Academic Gateway vs KIBS Zurich

	A Academic Gateway Zug, Switzerland	K KIBS Zurich Zug, Switzerland
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year CHF 19,000 - 68,000	Fees / year CHF 22,000 - 26,400
Age range	Age range 16 - 19 years	Age range 0 - 12 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (DP), Swiss Curriculum	Curriculum Swiss Curriculum, Bespoke Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils 220
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size 14
Instruction language	Instruction language English, German	Instruction language English, German
Opened	Opened —	Opened 2013
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service Yes
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location The modern schoolhouse at Löwenstrasse 17 in the heart of Zurich was opened in August 2021. It is 500 meters from Zurich Hauptbahnhof and easily reachable from nearby stations (Zurich Enge, Wiedikon, Selnau and Stadeln). The campus features 14 rooms, state-of-the-art infrastructure and technology, lecture rooms, science rooms, a canteen, a library and a terrace.	Location Located in Seebach, Zurich. The address is Schaffhauserstrasse 550, 8052 Zürich, Switzerland.
Stages	Stages Offers Matura full-time (1 year and 2 years), Matura preparatory course, Matura in self-study, Matura part-time; IB Diploma Programme; BMS full-time with three orientations (Business & Services, Health and Social Care, Technology, Architecture, Life Sciences); Passerelle (1 year); Self-study options for Matura and BMS.	Stages Daycare, Pre-K, Kindergarten, Primary
School type	School type The Academic Gateway is a full private school.	School type Private German-English day school in Zurich
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support Highly qualified teaching staff, central location, personal support with integrated free tutoring, and a comprehensive e-learning platform with the entire curriculum digitized, including HD lecture videos, prepared exercises and short explanations across subjects.	Additional learning support Individualised support is part of the bilingual learning approach.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation Switzerland	Country affiliation —
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application / Enrollment fee - A non-refundable enrollment (registration) fee of CHF 500 is payable on contract signature for all main on‑site courses. Tuition fees by programme and year group (amounts and payment options as shown) - Full‑time Matura (1 year) - Payment in advance: CHF 35,000. - 2 installments: CHF 17,700 (per installment). - 12 installments: CHF 2,950 per month. - Included: E‑Learning access and Office365 package. - Excluded: federal examination fees and teaching aids. - Full‑time Matura (2 years / four semesters) - Total / first‑year listing on the programme page: Payment in advance: CHF 65,000; 2 installments: CHF 34,000; 12 installments: CHF 2,950 per month. - Included: E‑Learning access and Office365 package. - Excluded: federal examination fees and teaching aids. - Matura (part‑time / berufsbegleitend, online and self‑study options) - Berufsbegleitend (4 semesters) — total examples shown: Payment in advance: CHF 35,000; 4 installments: CHF 8,850; 24 installments: CHF 1,665 per month. - Online / self‑study Matura — examples shown: CHF 34,000 (online) and CHF 17,000 (self‑study), with installment options available. - Preparatory course (Matura Vorkurs, 1 semester): Payment in advance: CHF 6,000. - BMS – vocational baccalaureate (full‑time, one year / two semesters) - Total cost examples shown: Payment in advance: CHF 19,000; 2 installments: CHF 9,700; 12 installments: CHF 1,700 per month; 24 installments: CHF 900 per month. - Included: E‑Learning access and Office365 package. - Excluded: examination fees and teaching aids. - Passerelle (full‑time, one year) - Total cost examples shown (full‑time): Payment in advance: CHF 22,500; 2 installments: CHF 11,650; 12 installments: CHF 1,950 per month. - Self‑study Passerelle example: Payment in advance: CHF 11,250; 2 installments: CHF 6,025; 24 installments: CHF 570 per month. - Included: E‑Learning access and Office365 package. - Excluded: examination fees and teaching aids. - IB Diploma Programme (two‑year DP) - Payment in advance: CHF 68,000. - 2 installments: CHF 35,000. - 4 installments: CHF 17,700 (per installment as listed). - 24 installments: CHF 2,950 per month. - Included: E‑Learning access and Office365 package. - Excluded: IB/exam fees and teaching materials. Billing schedule and payment terms - The enrollment fee (CHF 500) is due on contract signature for main on‑site courses. Full tuition or the first instalment is due by the deadlines specified in the contract; if the contract is concluded more than 30 days before course start the full fee (or first instalment when a payment plan is agreed) is due by 30 days before course start. If the contract is concluded 30 days or less before course start, the full fee (or first instalment) is immediately due. Monthly instalments, when agreed, are billed monthly. - All standard payments are to be made by bank transfer to the accounts stated by Academic Gateway. In individual cases the school may allow other means, in particular cash, at the school management's discretion. - Payment plan options regularly offered: prepayment, 2 instalments, 12 instalments (monthly) and 24 instalments (monthly), depending on the course. - Late payment consequences: interest on arrears of 5% plus reminder fees (CHF 25 for first reminder, CHF 200 for second reminder). If two instalments are in arrears the full outstanding tuition becomes due; the school may suspend services until payment and may charge a CHF 500 re‑activation / Wiederaufnahme fee. Boarding / accommodation fees - Academic Gateway operates a day‑school campus in central Zurich (Löwenstrasse 17) with classrooms, canteen and library; the school does not list boarding or on‑campus residential accommodation as an offered service. No boarding fees apply. Other costs and common additional fees - School supplies / teaching materials not included: a typical school‑materials estimate is listed as CHF 900 (paper, stationery, textbooks and related items), paid by the family. Examination fees (federal and external exam fees) and specific teaching aids are not included in the tuition and must be paid externally. - Administrations and incidental fees shown in policy documents: - Course‑change / administration fee for moving a course to a later semester: CHF 500. - Compensation for missed individually booked lessons (if an agreed individual lesson is missed without timely notification): CHF 100 per missed unit. - Re‑activation / Wiederaufnahme fee charged when services are suspended and later reactivated: CHF 500. Refund and cancellation rules - The school reserves the right to cancel a course up to seven days before course start; in that case already paid course fees are refunded in full. - If a student or contracting party cancels the contract, the general rule in the school terms is that the full tuition remains due and refunds or reductions for reasons not caused by the school are generally excluded. For cancellations made up to 30 days before course start a processing fee of 10% of the tuition may be charged and remaining paid amounts refunded; later cancellations are subject to the full‑fee rule in the terms. Self‑study courses have specific semester‑based cancellation dates. Detailed contractual cancellation deadlines and any differing rules for multi‑year or self‑study courses are set out in the school contract and terms. How tuition billing is presented and what is included - Tuition listings for each programme show the payment alternatives (prepayment or instalment plans) and specify which standard school services are included (E‑Learning access, Office365 package) and which are excluded (external examination fees, textbooks and certain teaching aids). Families are expected to budget separately for exam fees and teaching materials. Summary of key practical points for parents - Expect an enrollment fee of CHF 500 due on contract signature for main courses; choose between prepayment and instalment schedules as shown for each programme. - Budget separately for school supplies (approx. CHF 900), external exam fees and teaching materials. - No boarding accommodation is offered by the school; boarding fees do not apply. - Payment is normally by bank transfer; late or missed payments trigger interest, reminder fees and possible suspension of services.	Fee details Application / Registration - A registration process and associated deposit/registration fees apply for all groups (Early Years, Pre‑K/Kindergarten, Primary). Tuition — Primary (Years 1–6, ages 6–12) - Tuition: CHF 2,200 per month. The monthly tuition covers supervision from 07:30–18:30, supervised homework time, breakfast and a healthy morning snack. Tuition — Early Years, Pre‑K and Kindergarten - The school publishes separate tariffs for Early Years groups (Little Teddies, Little Pandas & Little Bees) and for Pre‑K / Kindergarten (Little Stars & Little Einsteins). Specific monthly rates for these groups are shown in the school's tariffs. The monthly tariff for early years and kindergarten includes childcare, after‑lunch clubs, homework support and project weeks. Per‑term / Per‑year presentation - The published tuition figure for Primary is presented as a monthly amount (CHF 2,200 per month). Billing is structured around the monthly tariff; parents should expect charges expressed on a monthly basis. Per‑term or per‑academic‑year totals are therefore derived from the monthly tariff (school publishes the tariff as a monthly figure). Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition is published as a monthly tariff. The school's general terms and conditions (Allgemeine Geschäftsbedingungen, AGB) set out contractual payment and price provisions. Families make arrangements in line with the school's AGB and the tariffs. Boarding - KIBS Zürich operates as a private day school; there is no boarding provision. Meals and extras - For Kindergarten groups (Little Einsteins, Stars and Bees), with the exception of the afternoon snack, all meals are included in the monthly tariff. For Primary pupils, breakfast and a morning snack are included; lunch is available at an additional charge of CHF 10 per day. School lunch is prepared on site by the school's chefs. Other charges and optional extra costs - A school shuttle bus service is offered for selected areas at an additional cost. - There is no school uniform and therefore no uniform cost. Parents are asked to dress children appropriately. - The tariffs page references deposits, registration fees and discounts for all groups; those additional one‑off or periodic charges may apply at enrolment. Refunds and contract termination - Refunds, notice periods and contract termination terms are governed by the school's Allgemeine Geschäftsbedingungen (AGB). The AGB set out rights and obligations relating to prices, contracts and obligations between parents and the school. Fee payment options - The school's tariffs and AGB describe the contractual and payment framework. Specific accepted payment methods (for example bank transfer or card) are set out in the school's payment instructions and contractual terms. Summary of available numeric figures - Primary tuition published: CHF 2,200 per month. - Meal extra for Primary lunch: CHF 10 per day. Brief note about missing detail (what could not be located on the published tariff pages) - The publicly presented tariff headings confirm the existence of deposits, registration fees and separate tariffs for each age group, but the site's published pages that were accessed do not contain the full line‑by‑line amounts for each age group and per‑term totals in a directly extractable form. The school's AGB holds the formal payment and refund rules.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options —	Food options —
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership —
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details Academic Gateway offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP) and additional routes including Matura, BMS, Passerelle, and Self-study. The IB fosters international-mindedness and uses a transdisciplinary, inquiry-based learning approach that connects subjects and real-world contexts. The Diploma Programme emphasizes critical thinking, global contexts, multilingualism, and research skills essential for higher education. Most lessons are conducted in English, with German widely used by many community members and languages such as French, Italian, and Spanish appearing as part of the educational heritage. Assessments are authentic and contextualized, with external IB examinations for the Diploma Programme and progress shared with families through reports and conferences. EduQua Certification supports the school's commitment to quality education and a modern, digitally enabled learning environment.	Curriculum details The school is a private German-English day school in Zurich with nearly 20 years of experience. The tailored curriculum blends international standards with the learning goals of Canton Zürich in a bilingual English–German program, using cross-curricular teaching and hands-on exploration to develop critical thinking, independent problem solving, and confident learners.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression Graduates may choose to study internationally or in Switzerland.	Higher education progression —
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented —
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning —	Social & emotional learning —
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language —	English as an additional language —
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing —	Mental wellbeing —
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview —
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities —
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities —
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History —	History —
Community	Community —	Community —
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association —	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual —
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision —
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions 1. Contact and initial discussion. Inquiries can be made by phone at 044 310 10 67, by email, or via the contact form. A preliminary meeting is normally conducted so the student and the school can get to know each other. This meeting helps determine whether Academic Gateway is the right path for the student. 2. Suitability assessment. A suitability assessment is conducted with all interested applicants to determine if this is the right path. In addition to high resilience and perseverance, applicants should have solid language skills in German, English, and another national language (French or Italian), as well as basic mathematics. This assessment helps confirm readiness for the program. 3. Enrollment and contract. Enrollment can be initiated by signing the school contract by phone, email, or via the contact form. Alternatively, students can enroll directly for Matura, BMS, or Passerelle. This step formalizes admission to the chosen program. 4. Start date and deadlines. The enrollment deadline runs until the official school start, and late enrollments may be accepted in some cases. For questions about the program or to arrange a non-binding discussion, call 044 310 10 67. After enrollment, the student joins the program according to the official start date.	Admissions Applications are accepted year-round as long as spaces remain in a group; for the start of a new academic year, it is advised to submit by the end of February to avoid disappointment. KIBS does not require an entrance examination; a trial day may be offered to see how your child fits with the group. At kindergarten entry, children should have basic knowledge of German or English; at primary entry, students must master one of the instruction languages to near-native level. The school teaches in a bilingual setup with 50% of instructional time in English and 50% in German. French is part of the curriculum from 4th to 6th grade, and French and Spanish are offered free in lunch clubs. Our teachers come mainly from the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Germany, and Switzerland. The school is open Monday to Friday from 7:30 to 18:30; the teaching day runs 9:00 to 16:10, and students should be present by 8:50 for registration. KIBS is located near Zürich's public transport network; Bus 768 stops in front of the school; a paid shuttle is available to Seebach, Oerlikon, and Glattpark, with other locations on request. There is no school uniform; students should dress appropriately. Primary tuition is CHF 2,200 per month and includes care from 7:30 to 18:30, supervised homework, breakfast, and a morning snack. A school calendar with important dates is available on request. After KIBS, students may attend any national or international secondary school; most pursue the Swiss Gymnasium, and KIBS offers a free Gymnasium-entrance exam preparation program. For more information, contact the admissions team.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist No waitlist is described; admissions are open year-round as long as spaces exist, with a recommendation to apply by end of February to start a new academic year.
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