Private school Surval Montreux

Surval Montreux Boarding School for Girls in Switzerland

Surval Montreux Girls' School is located in Montreux, a beautiful town perched on a low hill above Lake Geneva. The shoreline terraces up to wooded hills, graceful mansions surrounded by laurels, magnolias, palms and cypresses.

The school was founded in 1960 and is part of the largest educational group in the UK - Bellevue. The environment is multicultural: the school has 80 girls.

Surval Montreux is currently the only girls-only school in Switzerland that offers internationally recognized IGCSE, High School Diploma, Advanced Levels and an elite Master Class for highly educated and motivated girls who are studying for admission to Oxford, Cambridge or Ivy League Colleges (8 Ivy League universities, the best in the USA, include Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc.).

Surval School certificates are highly valued at universities in Europe, the USA, Canada and Switzerland. Surval School has close links with top universities such as Oxford, Cambridge and the Ivy League

Headmaster (2026)

Nicola Dudley, Wycombe Abbey School; University of Edinburgh Moray House School of Education (Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching); University of Oxford, MA in French and German.

Key Factors

• Small classes (maximum 10 people) with individual attention to each pupil.
• Teacher to student ratio - 1:5 (the best in the world) Switzerland).
• Most of the teachers have master's and doctoral degrees. The teachers focus exclusively on the specifics of teaching and raising girls.
• The school provides excellent care and great opportunities for both cultural enrichment and travel.
• The school offers not only the British curriculum, but also the American high school curriculum (grades 8-12), as well as a summer camp.
• Safety and elite living conditions.
• French and English are taught at a very high level at the school. This is a very interesting course, which is already very popular.
• The school has a year-long course in the humanities with an emphasis on social responsibility and the development of the necessary leadership skills. This includes skills in running a charity with some practical work after school, business management, debating and public speaking, an appreciation of art and music, and an antiques course to help girls distinguish between genuine and fake.
• We can provide phone numbers of parents whose children are or have been at this school.

Facilities

The school has a private tennis court, a full range of exercise machines, a sauna, a Turkish bath, a jacuzzi and a large number of golf courses. There is a collaboration with a riding school.

Program

The curriculum of "Surval Montreux" is based on internationally recognized programs of study and includes subjects from IGCSE, A Levels, Foundation Year, US High School Certificate and a liberal arts program that combines social and practical skills, language learning with a clear focus on cultural and creative aspects.

Students of all grades can optionally take courses in etiquette (culture and customs) and cooking.

Foundation Year

Preparing girls aged 12-14 for the US high school program and for obtaining High School, IGCSE and A Levels certificates. This program can be chosen during any academic year, even if a girl wants to gain experience in an international setting before starting a regular program in her home country. Students can use this year to combine their academic curriculum with the Surval Culinary Arts course.

In addition to academic subjects, the following are studied:

• Etiquette classes, where girls learn more about greetings, cuisine, and the accepted forms of behavior in different cultures of the world
• Culinary classes and workshopsand confectionery arts
• Music and vocal lessons
• Basics of medical knowledge, healthy lifestyle
• Subject modules: scientific project/research - deepen knowledge and focus on specific topics and skills that are needed in further education
• Getting to know Switzerland: city tours

IGCSE (14-16)

This is the most common international program. It provides excellent preparation for further education, including AS and A Levels, as well as other areas.

A-Level (16-17)

A national exam that is recognized by all educational institutions in the world and is a condition for admission to universities. A program for girls who have already passed the IGCSE exams. The program is designed to prepare for university entrance, for the transition to other courses and for a further career. 

During the first year of preparation, girls study four subjects in depth, and in the second year they switch to three subjects. Girls wishing to enter Oxford, Cambridge or Ivy League colleges usually continue to study all four subjects. The academic and cultural program is supported by a wide range of additional classes that broaden their horizons.

High School Diploma (14-18 years) 

An American program for admission to universities in the USA and Canada. 

Upon completion of the program, students receive a high school diploma, which is valid for admission to universities in Canada and the USA. The program is aimed at students planning to continue their education in colleges, universities and business schools in these countries. The content of the program is strictly based on the requirements for admission to universities in Canada and the United States. 

Liberal Arts "GAP year" - a one-year program for those who have graduated from high school in their home country

A unique program for studying the humanities before entering a university (usually for girls aged 17-18). Designed for students who want to spend an academic year abroad, studying interesting subjects in depth without having to take exams later. 

Most girls use this opportunity to usefully spend a year after school before entering a university or college. Some need a year to understand themselves and their interests, while others, depending on the education system in their countries, want to spend a rich academic year and take advantage of a unique developmental curriculum in the company of friends from different countries.

Girls will acquire a proud posture and confidence for serious communication with people at different levels and in many languages, learn to appreciate the cultural aspects of art and music, learn how to use their abilities for the benefit of those with whom they live and for whom they are responsible.

Program:

Art and Culture

-English, American and World Literature
-Fine Arts: Painting and Drawing, Art History
-Advanced Language Study: English, French
-Conversational Language Practice: Italian, German, Spanish, Russian
-Switzerland as host country: history, geography, finance, politics 

Business and Entrepreneurship 

-How to Inspire and Lead Others
-Innovation and Creativity 
-Business Theory and Practice 
-How to Inspire and Lead Others
-Community Media and Video Editing Classes 
-Marketing Mix and Brand Building
-Corporate and Social Responsibility 
-The Dragons Show’ Den 
-Visiting performances and master classes
-Tasks of a socially responsible enterprise
-Organization of charity events 
-Project management 
-Management of a charity foundation

Social skills 

-Culinary skills "Surval" (cooking and confectionery 
 art) 
-Etiquette (culture and customs) 
-"Creating an atmosphere" – how to make guests feel welcome 
-Introducing and thanking speakers 
-Debating and speaking clearly, confidently and persuasively in public 

Community Life Specialist
Wide-ranging subjects throughout the year 

-Antiques: how to tell the real thing from the fake 
-Fashion and design
-Presentation skills for debates and public speaking 
-Calligraphy 
-Japanese culture and art 
-Making mocktails

Accommodation and Food

The school is located in a former hotel, which offers a magnificent view that has delighted everyone who has seen it in photographs. Bedrooms are designed for two, rarely three girls, and each room has its own shower. All rooms overlook the lake or the mountains, and most of them have a balcony. Each room has a refrigerator.

In the basement there is a fitness room and a large jacuzzi, which the girls love to soak in after sports. There is also a games room with karaoke, game consoles, a large TV, DVD, billiards and other entertainment.

The kitchen is excellent - three chefs prepare exquisite and incredibly varied three-course lunches and dinners. Fruit is served on the tables throughout the day.

Sports

Sports play an important role in the lives of the students. "Ski Thursdays" are held at one of the nearby resorts, which include skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports. Sometimes in winter, the tennis court becomes a skating rink, where you can skate all day long.

In the summer, "Sports Thursday" is is an exciting active pastime on the waters of Lake Geneva, where girls go water skiing, surfing, windsurfing, canoeing and, of course, swimming in the nearby Olympic pool.

Dance classes include flamenco, hip-hop, ballet, zumba, horse riding, yoga, fencing, volleyball, football, tennis, archery, tennis, roller skating on special courses and mountain biking in Montreux or, for the more adventurous, in more unusual places.

Extra activities

An important part of life at the boarding house is the enrichment program – that is, expanding the scope of the curriculum and classroom activities to promote girls’ deep personal development.

Extra-curricular activities include:

-Debating and public speaking, including the opportunity to participate fully in Model UN or the European Youth Parliament’s “Young Enterprise” competitions.
-Charity work with Cartons du Coeur and international charities, in which graduates play an important role.
-Performing songs and entertainment numbers in local nursing homes and primary schools.
-Chess.
-Board games.
-Arts and crafts.
-Science and math clubs.
-Reading.
-Writing and publishing a school magazine.
-Participating in competitions for International Prize (known in the UK as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award).
- Music and drama clubs.

A programme of trips and excursions allows girls to join both the cultural and sporting life of the community: from the highest toboggan run in Les Diablerets and incredible roller coasters or a water park, to longer trips to London, Paris, Barcelona, ​​Rome, Abu Dhabi or Beijing - the list of cities is expanding every year.

Cost, 2026-2027

CHF 115,000 per year.

Included in the price

• Tuition
• Accommodation and meals

Additional charges

• Registration fee - CHF 2,500
• Deposit - CHF 5,000
• Personal student account - CHF 5,000
• Flight
• Transfers to/from the airport
• Insurance
• Visa
• Educational company services

Our services and fees