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Switzerland, Lugano
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.
Stage One: Inquiry. An enquiry is the first stage of the admission process. After you contact us, you will be invited to an information evening (virtual options are available), a Taster Day, and an individual visit to tour the school and meet the principal.
Stage Two: Apply Online. Applications for 2024 entry are being accepted, and 2025 entry is open for the Diploma Programme. The admissions portal provides access to all required documents and allows you to create an account to complete and submit the application online. Documents can be uploaded digitally and the portal centralizes submission.
Stage Three: Assessments. All pupils sit papers in Maths, English and Verbal Reasoning, alongside a short interview. If travel to the campus is not possible, exams can be sat externally. For Senior School entry in 2025, students must sit and pass the Common Entrance (CE) exam. English as an Additional Language (EAL) considerations may apply; EAL guidelines are based on CEFR levels, with Year 9 intake minimum at the lower end of B2, and three years to reach upper-intermediate.
Stage Four: Offer and Acceptance. Offers are made on the basis of performance in the entry assessment. The final forms must be completed online and returned within four weeks with the deposit. An enrolment deposit of CHF 3,000 per family applies to new enrolling families and is non-refundable.
Scholarships and Financial Assistance: We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive community. Scholarship opportunities and financial assistance programs will be available to qualifying students.
The International School of Switzerland is a day school for students aged 6–18 that offers the IB Middle Years Programme, the IB Diploma Programme, and Cambridge A Levels. It operates as an IB World School guided by the K.I.N.D. framework—Kindness, Innovation, Navigation, and Discovery—to shape both academics and co‑curricular life. Instruction is in English, with Italian and German taught at varying levels and CEFR‑based placement. From Grade 10, students can pursue a dual pathway to Advanced Levels or the IB Diploma Programme; the IB Diploma Programme is currently a Candidate School, and the Bridge Program supports language fluency and transitions to IB, A‑Levels, or Liceo. Facilities include modern classrooms with interactive touchscreens and Microsoft tools, a STEAM Center with robotics labs and a makerspace, and Switzerland's first Microsoft Dream Space for AI, VR, and coding projects. Arts spaces include Visual Arts Studios, a professional Performing Arts Theater, and Music Rooms, with on‑campus sports facilities. Co‑curriculars feature the Discovery Program, Masterclasses, and the Immersion Program, which offer diverse activities, masterclasses, cultural excursions, and industry visits.
