Summer and winter courses in Switzerland

A naturally multilingual country

Many boarding schools run summer courses in English, French, German or Italian. With four national languages, Switzerland is an ideal place to learn one.

Courses usually last three to four weeks; two blocks can be combined for a summer of two months or more, or split between two schools.

Comfort first

Swiss schools are known for comfort: rooms for one to three students, high-quality interiors, varied food and vegetarian options. Campuses feel more like resorts than schools — in the mountains or by a lake — and children spend much of the day outdoors, with meals on terraces overlooking the water.

More than a language course

Language lessons are combined with modules such as Alpine exploration, art and photography, IT, university preparation, cookery, film-making, singing and chamber music, circus skills, golf, riding and leadership. Children use the language all day with peers from different countries, so passive knowledge becomes active and the language barrier disappears.

Booking

Most Swiss summer schools accept children individually and limit the share of students from one country or language group. Courses are expensive but quality is assured — and at the most prestigious schools places can fill by early in the year, so apply early.