Parents and potential students alike often wonder what the day-to-day life of an international boarding school student is like. Even if you or your parents attended an international school, time can change the daily routines and schedules of a school to reflect the needs of today’s students. Many boarding schools of 50 years ago, would be unrecognisable today, as they have evolved.  The best international schools are becoming more diverse every year and places like Brillantmont International Schooloffer incredible cultural and language exposure and learning opportunities. Allow us to share with you some of these international school highlights.

Even before students step onto our international school campus, they are assigned to a house and have contact with their House Leader, so that on their first day, they already have a friend. Great care is taken to make sure the transition into boarding school life is made as smooth as possible.

Older and more experienced students help  mentor the younger ones, by living alongside them, by tutoring them in certain subjects, by sharing in the House fun with them and by getting them connected to the many activities and clubs at the  school. Brillantmont is in a particularly good position to offer this kind of personalised welcome because of the small size and family atmospherel.

All boarding school staff live on the campus, on the same floors as the  students and houseparents ensure that everyone gets off to a good start each morning in their new home. At Brillantmont, a fresh and healthy breakfast is prepared for all boarders with a wide variety of options. Students can connect with friends from other boarding houses as they enjoy our beautiful dining hall.

As breakfast wraps up, students head to classes. Subjects include English, five levels of French, Mathematics, Geography, Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Physics, History, Art & Design, Music and Sports. The class size is kept small (average of 9 students) to ensure that each student is properly attended to in his or her academic advancements.

Highschool Diplomas

International Schools in Switzerland offer testing in A levels, IGCSE, SAT, Matura, IB and European language exams.  Healthcare facilities at the school, including a trained school nurse and nursing assistant, give parents reassurance that the health needs of their children are monitored as well. The local Lausanne hospital is just moments from the school campus and easily accessible at all times of day. 

In the afternoons, once academic classes have wrapped up, students can choose from a wide variety of extra-curricular activities. These range from sports to creative arts and service. Brillantmont boasts a diverse sports programme in their on-campus facility, the Françoise Frei-Huguenin Sports and Cultural Centre. Students can play basketball, volleyball, tennis, yoga, pilates, zumba, dance, football, cross-country and other sports.

Some of the creative activities offered often include cooking, drawing, photography, drama, vocal group, band, and individual music training. Every year students at Brillantmont participate in Model United Nations conferences, Habitat for Humanity service projects and trips, and TEDx talks.

Finally, evenings and weekends at Swiss international schools are filled with relaxation, study, and excursions, where students get to know the French speaking Romandie region were our international school sits, as well as other parts of Switzerland. Trips are supervised by staff and carefully planned ahead of time to secure and fun locations.

Student produced video of life at a swiss boarding school

We hope this has given you an opening glimpse into the lives of boarding students across Switzerland international schools. Each school has a slightly different take on this, but safety, security, academic learning, and fun always play into the equation somewhere.

Find out more about Brillantmont and Boarding Schools in Switzerland

Want to find out more about the Brillantmont International School boarding programme? Please contact us directly.

Further Reading

The day in the life of a boarding school student 

8 reasons to choose a Swiss boarding school

7 tips on having a balanced life in boarding school