St. Gilgen International School

What St. Gilgen International School does

St. Gilgen International School (StGIS) is a private, co-educational international boarding and day school located in the lakeside town of St. Gilgen, Austria, on the shores of Wolfgangsee in the Salzkammergut region, approximately 35 minutes from Salzburg Airport. Founded in 2008 by Austrian architect Alexander Serda and acquired by the global schools group Cognita in March 2026 as its Austrian flagship, the school serves approximately 225 students across grades 4–12 drawn from roughly 35 nationalities, with a roughly 60% day and 40% boarding mix. It delivers the authorised International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (grades 6–10) and Diploma Programme (grades 11–12), supported by a 5:1 student-to-staff ratio, class sizes of 12–15, and a Mentor Tutor pastoral system; reported academic outcomes include a 2024 average IBDP score of 31.6 and placements at universities including Harvard, Oxford, Bocconi, and LSE.

The school's revenue model is anchored on annual tuition ranging from €32,800 to €50,300 for day students and €67,500 to €75,800 for boarding students, with supplementary income from a €290 application fee, a €2,700 one-time enrolment fee, refundable deposits of €6,000–€12,000, the Mozarteum Pre-College semester fee, DARE Adventure Race team entries (€350 per team of four), summer camps, and a scholarship donation fund. Approximately 30% of students receive scholarships. Go-to-market is event-driven and sales-led: Open Days, campus tours, trial days, a global education agent network, an alumni/parent ambassador programme, and the OpenApply online admissions platform are the primary acquisition channels, supplemented by the visibility of the 90-school Cognita network.

The school's competitive positioning is built on a small, premium, bundled offering: a triple-stack of IB, CIS, and WASC accreditations; specialised partnerships with the University of Mozarteum (music), EWOT Academy (equestrian), Golfclub Mondsee (golf), Rudolfinerhaus Private Hospital (medical), and Austrian Water Rescue (water safety); a comprehensive outdoor education programme; and 24/7 boarding pastoral care in three converted village hotels. Technology is a thin layer — a 1:1 laptop policy, standard Google web analytics, and a virtual tour — with no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, patents, or proprietary platforms. Operational scale is intentionally constrained: ~50 teaching and support staff and three boarding houses limit capacity but protect the personal-attention brand.

Name

St. Gilgen International School

Legal name

St. Gilgen International School GmbH

Website

https://stgis.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

St. Gilgen International School is a private Austrian IB World School (MYP and DP, grades 4–12) in St. Gilgen serving ~225 day and boarding students from ~35 nationalities, with a 5:1 student-to-staff ratio, premium tuition of €32,800–€75,800, and specialty programmes in music, golf, and equestrian. The school is the Austrian flagship of the global Cognita network following its 2026 acquisition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International K-12 Education (IB Day and Boarding School)

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Overseas Summer School Programs (Secondary) (EDAIAHAC), Subject-Specific Short Courses & Academies (e.g., STEM, Business, Arts) (EDAIAIAC)

Keywords

• International baccalaureate education
• Boarding school programmes
• Secondary education services
• Outdoor education programmes
• University preparation curricula

Headquarters

HQ city

Sankt Gilgen

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tuition - Boarding Students: Annual tuition fees for boarding students covering academic tuition, curriculum-based activities, accommodation, and all meals. Fees vary by grade level from €67,500 to €75,800 per year.
2. Tuition - Day Students: Annual tuition fees for day students covering academic tuition, curriculum-based activities, and school lunch. Fees vary by grade level from €32,800 to €50,300 per year.
3. Enrollment and Registration Fees: One-time application fee of €290 and enrollment fee of €2,700 charged during the admission process.
4. Mozarteum Pre-College Program Fees: Semester fees of €700 charged by the University of Mozarteum for students participating in the music Pre-College program.
5. DARE Adventure Race Registration: €350 per team of 4 students for participation in the annual adventure race event.
6. Scholarship Fund Donations: The school accepts donations to its scholarship fund supporting exceptional students with financial need.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

St. Gilgen International School is a private co-educational boarding and day school offering the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme and IB Diploma Programme to students in grades 4-12, with both boarding and day enrollment options. The school supplements its core IB curriculum with specialized pathways in music (Mozarteum Pre-College), professional golf, equestrian sports, and outdoor education, delivered from a single campus in St. Gilgen, Austria.

Product overview

St. Gilgen International School is an IB World School offering a unified educational programme combining the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (grades 6-10) and Diploma Programme (grades 11-12), along with a recognized StGIS Diploma. The school provides both day and boarding options for students in grades 4-12. Supplementary specialized programmes include the Mozarteum Music Programme, Professional Golf Programme, Equestrian Programme, and Summer Camps, all delivered alongside comprehensive outdoor education, activities, and boarding facilities in the Austrian Alps.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme for students in grades 6-10, providing a flexible five-year framework focused on conceptual learning, global contexts, and interdisciplinary understanding, culminating in a Personal Project. Designed for secondary school students at StGIS.
• IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) Rigorous two-year pre-university curriculum for grades 11-12 offering six subject groups, Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge, and CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) components, leading to a full IB Diploma or individual course certificates. Designed for students preparing for top universities worldwide.
• StGIS Diploma
• Summer Camps
• Mozarteum Pre-College Music Programme
• Professional Golf Programme
• Equestrian Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• Average IBDP score of 31.6 points (2024)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• CognitaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Cognita, a global schools group with 90 schools in 21 countries, acquired St. Gilgen International School marking its first school in Austria. This partnership provides access to global expertise, educational support, safeguarding excellence, infrastructure investment, and innovative resources. The acquisition positions StGIS as Cognita's Austrian flagship school within its international network serving over 100,000 students.
• Rudolfinerhaus Private HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStGIS partners with Rudolfinerhaus, a leading private hospital in Vienna, to provide exclusive medical services for students including on-site doctor appointments without prior registration, fast access to specialists, multilingual appointments, interpreter services, and no advance payment required. Parents organize transport between St. Gilgen and Vienna.
• EWOT AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStGIS partners with EWOT Academy as its primary riding program provider. The partnership offers riding lessons up to three times per week, weekend units, private lessons, and horse accommodation services. EWOT handles horse stabling and provides weekly lessons from retired professional show jumpers. Students can earn riding badges and participate in competitions.
• University of Mozarteum SalzburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Mozarteum Pre-College Program at StGIS ranges from grades 5-12, combining the prestigious Pre-College curriculum with StGIS international secondary education. The program offers weekly 90-minute lessons with Mozarteum professors, chamber music, music theory, and mandatory piano lessons. Students perform publicly throughout the year and require German language proficiency (A1 for ages 12-14, A2 from age 15).
• Golfclub MondseeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStGIS partners with Golfclub Mondsee for its professional golf program. Students train four times per week after school during summer season at the nearby facility. Winter training takes place at a nearby driving range with simulation and assessment facilities.
• Gestüt FrechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Gestüt Frech stable enables students to improve in dressage and show jumping with quality horses. Students can rent or purchase horses and receive tailored training plans.
• Austrian Water Rescue (Österreichische Wasserrettung)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStGIS students receive swimming tests upon arrival and enjoy water sports under supervision of certified lifeguards and the Austrian Water Rescue organization, supported by the school's fully equipped boat house.
• Green Minds Sustainability NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStGIS collaborates with local schools, communities, and the broader 'Green Minds' sustainability network to enable participatory, hands-on environmental education and climate action initiatives.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Swiss International School (SIS): Network of bilingual (German/English/French) international day schools across Switzerland with IB programmes. Competes for international families in the region, although predominantly day rather than boarding.
• TASIS The American School in Switzerland: Premium co-educational day and boarding school in Lugano, Switzerland, offering American curriculum and IB programmes to an international student body. Closest direct competitor in European Alps premium international boarding segment.
• Institut Le Rosey: Switzerland's most prestigious boarding school with campuses in Rolle and Gstaad. Sets the upper bound of premium international boarding pricing and competes for the same HNW global family segment.
• Aiglon College: British-curriculum international boarding school in the Swiss Alps offering IGCSE and IB Diploma. Competes directly for international boarding families seeking premium Alpine education with strong outdoor/expedition programmes.
• Leysin American School: Co-educational international boarding school in the Swiss Alps offering American high school diploma and IB. Direct competitor in Alpine premium boarding segment with similar sports/outdoor orientation.
• UWC Atlantic College: Wales-based United World College offering the IB Diploma to a highly international student body (~150+ nationalities). Comparable mission-driven premium boarding model with strong university outcomes and global reputation.
• Brillantmont International School: Small co-educational boarding and day school in Lausanne, Switzerland offering IGCSE, IB and High School Diploma. Comparable in scale (~150-200 students), premium positioning, and international family focus.
• Institut auf dem Rosenberg: Premium international boarding school in St. Gallen, Switzerland offering IB, IGCSE, and US High School Diploma. Direct competitor in the Alpine-region premium boarding market with strong university placement record.
• Schule Schloss Salem: German boarding school on multiple campuses (Salem, Louisenlund, St. Leon-Rot) offering IB and Abitur. Closest premium boarding peer within Germany/Austria region with similar pastoral care and outdoor ethos.

Regional players

• St. Mary's International School: Large IB World School in Tokyo, Japan, serving international families across a similar premium international boarding profile. Comparable curriculum depth (MYP + DP) and global family targeting, though operating in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/stgilgenis

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about St. Gilgen International School