Faqs

FAQSNeed help ?

Welcome to our Frequently Asked Questions page, where we hope you will find answers to any questions you may have. If you cannot find an answer however, feel free to contact our Admissions team.

For information on financial matters, please refer to our Fees & Conditions document.

How can I get financial support?

Families, who live in Switzerland and are not in receipt of school benefits from their employer, are entitled to a 10% discount on school fees for the first child and another 10% discount for the second child, etc.

Parents who would like to take advantage of this discount should request and complete the “Financial support request form” by e-mail to [email protected].

Can I claim a tax deduction for tuition fees? Does Haut-Lac provide certificates for tax purposes?

Parents may or may not be able to claim a tax deduction for tuition fees depending on the canton in which they live and their status, for example no deductions are given for private school fees to local parents who live in the canton of Vaud. However, we consider that a part of the school fees falls under childcare, for which a tax deduction may be claimed. This relates specifically to the cost of lunchtime supervision, out-of-hours care and holiday camps. Should you need a proof that such childcare is used, please contact [email protected]

As regards expatriate families, total or partial tax deductions are granted according to the company’s tax status.

Haut-Lac declines all responsibility for any tax-related issues, and advises parents to contact the relevant authority or their employer if necessary.

Does Haut-Lac offer scholarships to lower income families?

We do not offer scholarships. Families with particular projects should contact the Fondation Vaudoise pour l’accès à l’éducation privée www.fondation-enseignement.ch for matters regarding financial support.

How much does tuition cost?

The cost of a year’s tuition depends on the year group in question. Optional elements may be added as explained in our Fees and Conditions document.

How much does it cost to leave my child at school for a whole day?

Please see our Fees and Conditions document for the childcare options on offer to working parents. Should you need to use our out-of-hours care for longer periods, do not hesitate to request a quote from us on [email protected]

For information regarding school transport, please click here.

Where is the school located?

We are ideally located in the village of St-Légier-La Chiésaz, in the beautiful Swiss Riviera region. The school is a convenient 10-minute drive or train ride from Vevey, and only 25 minutes away from Lausanne. 

Do you offer a bus service?

Yes. We offer several bus routes across 3 different zones.  Find out more about our bus service here.

How do I get to the school from Vevey train station?

You may either take an easy 10-minute train or bus ride to St-Légier, or sign up to use our free student shuttle service from and to Vevey station. Please check out our Mobility Guide for more information regarding school transport.

For information regarding admissions, please click here.

How do I apply?

Please check our “admissions” page, send us an email to [email protected] or give us a call on 021 555 50 00.

Will my child need to do a placement test?

We do not have placement tests. Prospective students are evaluated based on their school reports and an interview with the Director or the relevant school section Head.

Is there an application fee?

No, there is no application fee. However, there is an admission fee. Our Terms and Conditions can be checked here.

Is there an application deadline?

No, applications are open all year long. Preference is given to students starting at Haut-Lac at the beginning of a term.

When will I know if my child has been accepted?

Three working days after you and/or the prospective student have had an interview with our Directors or school section Heads, as long as all reports have been received.

I can't access my admissions application (e.g. my password does not work), what should I do ?

You can click on forgotten password or write to [email protected] and we will assist you.

What are your school opening times?

Class times:

Infants: 8:20-15:20
Primary: 8:18-15:30
Secondary: 8:10-15:30 (16:20 from MYP4)

We also offer a Breakfast club from 7:15 and late supervision until 18:00.

Does the school offer After-School Care?

Please find out about our extra-curricular activities here.

How can parents get involved in school life?

Parents are welcome to get involved in school life as much or as little as they wish via our PTA or parent-liaison officer. Please contact our PTA ([email protected]) if you would like to get more involved or click here for more information.

What is the average class size?

Class sizes vary depending on the year group and language section in question, but do not generally exceed 16 students.

How do we choose a campus?

Our campuses are home to specific year groups. Infant, Primary, MYP1 and MYP2 students are based on our Praz-Dagoud Campus, and MYP3 to DP2 are based on our Roches Grises Campus.

Do you offer school meals? Do you cater for children with food allergies?

Yes. We offer healthy lunches for all students, including special meals for students with food allergies. Our school meals are designed according to the Swiss Fourchette Verte label, which guarantees the provision of balanced, healthy meals. You can find our weekly menus in here.

Is there a holiday programme? Do you offer Summer camps?

Yes. All our Summer, Winter and Easter programmes can be found here.

Do you offer special programmes for sporty students?

Yes, as the first Athlete-Friendly Education Centre (AFEC) accredited by the World Academy of Sport in Switzerland, we are able to offer flexible schedules to students who follow intensive sports training programmes. Click here for more detailed information.

Do you have a boarding house?

Yes, the Haut-Lac boarding school opened in September 2022 and welcomes up to 30 students aged 11 to 18. Simply e-mail [email protected] for more information.

How does the school communicate with parents?

We have a protected Parents Portal, a weekly Wednesday Haut-Lac News mailing, and a school app. We are present on the social media too.

Infants and Primary parents can also check the Seesaw app, and Secondary parents the Managebac website.

Do you have a dress code or uniform?

Yes, we do have a uniform. Infant and Primary students wear a white polo shirt, a green school sweatshirt and black trousers, shorts or skirts. Secondary students wear a white polo shirt, a navy blue sweatshirt and black trousers, shorts or skirts.

For more information regarding student well-being, please click here.

What is the code of conduct in your school (policy on drugs, alcohol, mobile phones)?

The school has a strict no drugs or alcohol policy, and does not allows students to use their mobile phones when on campus. We also organise a successful week of workshops run by the FCD, a global non-profit American-based Substance Abuse Prevention Organisation, for our students and parents.

Is there a school nurse?

Yes, we have a school nurse and a first aid trained team.

Do you offer psychological support for students?

Yes, we have a school counselor and offer in-school counseling to support our students.

Which diplomas do you offer?

The IBDP (IB Diploma Programme), the IBCP (IB Career-Related Programme) and the US High School Diploma. Please click here for more complete information.

As a precursor to our diploma programmes, we offer the IB MYP (Middle Years Programme) and/or the Swiss Bilingual Cycle, which is designed for students who want to complete in a Cantonal Maturité in a Swiss public school.

Does the IB DP (International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme) enable entrance to universities worldwide?

Yes. Feel free to check out the list of universities our graduates have attended here.

How often will I get information on my child's progress?

All students receive a report in December and in June, and may meet with their teachers twice a year along with their parents.

Do teachers need to be certified to work in your school?

Yes, we are proud to say that our teachers represent the highest standard of teaching. They need to have formal teaching qualifications and be certified by the Swiss Teaching Federation.

Do you accept students with individual educational needs? If yes, how do you help them?

It depends on the specific individual needs of each student. We are an inclusive school and will evaluate each case using reports and interviews.  For more information, check out our individual needs department.

Does my child have to be fluent in English or French to join the school?

No, previous knowledge of English and/or French it is not a prerequisite to join the school. We offer extra language support for students who need it.

Where can I find the last year’s IB results?
Which academic curricula are used at Haut-Lac?

Infant and Primary students follow the UK-based curriculum Learning Means the World, in both our Bilingual & English sections. Secondary students follow the International Baccalaureate MYP, DP and CP programmes and/or the Swiss Bilingual Cycle. More information can be found here.

Can my child reintegrate into the Swiss national system?

Yes! We offer the Swiss Bilingual Cycle to prepare students to sit the admission cantonal exams and go into a Cantonal Gymnasium.