Hochalpines Institut Ftan AG (HIF)

What Hochalpines Institut Ftan AG (HIF) does

Hochalpines Institut Ftan AG (HIF) is a privately held Swiss international boarding school located in the village of Ftan in the Lower Engadine valley (canton of Graubünden) at approximately 1,700 meters elevation, founded in 1793. The school operates two primary academic pathways: the federally recognized bilingual Swiss Matura (Years 8-13) and the International Advanced Diploma built on iGCSE and A-Levels, both taught in German and English with optional Romansh, Italian, or French. Annual tuition ranges from CHF 44,100 (Swiss Matura) to CHF 54,300-62,300 (IAD), supplemented by 5-day or 7-day boarding (CHF 19,700-25,700), Sports Academy fees (CHF 6,000), administration fees (CHF 2,900-6,400), a one-time CHF 1,500 registration fee, and a CHF 10,000 refundable deposit.

Complementing the academic core, HIF operates an elite Sports Academy focused on alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboard freestyle, and biathlon that has produced 28 Winter Olympic appearances and 25+ Youth Olympic Games participations among alumni, including Olympic medalists Nevin Galmarini and Sandro Viletta. The portfolio is rounded out by the Ignite Switzerland gap-year program (5- or 12-week transformational outdoor experiences) and seasonal Summer Alpine Adventure and Winter Camps at CHF 5,285-5,785 per participant. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via a dedicated admissions team, supplemented by EiM network referrals, trial boarding stays, virtual consultations, and campus visits. Since 2021, HIF has been part of the Education in Motion (EiM) family of schools, which is integrated with Dulwich College International and serves over 11,000 students globally.

The technology stack is light: a website-based enquiry and admissions portal integrated with the EiM network, with no proprietary AI/ML, app, or API surface disclosed. Revenue is recurring annual tuition plus one-time registration and camp fees, with multi-year contracts creating switching friction. The school reports 33 employees, a 100% Swiss Matura pass rate over recent years (Class of 2026 averaging 5.39), and is governed by a board chaired by Jon Peer with leadership including CEO-equivalent Head of Campus André Niedermann and Director of Business Administration Christoph Käng.

Name

Hochalpines Institut Ftan AG (HIF)

Legal name

Hochalpines Institut Ftan AG

Website

https://hif.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1793

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hochalpines Institut Ftan AG (HIF) is a Swiss international boarding school in the Lower Engadine Alps offering bilingual Swiss Matura and International Advanced Diploma (iGCSE/A-Levels) programs alongside an elite Sports Academy for winter athletes, serving global families within the Education in Motion / Dulwich College International network since 2021.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ftan

HQ country

Switzerland

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Academic Tuition: Annual tuition fees for Swiss Matura and International Advanced Diploma programs, charged per academic year
2. Boarding Fees: Weekly boarding accommodation and meal fees - 5-day boarding at CHF 19,700 annually or 7-day boarding at CHF 25,700 annually
3. Sports Academy Fees: Annual fee of CHF 6,000 for competitive athlete program, with reduced rate of CHF 2,000 for local regional athletes. Additional guided athletic training available for CHF 2,700 annually
4. Summer Camp: 14-day Summer Alpine Adventure Camp at CHF 5,285 per participant
5. Winter Camp: Winter sports camp including accommodation, meals, equipment rental, and activities at CHF 5,785 per participant
6. Registration and Administration: One-time registration fee of CHF 1,500 plus annual administration fees of CHF 2,900 (students under 18) or CHF 6,400 (students over 18)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hochalpines Institut Ftan (HIF) is a private international boarding school in the Swiss Alps that sells bilingual secondary education programmes — primarily the Swiss Matura (Years 8–13) and the International Advanced Diploma (iGCSE and A-Levels) — together with weekly boarding (5- or 7-day), an elite HIF Sports Academy in alpine and cross-country skiing and snowboard freestyle, seasonal Summer and Winter Camps, and a short-term Ignite Switzerland gap programme. Offerings are priced annually in CHF, bundled modularly across academic tuition, boarding, administration and sports components.

Product overview

Hochalpines Institut Ftan (HIF) is an international boarding school offering a portfolio of educational programmes centred on two primary academic pathways: the bilingual Swiss Matura (Years 8-13, ages 12-18) and the International Advanced Diploma comprising iGCSE and A-Levels. The portfolio includes short-term transformational programmes (Ignite Switzerland, 5 or 12 weeks), seasonal camps (Summer Alpine Adventure and Winter Camp), and an elite Sports Academy for competitive athletes in skiing and snowboarding. Boarding accommodation (5-day or 7-day weekly options) is available as an add-on to all academic programmes. Additional services include ski training (up to 4 sessions per week) and guided athletic training. All offerings leverage the school's alpine location in the Engadin Valley for outdoor experiential learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ignite Switzerland: A transformational gap experience programme combining outdoor adventure, academic exploration and personal growth for students ages 12-15
• Sports Academy
• HIF Summer Alpine Adventure Camp
• HIF Winter Camp

Products and services

• Swiss Matura Bilingual Swiss Matura programme (German with English or Romansh) for students aged 12–18 across Years 8–13, providing direct access to Swiss universities and international recognition.
• iGCSE & A-Levels / International Advanced Diploma International pathway based on the British curriculum, leading to iGCSE qualifications (Years 9–11) and A-Levels (Years 12–13), supplemented with Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), Melbourne Metrics and Leadership Development for students aged 14–18.
• Ignite Switzerland Short-term transformational gap-experience programme for students aged approximately 12–15 combining outdoor adventure, academic exploration and personal growth.
• HIF Sports Academy Year-round elite athletic training programme for competitive student athletes in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and snowboard freestyle, integrating sport training with academic studies via a dual-career pathway, supported by the Ski Sports Support Association Regiun Parc Naziunal.
• HIF Summer Alpine Adventure Camp Two-week residential summer camp for ages 10–16 featuring alpine activities such as bouldering, rafting, hiking and Via Ferrata, plus language learning in English, German and Mandarin.
• HIF Winter Camp 11-night winter sports camp for ages 10–17 with alpine skiing, snowboarding and cross-country skiing instruction, full board in double rooms, equipment rental and supervised activities.
• Boarding Residential boarding programme offered as 5-day or 7-day weekly boarding, addable to all HIF academic programmes, with Alpine-view rooms, full meal provision and 24/7 on-site staff.
• Matura Preparation Course Standalone exam-preparation course helping students prepare for Swiss Matura examinations through targeted exam practice, regular feedback and individual support.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% Swiss Matura pass rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Education in Motion (EiM)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021HIF became part of the Dulwich College International and EiM family of schools in 2021. EiM is a growing family of private schools nurturing more than 11,000 students around the world. Shared vision of pioneering education for a sustainable future.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• United World Colleges (UWC): Global network of international boarding schools (e.g., UWC Dilijan, UWCSEA) with a strong mission-driven, experiential, and outdoor-education focus. Comparable in mission and international-student composition, though primarily IB-only and typically larger in scale.
• Dulwich College International (EiM network): HIF's parent network, operating Dulwich College schools across Asia and London. Functions as both a feeder pipeline and broader portfolio incumbent in the international schools category, with HIF serving as the alpine/sports-specialist campus within the group.

Direct peers

• Institut Le Rosey: Often called the 'School of Kings,' Le Rosey is the most prestigious Swiss international boarding school with campuses in Rolle and Gstaad. Competes directly with HIF for ultra-affluent international families willing to pay premium boarding tuition.
• Collège du Léman: International boarding/day school near Geneva, part of the Nord Anglia Education group. Offers IB, British, French, and American tracks, making it a comparable multilingual premium school, though at significantly larger scale than HIF.
• Brillantmont International School: Family-run international boarding school in Lausanne, Switzerland. Comparable enrollment scale (a few hundred students) and premium boarding tuition, with British curriculum options including IGCSE and A-Levels — directly overlapping HIF's IAD pathway.
• Beau Soleil: Swiss international boarding school in Villars-sur-Ollon with a strong outdoor and expedition program and similar enrollment scale to HIF. Directly competes for the same alpine-boarding, international-student segment.
• Leysin American School (LAS): International boarding school in the Vaud Alps (Leysin) with a US-style curriculum and similar premium boarding tuition. Comparable size, location in the Swiss Alps, and target market of international, often American, families.
• Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz: Co-educational Swiss international boarding school located in Zuoz in the same Engadin valley as HIF. Offers bilingual programs (German/English) and similar Matura/IB pathways, making it the closest geographic and curriculum peer.
• Aiglon College: Swiss international boarding school in the Vaud Alps with a comparable enrollment size and outdoor/expedition-based curriculum. Targets a similar international, affluent family segment with both British and IB pathways.
• TASIS The American School in Switzerland: International boarding school in Lugano, Switzerland with multilingual programs (English, French, Italian, German) and American/IB curricula. Comparable size, premium pricing, and international family target market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC2qafAcJJ9RkyQZMkWJs06Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/HochalpinesInstitutFtan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/hochalpinesinstitutftan
• Instagraminstagram.com/hochalpinesinstitutftan/?__locale=de

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Hochalpines Institut Ftan AG (HIF)