Interested in the best Swiss private boarding schools? Then you’re definitely in the right place because this detailed guide includes everything you need to know about the top private high schools in Switzerland.
Whether you’re just curious or you’re considering enrolling your child in a top Swiss boarding school, you’ll find all the necessary information right here. The guide covers all the most prestigious boarding schools in the Alpine country, so keep reading to learn about the best boarding schools in Switzerland.
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Institut auf dem Rosenberg
Institut auf dem Rosenberg is the most expensive boarding school in Switzerland, with a staggering annual fee of more than $150,000. That much money buys you the best education in the world, which includes fencing and skiing as optional extracurricular activities. This is one of the best boarding schools in the world, and the list of its alumni is kept confidential.
The Rosenberg is also one of the oldest international schools in the country. Ulrich Schmidt founded it in 1889, and it originally carried the name of the founder. Institut Dr. Schmidt was renamed after Ulrich Schmidt passed away and the Gademann family acquired it sometime in the 1930s.
This school is situated in St. Gallen, a beautiful Swiss city on the shore of Lake Constance. It accepts students between the ages of 6 and 19, who receive one of the following diplomas after they’ve completed their education:
- British IGCSE and GCE A-Level
- German International Baccalaureat (GIB)
- International Baccalaureate (IB)
- US High School Diploma (with AP courses)
Institut Rosenberg also organizes summer and winter camps, which are great if you want to test drive the school and see if it’s a good fit for your kid.
TASIS The American School in Switzerland
Situated in Montagnola, Switzerland, the TASIS school is one of the most popular American boarding schools in Switzerland. This is an American-style school, so it offers primary (elementary school) education, as well as secondary (middle school and high school) education.
Up to 700 students can attend this school across their different grades, which range from pre-kindergarten to postgraduate. The prices of enrollment also depend on the grade, and they start at 27,300 CHF for Pre-Kindergarten students and go up to 95,000 CHF for full boarding for Middle and High School students.
TASIS includes AP and IB courses for students, optional summer programs, and a variety of competitive sports programs.
Leysin American School in Switzerland (LAS)
The Leysin American School was founded in 1960 and since then it has been one of the top private schools in Switzerland. Students who attend this school can choose between the American High School or the IB program, depending on the type of education they’re aiming for.
Tuition alone is 109,000 CHF per year, and that doesn’t include any additional fees, which total some 30,500 CHF. It’s a very expensive Swiss boarding school, but it’s worth noting that approximately 40% of their students get some sort of financial aid before enrolling, which is the highest percentage among all Swiss boarding schools.
The school is located in Leysin, a popular ski resort in Switzerland. During the winter season, students spend their time in the mountains, either taking skiing/snowboarding lessons or just skiing freely down the mountain. LAS also offers its students plenty of extracurricular activities and mandatory cultural trips to various European countries.
Collège Alpin Beau Soleil
Situated in Villars-sur-Ollon, Collège Alpin Beau Soleil is a prestigious Swiss international boarding school for students aged 11 to 18. It was founded in 1910, making it one of the oldest boarding schools in the Alpine country.
The school has MYP (Middle Years Program) and IB (International Baccalaureate) programs, which reward students with internationally accepted diplomas upon graduation. In addition to the regular school curriculums, this private school also organizes various summer camps and offers various extracurricular activities for the students.
The tuition fees for this school are incredibly high. It’s one of the priciest international schools in Switzerland, with a flat 3000 CHF fee just to submit an application. Boarding and enrollment fees for IB students are over 140,000 CHF, so the Rosenberg’s right up there.
Haut-Lac International Bilingual Day and Boarding School
Haut-Lac International Bilingual Day and Boarding School is the only true bilingual French-English school in the Swiss Riviera. Regularly reviewed and referenced by experts over the last 30 years, its bilingual model ensures its 600+ students aged 3 to 18 get to consistently practice their languages, both in class and during over 150 extra-curricular sporting, artistic, cultural and academic pursuits.
Highly qualified and experienced teachers deliver the renowned academic programmes below fully or progressively bilingually, predominantly in English or predominantly in French to day and boarding students aged 11 to 18:
- IB Middle Years Programme (11-15)
- Swiss Option (11-14)
- IB Diploma Programme (16-18)
- IB Career-Related Programme (16-18)
- Hospitality Management with Les Roches Switzerland
- Sustainable Management with SUMAS
- Art & Design with SCAD
- International Sports Management with Federation University
- High School Diploma Course (16-18)
As the first school accredited by World Academy of Sport (WAoS) in Switzerland, its IB Sport & Study programme enables high-performing student-athletes to finish school whilst maintaining intensive training schedules thanks to flexible or extended IBMYP, IBDP and IBCP programmes.
The standard tuition fee for day students ranges from 27’300 to 40’400, whilst boarding with up to 32 international students at Haut-Lac’s modern boutique boarding house ranges from CHF84’340 to CHF86’140.
Brillantmont International School
Located in the city of Lausanne, the Brillantmont International School is one of the oldest establishments of its kind in Switzerland. It was established in 1882, and since then it has been owned by five generations of the same family.
Brillantmont International School accepts students aged 13-18, with options for either a High School Diploma or British A Levels for the older students. There are no AP-level courses in this school, although the material from A-level courses often overlaps with what the children would learn in the AP courses. This school is one of a few Swiss boarding schools with the British IGCSE program.
Tuition fees for this boarding school are between 87,000 and 96,000 CHF per year depending on the grade. This covers all the boarding and lodging costs as well, but there are some additional fees to be paid (security deposit and non-refundable enrollment fees). This private school also accepts day students who attend classes but do not live on the grounds, and tuition prices for them are 30,000-35,000 CHF.
Préfleuri International Alpine School
Préfleuri International Alpine School is a boarding school in Ollon, Switzerland for children aged 3-13. The elementary school emphasizes its bilingual approach to education, particularly in the curriculum designed for the youngest students, aged between 3 and 5.
The curriculum for older children is based on either the British or French school systems, and you can choose between the two when you enroll your child. Regardless of which program you enroll your child in, they will still have an opportunity to learn the other language. Classes in Préfleuri International Alpine School are small and usually include 6-12 pupils.
Tuition fees for this Swiss boarding school start at 12,500 CHF for three-year-olds and go up to 70,000 CHF for the full, seven days a week, boarding school experience. It’s possible to enroll your kids in day school here for a tuition fee of 17,850 CHF.
College et Lycee Saint-Charles
Situated close to the border with France, College et Lycee Saint-Charles is a private boarding school for students between the ages of 10 and 18. The school offers three different programs – the Swiss national diploma, MYP and IB, and DP (Diploma Programme).
All programs at the school are bilingual and children are equally immersed in both the English and French languages. German is also taught at the school, while pupils in the Collège program also have the opportunity to learn Latin. Maths, sciences, arts, humanities, and physical education are also part of all the different school programs.
Tuition fees for College et Lycee Saint-Charles start at around 49,000 CHF for a 5-day boarding school and 63,000 CHF for a seven-day boarding school and go up to 68,000 CHF and 82,000 CHF respectively. It is possible to enroll your child into a 5-day boarding school and then separately pay for any weekend they spend at the school, and it’s 500 CHF per weekend.
College du Leman
College du Leman is a mixed boarding school for children between the ages of 2 and 18. The school is based in Versoix, a beautiful town on the shore of Lake Geneva. It is a bilingual school with programs in English and French, but those aren’t the only two languages the children can learn. German, Italian, and Spanish are also taught through additional courses.
The school accepts a maximum of 2,000 students, which makes it one of the biggest boarding schools in Switzerland because the most exclusive schools only accept a few hundred pupils.
At College du Leman, students can choose to enroll in one of the following diploma programs:
- IB
- American High School Diploma (with AP courses)
- IGCSE
- French Baccalaureate
- Maturité Suisse (Swiss Maturity Diploma)
Tuition fees for College du Leman start at approximately 23,000 CHF for two and three-year-olds in preschool and go up to 97,000 CHF for a full school year with boarding included.
Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz
Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz is one of the oldest and most exclusive international boarding schools in Switzerland. It was founded in 1904 and is based in Zuoz, a village near the glamorous town of St. Moritz.
The school accepts a total of 300 students aged 12-19. They offer a wide range of diploma programs, including IGCSE, IBDP, IBCP, and the Swiss Matura. Classes of the international programs are all taught in English, while students who choose the Swiss Matura program will receive either a bilingual education or one in German.
Tuition fees for this private school range from 89,000 CHF to 106,500 CHF with boarding, depending on the gender of the student and whether they stay in a single or a double room. It’s worth noting that the tuition is a bit more expensive for girls than boys, but the difference is minimal.
École d’Humanité
École d’Humanité is a private boarding school committed to offering offer bilingual education in both English and German languages to children aged 12-18. This is one of few Swiss boarding schools that offer education entirely in German, so it’s a great option for parents who want their children to receive an education in German.
The school offers two education programs for the pupils – the Swiss Matura and the US High School program with AP classes. Tuition fees are the same no matter which program you enroll your child in, and it’s worth noting that only the Swiss Matura program includes classes entirely in the German language.
The standard tuition fee for this international boarding school is 65,000 CHF, and that includes all boarding fees. It is also possible to enroll your kids in day school, and the fee for that is 28,000 CHF.
Aiglon College
Aiglon College is a co-ed boarding school in Chesières-Villars, Switzerland. The school has programs for children aged 9-18, and the curriculum is in the English language. The only exceptions are foreign languages studied in the school and accompanying literature.
The Junior School is Aiglon College’s equivalent of a primary school, while the Senior School offers education for years 9 to 13. The pupils are prepared for the GCSE and IGCSE exams until the end of year 11, and the final two years follow the IB program. All pupils must also partake in the various expeditions that the school organizes each year, which include (but are not limited to) hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, kayaking, etc.
Tuition fees for this private school vary on the grade your child is enrolling in. They start at 38,000 CHF for grades 4 and 5 and go up to 83,000 CHF for grades 11 and 12.
Swiss Boarding School Map
Frequently Asked Questions About Swiss Boarding Schools
Why are Swiss boarding schools popular?
Swiss boarding schools are so popular because of their exclusivity. They’re definitely not schools for everyone – not even the Swiss send their children to these schools! It’s estimated that 95% of children in Switzerland attend public schools, and only the remaining 5% are enrolled in private schools. These boarding schools are for the children of the vastly wealthy and famous.
Networking is a big appeal of the boarding schools in Switzerland. Children of the rich and famous get to meet and hang out with peers from similar backgrounds, and these relationships are often beneficial later on in their lives and careers.
What are the benefits of sending your kids to a Swiss boarding school?
I would say there are two main benefits of sending your kids to a Swiss boarding school – they will receive the best education possible and they will make connections that can help them advance their education and career in later stages of life.
How much is the cost of a boarding school in Switzerland?
The boarding school cost depends on the school, and it’s generally between 40,000 CHF and up to 150,000+ CHF. Most schools have a set fee for enrollment, and another fee covers housing and additional expenses. The enrollment fee is under 100,000 CHF for all boarding schools in Switzerland, but the extra costs can sometimes be just as much as enrollment.
What language do they speak in a Swiss boarding school?
The primary language in Swiss boarding schools is English (either British or American). The curriculum is in English, but all the students have the opportunity of learning a second language (usually French, German, or Italian) during their time at the school. Some schools offer bilingual programs in which students are equally immersed in English and either French or German.
Are Swiss boarding schools worth it?
Swiss boarding schools are worth it if you make the most of the environment, education and extra-curricular activities they make available to your child. Each school has its own activities, classes and benefits, however in comparison to a standard high school you definitely get a lot more for the money you pay.
