Inter-Community School Zurich vs School of Tomorrow - Schloss Sihlberg ZH Enge

	I Inter-Community School Zurich Zug, Switzerland	S School of Tomorrow - Schloss Sihlberg ZH Enge Zug, Switzerland
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year CHF 12,600 - 39,700	Fees / year CHF 29,400 - 34,200
Age range	Age range 2 - 18 years	Age range 4 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP)	Curriculum IB (DP), Bespoke Curriculum, Swiss Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils 850	Pupils 103
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size 17
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language German, English
Opened	Opened 1960	Opened —
Bus service	Bus service Yes	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location The Inter-Community School Zurich is located at Strubenacher 3, 8126 Zumikon, Switzerland. It is the oldest international school in the Greater Zurich Area. ICS is an English-language international school in Zurich, serving students aged 24 months to 18 years. ICS offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme for Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Studies, with a bilingual diploma option.	Location School of Tomorrow operates across three campuses in Switzerland: Schloss Sihlberg ZH Enge at Sihlberg 10, 8002 Zurich; Augustinerhof - ZH City at Augustinerhof 1, 8001 Zurich; and Gerichtsplatz - Uster at Gerichtsplatz 2, 8610 Uster. The Enge and City campuses are in central Zurich, while the Uster campus serves the greater Zurich area. The school is located in the heart of Zurich and Uster.
Stages	Stages Preschool (Nursery to K2); Primary School (Grades 1-5); Middle School (Grades 6-8); Diploma Studies (Grades 11-12).	Stages Kindergarten; Primary school; Secondary & Gymnasium.
School type	School type English-language international school offering the IB Programme across all levels (PYP, MYP, DP).	School type Bilingual private day school (German and English) in Zurich and Uster offering Kindergarten, Primary, and Secondary/Gymnasium.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix 50+ nationalities are represented; families come from 55 countries.	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support The Learning Support Department provides support for students with learning challenges, offering in-class and withdrawal services and developing individual support plans with input from parents and teachers to help each student access the curriculum.	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation —	Country affiliation Switzerland
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure Full-day operation from 8:00 to 18:00. Kindergarten and Primary classrooms follow a four-day week Monday to Thursday, with Friday optional; from Secondary onwards, the last day of the week is Entrepreneur Friday.
Bus service details	Bus service details ICS runs its own school bus service for students aged 4 and older, with drivers licensed for safety; registration is via the Parent Portal. Public transport access includes Bus 919 and the Forchbahn S18 to Waltikon, with a short 5–7 minute walk from the stops.	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application Fees - Application Fee: CHF 500 per student, one-time, non-refundable. Payment of the Application Fee is required before an application will be considered; it is paid online by credit card (MasterCard or VISA). Capital Fund Fee (one-time) - Nursery entrants: CHF 1,000, one-time, non-refundable. - Pre-Kindergarten or higher entrants: CHF 5,000, one-time, non-refundable. - Children moving from Nursery to Pre-Kindergarten are invoiced CHF 4,000 with the first tuition invoice (returning students pay the difference if applicable). Tuition Fees (annual and per-term breakdown) Note: Tuition is billed in two portions: 60% due at the start of the school year and 40% due in the winter term. The per-term amounts below show Term 1 = 60% and Term 2 = 40% of the annual fee. - Nursery – Half Days: Annual CHF 13,100. Term 1 (60%): CHF 7,860. Term 2 (40%): CHF 5,240. - Nursery – Full Days: Annual CHF 24,300. Term 1: CHF 14,580. Term 2: CHF 9,720. - Preschool (Pre-Kindergarten & Kindergarten 1) – Half Days: Annual CHF 17,100. Term 1: CHF 10,260. Term 2: CHF 6,840. - Preschool (Pre-Kindergarten & Kindergarten 1) – Full Days: Annual CHF 26,900. Term 1: CHF 16,140. Term 2: CHF 10,760. - Kindergarten 2: Annual CHF 33,000. Term 1: CHF 19,800. Term 2: CHF 13,200. - Primary School (Grades 1–5): Annual CHF 33,000. Term 1: CHF 19,800. Term 2: CHF 13,200. - Middle School (Grades 6–8): Annual CHF 37,100. Term 1: CHF 22,260. Term 2: CHF 14,840. - Senior School (Grades 9–10): Annual CHF 38,200. Term 1: CHF 22,920. Term 2: CHF 15,280. - Senior School (Grades 11–12): Annual CHF 39,900 (this amount includes IB/DP examination fees). Term 1: CHF 23,940. Term 2: CHF 15,960. (All tuition figures and the 60%/40% billing split are defined in the school Financial Regulations & Schedule of Fees.) Billing schedule and payment terms - Standard billing: First portion of tuition (60%) is due in August; second portion (40%) is due in January. An optional instalment plan is available subject to a 2% administration charge (arrangements must be made with the Finance Office). - Late payment charge: 2% per month applied to any past-due balance. The school may require immediate payment of the full amount if instalments are missed and may withhold access to classes, examinations, diplomas, reports or transcripts for unresolved arrears. - Administrative charge for withdrawal: CHF 2,000 if a student is withdrawn after confirming re-enrolment for the upcoming academic year (does not apply to Nursery). Nursery cancellations given less than two months before contract start incur a CHF 200 cancellation fee. - Late enrolment: Tuition is prorated monthly (11 months from the start to the end of the academic year) and includes an enrolment surcharge of 5% of the annual fee (not applicable to Nursery). - Early withdrawal: Written notice required with two months' notice to the end of the month; tuition will be prorated monthly and a 5% withdrawal surcharge of the annual fee applies (different notice terms apply for Nursery). Boarding fees - Boarding is not listed as an offered service or fee in the school's Schedule of Fees; no boarding fees are charged. Other costs and separately invoiced items - Items invoiced separately include (but are not limited to): school bus service; additional learning support beyond the included hours; after-school care; after-school clubs; lunch (except Nursery, which includes meals as noted); extra-curricular activities and associated transportation; hire of musical instruments; additional or replacement IT devices, textbooks or library books; athletics equipment; retaking or remarking of IB examinations; and other specific assessments or costs as notified. Refund information and fee remission - No refunds of fees are issued for absences due to family holidays, public holidays, illness, accident, or temporary closure of the school for reasons beyond the school's control. No refunds are granted in the event of permanent exclusion. - The school may grant a limited tuition fee remission in exceptional circumstances for one year only; remission requests can only be considered after completion of the student's first year at the school and must meet published deadlines for application. Fee payment options and bank details - Tuition payment method: Credit cards are not accepted for tuition fee payments. International bank transfer in Swiss Francs (CHF) is the recommended method for tuition payments; payor-borne bank charges apply. - Bank details on tuition payment instructions: - Account holder: Stiftung für die Inter-Community School Zurich - Bank: Zürcher Kantonalbank - IBAN: CH12 0070 0111 0014 6486 7 - BIC / SWIFT: ZKBKCHZZ80A - Application Fee payment method: The non-refundable application fee is paid online by credit card (MasterCard or VISA). Administrative and contractual notes (financial liabilities) - Parents/guardians are contractually responsible for all fees regardless of billing address. Charges for late payment, actions for debt recovery, and withholding of academic records for outstanding balances are applied in accordance with the Financial Regulations. The school requires parents to maintain health, accident and liability insurance for each enrolled child.	Fee details Admission & registration fees - Application fee: CHF 500 (one-off, non‑refundable). - Registration / deposit: CHF 3,000 (one-off). This deposit is reimbursed with the last installment before leaving; not reimbursed for attendance shorter than 24 months. - Material contribution: CHF 1,000 (one-time per 3‑year cycle; not applicable to kindergarten and invoiced when transferring from kindergarten to primary; non‑refundable). For secondary school, the material contribution is CHF 750 per year. - Total charged on registration: CHF 3,500 per child for Kindergarten (application + deposit) and CHF 4,500 per child for Primary (application + deposit + material). - Trial day: If a trial day is offered, the CHF 500 application fee is charged before the trial day; it will be credited to a definitive registration within 30 days of the trial day and otherwise forfeited. If the school cancels the offered place after a trial day, the amount will be refunded in full. Tuition fees by year group (per year, per trimester and monthly equivalent) - Kindergarten (4 full days): CHF 29,400 per year — CHF 9,800 per trimester — corresponds to CHF 2,450 per month. - Primary school (4 full days): CHF 30,600 per year — CHF 10,200 per trimester — corresponds to CHF 2,550 per month. - Secondary / Gymnasium (5 full days): CHF 34,200 per year — CHF 11,400 per trimester — corresponds to CHF 2,850 per month. - Friday Club (Kindergarten & Primary) — Friday 08:00–17:00: CHF 5,400 per year — CHF 1,800 per trimester — corresponds to CHF 450 per month. - Discount for full annual pre‑payment: CHF 1,000 reduction if full annual tuition is paid in advance. - Sibling discounts: 1st sibling receives 5% discount; 2nd sibling receives 10% discount. Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition billing cadence: Tuition is invoiced and paid per trimester, in 3 equal installments due on July 1, November 1 and March 1. - Pro rata entry: It is possible to join at any time during the school year (subject to availability); tuition for late entry is calculated on a pro rata basis according to the date of entry. - Fees listed are approximate and the final amounts will appear on the invoice; school fees may be increased annually. Boarding fees - Boarding is not offered; the school operates as a local day school with full‑day care. No boarding fees apply. Other costs and additional charges - Multi‑day excursions, camps and trips abroad are charged separately and billed in addition to tuition. - Public transport: Children aged 6 and over at the Sihlberg and Augustinerhof locations must have an annual season ticket for Zurich public transport zone 110 — this is an additional cost to families. - Costs not included in tuition that may be charged separately include specific multi‑day trip costs and any optional services beyond the standard inclusions (books/consumables, most local day trips and excursions are included). Refunds and withdrawal‑related rules - Deposit refund: The registration deposit (CHF 3,000) is reimbursed with the last installment before leaving, provided attendance was at least 24 months; no refund for attendance shorter than 24 months. - Application fee and material contribution are treated as non‑refundable as stated; trial‑day-related application fee handling is described under Trial day above. Subsidised / institution‑sponsored places - For subsidised or institution‑sponsored places, an additional tuition supplement applies: CHF 3,600 per term (equivalent to CHF 900 per month additional). Fee payment options and invoicing - Payment processing: Payments are handled via the school's invoicing/application payment system and a payment service provider is used for processing payment transactions. The invoice and the school's applicant/account portal indicate the accepted payment methods and the payment instructions to follow. What the tuition covers (for clarity on inclusions) - Included in the tuition: personalized curriculum and mentoring; all‑day care (hours vary by level); daily lunch and snacks for kindergarten and primary; books, documents and consumables; access to computers and devices; most local day trips and excursions; and regular parent events. Items explicitly excluded or charged separately are multi‑day trips, mandatory public transport season tickets where required, and any optional external services.
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 The school offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes for Primary Years, Middle Years, and Diploma Studies. It is the only school in Zurich offering all three IB programmes. ICS teaches in English and offers a bilingual IB Diploma option. The school serves students from 24 months to 18 years across Early Childhood, Primary Years, Middle Years, and the Diploma Programme. The IB framework emphasizes an international mindset and inquiry-based learning. The ICS difference comes from developing the whole child and supporting community engagement through Round Square.	Curriculum details The British curriculum informs the English language instruction. German–English bilingual education is provided. The timetable is aligned with LP21 (Lehrplan 21) and Mathematics, languages (German, English, French), Social Studies and Natural Sciences form the core of the programme. Teaching includes project work, a personalized curriculum and mentoring. The learning method is goal-oriented and structured, yet individual and flexible.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results ICS is an IB World School offering the Diploma Programme. All Diploma students are encouraged to take the IB Diploma exams. ICS Diploma students can qualify for the IB Bilingual Diploma. Diploma students on average earn significantly better scores than the worldwide average.	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression Top university admission is supported by a rigorous university counselling programme that opens doors to universities around the world. In the IB Diploma Programme, students choose six courses to study, three at Higher Level and three at Standard Level from the IB groups; the sixth subject can be from the Arts or a second subject in Sciences or Individuals and Societies.	Higher education progression The school prepares students for both Swiss and international educational pathways from its Zurich campus.
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 ICS Inter-Community School Zurich accepts applications year-round via the online application portal. To apply, provide English school reports for the past two years, a recent photograph, a copy of the child's birth certificate or passport, any educational test results, a teacher's recommendation, a completed and signed financial regulations form, and a non-refundable application fee of 500 Swiss Francs for the 2025-2026 academic year. The Admissions Handbook explains the admission process and is available for 2025-2026 and 2026-2027. The school is an English-language international school located in Strubenacher 3, 8126 Zumikon, Switzerland. Processing begins once the completed documentation and the fee are received, and the school provides a timeline: in February, ICS invites current families to re-enrol; in March, applications from corporate partners are processed; in April, all applications are processed with priority to corporate-partner families with a child already enrolled, then corporate-partner families, then families with a child already enrolled, then alumni children, then international families, then local internationally mobile families; processing continues from April to August; the school year begins in August and new students may join during the school year where space permits.	Admissions 1. Questionnaire: Complete the family questionnaire, sent by e-mail, to finalize the request. 2. School visit & Getting to know each other: Kindergarten: On-site meeting between the child, parents, and educator during visiting hours. Primary: A short on-site introduction between the child, parents, and educators during a trial day; after the initial settling-in, the parents leave. Secondary & Gymnasium: Trial Day on-site for the child. The day begins with an introduction between the child, the parents, and the educators. After this, the parents leave. For children applying from outside Switzerland who are unable to attend in person, a video call can be arranged instead. If an additional Trial Day is required, the registration fee of CHF 500 will be charged. 3. Admission: Admission: Decision by family and SOT on admission. 4. Contract: The contract will be sent digitally and the first invoice will follow after signing. Once the registration fee and the first installment of school fees have been paid, your child is definitively enrolled. 5. Welcome: The start of your personal learning journey at School of Tomorrow. 6. NB.: The contract must be signed within 10 days, after which the place will be released.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist Places are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. When full, a waiting list is used.
	View full profile →	View full profile →