Lern-Forum

What Lern-Forum does

Lern-Forum (legal entity: Lern- und Sprachsysteme Mühlebach AG) is a Swiss private exam preparation institute founded in 1991 and headquartered in Wohlen, Canton Aargau, with additional course locations in Zürich (Stadelhoferplatz and Stadelhofen) and Winterthur. The company specializes in preparing students for competitive Swiss secondary school entrance examinations, with a core focus on the Gymnasium entrance exam (Gymivorbereitung) for both Langgymnasium and Kurzgymnasium tracks, and an expanded portfolio covering BMS, FMS, IMS, Multicheck, Matura repetition, DaZ (German as a Second Language), and typing courses. Course delivery spans small-group in-person sessions (3-8 participants), private 1:1 instruction, holiday intensive courses, and an e-learning platform with online essay correction and downloadable learning materials.

The underlying technology is a conventional educational content and services platform: proprietary course folders with theory and exercises updated annually, self-produced mathematics explanation videos hosted on Vimeo, an online essay submission tool with professional human correction, and a Prüfungssimulation (mock exam) system replicating central ZAP exam conditions. No AI/ML or adaptive-learning capabilities are disclosed. The business model is direct-to-consumer: parents and students register online through lern-forum.ch, with course fees ranging from 680 CHF (Aargau holiday intensives) to 3,360 CHF (premium BMS/FMS packages), plus ancillary unit pricing for essay corrections (84-305 CHF) and mock exams (280-295 CHF). The company claims a 90%+ success rate at public secondary school entrance exams and thousands of successful Gymi-Übertritte over its operating history. No funding events, headcount figures, or financial disclosures are available; the company is privately held with a single named administrative manager (Susanna Roshardt) and is operationally active in the German-speaking Swiss cantons of Zürich and Aargau.

Name

Lern-Forum

Legal name

Lern- und Sprachsysteme Mühlebach AG

Website

https://lern-forum.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lern-Forum is a Swiss private exam preparation institute, founded 1991, that delivers in-person and online courses for Gymnasium, BMS, FMS, and IMS entrance exams to primary and secondary school students in the cantons of Zürich and Aargau.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Test Preparation Services

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Test Prep Tutoring Platforms (SAT/ACT/GRE/GMAT, etc.) (EDANAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Integrated Tutoring + Learning Content Platforms (Curriculum + Tutors) (EDANAGAL), Asynchronous Tutoring (Q&A, Essay Review, Homework Help) Platforms (EDANAGAC)

Keywords

• Exam preparation courses
• Secondary education tutoring
• Entrance exam preparation
• Academic tutoring services
• Test preparation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Wohlen

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Course Fees: Primary revenue from tutoring and exam preparation courses. Courses are priced as one-time fees per course or session, with various price points based on course type, duration, and level (e.g., Gymivorbereitung Langgymnasium 1,880-2,980 CHF, holiday courses 780-1,880 CHF).
2. Online Services: Revenue from online essay correction services (84 CHF per essay or 4 for 305 CHF subscription), online course access, and downloadable learning materials.
3. Exam Simulation Fees: Fees for mock exams: 280 CHF for internal students, 295 CHF for external students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lern-Forum operates a Swiss exam preparation institute offering tutoring courses and structured study programs for entrance examinations to Gymnasium (Langgymnasium and Kurzgymnasium), BMS, FMS, and IMS. Courses are delivered in-person at locations in Zurich and Wohlen (Aargau), through hybrid/online platforms, and via private 1:1 instruction, with supplementary services including essay correction, mock exams, and probation period support.

Product overview

Lern-Forum is an educational tutoring institute offering a comprehensive portfolio of exam preparation and academic support services. The core offerings include Gymnasium (Gymivorbereitung) preparation courses for both Langgymnasium and Kurzgymnasium entrance exams, with delivery modes spanning in-person courses at three locations (Zürich Stadelhoferplatz, Zürich Stadelhofen, and Wohlen), online learning platforms, holiday intensive courses, and private 1:1 instruction. Supporting products include BMS/FMS/IMS preparation for vocational and technical secondary schools, Matura examination preparation, Probezeitbegleitung (probation period support) in core subjects (Mathematics, German, French, English, Latin), Ergänzungskurse (supplementary courses), Aufsatztraining (essay training) with professional correction services, Multicheck-Vorbereitung for vocational aptitude testing, Tastaturschreiben (typing courses) with KV-recognized certificates, DaZ (German as a Second Language) courses, and dedicated Canton Aargau preparation courses including Check P5, Bezirksschule, and Kantonsschule transitions. The company operates physical course locations in Zürich and Wohlen, supplemented by an e-learning platform providing online courses, essay correction services, and purchasable learning materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gymnasium Preparation Course (Gymivorbereitung) Structured courses (in-person and online) that prepare students in the Zurich and Aargau regions for the entrance examination to Gymnasium (Langgymnasium and Kurzgymnasium), with curriculum alignment to the local Lehrplan, small groups, and mock exam simulations. Targeted at school-age students in their final years of Primarschule and their parents.
• BMS Preparation Course
• FMS Preparation Course Targeted preparation course for the Fachmittelschule (FMS) entrance exam, structured around the FMS Aufnahmeprüfung content and format. Delivered to Sekundarschule students and their parents.
• IMS Preparation Course Targeted preparation course for the Informatikmittelschule (IMS) entrance exam, with subject preparation reflecting the unique IMS curriculum. Delivered to Sekundarschule students and their parents.
• Hybrid / Online Live Courses (Blended Learning) Remote and hybrid versions of Lern-Forum's preparation courses, combining the company's proprietary e-learning platform with live online teaching. Allows students outside Zurich and Aargau, or those preferring remote study, to access the institute's curriculum and live instruction.
• Private 1:1 Lessons (Privatunterricht) Individualized one-on-one tutoring provided by Lern-Forum teachers, used for targeted subject support, intensive preparation, and Probezeitbetreuung. Sold per lesson or as a small package, and often used when students need more personalized attention than group courses allow.
• Mock Exam Simulations (Probeprüfungen) Simulated entrance examinations administered under conditions matching the real ZAP and other entrance tests, enabling students to practice time management, exam format, and pressure. Offered to students preparing for Gymnasium, BMS, FMS, and IMS entrance exams.
• Essay Correction Service (Korrektorat) Professional correction of student essays (e.g., for the Aufsatz in the ZAP or related exam writing components) with timed turnaround, used as a stand-alone service and as a supplement to group courses for students who need additional written-language feedback.
• Probezeitbetreuung (Gymnasium Probation Support) Short-cycle, often individualized support for Gymnasium students during the probationary period, focused on closing subject gaps (most commonly Mathematik) to prevent failure and removal. Sold directly to parents of Gymnasium students.
• Multicheck Online Preparation (Free and Premium) Self-paced online preparation for the Multicheck (and similar aptitude tests) used by Swiss employers in apprenticeship / Berufslehre application processes. Offered as a free introductory version and a paid Premium subscription with additional content and features. Targeted at students applying for apprenticeships.
• Premium Online Subscription (Lern-Forum Online Premium) Recurring online subscription that unlocks the full Premium library of in-depth video courses (e.g., Mathematik Erklärvideos) and extended practice content on the company's e-learning platform, complementing free and course-attached materials.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90% success rate for entrance exams to public secondary schools

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Studienkreis: German tutoring franchise providing one-on-one and small-group lessons across subjects including exam preparation; overlaps with Lern-Forum's small-group (3-8) format and K-12 entrance exam focus.
• Superprof: Global tutoring marketplace operating in Switzerland that connects students to private tutors across academic subjects; competes with Lern-Forum's 1:1 Einzelunterricht and Online offerings on price-flexibility and tutor breadth.
• Schülerhilfe: Germany's largest tutoring chain offering in-person and online after-school tutoring and exam preparation; comparable to Lern-Forum in its structured, branded, multi-location test-prep model for K-12 entrance and end-of-year assessments.
• Stark Verlag: Leading German-language publisher of exam-preparation materials for German Gymnasium/Abitur and other entrance tests; relevant as a content-and-prep competitor even though distribution is primarily print rather than live classes like Lern-Forum.

Emerging players

• simpleclub: German-language digital learning platform offering short-form explanatory videos for school subjects and exam prep; emerging low-cost alternative to Lern-Forum's paid mathematics explanation videos and online courses.
• StudySmarter: Germany-founded digital learning platform with study guides, flashcards, and exam-prep content growing into the Swiss market; an emerging alternative to Lern-Forum's prep materials and online self-study offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Klett Verlag: Major German educational publisher with textbooks, learning software, and test-prep materials; broader incumbent with overlapping curriculum and assessment content but not specialized like Lern-Forum's pure-play Gymivorbereitung.
• Cornelsen Verlag: Large German educational publisher producing textbooks, digital learning platforms, and assessment tools; an incumbent adjacent to Lern-Forum's exam-prep niche through curriculum content and EdTech platforms.

Others

• Helbling Verlag: Swiss educational publisher supplying school textbooks, digital learning materials, and assessment resources for the Swiss school system; ecosystem adjacency to Lern-Forum rather than direct competition.

Regional players

• Lern-Atelier Zürich: Zurich-based tutoring studio offering courses and private lessons for school-age students; comparable as a local, in-person Swiss test-prep operator but smaller in scale and brand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/lernforum1
• Facebookfacebook.com/lernforum.ch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lernforum-wohlen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Lern-Forum