Switzerland, Geneva
Let the school know you're thinking of applying — they can share their prerequisites and help you through the process.
It's best to ask — circumstances can change at any time.
1. Visit our site and contact us via the information request form. On the site you can read hours, location, the team, as well as the educational programs and frequently asked questions. The form facilitates the first contact for a visit to the school. After submitting the form, you will receive an email with proposed visit dates, general and financial conditions, a class presentation, the admission procedure and criteria, and a questionnaire to learn more about your family.
2. Read the documents and visit the class. After reading the various documents and completing the questionnaire, it is time to immerse yourself in the atmosphere and the materials. A one-hour class visit is offered with the head of school who will present the school's vision, how the class operates, and the main principles of Montessori pedagogy.
3. Waiting list enrollment. Following your visit, you are invited to write to us if you wish to enroll your child in our establishment. To maintain balanced classes in terms of language and age, we cannot enroll children upon expression of interest. The child is placed on the waiting list upon receipt of the enrollment fee, and families are notified as soon as a place becomes available.
4. Observation of a class. If a place is available, parents are invited to observe the class for one hour during the day to understand how it operates and how it is organized. Parents may ask questions of the teaching team after the observation. This observation helps families understand the classroom environment.
5. Registration form and payment of registration fees. To confirm enrollment, the registration form must be completed and returned, and the registration fees paid according to the general and financial terms. All terms and fees are outlined in the general conditions and financial policies. Once these steps are completed, the school proceeds with further arrangements.
6. Trial morning. Toward the end of the school year, we offer new students a morning in the class for a first meeting with the surroundings, teachers, and future classmates. The morning allows the family to experience the classroom routines and the daily activities.
7. Welcome breakfast. To ease the first day, we organize a welcome breakfast on the Saturday before the first day with new students and their parents to discover the place and meet the teachers. This helps familiarize the children with the classroom before start and builds a connection with staff and peers.
8. Admission criteria. Admission criteria require families to adhere to Montessori principles to ensure consistent guidance at school and at home. To maintain a balanced class, criteria include age, gender, language spoken, and parents' engagement in Montessori pedagogy and school life. Priority is given to siblings of children already enrolled. For the 3-6 year class, children must be at least 3 years old by December 31, subject to places available or the next school year. For the 6-12 year class, children can enroll from age 6 (3P).
The waitlist is used to maintain balanced classes in terms of language and age. Enrollment cannot occur solely on expression of interest. The child is placed on the waiting list upon receipt of the enrollment fee, and families are notified as soon as a place becomes available.
École Montessori Aquilae is a bilingual Montessori school in Geneva for children aged 3 to 12. It follows Montessori pedagogy in a prepared environment that promotes autonomy and hands-on learning, with freedom of activity and mixed-age groups (3–6 and 6–12). The school uses total immersion in French and English: all subjects are taught in both languages, except initial reading and mathematics, with two native-language educators in each class and additional support as needed. In 3–6, there is a bilingual group taught by a Francophone and Anglophone pair plus an English-speaking assistant; a 100% anglophone class option is available. In 6–12, two educators supervise alongside subject teachers (German, sport). All educators hold AMI diplomas. The setting city centre is on the ground floor of arcades, with abundant natural light and spaces for outdoor learning. The school offers full-day care, a parascolaire program, weekly piano lessons, and performances. Marion Neyroud is the director.