School fees at a glance
Annual tuition 2026/27
| Grade | Tuition per year |
|---|---|
| Grade 1 | CHF 16,000 |
| Grades 2 to 5 | CHF 18,000 |
| Grades 6 to 9 | CHF 20,000 |
| Grades 10 to 12 | CHF 22,000 |
Tuition is set by grade, not by school stage. Tuition covers classroom teaching and academic support. For more details, see our fees page.
What tuition covers
Annual tuition covers the core ISS academic programme. A one-off enrolment fee of CHF 3,000 per family is payable when a place is accepted; there is no separate application fee. Depending on a student's programme and activities, additional charges may apply for lunch, technology and books, externally delivered courses including Pamoja, IB and Pearson Edexcel International A-Level examinations, camps, residential trips and selected excursions. All applicable additional charges are communicated to families in advance.
The school starts at Grade 1; there is no earlier year group at the moment.
How the fees work
What's included
The annual fee includes classroom tuition and academic support; access to our Discovery programme; participation in sports, arts, and STEAM activities; EAL and additional learning support.
Enrolment fee once per family
A one-off, non-refundable enrolment fee of CHF 3,000 per family is payable when a place is accepted. There is no separate application fee.
Included and charged separately
The Discovery Programme and the student's laptop are covered by tuition. Lunch, examinations, camps and residential trips are charged separately and communicated in advance.
Talk to us about fees
Questions about fees or payment options? Our admissions team walks you through everything — no obligation.
Details and questions
Enrolment fee: once per family, not per child
A one-off enrolment fee of CHF 3,000 is payable when a place is accepted. It covers the administrative cost of enrolling with us, including records and systems set-up. It is charged once per family, not per child — if you enrol more than one child, whether at the same time or later, the fee is not charged again. There is no separate application fee. The enrolment fee is non-refundable.
Discovery is included
The regular Discovery Programme and Discovery clubs are covered by tuition. Local excursions are included where they belong to the programme. Charged separately are camps, residential trips, major excursions, specialist external activities and anything carrying significant third-party cost. These are priced individually and communicated to families before each activity.
Laptop and technology programme
The school provides each student's laptop. It remains the property of ISS for the first two years; after two full years of enrolment, ownership transfers to the student. There is no annual insurance charge. A contribution of CHF 100 applies only where a device needs repair as a result of student damage. Damage, loss or misuse beyond that may be charged at cost.
Other charges
Lunch is CHF 2,800 per year. What the charge includes, such as drinks, fruit, dessert, dietary options and supervision, is being confirmed and will be published here in one statement.
The amounts for the technology and book levy, externally delivered courses, IB and Pearson Edexcel examination fees, camps, residential trips and selected excursions, together with the payment schedule and instalment options, are being confirmed and will be published on this page. Every applicable charge is communicated to families in advance.
Withdrawal, refunds and late payment
Our withdrawal, refund and late-payment terms are being finalised with the school's legal adviser. They will be published here, together with a link to the full policy document.
Questions families ask about fees
What is included in the tuition fee?
The core academic programme, the regular Discovery Programme and Discovery clubs, and the student's laptop. Charged separately, and communicated in advance: lunch, technology and books, externally delivered courses, examination fees, camps, residential trips and selected excursions.
Is there an application fee or an enrolment fee?
There is no separate application fee. A one-off enrolment fee of CHF 3,000 is payable when a place is accepted. It is charged once per family, not per child, and it is non-refundable.
What does the enrolment fee cover?
The administrative cost of enrolling with us, including records and systems set-up. It is not credited against tuition and it is not refundable. If you enrol more than one child, whether at the same time or later, it is not charged again.
Is school free in Switzerland?
Public schools are free of charge and teach in the language of the canton, which in Ticino is Italian. International schools like ISS are private and charge tuition; in return they teach in English, run a full school day, and follow an international curriculum.
Is the Discovery Programme extra?
No. The regular programme and the clubs are covered by tuition. Local excursions are included where they belong to the programme. Only camps, residential trips, major excursions and specialist external activities are charged separately.
Is lunch included?
Lunch is charged separately at CHF 2,800 a year. What the charge includes is being confirmed by the school and will be published here.
How can we pay?
The payment schedule, instalment options and due dates are being confirmed and will be published here. Families also receive payment instructions with their invoices and enrolment documentation.