Collège du Léman is a private international school in Versoix, on the lakeside between Geneva and the French border, founded in 1960 by the Swiss educators Francis and Inge Clivaz. It has grown into one of the largest schools among the Geneva international schools, with more than 1,800 pupils drawn from over 120 nationalities and a campus that runs both a day school and a boarding house. The school is now part of the Nord Anglia Education group.
This profile sets out the curriculum, the fee level, the admissions calendar and the community around the school. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so what follows is an editorial reference rather than a prospectus. For families weighing the diploma specifically, see our shortlist of the best IB schools in Geneva.
Collège du Léman at a glance
| Curriculum and exam boards | IGCSE in the pre diploma years, then the IB Diploma, IB Career related Programme, American High School Diploma with AP, French Baccalauréat or Swiss Maturité |
|---|---|
| Stage range | Age 2 to 18, day throughout and boarding from roughly age 10 |
| Founded | 1960, by Francis and Inge Clivaz |
| Accreditation | IB World School since 2005, accredited by the Council of International Schools and NEASC; confirm current memberships with the school |
| Fee band | Upper middle tier for Geneva day fees, with boarding considerably higher (see Geneva fees guide) |
| Campus area | Versoix, on the right bank of Lake Geneva near the city |
Curriculum and academics
Collège du Léman is built around language choice. From the early years pupils follow an English, French or bilingual pathway, with the primary stages combining the International Primary Curriculum with elements of Cambridge and the French national programme. The middle years keep these flexible language routes in a strongly international setting, and most pupils sit IGCSE examinations before moving into the senior school. Families weighing the diploma can read our guide to the IB curriculum, which explains how the Diploma Programme is assessed and recognised by universities.
The senior school is unusually broad. Rather than a single exit qualification, Collège du Léman offers five routes: the IB Diploma Programme, the IB Career related Programme, the American High School Diploma with Advanced Placement options, the French Baccalauréat and the Swiss Maturité. That range lets families keep options open across the British, American, French and Swiss systems on one campus, and it is the reason the school appears on our list of the IB schools in Geneva. Ask about subject availability within each route and recent university destinations during the admissions process.
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Collège du Léman fees
Collège du Léman sits in the upper middle of the Geneva day school market, above the smaller English medium schools but below the alpine boarding schools on day tuition. Its position is mapped in our Geneva school fees guide, which sets out the tiers across the canton in Swiss francs. Boarding is a separate and considerably higher charge, since it covers accommodation, meals and supervision across the week, so the school publishes day and boarding schedules side by side.
Plan for the costs that sit above headline tuition. The school typically lists a registration fee and a one off capital or development contribution on entry, with further line items for the school bus, lunch, trips and ski weeks, uniform where required, and examination entry in the IGCSE and diploma years. Confirm the current schedule for your child's year group and chosen boarding option directly with the school.
Admissions and intake
Collège du Léman runs an academic year from late August or early September and admits across year groups subject to availability, with rolling international and boarding arrivals through the year. The early years, the start of the senior school and the boarding intake are natural entry points, and popular year groups can be limited, so register early once a move is confirmed.
Admission is based on prior school reports, age appropriate assessment and, for the senior routes, evidence that a student can access the chosen language pathway and diploma. Applications are made through the school and require recent reports, passport documentation and, for transfers, a leaving record. Boarding applicants complete additional steps covering pastoral and accommodation arrangements.
Location and who goes there
The campus is in Versoix, on the right bank of Lake Geneva a short distance from the city and the international organisations that draw many expatriate families to the area. The combined day and boarding model means the community is wider than a single neighbourhood: day pupils come largely from Geneva, Versoix and the surrounding communes, while boarders arrive from across the world, which is why the school counts more than 120 nationalities on roll.
For the wider picture of how the British, American, IB and bilingual schools sit across the canton and the lakeside city, including fee tiers and neighbourhoods, see the Geneva schools hub.
Collège du Léman reviews
No verified parent reviews of Collège du Léman have been submitted to GlobalSchoolGuide yet. We hold back from publishing a star rating until we have enough verified first hand accounts to represent the school fairly, and we never fabricate ratings. If your family attends or has attended the school, please consider sharing your experience through our school reviews page to help other relocating families.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Collège du Léman fees?
Collège du Léman sits in the upper middle of the Geneva day school market, with boarding fees considerably higher than day tuition. The school publishes its schedules by year group and boarding option, so confirm the current rate and budget separately for registration, a capital contribution, boarding, trips and examination entry.
Is Collège du Léman a good school?
Collège du Léman is an established IB World School and one of the largest international schools in the Geneva area, offering five diploma routes including the IB. Suitability depends on whether a large multilingual campus with day and boarding options fits your family. Confirm current accreditation and university destinations directly with the school.
What curriculum does Collège du Léman follow?
The school offers English, French and bilingual pathways, with IGCSE in the pre diploma years leading to five senior routes: the IB Diploma, the IB Career related Programme, the American High School Diploma with AP options, the French Baccalauréat and the Swiss Maturité.
When do Collège du Léman applications open?
The school runs an academic year from late August or early September and admits across year groups subject to availability, with rolling international and boarding arrivals. Apply early once a move is confirmed because popular year groups and boarding places fill.
Does Collège du Léman offer boarding?
Yes. Collège du Léman is both a day and a boarding school, with boarding available for students from roughly age 10 to 18 on its Versoix campus near Lake Geneva.
