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SCHOOLS

How much do Zurich’s international schools cost?

Tuition for private (as opposed to public) education in Switzerland is not exactly cheap and parents of children at Zurich's international schools will pay some of the highest fees.

Published: 20 October 2023 15:07 CEST
How much do Zurich's international schools cost?
Switzerland's international schools are a great - albeit expensive - choice for foreigners. Image by 14995841 from Pixabay.

Switzerland is the most expensive country in Europe for international education, a recent study carried out by International Schools Database, which compares fees and tuitions in cities across the world, revealed.

Ninety-four schools in 10 Swiss cities are geared specifically to students whose parents are foreign nationals and want their children to get an international education that is recognised abroad more widely than a solely Swiss schooling is — especially outside the EU.

Classes are typically conducted in English, though some schools have sections (or lessons) in a national language as well.

Here are five of the largest international schools in Zurich – and their cost.

Zurich International School

Arguably Zurich’s most well-known international school, Zurich International School – or ZIS – teaches some 1,200 students in American English and German on two campuses.

The school offers a so-called personal approach to education and recognises that potential may express itself in individual ways. ZIS therefore offers a range of classes and activities to best suit the students’ unique talents, skillsets, and passions.

The Zurich International School is an International Baccalaureate (IB) Organisation World School and is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) Commission on International Education. The school is also approved by the Department of Education of the Canton of Zurich.

Though the language of instruction is English, students who sign up to the bilingual programme as well as Kindergarten to Grade 3 (ages 3-9) are instructed in both English and German.

The school offers Advanced Placement courses (AP), the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) as well as a Bilingual Pathway for students aged 3-9.

School fees

Aside for a one-off (non-refundable) 500 Swiss francs application fee, you will also need to pay a one-off infrastructure contribution fee of 5,000 Swiss francs from Kindergarten onwards.

The school’s tuition fees for 2023/24 range from 16,550 to 31,800 Swiss francs for the Lower School (ages 3-11).

For kids attending Middle School grades 6-8 (ages 11-14) the fee amounts to 35,200 Swiss francs.

Parents of Upper School kids aged 14-18 attending grades 9-12 (13) will be paying 37,900 Swiss francs.

The school also has an Individualised Learning Provision section – or ILP – which serves a small group of students who benefit from specialised teaching, a differentiated day or schedule, mainstreaming and small group scenarios. 

Students in ILP pay 55,100 Swiss francs for grades 1-5 while those in grades 6-8 pay 58,500 Swiss francs.

READ MORE: How much do international schools cost in Switzerland?

Obersee Bilingual School

Based in Wollerau, the international school offers an authentic English and German education of the highest standard and vows to “prepare our students for their future, to be critical thinkers, innovators and leaders in an everchanging world.”

With 41 nationalities and 30 spoken languages represented, Obersee Bilingual School currently teaches 456 students in both English and German from baby care all the way to Upper School.

School fees

For both baby care and pre-Kindergarten a 300-Swiss franc application fee applies, while parents enrolling children into Kindergarten, Primary, Middle or Upper School will have to pay 500 Swiss francs.

Moreover, a one-off registration fee of 2,500 Swiss francs also applies at the school for new enrolments from Kindergarten onwards.

Students from grade 5 will also need to pay 950 Swiss francs for a placement test to gain entry into the OBS Middle and Upper School.

Additionally, parents will be asked to pay a deposit – ranging from 1,500 to 5,000 depending on age – which will be refunded when their child successfully leaves OBS.

The school fees for the academic year 2023/34 are as follows:

Baby care ranges from 15,820 Swiss francs for two full days to 35,795 Swiss francs for full days.

Pre-Kindergarten costs between 14,795 Swiss francs for two full days to 33,615 Swiss francs for full days.

The Kindergarten fee is 27,305 Swiss francs for 3.5 days, 28,545 Swiss francs for 4 days, or 29,795 Swiss francs for 4.5 days.

Primary School (Grade 1–4) and Middle School (Grade 5-6)

Tuition for Primary School and Middle School (Grade 5-6) is 33’500 Swiss francs for a school year with 4.5 days of instruction per week (Wednesday afternoons are free of school). The fee also covers meals and snacks.

Middle School (Grade 7-9) and Upper School (Grade 10-13)

The tuition for Middle School (Grade 7-9) and the Upper School (Grade 10-13) is 33’725 Swiss francs for one school year with 5 days of classes per week. The learning community until 5 pm as well as lunch and snacks are included. From grade 8 onwards a discount of 800 Swiss francs is granted if lunch is not taken at school over the entire school year.

Day excursions are also included in the school fee.

International School Zurich North

The International School Zurich North’s two campuses – primary and secondary – are based in two different campuses only a short 5-minute walk from each other.

The school, which is close to Wallisellen train station, relies on modern technical equipment and big, bright classrooms to provide a nurturing learning environment for its students.

With more than 30 nations represented within the school, the institution says that “a global mindset is the foundation of our identity. By teaching in English and offering EAL lessons as well as German and French, we break down language barriers and our international curriculum offers diverse opportunities to pursue worldwide destinations.”

Interested families are encouraged to book a personal tour throughout the year.

School fees

Payment of a capital fund fee is required upon registration for your first child within the school. The capital fund fee for any additional child, however, is charged at a reduced rate.

The non-refundable registration fee for your first child is 3,000 Swiss francs and 1,000 Swiss francs for any additional children that are to attend ISZN.

Payment is required half-yearly or termly in advance, the school states.

The fees are as follows:

Nursery Term Time (36 weeks): 23,410 Swiss francs (full days), 16,570 Swiss francs (half days), and 27,620 Swiss francs (enhanced days)

Pre-K Term Time (36 weeks): 28,350 Swiss francs (full days) and 32,715 Swiss francs (enhanced day)

Pre-K Year Round (50 weeks): 34,715 Swiss francs (enhanced days)

Kindergarten: 29,980 Swiss francs

Grade 1 to 5: 30,245 Swiss francs

Grade 6 to 8: 33,350 Swiss francs

Grade 9 to 12: 33,610 Swiss francs

Other fees:

  • After school care is offered at short notice for a fee of CHF 30 per day.
  • English as an additional language (EAL) tuition is offered at a fee of CHF 1’500 per term.
  • Lunch is offered at a fee of CHF 13 per day.
  • Discounts on the annual fees are offered for late enrolment or early withdrawal depending on the time of year. Please click on the button below to access our detailed financial regulations.

Tandem International Multilingual School

The institution, which has schools in Zurich, Zollikofen, and Erlenbach, currently has 197 grade 0 to 12 students at its premises in Zurich (Seefeld quarter).

Tandem International Multilingual School calls itself a dynamic day school that offers high-quality multilingual education (English, German and French) in a child-friendly environment where both local Swiss and international families are welcome.

At Tandem, classes across all grades regularly feature both English and German teachers to actively engage students in languages while its enquiry-based learning curriculum – based on the Primary Years Programme of the International Baccalaureate (IB) – ensures a stimulating, creative and thought-provoking multidimensional education.

School fees:

The fees are as follows:

Early Years (ages 0-3): 3,000 Swiss francs (5 days)

Pre-school (ages 3-4): 3,000 Swiss francs (5 days)

Kindergarten (ages 4-6): 25,560 Swiss francs (5 days)

Primary school (ages 6-12): 25,560 Swiss francs (5 days)

READ MORE: Swiss school or international school: Which is best for foreign parents?

SIS Swiss International School Zürich

As part of the wider SIS Group, SIS Swiss International School Zürich offers bilingual (British English and German), immersive education for all education levels – from kindergarten through to college.

The school – established in 2005 – teaches around 300 students from all over the world and represents more than forty nationalities.

SIS further supports families by offering useful and flexible services to try and adapt to the busy schedules of parents. This includes offers like lunch, homework supervision, (paid for) before- and after-school care, exciting activities and drop-off and pick-up lines that can be tailored to parents – even during school holidays.

At its day school, students are supervised between the hours of 7.30 am and 6 pm.

SIS Swiss International School offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) and the bilingual Swiss Matura.

The Zurich-based school has an upcoming opening day on Friday, November 3rd, for interested parents and prospective students.

School fees

All families will have to one-time registration pay of 600 Swiss francs for the first child and 500 Swiss francs for any further child that is to attend the school.

At SIS, parents can choose between paying the whole fee at the beginning of the semester or in six-month instalments (2 percent surcharge applies).

The fees are as follows:

Kindergarten 1 and 2: 12,430 Swiss francs (2,113 Swiss francs)

Primary 1 to 6: 12,430 Swiss francs (2,113 Swiss francs)

Secondary 1 and 2: 12,710 Swiss francs (2,160 Swiss francs)

Secondary 3: 13,590 Swiss francs (2,310 Swiss francs)

Precollege 1 and 2: 12,710 Swiss francs (2,160 Swiss francs)

College 1 and 2: 13,590 Swiss francs (2,310 Swiss francs)

College 3 and 4: 14,580 Swiss francs (2,478 Swiss francs)

International Baccalaureate 1 and 2: 11,270 Swiss francs (1,915 Swiss francs)

Additionally, after-school care (optional) for all school levels costs 2,200 Swiss francs for a full week (5 days), 440 Swiss francs for one day per week, or 16 Swiss francs for a single booking per hour.

The school also grants a sibling discount of 10 percent of the school fees for the second, third, and any additional child as long as more than one child per family is enrolled. The reduction applies to the school fees of the younger child or children.

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WORKING IN SWITZERLAND

How can a foreign teacher find work in a Swiss school or university?

More Swiss cantons are hiring teachers from abroad, but candidates must meet certain criteria.

Published: 7 May 2024 15:05 CEST
How can a foreign teacher find work in a Swiss school or university?

Too few teachers are being trained in Switzerland, which means that by the beginning of the new decade, between 43,000 and 47,000 new professionals would need to be recruited. 

To remedy this situation, various cantons are taking steps, or are planning to do so in the near future, to fill the gap with teachers trained abroad. 

READ ALSO: Swiss cantons move to hire more foreign teachers 

Does this mean that any foreign teacher can easily find work in Switzerland?

Let’s define ‘foreign’ first.

If you are a foreign national who has been entirely trained at one of Swiss Universities of Teacher Education (PH), and receive a corresponding diploma, then you are in the clear, and no further action is needed.

If, however, you studied abroad and obtained a foreign diploma, then you may have to be-retrained in Switzerland, and meet the local hiring criteria.

One thing to remember is that cantons are responsible for their own school system, so requirements (as well as opportunities) may be different from one region to another.

Teachers with foreign teaching diplomas can apply to the Conference of Cantonal Directors of Education (EDK) to have their credentials recognised in Switzerland.  

The EDK will decide what (if any) further training or certification you may need in order to work in a school in a given canton.

This is how it works

The EDK will compare your foreign training with the one provided in Swiss universities.

If it is found to be equivalent, you will receive an official certificate of recognition of your diploma in Switzerland, and can then look for a job.

If, however, there are significant differences in the level of education, the EDK will ask for so-called ‘compensatory measures’ — for instance, via a ‘Certificate of Advanced Studies’ (CAS) —  to be carried out in a Swiss PH before your diploma can be recognised.

The exact steps are described here.

Language proficiency

Obviously, if you come from Germany, France, Italy, Austria, or Liechtenstein, and intend to teach in the linguistically-appropriate canton, then this is one hurdle you don’t have to overcome.

For all the others, however, candidates must provide proof of sufficient language skills in one of the main Swiss national languages.

“As proof of such language skills in German, French or Italian, an internationally recognised language diploma at Level C2 of Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CERF) the is required,” according to the EDK.

For those who only teach a language that is not a Swiss national language (such as English), a B2 CERF level in German, French, or Italian is sufficient.

READ ALSO: How can I have my foreign qualifications recognised in Switzerland? 

What about work permits?

If you come from an EU / EFTA state (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein), then you will obtain a permit easily – if you haven’t gotten one yet.

For those from third countries, things are more complicated because you are subject to special quotas and will be admitted only if your presence in Switzerland is considered to be “in the general economic interest.”

This means that you must not only be a highly qualified professional in your field, but also that no Swiss or EU / EFTA national can be found for a given teaching position.

However, if you are a third-country national who already lives in Switzerland with a valid permit, then your candidacy will be considered.

All of the above applies to those looking for a job at primary and secondary schools, but what about universities?

Different procedure

The hiring system at Swiss universities is different.

While foreigners can, of course, apply for a teaching job, most universities recruit professors they need themselves.

Overall, foreigners constitute just over half of teaching staff at Swiss universities.

This is especially the case in the two federal polytechnic institutes — the ETH in Zurich and EPFL in Lausanne —  with 70 and 82 percent, respectively — of foreigners among their academic staff.

Typically, these institutions recruit staff from reputable universities abroad to fill specific  teaching positions — for instance in sciences.

These people are hired as visiting professors at the invitation of one of the faculties. Such appointments are made for a minimum of one month and a maximum of one year, though they can be extended.

In such cases, universities will apply for a visa and a work permit for visiting professors from outside the EU / EFTA.

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