Institut auf dem Rosenberg, Switzerland

The Institut auf dem Rosenberg is one of the world’s leading international boarding schools for students aged 6-19. The school is located in St. Gallen between Lake Constance and the Austrian Alps and well known for its excellence in education through an individual and international approach to learning. Rosenberg has only 300 students and the teaching philosophy is based on a wide choice of academic streams, a staff to student ratio of 1:4 and an average class size of eights students per course.

Facilities and location

The school is set in a 100,000 square metre private park in a residential part of St. Gallen. The clean, natural surroundings provide a safe and harmonious environment for students to study in and where they may also appreciate all four seasons. The school’s picturesque historic buildings are all maintained to the highest standards. St. Gallen’s geographic location provides students easy access to an array of outdoor pursuits all year round. Airports such as Zurich and Altenrhein are also easily accessible. The town is a picturesque and regional capital.

Boarding

The Institut takes great care to ensure the quality of life of its boarding students. Accommodations are clean and airy, conducive to a comfortable and inviting living environment. Students live in separate houses for boys and girls according to their age.

As the Institut characterizes itself as being “first and foremost a boarding school” there is a strong emphasis on the campus life element at the school. Only students whose parents live in St. Gallen or the surrounding area may enroll as day students.

Academic programme

The academic programme at is unique in that it supports tracks for the German, Italian, American, Swiss and British education systems, as well as language certificates.

The German section prepares students to sit for the German Abitur, a diploma that will include the general secondary school leaving qualification. Subjects studied include German, mathematics, biology, the arts, history, physics and sports.

The Italian programme sets students on course to take the Esame di Stato, a leaving or “maturity” exam. Those who successfully complete this exam are guaranteed acceptance at all Swiss universities.

The British and American sections fall under the international section, which serves students from the primary through high school grades. From primary school through grade 10, the international programme blends American and British educational elements. For the last two years of their Institut careers, pupils in the international section can choose to study GCE A Level Examinations, American programme, College Preparation Programme, or College Preparatory Programme with AP Examinations. High marks in these classes are essential for admittance into competitive universities.

Students from primary (grades 1 – 6) through secondary school (grades 7 – 8) may participate in the Swiss programme. This section emphasizes the development of a strong academic foundation, along with personal development and reasoning ability. At the end of this course, students take the Swiss federal Matura exams. Those who pass will be granted admission to any Swiss university, technical institute or applied science university of the students’ choosing.

The language sections cover courses in English, German and Italian and are designed to integrate students into the regular programmes.

Sport and extra curricular activities

The academic programme at Rosenberg is further enriched by the array of extracurricular activities and workshops on offer. Students may choose from fields such as art and design, drama and music, media relations, presentation skills or interview techniques or participate in a number of sporting activities.

There are seasonal programmes such as skiing and sledding in the winter and tennis and waterskiing in summer. Football, basketball, mountain biking, riding, fencing, climbing and several other sports are options throughout the year. Regular excursions are also offered to Zurich, Geneva, Lugano and Lucerne so students can visit galleries, museums, the opera or theatre. A highlight of student life at the Institut is the annual Rosenberg Ball, at which students perform for their families, who fly in from all over the world for the special event.

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Images via Institut auf dem Rosenberg

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