Cities / Zurich / Lycée Français International de Zurich
Lycée Français International de Zurich
The only AEFE accredited French school in canton Zurich, parent cooperative governed, running the full French curriculum from maternelle through Terminale. The natural choice for francophone families and for non French families who want a serious French academic track in Switzerland.
In brief
The only AEFE-accredited French school in canton Zurich, parent-cooperative governed, running the full French curriculum from maternelle through Terminale. The natural choice for francophone families and for non-French families who want a serious French academic track in Switzerland.
Founded 1956 in Dübendorf, around 1,130 to 1,360 students across roughly 35 nationalities depending on the year. The school is run as a parent association, the APE, which sets fees at the annual general meeting and approves the budget. That structure keeps decision-making close to families and away from a corporate operator.
Curriculum aligns fully with French schools in France and abroad, leading to the French Baccalauréat. Bilingual French-English options run alongside the core programme, with German and English on the timetable. Fees range widely with maternelle fees from around CHF 17,000 and lycée fees up to about CHF 27,300. Parent-led governance means involvement is expected, not optional.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten 1-3 (ages 3-5) | 3 | CHF 18,746 |
| Grades 1-5 (ages 6-10) | 6 | CHF 17,330 |
| Grades 6-9 (ages 11-14) | 11 | CHF 23,279 |
| Grades 10-12 (ages 15-17) | 15 | CHF 27,292 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee (re-enrollment) | CHF 275 | |
| Registration Fee | CHF 1,000 | |
| Application Fee (new students, one-off) | CHF 1,250 | |
| Security Deposit (refundable) | CHF 4,000 |
Reviews
- Parents-as-shareholders is the structural fact reviewers keep coming back to: ALFIZ runs the school, votes fees and approves budgets at a yearly assembly.
- Families value the bilingual French-German pathway, the multilingual track and the trilingual IB option, with around half of leavers continuing to Swiss universities.
- Forum threads from parents in commuter towns (Zug area in particular) discuss the practical pain of getting children to the Dübendorf campus when work sits the other side of the canton.
- The active parent-led model gets credited for warm communication; it also means tuition decisions sit with the parent body rather than a corporate operator.
- The public review pool is genuinely thin: school-led marketing dominates and independent parent commentary is sparse outside the Zurich subreddit.
Positives
- Parent-led governance. ALFIZ structure means parents vote tuition and approve budgets.
- Multilingual pathways. French-German bilingual, multilingual, and trilingual IB tracks; strong onward placements.
Considerations
- Dübendorf location. Parents in Zug or other commuter towns work around the Dübendorf campus.
- Public review depth. Independent parent commentary is thin; bulk of public material is school-produced.
Leadership
Quentin DUVAUCHELLE
Quentin Duvauchelle has served as the Proviseur (Head of School) at Lycée Français International de Zurich since August 2022. He has over 19 years of experience in French international education, having previously held headship positions at Lycée Français Le Concorde in Equatorial Guinea (2017-2022) and Lycée Français Jacques Prévert in Senegal (2015-2017). His professional background also includes serving as Deputy Principal in France.
Accreditations
- Agence pour l'enseignement français à l'étranger 01
Academic results
- Baccalauréat success rate (2025) 87%