The International School of Zug and Luzern, known as ISZL, is a not for profit, co educational English language day school for ages 3 to 18 in the Zug and Luzern area south of Zurich. Founded in 1961 and teaching around 1,200 students from more than 50 nationalities, it offers the full International Baccalaureate continuum alongside Advanced Placement courses and holds both Swiss and American accreditation. This profile sets out its curriculum, fee band, admissions and location for families comparing the international schools in the Zurich region.
At a glance
| Curriculum and exam boards | IB continuum (PYP, MYP, Diploma) plus Advanced Placement, taught in English |
|---|---|
| Stages | Early Years, Primary, Middle and High School, age 3 to 18 |
| Founded | 1961 |
| Accreditation | Council of International Schools and New England Association of Schools and Colleges |
| Community | Around 1,200 students from more than 50 nationalities |
| Fee band | Upper, not for profit full fee |
| Campus | Two campuses: Baar (Zug) and Hunenberg (Riverside High School) |
Curriculum and academics
ISZL teaches the full International Baccalaureate continuum, from the Primary Years Programme through the Middle Years Programme to the Diploma Programme, all in English. In the final two years students may combine the IB Diploma with, or take instead, American curriculum Advanced Placement courses, which together with the school's New England accreditation gives families a recognisably US style option as well as the IB.
That dual offer is unusual in the region and is why ISZL appears in both our IB and American school round ups. For the US style route specifically, our guide to the best American schools in the Zurich area explains how Advanced Placement and a New England accredited high school diploma compare with the IB Diploma for university entry in the United States and beyond.
Find the right school in the Zurich and Zug region
Answer a few questions and our free school finder will shortlist schools that fit your child, including ISZL and the wider Zurich region. Independent and free for parents.
International School of Zug and Luzern (ISZL) fees
As a not for profit school ISZL reinvests fee income, but tuition still sits in the upper part of the Zurich and central Switzerland fees range given its size and two campus provision. We do not publish a fixed figure here; the current tuition, registration charge and extras by year group should come from the admissions office and any band shown elsewhere is illustrative.
Budget for costs beyond tuition, including a registration charge, a deposit, lunches, the bus network that links the campuses, trips, the residential Outdoor Education Centre programme and examination entry in the senior years. Confirm the complete schedule before you commit.
Admissions
Admissions run through the school's own office, which reviews prior school reports and references and meets the family. With a large roll across two campuses there is more capacity than at the smaller Zurich schools, but popular entry points still fill, so register early. Older students join on the strength of their academic record and their intended Diploma or Advanced Placement subjects.
Families relocating to central Switzerland should plan for the canton residence paperwork and the commute from the Zurich side if they intend to live further north. The school accepts applications throughout the year subject to space.
Location and who goes there
ISZL operates two campuses: the Early Years, Primary and Middle School in Baar on the edge of Zug, and the Riverside High School in Hunenberg. The school also runs Chalet Bergheim, a residential outdoor education centre in Wengen in the Bernese Oberland. The Zug and Luzern setting is south of the city of Zurich but within commuting reach of the wider region, which is why families relocating to the area consider it alongside the city schools.
The community is large and international, drawn from more than 50 nationalities. The Zurich region hub maps how the surrounding areas compare, and you can line ISZL up against other schools through our school reviews hub.
Because ISZL is a not for profit association rather than a commercial operator, its governance sits with a board drawn largely from the parent body, and surplus income is directed back into facilities, staffing and the bursary and scholarship provision the school runs. The scale of the roll, around 1,200 students, supports a breadth of subject choice at Diploma and Advanced Placement level that the smaller Zurich city schools cannot always match, along with the residential Outdoor Education Centre that takes year groups into the Bernese Oberland. For families weighing central Switzerland against the city itself, that combination of size, dual qualification and outdoor programme is the main point of difference.
Frequently asked questions
How much are International School of Zug and Luzern (ISZL) fees?
ISZL is a not for profit school that reviews tuition each year. We do not publish a fixed figure here; ask the admissions office for the current tuition, registration charge and extras by year group before you apply.
Does ISZL offer the IB and AP?
Yes. ISZL teaches the full International Baccalaureate continuum, the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes, and students in Grades 11 and 12 can also take Advanced Placement courses and examinations.
What ages does ISZL take?
The school is a co educational day school for ages 3 to 18, spread across an Early Years, Primary and Middle School campus and a separate High School campus.
Is ISZL a good school?
ISZL is a long established not for profit school accredited by the Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, with around 1,200 students. We do not publish a star rating without verified parent reviews.
Where is ISZL?
ISZL sits in the Zug and Luzern area south of Zurich, with its lower school in Baar and its High School in Hunenberg, within commuting reach of the wider Zurich region.
