Top 23 international schools in Switzerland

Switzerland is a European country known for its mountainous region and numerous lakes, making it one of the best options for skiing and hiking. Just as every country is known for what it does best, that is, the professional fields in which it is popular, the key industries of Switzerland are banking and finance, and Swiss watches and chocolate are known all over the world.

The official languages of Switzerland are Italian, German, French and Romansh, which are spoken in different parts of the country. English is the most widely spoken language by 45% of the population. As a result, a foreign student from an English-speaking country, you will not have much trouble communicating with the locals.

Foreign students traveling to Switzerland to study will enjoy the security that the country offers, but living in it is really expensive, especially in cities like Geneva and Zurich. However, students from other countries still flock to the country every year to obtain academic degrees at various levels of study.

The educational system in Switzerland is world-renowned for its high academic standards, highly regarded research results and student-centered learning approaches. Its higher education system corresponds to the Bologna Process, according to which graduates are awarded typical degrees - bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. Studying at a bachelor's degree lasts three years, with the exception of certain programs such as medicine or pharmacy, which last up to five or six years.

The International School in Switzerland is a school that promotes international education on a global scale. These international schools in Switzerland usually use curricula such as International Baccalaureate, Edexcel, Cambridge Assessment International Education, International Primary Curriculum or a national curriculum that differs from the traditional Swiss school curriculum.

Some international schools provide bilingual or multilingual education, as well as international education, allowing to continue education at home or at another international school abroad. They include elementary and secondary schools, as well as day schools and boarding schools, and offer various teaching methods such as Montessori and Kumon.

TOP international schools in Switzerland provide a multicultural learning environment in which students from all over the world come together to study. International schools in Switzerland are characterized by small class sizes and high standards of educational institutions. The IB program is usually offered at these schools or one of four other IB programs: elementary, secondary, and vocational.

Many schools also offer the UK national curriculum leading to the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (GSCE) and A-level, while some offer the US High School Diploma/Advanced Placement (AP), Swiss Matriculation Certificate, German Abitur and French Baccalaureate.

Moreover, great attention is paid to the harmonious development of the child: creativity and sport occupy a special place in the curriculum. The fitness centers are equipped with everything necessary, often there are Olympic-level swimming pools on the school territory. In addition to traditional types of physical activity, due to the mountainous landscape of the country, winter sports are widely available to schoolchildren – downhill skiing, snowboarding, and in summer – mountain biking, horseback riding and hiking, rock climbing.

• Montreux International School (MIS)

MIS is an innovative global IB school and the first fully specialized IBC school in Europe, designed to provide advanced, life-ready education for students from different backgrounds. It is a coeducational day school and boarding school located on Avenue de Chillon, Territet, Switzerland, where students of 30 nationalities study.

MIS offers the IB and Career-related Program (CP) to students aged 16-19 years old. The studying is conducted in English; foreign languages are French, German and Chinese. The student-teacher ratio is 1:15, and extracurricular activities include soccer, tennis, debate classes, a charity committee, and more.

• Ecole D'Humanite

Ecole D'Humanite is one of the best international co-educational schools in Switzerland, located in the heart of the Swiss Alps, encouraging innovation, tolerance and determination among young people. It is a diverse and vibrant community of students from more than 20 different countries aged 11 to 20 years studying in Advanced Placement (AP), Swiss Maturite and US High School Diploma programs.

It is a boarding school with state-of-the-art facilities and extracurricular activities that can be used by students to improve learning efficiency.

• Copperfield International School

Copperfield International School is one of the best international schools for boys in Switzerland. It accepts boys aged 3 to 18 years both in day school and boarding school. The representatives from more than 18 countries study in this prestigious school. The ratio of teachers to students is 1:2.5. The students can choose the educational program, among options are: the International Baccalaureate program for Elementary school is taught to students aged 3 to 12 years; Cambridge IGSCE is taught to students aged 13 to 16. The IB Diploma program is designed for students between the ages of 16 and 18.

Students wishing to continue their studies under the British system can enroll in A-level programs. The languages of instruction are French and English, and the foreign programs taught are French, German, Swedish, Spanish and Chinese.

• Academia International School

Academia School is one of the best international schools in Switzerland, which locates in Basel and offers IGCSE, Cambridge and A-level programs. This is a day school where both boys and girls aged 13 to 20 are accepted. The languages of instruction are English and German. Sports and other extracurricular activities are also available.

• St. Charles College and Lyceum

College et Lycee Saint Charles, founded in 1897 and currently operating as a day school and boarding school, is an international school in Switzerland with mixed form of studying for students aged 8 to 19 years. There are students from more than 10 countries and the teacher-student ratio is 1:12.

Saint Charles uses the Swiss national curriculum for elementary and secondary school students, and for high school students, both the Swiss Maturite (French/Bilingual French - English) and the IB preparation program are used.