Language courses in Geneva 2025 - 3 yo

Geneva's language schools are renowned for offering high-quality English courses, closely aligned with the traditional British standard. These schools often employ teachers from England who possess the necessary qualifications and experience to work with diverse, multicultural student groups. Classrooms are organized based on students' proficiency levels, ensuring a cohesive learning environment. Many international students opt to combine English studies with another foreign language, especially those enrolled in long-term educational programs.

While English isn't an official language in Switzerland, its prevalence and the excellence of educational programs in Geneva enable students to successfully apply to prestigious European universities upon course completion.

Laura Galindo

Marketing Director

At what age do foreign students usually enter English schools?

Our programs are for ages 16+. Nonetheless, the average age of our student population is between the ages of 18-35. 

• For Students and Young Professionals:

  • These courses cater to dual objectives: enhancing skills and fostering professional growth.

  • Focus on key qualities like creativity, flexible thinking, and responsibility.

• Linguistic Focus:

  • Business and professional courses in Geneva are tailored for both children and adults, featuring various intensity levels and complexities.

  • Designed for established entrepreneurs and professionals to improve negotiation skills, comprehension, and professional vocabulary.

• Professional Development:

  • Courses often feature guest speakers like successful business people and industry leaders, providing practical insights and success strategies.

  • Students engage in activities like business plan drafting, concept development, and studying management, marketing, and accounting fundamentals.

• Events and Excursions:

  • Besides linguistic education, programs include excursions to iconic sites, extracurricular activities, masterclasses, and visits to major companies.

• Comprehensive Curriculum: Schools in Geneva offer a wide range of courses, from year-long programs and intensive business language courses to short-term advanced learning.

• Multicultural Environment: Students from various nationalities study together, enhancing intercultural communication skills and providing insights into different traditions.

• Experienced Educators: Teachers in Geneva's language schools are adept at handling diverse student groups, offering personalized attention and guidance.

• Extracurricular Activities: Depending on the program's intensity, students often have time for leisure activities. Schools organize trips to museums, galleries, theaters, and cultural landmarks, along with sports like skiing, snowboarding, and tennis, further enriching the learning experience.

Fees for courses in Geneva vary, depending on the course duration, intensity, and the specific program chosen. This financial investment not only contributes to language proficiency but also opens doors to global opportunities and cultural immersion.

In conclusion, Geneva offers some of the best English courses, providing a unique blend of high-quality education, professional development, and cultural exposure, making it an ideal destination for those seeking to enhance their language skills in an international setting.

Dialects
There is unlikely to be any issue with learning English — reputable international language courses for both adults and children in Geneva employ native speakers with significant experience. However, the situation is different with French and German: French in Geneva resembles the Languedoc dialect, while German differs greatly from standard German and is close to Alemannic, one of the more challenging German dialects to understand.

High Costs
The downside of Switzerland's prosperity is its record-high prices. This applies to everything: from food to real estate rentals. For example, the price for a two-bedroom apartment here is 60% higher than in France and Northern Italy, and nearly double the cost in Southern Germany.

Lack of Work-Study Balance
Adult students face restrictions on working while studying: you must obtain a specific type of visa and work permit to work in the country. The national student visa only allows part-time employment if the student is enrolled in higher education.

The content of the program is 90% dependent on the school. At university centers, the program is generally focused on language acquisition or preparation for entrance or language exams. In contrast, private schools often have the flexibility to tailor the course to meet students' needs, ensuring they not only cover the curriculum but also gain insights into the national culture, history, and cuisine. In addition to grammar and vocabulary, the course may include electives to enhance speaking skills, pronunciation, specific syntactic forms, or aspects of local cultural specifics.

Some private schools and certain programs at linguistic centers allow students to determine the duration and intensity of their classes.

The communicative method is commonly used: 90% of the class time is spent interacting with each other. Classes are conducted in small groups, selected to include students of similar levels of proficiency. Typically, the number of students does not exceed 10-12, and for specialized courses, groups can be even smaller, with as few as 1-2 students.

Private language courses in Geneva usually offer students extensive opportunities not only for study but also for leisure, with a wide range of extracurricular activities. These can be optional or part of the program, including horseback riding, exploring local cuisine, experiencing life on a farm, or playing football, hockey, or tennis.

A notable feature of German language programs: they typically offer Standard German (Standarddeutsch). While students will quickly improve their skills during lessons, Swiss people often prefer the Alemannic dialect in everyday communication, which is quite different from the literary norm and can be challenging to understand.

Swiss schools traditionally offer a range of courses with different levels of intensity: general, semi-intensive, and intensive. These differ only in the number of weekly instructional hours. Additionally, specialized and private lessons are available, varying in content, format, teaching methods, and additional modules.

- Business German: Designed for professionals in specific fields needing to develop conversational skills, business correspondence, and vocabulary expansion.
- 40+ Courses: Tailored for older students, adapted to meet the needs of this age group with respect to extracurricular activities and leisure. These programs typically last at least 3-4 weeks.
- Language Immersion with Host Families: A very popular format in Switzerland offering several benefits, such as the ability to set your own course intensity and informal speaking and listening practice during daily interactions. Additionally, the teacher may be a specialist in a relevant field, from law to engineering or architecture.
- Language Summer Camps for Children and Teenagers (Ages 7-18): Generally accompanied by various extracurricular activities, excursions, hiking, and sports.
- Preparation for FIDE: FIDE is not related to chess but is a special exam to test everyday German language skills in German-speaking Switzerland. The exam confirms proficiency at the A2-B1 level. It is an excellent option for expats needing certification for naturalization.
- University Courses: Available at institutions like the University of Geneva and accessible to students from this or partner universities.

For English-language courses, popular options include:

- English as a Second Language (ESL): A widely popular option that can be combined with academic preparation courses. There are programs of varying intensity and frequency.
- English Intensives: Characterized by a high number of academic hours per week. Often geared towards exam preparation or specialized professional courses for educators, doctors, businesspeople, and others requiring specific terminology. Typically involves 30-35 hours per week, though it can extend to 50-60 hours.
- English Language and Culture Programs: Targeted at students with a fairly high base level of the language, usually B2 or higher. These programs facilitate rapid adaptation to American or British culture, student life on campus, and development of important personal skills. Curricula may focus on British or American standards, cultural, historical, and socio-political aspects of the respective countries.
- English + Hobbies: Allows combining language intensives with hobbies such as sculpture, music, sports, or visual arts.
- English Language Summer Camps: For children during vacation periods.
- Private Lessons: The closest equivalent to private tutoring. Offers high effectiveness, flexibility, and adaptability, allowing students to set the frequency and intensity of lessons according to their preparation level and individual goals.
- Youth Groups / 30+, 40+, 50+, 60+ Groups: Programs adapted to ensure maximum engagement in the learning process, with extracurricular activities tailored to the interests of students.

Swiss language schools and centers primarily offer long-term options. This is due to local specifics and the large number of immigrants awaiting residence permits and learning foreign languages for this purpose. French and German courses are designed with this scenario in mind: classes are often held on weekends or in the afternoons, from 2 to 4 times a week, for extended periods—typically from 12 weeks or more. Shorter English-language programs are more common, though the majority here are preparatory courses for admission to international schools or universities.

When choosing a school, it is crucial to ensure that it has all the necessary accreditations and licenses. This should be done before making any payment, as enrolling in a non-accredited school will result in a visa denial.

Typically, to enroll in a language course in Geneva, you need to:

- Fill out the application form (online).
- Pay the application fee and any charges for sending the invitation.
- Wait for the confirmation of the reservation.
- Pay for the course (no later than one month before the start of classes).
- Receive the invitation.

Difficulties often arise at the contract stage—usually drafted in English, though there may be other options. The most important points to check are those related to the possibility of a refund in case of visa denial or other unforeseen circumstances such as class cancellations. Some schools offer partial refunds, while others provide a full refund.

With rare exceptions, schools do not have specific requirements regarding the level of language proficiency. Upon arrival in the country, a test is usually conducted to assess the student’s level and place them in an appropriate group. Business courses and preparatory programs generally assume that the student has a reasonably good level—at least B1. Conditions should be confirmed in advance.

During studies in Switzerland, there are typically two main accommodation options: renting a place or staying with host families. Residences or campus housing are relatively rare, mainly offered for children. Here are the advantages of both options:

Host Families

Living with a native-speaking family allows for daily language practice and helps with immersion in the language and cultural environment. Usually, the host families are friendly and sociable; they not only provide a room and prepare meals but also share interesting information and offer tours.

This option is ideal for younger students who need supervision and attention from a responsible adult. However, it does come with the downside of having to adapt to the host family's routine, rules, habits, and traditions. Additionally, the host family's home may be located far from the language school.

Renting Accommodation

This option suits older students who are more independent and self-reliant. Students often rent accommodation together. When choosing, it is important to clarify all details and carefully review the rental agreement—utilities may either be included in the rent or paid separately. Students can choose a place closer to the school or find a convenient route in advance.

Types of Meals During Language Courses in Geneva

Typically, students attending language schools in Switzerland can expect one of four meal options:

1. Full Board: Includes three meals a day—ideal for children and teenagers. Breakfast and dinner are provided by the host family or residence, while lunch is at school, eliminating the need for students to leave the school unsupervised during lunch breaks.

2. Half Board: Includes two meals a day. Host families usually offer this option: students have breakfast and dinner with the host family, while lunch is on their own.

3. Bed and Breakfast: Includes breakfast only. Students can prepare their own meals or eat out at cafes and restaurants or food courts in shopping and entertainment centers.

4. Self-Catering: This option means students use a shared kitchen in student residences or dine out at eateries.

To study at a language school, you need to obtain a Schengen Category C visa, which allows you to stay in the European Union or Switzerland for up to 3 months. The application is reviewed in 2-3 weeks, and consular or diplomatic authorities may require additional checks if necessary, so it is recommended to submit documents at least a month and a half before departure.

To obtain a Type C visa, you need to provide:

- A completed application form (without corrections, mistakes, or amendments);
- 2 passport-sized photos;
- Health insurance or documents for its arrangement;
- An invitation letter from the school;
- Documents proving payment of tuition fees;
- A passport.

If the program lasts more than three months, you should obtain a national Type D visa. Processing times for this visa are directly related to the canton where you want to study. For Geneva, this takes about one to two months.

To obtain a national visa, you will need to provide a more extensive set of documents, including:

- 3 copies of the completed application form;
- 2 copies of the national passport;
- Passport;
- 2 copies of a recent Schengen visa (if available);
- 4 passport-sized photos;
- An invitation letter from the language school (along with the original, 2 photocopies are required);
- Documents proving payment of tuition fees;
- Documents proving financial means;
- An academic transcript from the school with current grades, or a certificate or diploma;
- CV;
- A motivation letter on the topic “Why I want to study in Switzerland”.

Minor students must also provide a copy of their birth certificate and a notarized letter of consent from a parent or guardian if the child is traveling alone or with only one parent.