thus in 2003, about 10,000 foreign students visited one of the international private boarding schools. Five years later, we have twice as many because more and more global enterprises move their head offices to our country. And of course also the wealthy and celebrities living in Switzerland send their children to school here. That is why there is a waiting list at most private boarding schools in Switzerland. However, one’s they are accepted and depending on the type of school, your child/children can attain the following certificates... • Swiss Matura • American High School Diploma • German Abitur (after 12 years at school) • International Baccalaureate (IB) • French Baccalaureate. International Baccalaureate Most boarding schools in Switzerland offer the International Baccalaureate (IB). This includes the PYP, MYP and Diploma to the British GCSE and GCE examination systems. The English Schools here have to satisfy the requirements of the Swiss national system. All American Schools in Switzerland run courses to prepare students for the SATs. The International Baccalaureate is a demanding Pre-university course that leads to examinations. It serves perfectly for highly motivated secondary school students aged 16 to 19. Any student holding an IB diploma is well prepared and has access to the best Universities in Switzerland or anywhere else in the world. As with everything, there are very good schools and than there are the top rated and very exclusive educational institutions. The Top Private Boarding Schools in Switzerland Basel International School of Basel Region One of the reasons is that Basel Switzerland - The Industrial City has many foreigners who work in pharmaceutical companies. That is why the British and Americans represent for more than 50% percent of the students. The campus is located in the small town of Reinach. It is a suburb of Basel and fully accredited by the European Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. The school offers a Junior School (Pre K-Grades 5), Middle School (Grades 6-10) and High School (Grades 11–12). Admissions to Middle and High Schools depend on the knowledge of English and from the records from the previous school. As with all boarding schools in Switzerland, some of the facilities include… • Well-equipped science labs • Computer labs • A large library • A large gymnasium • And access to most sports and culture activities. Private Boarding Schools in Bern International School of Bern The secondary school division prepares students for university entry. However, the preparation for external exams starts in Grade 8. The school also offers various examinations like SAT, PSAT, IB and IGCSE as well as a full range of academic and non-academic courses. The campus is only about five km (3 miles) from Bern - the capital of Switzerland. The four modern and well-equipped buildings provide everything that is required to run a top boarding school. Included are also a small sports field and a playground. British School of Bern To monitor each child’s progress, the school holds regular testing and continuous assessments. Additionally, National tests from England and the United States are also used. The admission is open to all children from Kindergarten up to Grade 6 (students aged 5-12 years). All teachers are university educated with degrees and/or have teaching certificates from their home countries. There are also specialist teachers that provide instruction for German and music as well as various sports. Chesières -Villars Aiglon College The school aims to educate men and women for integrity and developing the qualities of uprightness as well as… • Self discipline • Honesty • Tenacity • Good health in body and mind • Thoughtfulness and service to others. The Aiglon College is ideally located close to the town of Montreux and Lausanne Switzerland – the city of wine. The top ski resorts of Verbier and Gstaad are within an hour from this excellent boarding school. Boarding Schools in Geneva International School of Geneva The school has three separately governed campuses. La Grande Boissière is the oldest and largest of the three. The Primary School has 650 students and runs through Grade 4. The Middle School has 450 students and runs from Grade 5 to 8. The Secondary School has also about 650 and begins from Grade 9 until Grade 12 or 13. The "La Chataigneraie" campus is located near Founex in the countryside overlooking Lake Geneva. Here you find the primary and secondary school with approximately 1420 students. The "Campus des Nations" is in two locations and just opened in 2005. Pregny is near the United Nations and the Red Cross and offers classes to more than 220 students from pre-school to year two. Saconnex is near the International Labour Organization and the World Health Organization headquarters with about 500 students ranging from year three through thirteen. Some of the notable alumni that studied there are Michael Douglas, Indira Gandhi, Ronald M. George, Christopher Lambert, H. Norman Schwarzkopf and many more. In 2006, the British Guardian newspaper rated it as one of the best UK-curriculum international schools in the world. It is indeed the largest of all boarding schools in Switzerland. College du Leman The instructional program prepares students from Kindergarten to the highest classes for four national examinations like… • College Board tests • Tests for students intending to enter US colleges and universities • IGCSE and GCE A level examinations • The French Baccalaureate • The Swiss Matura (bilingual English and French). Seven boarding houses provide accommodation for about 200 boys and girls grouped by age and gender. The teachers are mainly from Great Britain, France, the USA and Switzerland. All hold university level degrees and teaching certificates. More than half are with the school for more than ten years. During the Christmas and the Easter holiday season, the boarding students may go home or may join ski or other trips organized by the College. There is a full skiing week trip organized for each grade level as well as other interesting activities during the ski season. Private Boarding Schools in Lausanne Brillantmont International College The teaching for the students of more than 35 nationalities is in English, but everybody also learns French, the local language. Like most boarding schools in Switzerland, the Brillantmont offers a wide choice of programs like the… • American Section: High School classes are from Grades 9–13. An American counsellor advises the students for preparation for SAT I and II, PSAT and TOEFL. • Swiss Section: All the way, up to the 10th year • British Section: AS and A levels, IGCSE (Cambridge International Examinations) • Business Section: Cambridge skills and Career Awards • Language Section. Many international students undergo an intensive English and French program and up to two or more languages. There are other language examinations on offer if desired. The school also offers summer courses with intense English and French combined with sports. The city of Lausanne offers excellent sports facilities and the students compete regularly with other boarding schools in Switzerland. International School of Lausanne The English language day school provides comprehensive education for children from more than 45 countries aged 3-18. The academic program divides into three sections… • The early childhood centre (ages 3-4) • The primary section (ages 5-10) • The secondary section (ages 11-18). Students study French daily as one of Switzerland’s host languages in years 1-11 (Grades K-10). Also offered from year 8 on are German, Spanish or Swedish. The secondary students participate in a one-week outdoor course in the fall and a ski week in the wintertime. Students that are in Grades 2-5 (years 3-6) go skiing every Friday during the ski season. This private Swiss boarding school is top equipped and all certified teachers are from various European countries and the USA. Of course, the New England Association of Schools and the European Council of International Schools accredit ISL. Leysin Leysin American School The academic program follows on the college-preparatory curriculum as required by US universities. For non-native English language students, there is intensive English as a second language provided. After a while, gradual integration into regular courses begins. The students have the choice to take individual certificates or the International Baccalaureate (IB) as a full diploma program. Leysin American School represents more than 51 nationalities. About one third of the students are indeed Americans. There are many recreational activities including tennis, swimming, ice-skating, skiing and two sport centres. Besides all the classrooms and dormitories, the campus has an art centre that includes a music performance hall, a black box theatre, art studio area and individual music practice rooms. The nearest larger city is Lausanne, which is only about 40 minutes away. Lugano The American School in Switzerland The campus main building is in the historic Villa de Nobili. All the other campus facilities include… • Classrooms • Four science laboratories • Music rooms • Art and photography studios • Library … and a new sports and activities centre. The students house in eight different dormitories. The Graduates prepare for the School’s American College Preparatory and International Baccalaureate curriculums. It is an ideal way to proceed to the best British and American or other universities in the world. In the summer, the college offers language programs available for students aged 6–18. The students are involved in… • Competitive and recreational sports • A full range of extra curricular activities • A two week ski vacation in Crans-Montana. Colleges in the United States and the New England Association of Schools as well as the European Council of International Schools accredit the School. Private Boarding Schools in Montreux Institute Monte Rosa Choosing the Institute Monte Rosa makes sense if you are planning to place your child to an American university. Here, they get prepared for College Board examinations and receive the high school diploma on successful completion of 12th grade. The postgraduate year offers mature students intensive language study with business, economics and computer studies. Many students that have recently completed their secondary education at the Institute have proceeded to universities in Europe and the USA. St. George’s School The school lies in a park of 45,000 square meters with magnificent uninterrupted views of the mountains and Lake Geneva. The International Junior Department offers primary education for boys and girls from pre-reception through year 6. The Senior School prepares students for the IB Diploma Program and for American High school graduation. St. George’s location is between Vevey and Montreux close to the city of Lausanne. More than 400 pupils represent more than 40 different nationalities. Rolle Institute Le Rosey Le Rosey’s 380 students are all boarders and share life on two campuses. The main campus is an attractive manorial estate in Rolle on Lake Geneva. This prestigious school also owns a campus at the exclusive Swiss ski resort of Gstaad. During the winter months, the students stay at this pretty town in the Bernese Oberland. The media called Le Rosey as the "School of Kings" because many European royals attended the school during most of the 20th century. However, today it is more the educational choice of the celebrities and the wealthy. The Le Rosey educated many generations of well-known families like the… • The Rothschild’s • The Hohenlohe’s • The Metternich’s • The Hohenzollern • The Radziwills and Borghese’s. They also educated several monarchs like the Kings Albert II and Baudouin I of Belgium, King Fuad II of Egypt, Aga Khan IV, King Ntare V of Burundi, Prince Rainier III of Monaco and the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran. The school offers a bilingual education in either English or French. This depends on the chosen academic program to receive the International or French Baccalaureate. Over 400 students from over 60 different countries study at Le Rosey. The age ranges from 7 through 18. However, most of the students are between the ages of 14 to 18 and 60% are from European countries. The Institute Le Rosey with its 28 hectares (70 acres) of landscape is the largest of all private boarding schools in Switzerland. Besides an intense academic program, there is a wide range of sports. St. Gallen Institute auf dem Rosenberg The International Section On offer is also the British school program for IGCSE, GCE A levels to complete AS and A2 level courses and examinations. The fountain program is a special program for students whose mother tongue is not English. In my opinion, those special programs belong to all Swiss private schools. The Swiss Section The German Section There are also special programs in addition to their regular studies. The students from all sections have the opportunity preparing for various language certificates. Villars College Alpin Beau Soleil The school is located in the alpine village of Villars and divided into two sections… • the Anglo-American section for grades 6-12 (High School Diploma) • the French Lyceum from grade 6 up to the French Baccalaureate. Besides having a top boarding school, the ski resort of Villars offers excellent skiing facilities as well as other outdoor sports. Private Boarding Schools in Zug Institute Montana You also do not find students dressed in a suit walking through the corridors like at the Institute auf dem Rosenberg. There were no famous people ever at this school. With two exceptions of one is John Kerry who entered the US election campaign in 2004. Mr. Kerry stayed at the Rosenberg Institute in the 50’s and film director Marc Forster during the 80’s. When you want to send your children to the Institute Montana, you have a choice of three education systems. The bilingual primary school is in English and German. The gymnasium has classes in English and is in preparation for the International Baccalaureate. The students that prefer to enter the gymnasium with classes in the German language prepare for the Matura. Almost 250 students from 30 different countries are studying here. Besides the private boarding school, the Institute Montana offers also a day school with 150 students. The classes are very small and the school has on average a person, a teacher or co-worker for every fifth student. This reflects in the costs where the parents for internal students pay 46,300 Swiss Francs (US$ 41,000) and for externals 25,550 Francs. It is still cheap in compare to the Lyceum Alpinum in Zuoz. International School of Zug and Luzern The Zug Campus The Luzern Campus The Riverside Campus Zuoz Lyceum Alpinum The admissions for boarders are quite strict. The Lyceum Alpinum accepts only young people who are willing and able to meet the academic demands and to identify with its philosophy. In order to meet its educational and pastoral obligations, the school must have certain necessary information. It shows that the lyceum cares for the child’s education when they ask a family about a student’s… • Character • School records • Family situation – relevant to the personal, academic and physical development of the student. Admission is possible into school from Grades 7 to 11, but not into Grade 12. Like in all other private boarding schools, the students can study to receive the… • The International Baccalaureate Diploma • The German Abitur or • The Swiss Matura The younger boys and girls live in family-like surroundings. The older students have more privileges and greater responsibilities. Despite that, the boarding life is not boring as there are evening and weekend sport programs and many other activities to try out. The Lyceum Alpinum is more expensive than most boarding schools in Switzerland. Depending on the course, the costs for boarding fees plus tuition are between 60,000 – 70,000 Swiss Francs (US$53,100 – 62,000). Boarding Schools in Zurich Zurich International School The school’s program spans from Kindergarten right through Grade 12. Students from Pre-K through Grade 9 study German and are introduced to the Swiss culture. The Zurich International School system focuses strongly into technology with the students receiving hands-on computer training. Besides the academic programs, the school offers many other activities including sports, crafts and performing arts classes. The school starts in late August until mid June. Admission is upon an evaluation of records from a previous school. There is always a waiting list, so I recommend registering early. Swiss International School - Zurich North They believe in first come first served! They offer international education for students from Nursery aged 2 and a half up to Grade 9 (aged 15). Swiss International School emphasises the study of languages. The students begin German in Pre-Kindergarten and continuing with French from Grade 5 upwards. They do not just offer an International Baccalaureate but provide a supportive and stimulating learning environment. The school has a team of highly qualified teachers who respond sensitively to each student’s educational requirements. Besides providing top education, the school is conveniently located in the north of the city of Zurich Switzerland. Therefore, it is easily accessible by public transport as well as by car. There are more boarding schools in Switzerland, too many to mention them here. If you need more information about other Swiss private schools, please contact me. Return from Boarding Schools in Switzerland to Swiss Schools Return from Boarding Schools in Switzerland to High End Travel Switzerland
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