3 best international colleges in Montreux 2026

Academic excellence

Students and their parents can choose the program that best suits their future plans. This can be a universal IB course, recognized worldwide and offering the opportunity to enter thousands of universities in one and a half hundred countries, an English A-level, an American High School Diploma program (or an American "advanced Placement" course), which provides significant advantages for those who are going to enroll in the United States or Canada. There will be national French, German and Italian programs. Add to this small classes, highly qualified teachers and excellent admission statistics to top universities — and we will get a working recipe for success!

The perfect location

Montreux is located at the foot of the Alps, near Geneva and Lausanne, in an ecologically clean and safe place on the shores of Lake Geneva. This means that winter sports are available here at any time of the year, and students have the opportunity to travel to neighboring countries (France, Italy, Germany, Austria). High-quality medicine, clean air and well—developed infrastructure ensure comfortable living - this is one of the most prestigious and safest Swiss cities.

Cultural diversity and language learning

Teenagers from different countries traditionally study at international colleges, and the more of them, the better: it is believed that a multicultural environment helps children learn to think globally, rejecting archaic stereotypes. Some schools in Montreux even set quotas so that the proportion of students who speak the same language does not exceed 10-15%. In addition, a country with 4 official languages + English as a tool for international communication is ideal for learning foreign languages (some schools practice bilingual (bilingual) education).

Leadership development and soft skills

Education in schools in Montreux are based on modern standards, therefore, great importance is attached to the formation of leadership qualities and soft skills: public speaking skills, teamwork, and the development of critical thinking. The key to this is a flexible, personalized studying program and a wide range of extracurricular activities.: sports, creative, entrepreneurial, and social-humanitarian.

Asiya Watson

Client Relationship Manager at Hult EF Corporate Education

What subjects have been most commonly chosen in recent years?

For the IB diploma course, it is English, French, mathematics, economics, history and biology.

Tuition fees

High-quality education here will not be cheap, a year of study will cost about 80-150 thousand CHF. Add to this the extra costs related to excursions and trips, insurance, educational materials and electives, and sometimes even living expenses (Montreux is among the top 3 most expensive cities in Europe in terms of rental costs). At the same time, unlike Canadian and American preparatory schools, in the best colleges in Switzerland, scholarships and grants rarely cover more than 5-10% of the tuition fee, and full scholarships are quite rare.

High demands and fierce competition

The educational process in colleges is organized rigidly and extremely rationally: heavy loads, difficult exams, the need to submit projects and scientific papers. All this requires discipline and independence, and it can be difficult for some teenagers to get used to the strict daily routine in boarding houses. Let's add to this fierce competition among students, because admission to top universities requires excellent grades and extracurricular activities.

International colleges in Switzerland offer a variety of studying programs tailored for students from different countries. Perhaps there is no such variety in any country in the world, even in the USA!

International Baccalaureate (IB)

It is a diploma and career program originally from Switzerland, was invented by local educators more than half a century ago. Today IB unites thousands of schools around the world. Designed for teenagers aged 16-18, the program lasts for 2 years. It provides a wide range of subjects from 6 groups (languages, humanities, exact and natural sciences, creative disciplines). The required coursework (Extended Essay), the Theory of Knowledge (ToK) subject, and the CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) program promote creative thinking and help develop research skills. Due to the universality and high value of the diploma, its international recognition, the IB course is suitable for admission to 90% of universities in the USA, the European Union and Great Britain, Canada, Australia and most countries in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. Of the international colleges in Montreux, the program is available, for example, at St. George's International School and Institut Monte Rosa.

A-Level (Advanced Level)

The system adopted in high schools of private and some public British schools is best suited for those who want to enter British universities (or in Canadian, Australian and other universities of the British Commonwealth countries; it is also recognized in the USA). It lasts for two years and is aimed at students aged 16-19. It differs from the IB in less universality: only 3-4 specialized disciplines are studied here at an in-depth level, so the A-level (like the British academic model in general) is best designed for those who have a good idea of who they want to become in the future. It is available at Surval Montreux and Institut Monte Rosa.

American High School Diploma + AP (Advanced Placement)

It is the American standard, which can be supplemented with advanced AP courses if desired. Its advantage is that US universities count them for admission (like entrance exams). The American program is characterized by incredible flexibility: students have no restrictions on the choice of subjects — they can be either disciplines of a single profile or different ones, and schools can offer the most outlandish courses (for example, on the fictional languages of Middle-earth or Westeros or the history of Qing China). It is best designed for those who are planning to enter the Ivy League or other prestigious American universities; also, the diploma of this program is quoted in universities in Canada and some European ones (although it is better to pay attention to the available alternatives here — there will be fewer difficulties of the transition period). It lasts for four years, but you can enroll in the last two classes. Of the schools in Montreux, Surval Montreux and the Institut Monte Rosa are available.

Foundation Year

It is designed for students who have already completed secondary education, but do not meet the requirements for entering universities in Europe, the UK or the USA. The course includes preparation in specialized subjects (business, economics, law, engineering, art, etc.), improvement of academic English (or German /French), preparation for the IELTS/TOEFL exams. Students are helped to develop research and analytical skills. A significant advantage of the course lies in the opportunity of choosing specialized areas — thus, even before graduation, the student can delve into his future profession. The program duration is a year and is designed for teenagers aged 14-16. In Montreux, it is offered at the Institut Monte Rosa.

When choosing an appropriate educational program, it is important to consider several factors:

Goals and interests

Think about which field you want to continue your studies in. The language of instruction, the available subjects and electives, and the general orientation of the course and school are important. If a decision hasn't been made yet, it doesn't matter — the IB and Foundation Year, due to their flexibility and wide range of subjects, will give you a little more time.

Readiness for intensive studying

The A-Level and IB programs require a high degree of independence and responsibility, so they are designed for students who are ready for an intense academic workload, persistent and persevering.

Language preparation

If the English level of a future international college student in Montreux leaves much to be desired, it may make sense to pay attention to the Pre-IB and Foundation Year programs — they will help you prepare and improve your skills, and at the same time adjust your language skills.

Future plans

It is very important where a teenager wants to go and what his parents think about it. For example, if you are aiming to enter universities in the USA or Canada, the American High School Diploma program + AP may be the best choice, but for Oxbridge and other respected and venerable universities in good old England, nothing better has yet been invented than an A-level. In addition to the general configuration of the program, it is also important that international colleges in Montreux offer consultations on the admission procedure, trial exams, meetings with university representatives and other support formats.