The International School of Geneva is a not-for-profit educational Foundation. It receives no external subsidies and cannot accumulate profit. Fees cover the core operating and maintenance costs of the school, but are insufficient to cover many of our planned improvements and developments. In order to maintain and develop our high quality educational offer, we solicit our school community (parents, staff, alumni and corporate) partners for support.
General FAQ
Why does the school ask for financial support over and above fees?
How many students attend the school?
With almost 4,300 students registered in September 2011, annually we welcome about 900 new students, from 3 years of age upwards.
These students, representing 125 nationalities and 81 mother tongues, give an extraordinary cultural dimension to the life of our school. Many come from expatriate families although the proportion of long-term residents, Swiss or foreign, has increased considerably over the past few years.
Doesn't the school get corporate support?
Although a majority of our families pay their own school fees, companies and organisations often pay the school fees of their employees and have helped the school with specific development projects in the past. We are extremely grateful for this support and we hope that we will enjoy it in the future.
Is the International School of Geneva an English/French bilingual school?
The school offers Francophone, Anglophone and Bilingual programmes.
As an extracurricular activity, foreign language classes can be arranged directly via the teacher and outside of normal class.
What are the guidelines for admissions?
Whenever possible, register as early as possible and it is recommended that complete applications should be sent to Admissions. Usually places are made available after departures are announced, this is usually from April of each year.
All enquiries are considered individually taking into consideration several factors including:
- Placement in present school
- Previous changes during the student’s education
- Languages spoken
- Level of maturity and age
Are there waiting lists?
There are waiting lists in most years. We do however see many students arrive and depart throughout the school year so it is always worth contacting us to discuss availability of places.
How do we choose a campus?
Places will be allocated by first choice of campus. However, we strongly recommend you to indicate on the application form a second choice of campus.
Is there an entrance exam?
The school may request further relevant information, administer placement tests or request an extra interview if deemed necessary.
What is the average class size?
Across the Foundation from primary to secondary the aim is to have classes limited to 24 students and to 18 for IB courses.
Is there a boarding house?
There are no boarding facilities.