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• Location: Lausanne
• Age of students: School year-13-18 years old; Summer course-10-17 years old 
• Educational programs: British (I)GCSE, A-level, US High School Diploma with SAT,  Summer Course English & French with sports and activities
• Number of students: about 80 students
• Foundation year: 1882
• Type of studying: mixed
• Accommodation: residence
• Ranking: one of the best boarding schools in Europe, where you can get a classic British (A-level) or American secondary education.

Founded in 1882, Brillantmont International School is a small, family owned school, which offers a personalised program from 8^th -12^th Grade. In the centre of Lausanne, in French speaking Switzerland, it offers unique study opportunities to students from all over the world, with average class sizes of 9 students. Students enter leading universities in Switzerland, such as University of Geneva, and elsewhere in the world. Opportunities for learning go beyond the classroom, through leadership, service learning, sports and cultural activities.

Numerous sports activities are offered as classes or clubs:

• Athletics
• Basketball
• Volleyball
• Football
• Hockey
• Sailing
• Hiking
• Alpine skiing
• Fitness
• Yoga
• Aerobics

Creative activities also take place – cooking, art and design, creative arts, music, dance.

At weekends, trips are organised around Lausanne, to other areas of Switzerland and to other European countries.

school education in Switzerland is cognitive.

All teaching is in English.

British Programme

I0th Grade, students prepare for British IGCSE examinations. Afterwards, they continue to in 11^th and 12^th to A-level, which opens the doors to universities worldwide. IGCSE / A Levels are offered in English, Literature, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Geography, History, Mathematics, Economics, French, Spanish, Art and Design.

American Programme

A range of subjects are taken to meet the requirements of the American Programme, which is credit based. Students wishing to enter an American university are prepared for SAT examinations and English language tests, such as IELTS or TOEFL.

Arnold I. Szepesi

Global Direct Sales Manager in EHL Hospitality Business School

What are the key factors parents consider when choosing a Swiss school?

Generally, parents look at the school's reputation, location, level of care, potential for personalized attention, curriculum specifics, teacher quality, extracurricular offerings, and, of course, tuition fees.

Education at Brillantmont is built on a personalized approach: classes are held in small groups of up to 12 students, ensuring effective individual and group work.

A typical boarder's schedule:

• wake-up — 7:00,
• breakfast — 7:40–8:00,
• classes from 8:15,
• lunch — 11:55–12:45,
• classes until 16:00,
• extracurricular activities — 16:00–18:30,
• dinner — 18:35,
• evening activities — 19:15–20:30,
• study time — 20:00–21:30 (for grades 10–12),
• lights out — 22:00.

Each year, students go on study trips with teachers. The curriculum includes PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) classes and masterclasses from invited experts. The Pastoral Care and Well-Being Coordinator oversees student support. All staff have completed child protection (safeguarding) training.

Brillantmont offers several academic programs for different age groups and learning objectives.

Grades 8 and 9 (ages 13–15)

A broad general education program: mathematics, English language and literature, French, history, geography, natural sciences, art, physical education, PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education). Since 2018, robotics and programming (STEAM) have been included in the compulsory curriculum. Students in grades 8–9 take the PSAT 8/9 test.

Grade 10 — Cambridge IGCSE (ages 15–16)

Students sit 5–7 subjects of their choice, including compulsory ones: mathematics, English, at least one foreign language, one humanities subject, one science, PSHE and sport. Brillantmont is the only school in the region offering IGCSE.

Grades 11–12 — A-level (ages 16–18)

Students choose 3–4 subjects from the following list: mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, English language, English literature, French, Spanish, German, geography, history, economics, art and design. Cambridge A-level examinations open the path to universities around the world, and the qualification is held in very high regard.

US High School Diploma

The program covers a wide range of subjects with preparation for SAT I, SAT II, PSAT and TOEFL. The diploma is recognized by American and international universities.

Grade 13 (Post High School)

For graduates wishing to spend a year in Europe before university: the program includes academic studies and a French language course.

Short Stay Programs

Study from September to December, to April, or to June (the April–June period is for Japanese students only). Age: 13–18 years.

• Fresh accreditation from CIS (Council of International Schools) and NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges) in July 2023: the committee noted «a clear sense of purpose and direction, visible in all aspects of school life» and «a happy family atmosphere».
• The Good Schools Guide (June 2025): «A family gem with deep roots and firm values — warm, inclusive. Offers a rare combination of urban accessibility and Swiss tranquility».
• Cambridge Assessment Fellowship Centre — since 2002.
• First ECIS and NEASC accreditation — in 1983.

• Brillantmont — the only school in Switzerland that has belonged to the same family for five generations: the current owners are Corinne, Eric and Anne Frei.
• It was founded in 1882; in 2022 it celebrated its 140th anniversary and is approaching its 150th jubilee.
• Since 2018, robotics and programming (STEAM) have been part of the compulsory curriculum for grades 8–9.
• Lausanne — the Olympic Capital of the World, headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (IOC); students live in a city with unique access to world-class sports infrastructure and international competitions.
• Brillantmont students take part in major city sporting events: a twenty-kilometre run, a Christmas costume race, and the Lausanne Marathon.
• Geneva Airport is 40 minutes from the campus. Lausanne is a safe city with a population of around 150,000 people in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.

All boarding students live on campus in boarding houses separated by age and gender, with a resident teacher, to support and help the students. Rooms are shared with a student from another nationality though some single rooms are available. In one of the buildings, there are ensuite bathrooms but in all others, students share a bathroom (3-4 students per bathroom). Laundry services are available.

Students eat all meals at school, where a balanced and healthy menu is provided, with international-style food. A vegetarian menu is also offered.

Subject list: Accounting, biology, business, Business and management, chemistry, ecology, economics, English literature, history, humanitarian sciences, law, maths, media, physics, rhetoric, Theory of the state

Extracurricular life at Brillantmont encompasses sports, creative activities, city adventures, and European trips.

Sports Clubs (after school)

• On campus: tennis, basketball, volleyball, zumba, gymnastics, trampolining, badminton, football, swimming, cross-country, athletics, fitness, yoga, climbing, rugby, kickboxing, dancing.
• Off campus (seasonal): beach volleyball or cross-country by the lake, swimming in the pool (located next to the campus), ice skating, cycling, ski cross.
• School teams participate in local and national interschool competitions.
• The school supports sports activities outside the campus as well: martial arts, dancing, rugby, rowing, and others.

Creative Clubs

• Drawing and decorative arts, cooking, drama, vocal group, rock band, individual music instrument lessons, Yearbook, Dungeons and Dragons.
• The school rock band takes part in the interschool Battle of the Band competition every year.
• Lausanne is home to famous dance brands, so students can audition and take classes at city dance schools.

Weekends and Holidays

• Weekends: sailing on Lake Geneva, cooking workshops, city trips to Lucerne, Bern, Milan, Paris.
• Leisure in Lausanne: bowling, paintball, laser games, water parks, ice rinks, escape rooms, museums with interactive workshops.
• European Discovery Week (during October holidays, instead of going home): in recent years students have visited the French Riviera, Barcelona, Florence and Venice, Salzburg and Vienna.
• Students participate in major city sporting events: a 20-kilometre race, a Christmas fancy-dress run, the Lausanne Marathon.

Ski Trips

• Ski trips every weekend from January to April, cross-country, skiing, snowshoeing, tubing, evening sledging.
• Ski week in the village of Zinal: peaks up to 4,000 m, 200 km of runs; instruction at Swiss Ski School.
• A weekend trip to Zermatt is also possible.

What makes Brillantmont special is its size. Being small allows us to personalise our teaching to each student and to help each one achieve their full potential. A small community builds a sense of belonging, which develops confidence.

Brillantmont students are particularly talented in languages.

• Brillantmont International School is unusual because it has been owned and run by the same family since 1882. It creates warm atmosphere, optimal for the rapid adaptation to a new language and academic environment.
• Every student is seen as an individual Everyone's academic success is tracked, if necessary, adjustments are made to the curriculum in order to achieve high results.
• Developed infrastructure - the boarding school in Switzerland is in a wonderful location and has excellent facilities.
• Lessons at the school are held in small classes for 9 people. It's an opportunity for effective individual and group work.

The campus of the school includes 8 separate buildings in a picturesque natural area overlooking the Swiss Alps and Lake Léman (often called Lake Geneva). All classrooms are airy and modern, with technology available to enhance learning. At the heart of the school lies a multi-purpose hall, with a full size gymnasium, performing arts stage, music room and classrooms. The school also has a tennis court, a multi-sports court, table tennis areas and a huge leavy park. All is secure with access codes needed to enter buildings. The school is a five minute walk from the vibrant city centre with lovely shops, cafés, cultural buildings. Students often go into the local area, by the lake or in the forest, to enjoy sports and leisure activities.

The academic year consists of three trimesters. The boarding fee includes:

• program classes,
• full board (accommodation + meals),
• school excursions, clubs, communities,
• transfer Geneva airport — school (on official arrival and departure dates),
• medical assistance,
• laundry (for students in grades 8–9),
• access to all facilities,
• stationery,
• IT and Wi-Fi,
• textbooks,
• yearbook (Yearbook),
• Lausanne public transport card,
• Swiss Half Fare Card (for students 16+),
• VAT.

The day student fee includes:

• classes,
• lunch,
• access to all facilities,
• IT and Wi-Fi,
• textbooks,
• yearbook,
• stationery,
• mandatory study trip in the third trimester,
• one Brillantmont uniform,
• school excursions.

Enrollment fees:

• Registration fee (non-refundable),
• Admission deposit for boarders (refundable).

Additional expenses:

• Individual music lessons,
• Private sports training,
• Laundry (for students in grades 10–13),
• Additional EFL/ESL courses (English as a foreign language),
• Insurance,
• Optional excursions and trips,
• Pocket money.

Extras:

• Pocket money 70 CHF
• Registration fee (for a programme/course) 1600 CHF
• Deposit for a course/programme 5000 CHF

Admission to Brillantmont is conducted on an ongoing basis throughout the academic year. To apply, you need to submit an application, provide academic documents, pass entrance tests in mathematics and English, and complete an interview — via Zoom or in person.

Smapse specialists will guide you through all stages of admission to Brillantmont — from document preparation to organizing your arrival.

• A total of about 80–90 students (boarders and day students), student ages — 13–18 years old.
• About 30 nationalities among students.
• 100% of graduates enter their chosen universities, including Russell Group universities in the UK.

100% of Brillantmont graduates continue their education at universities. Among the popular career paths are financial analytics, international business, and academic research.

From Year 10, each student works with a university admissions consultant (Guidance Counsellor), university fairs and presentations from representatives of universities from around the world are held regularly, the school helps students attend open days (Open Days) at universities of interest.

Smapse specialists will guide you through all stages of the application process.

Admission to the school is conducted on an ongoing basis (Grades 8–12, ages 13–18).

Required documents:

• Academic reports (school reports) for recent years,
• Copy of passport,
• Medical records.

Entrance tests:

• Tests in mathematics and English — for all grades,
• Additional tests — for applicants to grades 11 and 13.

The interview is conducted via Zoom or in person.

For the summer course, participants must be aged 10–16; for the winter course — only 13–15 years old (maximum 10 places).

Smapse specialists will guide you through every stage of the application process.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision