Since 1926, the Institut Montana Zugerberg has been a Swiss boarding school and day school. With 380 students from over 56 different countries, our students develop through our founding values: Internationalism, Individualism and Integration.
Our students are offered individualised academic support, college counselling and are supervised day and night on our 60-acre campus that is well-connected to major cities in Switzerland. As our motto goes, this is the place to grow.
- Alexander Biner
Chairman of the Board of Directors
| Number of students |
380 |
| Number of nationalities represented in the school |
56 |
| Most common nationality |
Swiss |
| Ratio of local students to international students |
1:3 |
| Native English and German speaking teachers |
Yes |
| Language support for students not fluent in English and German |
Yes |
| Additional language classes offered by the school |
English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Chinese |
| Max. number of students per class |
15 |
| Average number of students per class |
10 |
| Does the school employ teaching assistants? |
Yes |
| Use of technology in the classroom |
All classrooms come equipped with a powerpoint presenter, computer, and beamer |
| Is the school ready to use virtual classrooms when needed? (e.g. teaching lessons online if the school is closed, e.g. during COVID-19 closures) |
Yes, we use the E-nstitut Montana Hybrid schooling run on Microsoft 365 and Teams |
| Do students practice religion at the school? What religion? |
It is dependent on the student themselves. |
| How does the school accommodate non-religious students or students of a different religion? |
We try to accommodate all different needs case by case. |
| External examinations or assessments available |
IB Diploma, Swiss Matura (based on the Canton Zug), High School Diploma, IB Certificates, IGCSE Certificate, CLSP Certificate, Swiss Elementary School certificate and Swiss Secondary school certificate |
| Results in these examinations |
Swiss Matura (Canton Zug): 100% pass (2023) The graduation class of 2023 at Institut Montana achieved very good IB Diploma results, which ensured that our students were able to start their academics studies at the university of their choice in Switzerland or worldwide. Our highest scoring candidates earned 41 out of 45 IB points. Our students receive an IB Diploma, scoring an average of 33 out of 45 points. |
| Do teachers assign homework to their students? |
Yes |
| Approximate hours of homework given |
Students have a daily, supervised study time of two hours. If needed, they can ask for extra supervised study time. |
| Percentage of students who pursue further education post-graduation |
99% |
| Dedicated staff/programs for students with special learning needs |
We are not a special needs school but we offer extra support after assessing the learning needs. |
| Learning support offered |
In-class support teachers, after-class care and tutoring as well as extra support where seen fit. |
| The school supports gifted, able and talented students |
We challenge our exceptional students with advanced class or grade placements, extracurricular programmes, the Student Council and flexibility within the rules and regulations. We also offer free of charge every afternoon a Subject Atelier for specific subjects development. |
| Student access to education psychologist |
Every student has a class advisor assigned to them in order to discuss academic and personal development, starting in grade 10. There is also a student support team which includes a psychologist that students can visit voluntarily. |
| Entry evaluation for students |
Yes |
| Brief description of entry evaluation required |
We need to see report cards from the previous two years so that we can best advise the school and programme and the support that may be required for the student. Perspective students need to complete a CAT4 Test for cognitive abilities and language assessment for English to enter our International School or a language assessment for German to enter our Swiss High School. |
| Waiting list |
Yes, classes are limited to 15 students and we apply nationality quotas to ensure our community remains international. |
| Deadline for registration (new academic year) |
We accept applications on a rolling-basis, however, we do have limited spaces available to ensure small class sizes. Thus, it is recommended to apply as soon as possible. |
| Students can join after academic year begins |
Yes but we recommend to start at the beginning of each semester |
| School start time |
8:15 am |
| School finish time |
3:10 pm |
| Supervised care before/after school |
Yes, with extra-curricular activities and supervised study time. |
| School bus service available |
Yes, but only in certain areas that are not covered by public transport. |
| School provided lunches |
Yes |
| Food alternatives for special dietary needs (ie. vegan, kosher, halal etc) |
Menus are varied and nutritious food prepared in our own kitchen. We cater for a wide range of dietary requirements: vegetarian, religious, allergies and intolerances. |
| Uniform required |
Only in the Bilingual Elementary School, until grade 6 and for excursions and physical outdoor programme. |
| Extracurricular activities or clubs offered |
Creative thinking and culture (School choir, Model United Nations- (organizing our own conference as well), Well-Being Focus. Engineering & Technology, Green Programmes, Sport & Physical Development. |
| Sports activities included |
Our campus offers all kinds of seasonal outdoor activities: mountain biking, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, sledging, football, tennis, fitness, basketball, hockey, ice-skating, beach volleyball, archery, yoga, etc. |
| Sports teams or sport competitions available for students |
Yes, we do and we participate in interschool competitions. |
| Sports facilities at the school |
Gym, ice rink, football pitch, beach volleyball, two outdoor basketball courts, futsal, two tennis courts and fitness rooms. |
| Grades/ages available for boarding |
10 years old and older |
| Boarding facilities at the school |
• Comfortable single or double rooms
|
| Qualities and characteristics best defining the school |
Individualism, internationalism, integration and innovation are our founding values that still guide us today. Respecting and nurturing the individuality of students, while guiding them to a life of responsibility and independence is our main goal. To do this, we always provided a familial atmosphere and a sense of community, maintaining a personalised and supportive relationship with each and every student. |
| Teaching approach of the school |
We believe every child harbors talent. Often hidden and undiscovered. We see beyond the surface to tap into their unique potential and envision the person they will eventually become. This is Montana, My Place to Grow. This is a metaphor to develop our students with a holistic and individualised programme for each and every student. We accomplish this with small class sizes, personal care and an international community. |
Our school is in the heart of Switzerland, located on the beautiful Zugerberg Mountain and only 15 minutes from the city of Zug. Our unique and enviable location allows us to be both idyllically secluded in nature and centrally located at the same time, with quick access to Zurich, its international airport, Lucerne and other major European cities.
The quiet, natural surroundings and fresh air foster a healthy lifestyle and provide a sanctuary and a source of inspiration for the students. It’s a perfect location to focus on learning and doing academic activities.
Our key strength is an individualised and personalised approach to learning. Through small class sizes (on average 8-10 students) and personal mentoring, we ensure our students reach their full potential, and become well-rounded and successful members of society. Our wireless connected study hall, media centre, classrooms, labs and crafts rooms provide our students the spaces they need to achieve success.
Our Swiss programmes, in accordance with the decentralised Swiss education system, are based on the framework provided by the Canton of Zug. We adapt them to the context of our school and offer an international approach that includes bi-lingual (English and German) tracks. Individual and personalized approach to learnings and personal mentoring are given to our small class sizes (average 8-10 students) to ensure students reach their full potential. The goal of our International School is the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, highly respected by the world’s leading universities.
Please explore our academic programmes below to learn more.
The students of our Bilingual Elementary School arrive with either German or English. With our bilingual education they grow to be confident in both.
The combination of Swiss Lehrplan21 with British curriculum encourages using technology across school subjects so the children become adept users of computers and proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and so forth.
Our Bilingual Secondary School serves as an exceptional educational setting, purposefully crafted to bridge the gap between elementary and high school education. This is a stage at which many young people want to try out different options among academic paths.
They might benefit from personalised support with their languages to reach their goal, whether that be the IB Diploma or the Swiss Matura.
The Bilingual Secondary School at Institut Montana follows the Swiss curriculum, Lehrplan21 to build competence and skill development, especially regarding learning strategies.
At our international school, you work towards the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma.
The early grades follow the Cambridge Lower Secondary (Pre-IGCSE) and the Cambridge IGCSE curriculum, which lay a strong foundation for an international education.
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) followed in grades 11 and 12 teaches you to become enquiring, knowledgeable and caring in an international world.
The Swiss Matura offers a well-rounded and comprehensive program, covering a broad curriculum that spans across the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.
The Swiss Matura enables you to continue to higher education at highly respected Swiss universities such as the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), University of St. Gallen (HSG) and Swiss Hospitality Management School in Lausanne (EHL).
It is also recognised by universities around the world and we offer a bilingual education track to open these opportunities to you.
Our students take advantage of our gym, football pitch, beach volleyball and tennis courts, ice rink, basketball court and fitness rooms. On top of our own facilities, our students also benefit from their natural surroundings and the large range of recreational opportunities living on a mountain offers: from cross-country skiing and ice hockey in the winter, to football and mountain biking in the summer and so much more.
Our school and boarding facilities were two former, grand hotels. Acquired in 1926 and 1937, they have undergone extensive renovation since. Our campus now holds four residential and school buildings, a gym and various areas for extracurricular activities. Each bedroom comes fully furnished with a bed, wardrobe, desk, chair, and small fridge. Laundry service is also available.