Education and Schools in Geneva
Expats will find a wide assortment of schools in Geneva which pride themselves on the provision of a high standard of 
education. Foreigners moving to the area will be faced with a difficult decision when it comes to selecting the best schooling option; however, be it a state-funded school, and therefore free of charge, or a private school, the institution is likely to be excellent.
Important factors in making the right decision for your child and family include considering your child’s age, the length of your stay in Geneva and your family’s budget. Expat parents will also need to determine which teaching language and curriculum would best suit their child’s needs, and which childcare arrangements would work best for their family.
State-funded schools in Switzerland are free and renowned for the quality of the education they offer. Compulsory schooling in Geneva starts from the age of 4 ('école enfantine' and 'primaire' levels), and extends until the age of 15 ('cycle d’orientation' starting at age 12). The exact start date of school for your child will depend on their date of birth.
Schooling is, of course, in the French language.
School days in Geneva are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, from 8am until 11.30am, and then from 1.30pm until 4pm. There is no school on Wednesdays until the beginning of the cycle d’orientation at age 12, when children start attending school on Wednesday morning as well.
Starting in 2012, Geneva primary schools will also run on Wednesday afternoons, but not on Wednesday mornings.
Expat parents who aren’t available to look after students on Wednesdays or during lunch times will be happy to find that some schools can offer a canteen lunch option and after-school care for a nominal fee, so check with the school directly.
Some schools also offer extra French classes for foreign children in order to bring them up to speed with the rest of the class, so please check if the school you have chosen offers a similar programme.
Pupils attending Swiss state schools start learning German as a foreign language at the age of 8, and English at the age of 10.
Local Swiss schools are easily accessible to each local community they serve, and often offer a 'pedibus' service (a walking bus led by volunteer parents who take the children to school on foot).
The choice of a local state-funded Swiss school can work out better for those expats who plan on living in Switzerland long-term, who have children who speak one of the official languages, or those with very young children who can assimilate into the local culture quickly and easily.
Private schools in Geneva, whether Swiss or international, can offer monolingual (i.e. only in French or only in English) or bilingual teaching streams in French and English, so you will need to visit each school individually and discuss which teaching options are available, and would be best suited to your child.
Each school may prepare students for a different type of diploma: American Advanced Placement, IGCSE, International Baccalaureate Diploma (English or bilingual), Swiss Maturité (French or bilingual), Brevet des Collèges and French Baccalauréat Général.
Most private schools will offer pre-school classes starting from the age of three. School fees usually range between 15,000 CHF and 30,000 CHF per year, and sibling discounts are sometimes available. Expats should keep these high costs in mind when negotiating their salary, or when requesting extras in their employment package.
It is also important to check with each private school to clarify whether a Catholic or Protestant religious education is a compulsory part of the curriculum, as many of the most academically acclaimed private schools in Geneva are openly religious.
Keep in mind that the school's proximity to your home or workplace is a factor that deserves consideration. School location and rush hour traffic can often make it difficult to be on time for school drop-off and pick-up. Some private schools offer a bus service, but this can be quite expensive.
In Geneva, you will also find private schools which follow specific national languages and educational curricula (German, Japanese and Swedish); these types of institutions are typically referred to as "international schools" within the global expat community, but in Geneva, an "international school" is actually any school that teaches in English and follows an international curriculum (as mentioned in the previous section). Expats should be aware of this difference in titles when investigating school choices for their student.
Regardless of naming though, many expats prefer to send their children to these private schools because they offer students the opportunity to continue with the teaching language and curriculum of their home country, and are truly the best option for those expats relocating to Geneva for a short-term sojourn.
Timing, a factor often overlooked, is also of vital importance when it comes to securing a school seat for your child. Due to the growing influx of foreign workers moving to the area with families and children, you will need to register your child as early as possible. Many of the private schools will have waiting lists, and in order to make sure your child gets a seat, it’s best to register on a number of these as you probably won’t receive a final confirmation of enrolment until the very last minute.
However, please do not lose heart, numerous families relocate frequently within the area and therefore it is very likely that spaces will open up at the last minute. Each private school operates according to their own deadlines, so visit in person and check with each one individually.
Remember that turnover within schools with large international populations can be quite large, and therefore may instigate adjustment issues for expat children who will be enrolled in the school on a long-term basis.
education. Foreigners moving to the area will be faced with a difficult decision when it comes to selecting the best schooling option; however, be it a state-funded school, and therefore free of charge, or a private school, the institution is likely to be excellent.Important factors in making the right decision for your child and family include considering your child’s age, the length of your stay in Geneva and your family’s budget. Expat parents will also need to determine which teaching language and curriculum would best suit their child’s needs, and which childcare arrangements would work best for their family.
State-funded schools in Geneva
State-funded schools in Switzerland are free and renowned for the quality of the education they offer. Compulsory schooling in Geneva starts from the age of 4 ('école enfantine' and 'primaire' levels), and extends until the age of 15 ('cycle d’orientation' starting at age 12). The exact start date of school for your child will depend on their date of birth.
Schooling is, of course, in the French language.
School days in Geneva are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, from 8am until 11.30am, and then from 1.30pm until 4pm. There is no school on Wednesdays until the beginning of the cycle d’orientation at age 12, when children start attending school on Wednesday morning as well.
Starting in 2012, Geneva primary schools will also run on Wednesday afternoons, but not on Wednesday mornings.
Expat parents who aren’t available to look after students on Wednesdays or during lunch times will be happy to find that some schools can offer a canteen lunch option and after-school care for a nominal fee, so check with the school directly.
Some schools also offer extra French classes for foreign children in order to bring them up to speed with the rest of the class, so please check if the school you have chosen offers a similar programme.
Pupils attending Swiss state schools start learning German as a foreign language at the age of 8, and English at the age of 10.
Local Swiss schools are easily accessible to each local community they serve, and often offer a 'pedibus' service (a walking bus led by volunteer parents who take the children to school on foot).
The choice of a local state-funded Swiss school can work out better for those expats who plan on living in Switzerland long-term, who have children who speak one of the official languages, or those with very young children who can assimilate into the local culture quickly and easily.
Private schools in Geneva
Private schools in Geneva, whether Swiss or international, can offer monolingual (i.e. only in French or only in English) or bilingual teaching streams in French and English, so you will need to visit each school individually and discuss which teaching options are available, and would be best suited to your child.
Each school may prepare students for a different type of diploma: American Advanced Placement, IGCSE, International Baccalaureate Diploma (English or bilingual), Swiss Maturité (French or bilingual), Brevet des Collèges and French Baccalauréat Général.
Most private schools will offer pre-school classes starting from the age of three. School fees usually range between 15,000 CHF and 30,000 CHF per year, and sibling discounts are sometimes available. Expats should keep these high costs in mind when negotiating their salary, or when requesting extras in their employment package.
It is also important to check with each private school to clarify whether a Catholic or Protestant religious education is a compulsory part of the curriculum, as many of the most academically acclaimed private schools in Geneva are openly religious.
Keep in mind that the school's proximity to your home or workplace is a factor that deserves consideration. School location and rush hour traffic can often make it difficult to be on time for school drop-off and pick-up. Some private schools offer a bus service, but this can be quite expensive.
International schools in Geneva
In Geneva, you will also find private schools which follow specific national languages and educational curricula (German, Japanese and Swedish); these types of institutions are typically referred to as "international schools" within the global expat community, but in Geneva, an "international school" is actually any school that teaches in English and follows an international curriculum (as mentioned in the previous section). Expats should be aware of this difference in titles when investigating school choices for their student.
Regardless of naming though, many expats prefer to send their children to these private schools because they offer students the opportunity to continue with the teaching language and curriculum of their home country, and are truly the best option for those expats relocating to Geneva for a short-term sojourn.
Enrolment and admissions
Timing, a factor often overlooked, is also of vital importance when it comes to securing a school seat for your child. Due to the growing influx of foreign workers moving to the area with families and children, you will need to register your child as early as possible. Many of the private schools will have waiting lists, and in order to make sure your child gets a seat, it’s best to register on a number of these as you probably won’t receive a final confirmation of enrolment until the very last minute.
However, please do not lose heart, numerous families relocate frequently within the area and therefore it is very likely that spaces will open up at the last minute. Each private school operates according to their own deadlines, so visit in person and check with each one individually.
Remember that turnover within schools with large international populations can be quite large, and therefore may instigate adjustment issues for expat children who will be enrolled in the school on a long-term basis.
