KIBS Zurich vs Obersee Bilingual School

	K KIBS Zurich Zug, Switzerland	O Obersee Bilingual School Zug, Switzerland
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year CHF 22,000 - 26,400	Fees / year CHF 16,590 - 37,590
Age range	Age range 0 - 12 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum Swiss Curriculum, Bespoke Curriculum	Curriculum Swiss Curriculum, IB (DP), IMYC (International Middle Years Curriculum), Bespoke Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils 220	Pupils 450
Typical class size	Typical class size 14	Typical class size 15
Instruction language	Instruction language English, German	Instruction language German, English
Opened	Opened 2013	Opened —
Bus service	Bus service Yes	Bus service Yes
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Located in Seebach, Zurich. The address is Schaffhauserstrasse 550, 8052 Zürich, Switzerland.	Location OBS is located at Sihleggstrasse 9, 8832 Wollerau, Switzerland. It sits on the shores of Lake Zurich, about 20 to 30 minutes from Zurich. It is just a 2‑minute walk from a quiet forest and 10 minutes from downtown Pfäffikon, and is easily reachable from the A3 highway.
Stages	Stages Daycare, Pre-K, Kindergarten, Primary	Stages OBS offers Babycare, Preschool, Kindergarten, Primary School, Middle School, and Upper School.
School type	School type Private German-English day school in Zurich	School type OBS is a bilingual, international school serving German- and English-speaking students. The language of instruction alternates weekly between German and English from Kindergarten to Grade 6; from Grade 7 the same language is used for each subject for a full year (Mathematics is the exception, with language alternation by semester). From Year 10 onwards, subjects are taught in the language aligned with the chosen school-leaving qualification, with IB Diploma and Federal Matura offered.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix One third Swiss families, one third families with a Swiss parent, and one third families from 41 nations.
Additional learning support	Additional learning support Individualised support is part of the bilingual learning approach.	Additional learning support OBS+ Learning Support provides support across the curriculum.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation —	Country affiliation Switzerland
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure Early care is available from 7:15 am; late care is available from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm. The timetable includes arrival at 8:15–8:30 am and dismissal at 3:55 pm; on Wednesdays dismissal is at 12:40 pm; a late bus is available at 5:10 pm (17:10) on Monday–Thursday.
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details In collaboration with Eberhard Travel, OBS provides a bus service with two routes: Pfäffikon – Altendorf – Lachen – Feusisberg – Wollerau and Thalwil – Horgen – Wädenswil – Wollerau. Timetable: Mon–Fri arrival 8:15–8:30; departure 15:55; Wednesdays 12:40; Mon–Thu late bus departure 17:10.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	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.	Fee details Application and Assessment Fees - Application fee (one-off, non-refundable): CHF 300 for Baby Care / Preschool; CHF 500 for Kindergarten, Primary, Middle and Upper School. - Placement assessment (required for new entrants from Grade 5; also available on request to existing students): CHF 1,190. Registration and One‑off Payments - One-off registration cost for new entrants from Kindergarten: CHF 2,500, due on signing of the contract and invoicing. Deposit / Security Payment - A deposit is required on contract signing. Deposit amounts by level: - Baby Care / Preschool: CHF 1,500.00. - Kindergarten: CHF 2,500.00. - Grades 1–6 (Primary): CHF 3,000.00. - Grades 7–9 (Middle): CHF 4,000.00. - Grades 10–13 (Upper): CHF 5,000.00. - Deposit refund: the deposit will be refunded if the child leaves after completing at least one academic year and all associated fees for that period have been paid; otherwise the right to a refund is forfeited. The deposit is separate from school fees. Annual tuition and care fees (school year 2025/2026) — fees shown per school year, with a per-term breakdown given as equal third installments - Baby Care (days per week and annual fee): - Two full days (minimum): CHF 16,590 per year — Per term (1/3): CHF 5,530.00. - Additional full day: CHF 7,990 per year — Per term (1/3): CHF 2,663.33. - Five full days: CHF 37,590 per year — Per term (1/3): CHF 12,530.00. - Separately booked extra day: CHF 209 each — Per term (1/3): CHF 69.67. - (Annual fees for Baby Care include meals, snacks and nappies up to size 6.) - Preschool (Pre‑K): - Two full days (minimum): CHF 15,590 per year — Per term (1/3): CHF 5,196.67. - Additional full day: CHF 7,190 per year — Per term (1/3): CHF 2,396.67. - Five full days: CHF 35,240 per year — Per term (1/3): CHF 11,746.67. - Half day (Wednesday and/or Friday morning): CHF 4,219 per year — Per term (1/3): CHF 1,406.33. - Separately booked extra half-day: CHF 109 — Per term (1/3): CHF 36.33. - Separately booked extra day: CHF 209 — Per term (1/3): CHF 69.67. - (Preschool annual fees include meals, snacks and nappies up to size 6.) - Kindergarten (school and childcare fee per school year, including lunch and snacks): - 3½ days (minimum: 5 mornings, 2 afternoons): CHF 28,649 per year — Per term (1/3): CHF 9,549.67. - 4 days (5 mornings, 3 afternoons): CHF 29,890 per year — Per term (1/3): CHF 9,963.33. - 4½ days (5 mornings, 4 afternoons): CHF 31,229 per year — Per term (1/3): CHF 10,409.67. - Extra half-day booked separately: CHF 109 — Per term (1/3): CHF 36.33. - Grades 1–6 (Primary): CHF 34,990 per school year — Per term (1/3): CHF 11,663.33. (Includes 4.5 days of lessons per week; meals and snacks included.) - Grades 7–9 (Middle School): CHF 35,490 per school year — Per term (1/3): CHF 11,830.00. (Includes five days of teaching; learning community sessions and lunch/snacks included.) - Grades 10–13 (Upper School — IB or Matura): CHF 35,990 per school year — Per term (1/3): CHF 11,996.67. (Includes five days of teaching; learning community to 17:00 on some days; lunch/snacks included.) - Meal opt-out (from Grade 7 onwards): a reduction of CHF 810 per year if the student opts out of school meals; canteen meal price when taken: CHF 12 per meal. Billing schedule and payment terms - Invoices (tuition and care) are issued via eBill or as a PDF by e‑mail and carry a payment term of 30 days. Overdue invoices trigger staged reminder fees: CHF 10 at 10 days overdue, CHF 30 at 20 days overdue, CHF 50 at 30 days overdue. - The fee regulations treat tuition as fixed annual costs; there is no entitlement to fee reduction for absences (illness, holidays, public holidays). - The fee schedule includes a sibling discount: 10% discount on school fees for the second child; when three or more children are enrolled, each child (including the first) receives a 10% discount. Boarding - Boarding is not provided; OBS operates as a day school with services such as school meals, bus service, early and late care and holiday clubs. Other chargeable items and typical additional costs - School camps, study trips, winter sports days, cultural weeks, external examinations (IB, Matura) and voluntary language/computer diplomas are charged separately; examples of camp/trip cost ranges (school year 2025/26): - Years 5–6 summer camp: approx. CHF 400–600 per stay. - Years 7–9 camps: approx. CHF 600–1,200 per stay. - Grade 10 camps: approx. CHF 900–1,500 per trip. - Grades 11–12 study trips abroad: approx. CHF 900–1,800 per trip. - These trip and camp charges are invoiced separately and based on actual costs. - Early care (07:15–08:15), late care (16:00–18:30) and Wednesday afternoon supervision have supplementary fees when applicable (examples from the fee schedule: booked quarterly in advance CHF 10–CHF 61 depending on service; last-minute booking higher). Charges for late pickup after 18:30 are specifically set (e.g., CHF 60 for first 15 minutes, CHF 80 for each subsequent 15-minute interval). Holiday-care daily rate (from Preschool) example: CHF 150 per day. - The school bus is provided by an external operator; bus stops and prices vary by route and are charged separately. Refunds and non‑refundable items - Application fee: non-refundable. - Deposit: refundable only after the child has completed at least one academic year and all associated fees for that period have been paid; otherwise it may be forfeited. - Registration fee for new entrants from Kindergarten (CHF 2,500) is payable on signing; the fee regulations set out that certain one-off payments are due on contract signature. - Excursion, travel and external-provider costs (flights, train tickets, accommodation) are generally non-refundable by the provider and may still be charged if the child does not participate, except where a medical certificate for illness is provided in time, as detailed in the fee regulations. Fee payment options - Invoices are issued via eBill or as a PDF by e-mail; the fee regulations specify the invoicing channel and payment term (30 days) but do not list a specific set of payment instruments (e.g., credit card, direct debit) in the published fee regulations. Families receive an invoice and arrange payment according to the invoice instructions (eBill in Switzerland is commonly settled via electronic banking). If you need the figures presented in a different currency or split on a different instalment basis, the annual amounts provided above can be converted or divided accordingly.
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 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.	Curriculum details The school uses a bilingual curriculum in English and German. From Kindergarten to Grade 6, the entire curriculum is delivered in English and German, with the language of instruction switching weekly. From Grade 7, subjects are taught in the same language for a full academic year per subject, with Mathematics taught in the other language each semester to reinforce skills. From Year 10 onward, the language of instruction is determined by the chosen school-leaving qualification. The curriculum also includes Future Skills to develop contemporary and future-oriented competencies.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio Approximately 7.2 students per teacher (456 students / 63 teachers).
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results IB Diploma Program with 48 students; 6 successful Matura graduates; 3 successful IB Diploma years.
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression Upper School prepares students for success in the IB Diploma or Federal Matura. The IB Diploma Program is offered with 48 students; the school has produced Matura graduates (6) and completed 3 IB Diploma years.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented From Year 7, students may apply to become Advanced Learners. Advanced learners receive coaching and have monthly meetings with a learning coach to review progress; they can choose where they learn and which inputs they attend. Competencies for advanced learners include strong organisation, time management, focus and self-reflection, objective setting, healthy screen time, conflict-resolution skills, and self-awareness.
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 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.	Admissions Step 1: Get in Touch and Visit OBS. Visit the campus to see classrooms, meet teachers, and get a feel for the learning environment. Open days are offered to help families understand whether OBS is the right fit. Step 2: Complete the application form. To begin, complete the online School registration form. The application fee is non-refundable and does not guarantee admission. Fees are CHF 300 for Baby Care / Pre-kindergarten and CHF 500 for Kindergarten / Primary School / Middle School / Upper School. Step 3: Submit the relevant documents. For Early Years there is no requirement to submit documentation prior to enrollment. For Primary, Middle and Upper School, provide the most recent report card or end-of-year report; if there are diagnosed conditions or if the child receives additional learning support or therapy, provide further information including recent diagnostic reports and the student's IEP if applicable. OBS reserves the right to offer a conditional place pending receipt of all required documents. If capacity is reached, your child can be placed on the waiting list. Step 4: Assessments, Trial Days and Feedback. Primary candidates undergo an internal assessment in language proficiency and mathematics. Admission to Middle and Upper School requires a comprehensive evaluation, including language skills, potential analysis, and a personality assessment by a psychologist. Each candidate attends two trial days, with one day in a German-language classroom and the other in an English-language setting. Afterward, there is a consultative meeting with the relevant Department Head; for middle and upper school, the evaluating psychologist discusses the results. Step 5: Offer of a place. If the application is approved, the Admissions Team extends an offer of enrollment contingent on space availability. A Confirmation of Acceptance will be sent to you via email after we receive the full registration fee, which is non-refundable. If capacity is reached, your child will be added to our waiting list and you will be notified once a space becomes available. Admission approvals depend on the provision of all requested documentation and the payment of the application fee.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships —
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.	Waitlist If capacity is reached, a waiting list is used. Families are notified when a space becomes available.
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