Brillantmont – a Swiss home from home, close to Monaco
Switzerland is home to many boarding schools, but one stands out since it is the oldest family owned and run boarding school in Switzerland (since 1882). Let’s explore Brillantmont International School, in Lausanne, just a stone’s throw from Monaco.
Sarah Frei, Head of Admissions and member of the owning family answers our questions.
What is it that makes Brillantmont so unique?
“Nowadays, many schools belong to educational chains or groups. Brillantmont was founded by my husband’s great grandparents 143 years ago and our family still entirely own and run it. This gives a very unique feel to our school: «family» is not just at leadership level, but also felt amongst our 90 students (aged 13-18), where every student feels at home.”
How does a Swiss and British boarding school differ?
“Switzerland has a tradition of boarding schools. It is a country known for its discretion, its security and its multicultural population. Swiss schools offer incredible extracurricular activities, thanks to the natural playground of our country – skiing, hiking, lakeside. At Brillantmont, we enjoy the best of both worlds, since the school is in the city of Lausanne, but we are just 1 hour from the ski slopes. We also have strict nationality quotas, unlike some UK schools, ensuring cultural diversity.”
Which educational qualifications does Brillantmont provide?
“Brillantmont prepares students for British examinations (IGCSE, A Level) and the US High School Diploma. We feel that A Levels allow students to focus on selected subjects, developing passions, rather than spreading themselves thin with a wider range of subjects in IB. On completion of their studies, Brillantmont students enter top-ranking universities across the world.”
How can students prepare for boarding school life?
“Brillantmont offers a Summer Course in July and August to learn English or French and enjoy afternoon activities, evening and weekend excursions. With a minimum stay of 2 weeks, it is a great introduction to boarding school life for 10-16 year olds.”
How can we find out more about Brillantmont?
“We would love to tell you about our school and we are delighted to be in Monaco on 20th-21st March. If you would like to find out more, please contact connect@brillantmont.ch so we can fix a meeting.”
In the meantime, do enjoy exploring their websites:
plus their social media feeds.
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