The Best Boarding Schools in Switzerland

Best Boarding Schools in Switzerland

Best Boarding Schools in Switzerland: an overview of the most popular and best Swiss boarding schools 2024, with details on their fees, tuition costs, school calendar and location.

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Why choose one of the best Swiss Boarding School?

1. High reputation

Switzerland is the home of some of the world’s finest and most prestigious boarding schools. Swiss boarding schools, while being expensive compared to other countries, are renowned for their very high reputation and academic excellence. Students come from all over the world to study in a truly international and safe environment.

2. Quality Offer

With over 100 swiss international schools, there is a very high concentration of international education, for a fairly small country of only 8 million people. Parents whose children study in Switzerland appreciate the safe learning environment, the high academic standards, the international and cultural diversity, the language focus and the top extracurricular program.

3. Academic Standards

Many expats and local parents send their children to international schools in Switzerland, despite the quality of its public schools. Swiss international schools are among the best in the world. Typically, they offer international diploma, such as the International Baccalaureate, British Curriculum, American, French or Swiss curriculum. Many schools offer a combination of the different curricula. You will find day or boarding schools in most of the larger cities, where international companies and organisations are located. Especially the lake Geneva region has a high international school density.

4. Ideal Location

Switzerland’s location in the heart of Europe makes it the ideal place to learn about different cultures and study languages. With four national languages; shared borders with Italy, France, Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein; and a highly international population, Switzerland helps students develop into world citizens.

5. Outdoor Adventures

With mountains, rivers, and lakes a plenty, Switzerland offers unlimited opportunities for students to engage with the outdoors. Whether they are into hiking, trail running, rock climbing, canyoning, kayaking, rafting, or cycling, students will inevitably emerge from their time at a Swiss boarding school with a heightened appreciation for the outdoors and a better understanding for what it takes to succeed in challenging environments.

2024 Best Boarding Schools in Switzerland

Explore the best Swiss boarding schools. Discover the Boarding Schools in Switzerland. Find everything you need to know, including tuition, fees, curriculum, facilities, location, reviews, and more!

ISSH International School of Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School- Day School,
Curricula: International Baccalaureate,
Language: English,
The International School of Schaffhausen (ISSH) is a place where students feel at home away from home. The international day and boarding school is renowned for its family-like atmosphere. It is located in the northern part of Switzerland, 35 minutes from Zurich airport. The ISSH strives to develop young people to their full potential. Lifelong learning, confidence and open-mindedness are not just words but values and attitudes which stay with ISSH students for life and provide a strong found...
Haut-Lac International Bilingual School
Lausanne, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School- Day School,
Curricula: American Curriculum - International Baccalaureate,
Language: Bilingual - English - French,
Haut-Lac International Bilingual School, an independent day and boarding school, opened its doors in 1993 with thirteen students and continues to grow and develop. It’s location and highly diverse, international student body give students a wealth of opportunities to examine their own and other cultures in a global context. Small class sizes enable the teaching staff to follow the progress of individual children closely. The students are actively encouraged to adopt a positive, responsible an...
Copperfield International School Verbier
Verbier, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School- Day School,
Curricula: British Curriculum - International Baccalaureate,
Language: English - French,
Copperfield Verbier is the world’s only ski-in, ski-out international school, located in the Swiss alpine village of Verbier. We have hired world-class teachers, built an inspiring and peaceful campus, and developed an empowering educational philosophy. Our vision is to educate students who are globally-minded, compassionate, confident, and kind. Copperfield students will be academically skilled; fluent in multiple languages; accomplished writers and communicators; artistically driven a...
College Alpin Beau Soleil
Villars, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School,
Curricula: American Curriculum - International Baccalaureate,
Language: Bilingual - English - French,
Founded in 1910, Collège Alpin Beau Soleil has long been regarded as one of Switzerland’s finest schools. Our reputation is based not only on our holistic approach to education, but also our commitment to internationalism, warm boarding community, and strong values. Uniquely located in a beautiful alpine village high in the Swiss Alps, Beau Soleil is a safe, inspiring, and exciting place to learn. Home to just 300 students – almost all of whom are full-time boarders – our school is like a fam...
Brillantmont International School
Lausanne, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School- Day School,
Curricula: American Curriculum - British Curriculum,
Language: English,
Brillantmont International School is one of the oldest schools in Switzerland. It was founded in 1882 and is still owned by the founding family. What makes Brillantmont special is not only its location in the heart of the vibrant city of Lausanne but also its size, which creates a strong sense of community, a real home from home, in which boys and girls aged 13-18 learn and develop in a warm, supportive environment. Brillantmont offers internationally recognised courses leading to Brit...
Ecole d’Humanité
Bern, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School,
Curricula: American Curriculum - Swiss Curriculum,
Language: English - German,
Surrounded by the awe-inspiring peaks of the Swiss Alps, the Ecole d’Humanité is home to students and teachers from 25 countries. The stunning natural setting provides a wholesome learning environment and exceptional opportunities for hiking, skiing, climbing, and other outdoor activities. Our 120 students live in small “families,” of 8-10 students, each headed by two or three teachers. The Ecole strives to realize an environmentally responsible lifestyle. By limiting material and electronic ...
Institut auf dem Rosenberg
St Gallen, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School- Day School,
Curricula: American Curriculum - British Curriculum - International Baccalaureate - Other,
Language: English,
Institut auf dem Rosenberg, the Artisans of Education®, is a Swiss international boarding school for students between the ages of 5-18. Situated on top of a hill, overlooking the alpine town of St. Gallen, Rosenberg is world-renowned for its cutting-edge approach to education. It offers a uniquely contemporary learning experience, enabling exceptional academic results and personal development, well beyond traditional education. Its international student community represents well over 60 diffe...
Saint-Charles International School
Porrentruy, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School- Day School,
Curricula: International Baccalaureate - Swiss Curriculum,
Language: Bilingual - English - French,
Founded in 1897, Saint-Charles International School Switzerland is located in outstanding settings in Ajoie, in the Swiss Jura Canton. Our mission is to provide students between 8 and 20 with a high-quality education while developing the attributes of kindness, respect, and responsibility towards others and the environment. Saint-Charles follows the humanist and Christian values of caring for others and the environment, respecting cultures and individuals, and approaching the world with openn...
TASIS The American School in Switzerland
Lugano, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School- Day School,
Curricula: American Curriculum - International Baccalaureate,
Language: English,
Founded by international education pioneer M. Crist Fleming in 1956, TASIS The American School in Switzerland is a day and boarding school committed to creating global citizens through education, travel, and service. TASIS welcomes students from Pre-Kindergarten through Postgraduate. Approximately 750 students make up the Elementary, Middle, and High Schools each year, with around 260 students in Middle and High School residing on campus. The student body represents close to 60 nationalities ...
Préfleuri International Alpine School
Villars, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School- Day School,
Curricula: British Curriculum - French Curriculum,
Language: English - French,
Préfleuri is an exclusive international boarding school in the Swiss Alps that caters for children from 3 to 13 years of age. Since 1948, Préfleuri has been a loving home to many children, giving them the very best in education and sports as well life ethics. Préfleuri still upholds a strong tradition of care and education for children from all over the world. Préfleuri teaches children to think independently, deeply and creatively, and is fully engaged in the new world society that is being ...
Institut Montana Zugerberg
Zug, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School- Day School,
Curricula: British Curriculum - International Baccalaureate - Swiss Curriculum,
Language: Bilingual - English - German,
Institut Montana Zugerberg is a fully accredited Swiss international boarding school for 90 years now and since 1987 an official IB World School. We offer four academic programmes: The Bilingual Elementary School (English/German, Grades 1-6) The Bilingual Secondary School (English/German, Grades 7-9) The International School (English, Grades 6-12) Swiss Gymnasium (German or German/English, Grades 7-12) The School’s longstanding experience in academic excellence allows us to ideally prepare ...
Leysin American School in Switzerland
Leysin, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School,
Curricula: American Curriculum - International Baccalaureate,
Language: English,
Education with Impact: Since 1961, Leysin American School in Switzerland has rooted itself in its family-run identity. Founded by a family of educators inspired to bring students together across cultures in the aftermath of World War II, LAS benefits from the strategic oversight and genuine love that the school’s original caretakers have passed along through the decades. For three generations, the Ott family and a team of talented educators have nurtured students from around the world, motiva...
ENSR International School
Lausanne, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School- Day School,
Curricula: International Baccalaureate - Swiss Curriculum,
Language: English - French,
ENSR International School is a leading, non-for-profit, private educational establishment in Switzerland. A school with over 110 years of experience in equipping students with the skills and knowledge they need to take their place in an ever-changing society and world.
College du Leman - International School
Versoix, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School- Day School,
Curricula: International Baccalaureate,
Language: English - French,
Collège du Léman is an international Day and Boarding School in Geneva, Switzerland, for boys and girls 2 to 18 years old. Identifying and developing each child’s strengths. The school believes that every child has a unique contribution to make to the world. The Collège du Léman approach to education allows them to discover and develop what they enjoy and excel at. This is achieved by bringing an exceptional range of learning opportunities together with world-class teachers that guide and tra...
Hochalpines Institut Ftan - HIF Swiss International School and ...
Engadin, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School- Day School,
Curricula: British Curriculum - International Baccalaureate - Swiss Curriculum,
Language: English - German,
HIF Swiss International School and Sports Academy is an open-hearted campus community where young people from around the world can thrive in the sublime, health-giving environment of the Swiss Alps. It is a co-educational secondary school offering a range of educational programmes for students in school years/ grades 7 to 12. It is accredited by the Canton of Graubünden to prepare and examine students for the Swiss Matura and by Cambridge Assessment as a centre for the International General C...
St. George's International School
Montreux, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School- Day School,
Curricula: American Curriculum - British Curriculum - International Baccalaureate,
Language: English,
St. George’s is a vibrant and truly international school. We have students from no less than 60 different nations that come together to form a diverse and inspiring community of young people. The school was opened in 1927 to create a center of excellence that provides for and cares for everyone within its community. The school offers both Boarding and Day school programs that blend together as one to help the school achieve its visionary goals and achievements. All schools should strive to be...
La Garenne International School
Villars, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School- Day School,
Curricula: British Curriculum - Cambridge Curriculum - International Baccalaureate,
Language: English - French,
La Garenne is one of the oldest international schools in Switzerland. More than 75 years after it welcomed its first children, LGIS is now home to 150 young people aged from 5 to 18. Our first IB Diploma students graduated in 2023. Founded in 1947 and owned by the second generation of the Mean family, LGIS has welcomed first junior children for the last 75 years. It is now home to 180 young people from age 4 to 18. The secondary school opened six years ago and we have had two IB Diploma gradu...
Swiss Boarding Schools Disentis & Zurich
Winterthur, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School,
Curricula: British Curriculum,
Language: English,
Whether in the mountains or in an urban environment, Swiss Boarding Schools Disentis & Zurich provide a safe and comfortable home for your child during his or her school years. In the friendly, yet performance-oriented, atmosphere of our English-language boarding schools, our learners can develop their skills and prepare for their International A Levels – a qualification that opens the doors to the world’s most prestigious universities.
Aiglon College
Villars, Switzerland
School type: Boarding School- Day School,
Curricula: International Baccalaureate,
Language: English,
Aiglon College is a not-for-profit, international and co-educational boarding school in Switzerland. For over 70 years, the school has offered students a holistic and inspirational experience that pushes the boundaries of traditional education. John Corlette founded the school in 1949 on a distinctive ethos: the balanced development of mind, body, and spirit. Aiglon is home to over 480 students, from 7-18 years old, representing more than 60 different nationalities. From junior through to sen...

Swiss Boarding School Reviews

Education experts worldwide concur that attending a boarding school provides numerous benefits (See also benefits of studying in a boarding school). While the choice of destination country may depend on individual preferences, studying in a Swiss boarding school offer a safe learning environment, high academic standards, cultural diversity, language learning, and a top extracurricular program. Students also get to engage with nature through outdoor activities.

How to Choose the Right Swiss Boarding School for Your Child?

When considering a boarding school in Switzerland, it’s crucial to determine your priorities. Swiss boarding schools offer a unique blend of academic excellence and cultural diversity. The curriculum, a significant factor to consider, can be tailored to your preferences. Are you limited to a certain curriculum, like the IB or the American curriculum? If so, our advanced map search can help you easily filter all your criteria.

Another important consideration is the surrounding area. Switzerland is beautiful, and it’s important to consider what your child would enjoy. Do they prefer a city landscape or lake life? Or would they love to study in the mountains and enjoy snow skiing? Lastly, you should think about the language your child wants to study. Most schools teach in English, but it’s essential to consider the language spoken in the area as well. In Switzerland, you can choose between French immersion, German, or Italian. The choice is yours and your child’s!

How much do Swiss Boarding Schools cost?

The cost of Swiss boarding schools will vary depending mainly on the infrastructure, location, curriculum and extras provided. Generally, the minimum cost for a Swiss boarding school is around $42,000 USD per year for tuition and boarding, while the maximum could be as much as $130,000 USD per year for tuition and boarding. In addition to education and boarding, the total cost of studying in Switzerland will be increased depending of the chosen sports, food, trips, extracurricular activities, and insurance.

Recap of Top Swiss Boarding Schools

We hope this article has provided valuable information on Switzerland’s top boarding schools. If you found it helpful, please share it or follow us on Instagram. If you could not find the Swiss boarding school you were looking for, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We can put you in touch with schools that match your search criteria. Please drop us a line with details such as your preferred location in Switzerland, curriculum, and any other relevant information to help us find your child’s boarding school.