Zurich International School

What Zurich International School does

Zurich International School (ZIS) is a non-profit foundation established in 1963 that operates a comprehensive day school for students ages 3 to 18 in the Greater Zurich area of Switzerland. The school serves approximately 1,300 students from 55+ nationalities, drawn primarily from international families, Swiss/local families seeking bilingual education, corporate expatriate families, and alumni legacy families. It is governed by a Board of Trustees with three standing committees (Governance, Finance, Advancement) and reinvests all operating surpluses into its educational mission.

Academically, ZIS delivers two parallel pathways: an English-medium International Pathway and a Bilingual Pathway combining Swiss Lehrplan 21 with international pedagogy. The curriculum spans Early Childhood (ages 3-6), Lower School (ages 3-11), Middle School (ages 11-14), and Upper School (ages 14-18), with the Upper School offering both the IB Diploma Programme and Advanced Placement courses alongside ZIS-developed courses. Student outcomes include a 98% university placement rate, a 35-point average IB Diploma score with 98% pass rate, and 40% of students earning a bilingual IB Diploma. The school holds NEASC accreditation, IB World School authorization, and College Board AP authorization, and is a member of AMIS and ECIS.

The business model is tuition-driven with ancillary services. Annual tuition ranges from CHF 16,900 (Preschool mornings) to CHF 39,700 (Grades 11-12), with bespoke learning support programs reaching CHF 78,600; a one-time CHF 5,000 infrastructure contribution applies from Kindergarten onwards. Additional recurring revenue comes from transportation (door-to-door bus service and shuttles via Auto AG Rothenburg), hot lunch catering (Novae Restauration), before- and after-school care (CHF 20/hour), and the lunch program. The school operates two purpose-built campuses: the Wädenswil Primary/Lower School campus and the Adliswil Secondary campus (new facility opened August 2022). Distribution relies on a direct enrollment team, online application portal (OpenApply), open house events, virtual tours, parent ambassador referrals, and corporate partnership agreements that grant priority admission to children of relocating employees.

Name

Zurich International School

Legal name

Zurich International School

Website

https://zis.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Zurich International School is a non-profit day school founded in 1963 in Greater Zurich, serving approximately 1,300 students ages 3-18 from 55+ nationalities across two campuses, offering International and Bilingual pathways culminating in IB and AP credentials.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 International and Bilingual Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Secondary School Exchange Programs (Academic Year/Semester) (EDAIAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Overseas Summer School Programs (Secondary) (EDAIAHAC), Short-Term Secondary Immersion & Cultural Exchange Trips (EDAIAHAD)

Keywords

• International education
• Bilingual school programs
• Primary secondary education
• Ib diploma program
• Advanced placement courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Wädenswil

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Primary revenue stream from annual tuition fees charged by grade level. Fees range from CHF 16,900 (Preschool mornings) to CHF 39,700 (Upper School Grades 11-12). Tuition includes co-curricular program, trips, German language tuition, technology equipment, support services, and EAL support.
2. Application and Infrastructure Fees: One-time application fee of CHF 500 per child and one-time infrastructure contribution of CHF 5,000 from Kindergarten onwards.
3. Ancillary Services: Additional revenue from bus services, hot lunch program, after-school care (CHF 20/hour), and before-school care. Exam fees for AP and IB examinations are not included in annual tuition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Zurich International School is a non-profit day school delivering a comprehensive international and bilingual education program for students aged 3-18, from Early Childhood through Grade 12, across two campuses in Wädenswil and Adliswil in the Greater Zurich area. The school's core offerings include the Bilingual Pathway (English/German) and the International Pathway, with the Upper School providing dual International Baccalaureate Diploma and Advanced Placement pathways supported by university counseling and an internship program. Ancillary paid services include transportation, hot lunch, before/after school care, vacation programs, and German language courses for parents.

Product overview

Zurich International School is a not-for-profit international and bilingual educational institution offering a comprehensive EC-12 learning journey across two campuses. The school provides three main programs: the International Pathway (English instruction) and Bilingual Pathway (English/German instruction), serving approximately 1,300 students from over 55 nationalities. Academic programs include Early Childhood (ages 3-6), Lower School (ages 3-11), Middle School (ages 11-14), and Upper School (ages 14-18). The Upper School offers IB Diploma Programme and Advanced Placement courses alongside ZIS-developed courses. Additional services include co-curricular activities (40+ in Lower School, 60+ in Upper School), transportation, before/after school care, lunch programs, vacation programs, German courses for parents, university counseling, and an internship program. The school operates from two campuses: Primary Campus in Wädenswil (Early Childhood and Lower School) and Secondary Campus in Adliswil (Middle and Upper School).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ZIS Bilingual Pathway: A transitional immersive bilingual program (English/German) for students aged 3-12, expanding to Grade 9, combining Swiss curriculum (Lehrplan 21) with international pedagogy.

Products and services

• Early Childhood Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% of ZIS graduates go on to attend university
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Novae RestaurationcoreOthersCatering partner at ZIS providing hot lunch program at both campuses. Novae teams prepare healthy, balanced meals using fresh, seasonal ingredients from local suppliers. Menus designed by on-site chefs with nutrition expert collaboration.
• HitchHikeminorOthersCarpooling partner platform enabling ZIS parents to share school commute journeys. Designed to reduce carbon footprint and traffic congestion around campuses.
• Auto AG RothenburgcoreOthersBus service provider for ZIS Lower School door-to-door transportation service in Greater Zurich and Zug areas. Operates sustainable electric vehicles with app-based schedule management.
• International Baccalaureate (IB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIB World School authorized to offer the IB Diploma Programme. ZIS students achieve above world average scores with 98% pass rate and 40% earning bilingual diplomas.
• College Board (AP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZIS is an authorized AP testing center. 562 AP exams were sat, with 17% achieving the highest score of 5.0 and scores above world averages across all subject areas.
• Pies Descalzos Foundation (Shakira's Barefoot Foundation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with Shakira's foundation through the ZIS Barefoot Service Club. Club raised CHF 8,000 over several years supporting education projects in Colombia administered by the foundation.
• Villars InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted Knowledge Society presentation on emerging technologies at the Villars Institute. ZIS student Jovana Urosevic was selected to attend and learned about brain-computer interfaces.
• European Space Operations Centre (ESOC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZIS student Jovana Urosevic participated in a program at ESOC in Frankfurt, working with lead engineers on planetary defence programs and creating an interplanetary probe.
• Universitätsspital BaselminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZIS student Jovana Urosevic completed internship at neurosurgery department as part of the ZIS Internship Program, gaining hands-on medical experience.
• Educational Collaborative for International Schools (ECIS)minorOthersInternational schools network through which ZIS student Isabella Sanchez received the Award for International Understanding for her work promoting international understanding.
• Global Issues NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZIS Barefoot Service Club participates in annual European conference supporting sustainable youth-led empowerment on challenges including climate change, poverty and illiteracy.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Brillantmont International School: Private boarding and day school in Lausanne founded 1882, offering IGCSE, A-Levels, and High School Diploma programs. Regional Swiss international peer serving similar expat and globally-mobile family segments at premium price points.
• Aiglon College: British-curriculum international boarding school in Vaud, Switzerland, with IB Diploma and IGCSE pathways. Comparable in premium positioning and IB outcomes, but operates a boarding model that competes for families considering Swiss international secondary education.
• Beau Soleil: Premium Swiss boarding school in Villars offering IB Diploma and High School Diploma programs. Competes for international families willing to pay premium tuition for elite Swiss-based secondary education with strong university placement.
• Leysin American School (LAS): American-style boarding and day school in Leysin, Switzerland offering AP and SAT preparation. Comparable in premium Swiss international positioning, though boarding-based; competes for expatriate families seeking US-style credentials.
• International School of Basel: Non-profit international day school in Basel serving students aged 3-19 with IB, AP, and BTEC programs. Regional Swiss peer with similar curriculum mix and corporate expat pipeline from Basel's pharmaceutical and financial sectors.
• Institut Le Rosenberg: Private Swiss boarding school in St. Gallen offering bilingual education with IB and AP pathways. Regional peer serving international families, with comparable bilingual positioning and Swiss-based premium pricing.

Direct peers

• TASIS The American School in Switzerland: Founded 1956 in Lugano/Montagnola, TASIS is one of Switzerland's oldest American international schools offering K-12 programs with AP and IB pathways. Direct competitor for international families choosing between Swiss-based day and boarding schools, with overlapping IB/AP curricula and similar premium tuition positioning.
• International School of Schaffhausen (ISSH): Non-profit international day school in northern Switzerland serving students from diverse nationalities with IB programs. Regional peer competing for international families in the broader Zurich economic catchment.
• International School of Zug and Luzern (ISZL): Non-profit international day school serving the Zug and Lucerne regions with IB and AP programs for students aged 3-18. Closest geographic competitor to ZIS in the Greater Zurich catchment area, competing for the same expatriate and bilingual family segments.

Broad incumbents

• International School of Geneva (Ecolint): One of the world's oldest and largest international schools, founded 1924, operating multiple campuses in the Geneva area with IB, AP, and French baccalaureate pathways. A benchmark international institution in Switzerland with similar non-profit foundation governance and broad curriculum.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ZurichIntS
• Facebookfacebook.com/zurichintschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/zurich-international-school/mycompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/zurichinternationalschool
• Xx.com/ZISnews

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Zurich International School