Your path, your choice

Neither is better; they suit different students. A-Levels mean depth in a small number of subjects; the IB Diploma means breadth across disciplines. The Pre-DP year in Grade 10 exists so that students can make this choice with individual guidance, not under pressure.

Universities in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the United States and elsewhere accept both and publish their requirements for each; they do not rank one above the other. What decides an application is the grades and whether the subjects fit the course. As for difficulty: A-Levels demand depth in three or four subjects, the IB Diploma demands breadth across six plus its core, so the harder one is whichever fits a student's strengths less well. That is a conversation for Grade 10, not a rule.

No. Grade 10 is the Pre-DP year, a foundation across the sciences, humanities and the arts. The decision between A-Levels and the IB Diploma comes during that year, with guidance from school staff.

Internationally recognised qualifications from the British system, taken in the final two school years: a small number of subjects studied in depth, each graded A* to E. At ISS they are examined by Pearson Edexcel as International A-Levels. Examination fees are charged separately from tuition. ISS is an approved Pearson Edexcel centre, number 98468, recognised to conduct International Advanced Level, GCSE, International GCSE and GCE examinations.

Yes, on conditions each university publishes through swissuniversities: typically six general education subjects, at least three at A-Level including mathematics or a natural science, with minimum grades. ETH Zurich sets higher requirements. The subject choice in Grade 11 should be made with the intended university in mind.

Thirteen subjects in 2026/27, all examined by Pearson Edexcel: International Psychology, International Biology, International Physics, International Economics, Business, English Language, English Literature, International German, Italian, French, History, Art and International Pure Maths.

In Ticino the liceo lasts four years, from about fifteen to nineteen. Our Senior School lasts two, Grades 11 and 12, from fifteen to eighteen, because Grade 10 is the Pre-DP year and belongs to our Middle School.

Tuition for 2026/27 is CHF 22,000 a year for Grades 11 and 12, plus a one-off enrolment fee of CHF 3,000 per family. Grade 10, the Pre-DP year, is charged at the same rate. Examination fees for A-Levels and the IB are charged separately. The fees page has the full table.

Joining in Grade 10 is the natural entry point, because the Pre-DP year is where the diploma path is chosen. Joining at the start of Grade 11 is possible where a student's previous record matches the chosen subjects; because A-Level courses run over two years, entry part-way through them is looked at case by case by admissions.

Yes. The International School of Switzerland is authorized by the International Baccalaureate to offer the Diploma Programme and is an IB World School. For the Primary Years and Middle Years Programmes it is a candidate school*; candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted.

Through academic advising and mentorship in the final years: building study habits, exploring university options, preparing applications, and planning the steps after graduation. The careers guidance page describes the programme from Middle School onward.

Our inaugural IB Diploma cohort graduates in 2026/27 and is applying to universities now. We will publish where students actually go once the offers are in and each graduate has agreed to be named — we would rather say nothing than publish a destination without the person's consent.