Brillantmont International School
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Description of Brillantmont International School
- Location: Lausanne
- Age of students: School year-13-18 years old; Summer course-10-17 years old
- Educational programs: British (I)GCSE, A-level, US High School Diploma with SAT, Summer Course English & French with sports and activities
- Number of students: about 80 students
- Foundation year: 1882
- Type of studying: mixed
- Accommodation: residence
- Price: from CHF 24’000.- per term with accommodation
- Ranking: one of the best boarding schools in Europe, where you can get a classic British (A-level) or American secondary education.
Founded in 1882, Brillantmont International School is a small, family owned school, which offers a personalised programme from 8th -12th Grade. In the centre of Lausanne, in French speaking Switzerland, it offers unique study opportunities to students from all over the world, with average class sizes of 9 students. Students enter leading universities in Switzerland, such as University of Geneva, and elsewhere in the world. Opportunities for learning go beyond the classroom, through leadership, service learning, sports and cultural activities.
Numerous sports activities are offered as classes or clubs:
- Athletics
- Basketball
- Volleyball
- Football
- Hockey
- Sailing
- Hiking
- Alpine skiing
- Fitness
- Yoga
- Aerobics
Creative activities also take place – cooking, art and design, creative arts, music, dance.
At weekends, trips are organised around Lausanne, to other areas of Switzerland and to other European countries.
school education in Switzerland is cognitive.
All teaching is in English.
British Programme
I0th Grade, students prepare for British IGCSE examinations. Afterwards, they continue to in 11th and 12th to A-level, which opens the doors to universities worldwide. IGCSE / A Levels are offered in English, Literature, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Geography, History, Mathematics, Economics, French, Spanish, Art and Design.
American Programme
A range of subjects are taken to meet the requirements of the American Programme, which is credit based. Students wishing to enter an American university are prepared for SAT examinations and English language tests, such as IELTS or TOEFL.
What are the key factors parents consider when choosing a Swiss school?
Generally, parents look at the school's reputation, location, level of care, potential for personalized attention, curriculum specifics, teacher quality, extracurricular offerings, and, of course, tuition fees.
Programs and prices, tuition fees in Brillantmont International School
GCSE is certificate of incomplete secondary education. The educational program allows students from all over the world to familiarize themselves with the education system in the UK in grades 8-9. The course, designed for 1-2 years, involves the study of basic and additional subjects that teenagers choose according to their preferences. Mathematics, academic English, and a foreign language are compulsory. To the choice of students of British schools such subjects are offered:
- Literature;
- Chemistry;
- Physics;
- Law;
- Economics;
- Biology;
- Accounting;
- Business discipline (more than 70 subjects).
To obtain the GCSE certificate, it is quite effective to study two compulsory and three to five additional disciplines.
Classes are held in classrooms and laboratories (depending on the disciplines chosen by the child). The main material is given in the lessons. There are also homework assignments, individual projects. Independent and group work is practiced. The progress of schoolchildren is determined during the entire period of study, since the quality of the performance of the tasks provided by the program, the test results, activity in the classroom affects its level. At the end of the course, the children take the national uniform examination, which entitles them to a GCSE certificate.
A-level is a program for students preparing for entering universities of Great Britain. The certificate, received at the end of the course, frees the entrant from passing additional entrance examinations. A-level is called the "gold standard" of British school education.
The program is taught in most colleges and schools in the country. Its structure, academic organization is the same for all educational institutions. The peculiarity of A-level is that the emphasis of teaching here is placed on the depth and intensity of the study of subjects, which are determined by the choice of the further sphere of the student's activity.
The program is designed for 2 years of study. In the first year students are invited to study at least 4 priority subjects. On the second - three. Students entering the A-level course are initially focused on a certain specialization. At the university, they will subsequently deepen their knowledge of the priority disciplines. When choosing items, it is recommended to pay attention to the academic balance. Some disciplines of the A-level course partially repeat each other. The high school program ensures successful entry into the world's leading universities.
A range of subjects are taken to meet the requirements of the American Programme, which is credit based. Students wishing to enter an American university are prepared for SAT examinations and English language tests, such as IELTS or TOEFL.
Summer English courses and rest for children aged 10 to 17 years.
Brillantmont Summer Course welcomes around 120 children, aged 10-17 per week. They come from many countries and make friends from all over the world.
Language classes are held in the morning, from 9.00 to 12.15, with a break of 15 minutes. The students can choose to study English or French and we have classes at all levels – beginner to advanced. The first lesson is devoted to the study of grammar and language structures whilst in the second lesson, with a different teacher, students develop their fluency. Classes often explore the local area with their teacher, putting their language skills to good use at the market, on a city tour, visiting exhibitions, etc. A small test is carried out every Friday to evaluate the student’s progress and on departure, each student receives a certificate with the teacher's assessment and recommendation, as well as all of his work to show the parents.
Four afternoons per week, students can choose the standard progamme with multi-sports or a different activity option. In multi-sports, the students take a different sport every day, either on campus or by the lake, where the school has a small boat. Examples of sports played include banana boat, stand up paddle, swimming, tennis, basketball, trampoline, Zumba, volleyball, basketball, hockey and many more.
If preferred, students may choose two afternoons a week to take a different activity option, choosing from:
Intensive tennis
Creative arts
French +
Evenings are busy with fun competitions on campus, such as quizzes, treasure hunts etc., going bowling or ice skating or maybe watching a film. On Wednesdays, students go on excursions to places of cultural interest, such as:
- The Cailler chocolate factory;
- The Chillon Castle;
- The Chaplin Museum
- The Olympic Museum.
Every Friday there is a barbecue and a disco. On Saturdays and Sundays, students are offered excursions to Lausanne, Bern, Geneva, hiking in the mountains and underground salt mines with climbing equipment, trips to the water park, go-karting, excursions to the forest and river valleys.
- Initial level of language proficiency: all levels (from total beginner yes advanced).
- Maximum class size: 12 people.
- Course duration: from 2 to 6 weeks (check in and check out on Saturdays).
- Dates: July 3 - August 14.
The price includes:
- 20 periods of language classes (choice of French or English) per week;
- weekly class field trip every Wednesday afternoon to visit well-known Swiss attractions;
- multi-sports classes x four afternoons per week (many sports on campus or by the lake);
- optional activity x two afternoons per week, instead of multi-sports - tennis, creative arts, French+
- various evening activities (e.g. ice skating, bowling, cinema, quiz, disco);
- full day excursion / activity on Sunday (e.g., rock climbing, tree circuit, salt mines, lakeside activities);
- full board and excellent accommodation on the school campus (max= 3 students per room);
- all transfers to and from Geneva airport or Lausanne train station (Saturdays only);
- 24/7 supervision and care by experienced, qualified staff;
- 24/7 medical service and follow-up by our health team;
Summer French courses and rest for children aged 10 to 17 years.
Brillantmont Summer Course welcomes around 120 children, aged 10-17 per week. They come from many countries and make friends from all over the world.
Language classes are held in the morning, from 9.00 to 12.15, with a break of 15 minutes. The students can choose to study English or French and we have classes at all levels – beginner to advanced. The first lesson is devoted to the study of grammar and language structures whilst in the second lesson, with a different teacher, students develop their fluency. Classes often explore the local area with their teacher, putting their language skills to good use at the market, on a city tour, visiting exhibitions, etc. A small test is carried out every Friday to evaluate the student’s progress and on departure, each student receives a certificate with the teacher's assessment and recommendation, as well as all of his work to show the parents.
Four afternoons per week, students can choose the standard progamme with multi-sports or a different activity option. In multi-sports, the students take a different sport every day, either on campus or by the lake, where the school has a small boat. Examples of sports played include banana boat, stand up paddle, swimming, tennis, basketball, trampoline, Zumba, volleyball, basketball, hockey and many more.
If preferred, students may choose two afternoons a week to take a different activity option, choosing from:
Intensive tennis
Creative arts
French +
Evenings are busy with fun competitions on campus, such as quizzes, treasure hunts etc., going bowling or ice skating or maybe watching a film. On Wednesdays, students go on excursions to places of cultural interest, such as:
- The Cailler chocolate factory;
- The Chillon Castle;
- The Chaplin Museum
- The Olympic Museum.
Every Friday there is a barbecue and a disco. On Saturdays and Sundays, students are offered excursions to Lausanne, Bern, Geneva, hiking in the mountains and underground salt mines with climbing equipment, trips to the water park, go-karting, excursions to the forest and river valleys.
- Initial level of language proficiency: all levels (from total beginner yes advanced).
- Maximum class size: 12 people.
- Course duration: from 2 to 6 weeks (check in and check out on Saturdays).
- Dates: July 3 - August 14.
The price includes:
- 20 periods of language classes (choice of French or English) per week;
- weekly class field trip every Wednesday afternoon to visit well-known Swiss attractions;
- multi-sports classes x four afternoons per week (many sports on campus or by the lake);
- optional activity x two afternoons per week, instead of multi-sports - tennis, creative arts, French+
- various evening activities (e.g. ice skating, bowling, cinema, quiz, disco);
- full day excursion / activity on Sunday (e.g., rock climbing, tree circuit, salt mines, lakeside activities);
- full board and excellent accommodation on the school campus (max= 3 students per room);
- all transfers to and from Geneva airport or Lausanne train station (Saturdays only);
- 24/7 supervision and care by experienced, qualified staff;
- 24/7 medical service and follow-up by our health team;
- accident and sickness insurance.
Accommodation, meals, prices
All boarding students live on campus in boarding houses separated by age and gender, with a resident teacher, to support and help the students. Rooms are shared with a student from another nationality though some single rooms are available. In one of the buildings, there are ensuite bathrooms but in all others, students share a bathroom (3-4 students per bathroom). Laundry services are available.
Students eat all meals at school, where a balanced and healthy menu is provided, with international-style food. A vegetarian menu is also offered.
Subjects, specialties
Advantages
What makes Brillantmont special is its size. Being small allows us to personalise our teaching to each student and to help each one achieve their full potential. A small community builds a sense of belonging, which develops confidence.
Brillantmont students are particularly talented in languages.
- Brillantmont International School is unusual because it has been owned and run by the same family since 1882. It creates warm atmosphere, optimal for the rapid adaptation to a new language and academic environment.
- Every student is seen as an individual Everyone's academic success is tracked, if necessary, adjustments are made to the curriculum in order to achieve high results.
- Developed infrastructure - the boarding school in Switzerland is in a wonderful location and has excellent facilities.
- Lessons at the school are held in small classes for 9 people. It's an opportunity for effective individual and group work.
Facilities and equipment at Brillantmont International School
The campus of the school includes 8 separate buildings in a picturesque natural area overlooking the Swiss Alps and Lake Léman (often called Lake Geneva). All classrooms are airy and modern, with technology available to enhance learning. At the heart of the school lies a multi-purpose hall, with a full size gymnasium, performing arts stage, music room and classrooms. The school also has a tennis court, a multi-sports court, table tennis areas and a huge leavy park. All is secure with access codes needed to enter buildings. The school is a five minute walk from the vibrant city centre with lovely shops, cafés, cultural buildings. Students often go into the local area, by the lake or in the forest, to enjoy sports and leisure activities.
Admission dates and extra charges
The school year runs from September to June.
Additional fees:
- Registration fee of CHF 1600.-
- Admission Deposit CHF 5’000.- returned upon completion of studies, is required for reservation of a place and visa registration;
- Personal Expenses Deposit of CHF 6’000.- to cover costs in the school, including teaching materials, school trips, etc.
- Health Insurance
- Pocket money.
Extra fees:
- Pocket money CHF 50.- to CHF 100.- per week (recommended)
- Registration fee (for a programme/course) CHF 1’600.-
- Deposit for a course/programme CHF5’000.-
Extras:
- Pocket money 70 CHF
- Registration fee (for a programme/course) 1600 CHF
- Deposit for a course/programme 5000 CHF
Literature and references
Institution on the map
Residence permits, citizenship and other services
- Guardianship services during the studies
- Student supervision
Review about Brillantmont International School
Recommendations on when to apply
| Language courses, schools and children's language camps | Primary and secondary education - private schools | Preparation programmes for entering universities - higher education | Higher education (after completing accredited programs A-level, IB, High School) - Bachelor, Master, MBA |
| - we recommend to apply 6-9 months before the start of the course (some camps and schools offer discounts for early booking or for lengthy study programs) - there are some very popular and high demand children's camps, where the applications need to be submitted 1 year in advance (in particular Switzerland , Great Britain , USA , Canada , Austria) | - we recommend to apply one year before the start of the training program, - some schools have a specific time frame (September-November - please specify an individual school) - some schools require tests in several stages (UKISET, internal tests of the school: English, mathematics, logics, subjects, interview, some require a personal visit) | - we recommend to apply one year before the start of the program, - for Foundation and Pathway programs, IELTS and TOEFL certificates are usually required, respectively | - recommended submission one year before the start of the program, - the deadline normally closes in January, for TOP HEIs and, as a rule, in March in other universities - for a bachelor, a Foundation or Pathway preparatory program a completed A-level, IB, High School + IELTS / TOEFL are required - for Masters you need a graduated higher education, in some cases you need a pre-Masters program - MBA requires completed higher education, work experience preferably at least 2-3 years, etc. |
