Leysin American School

About

LAS is a Swiss boarding school offering US High School Diploma, International Baccalaureate, and ESL programs. Students enjoy extracurricular activities in sports, arts, drama, and music, and are able to take part in a ski term and cultural travel. University counseling is provided and emphasized, with students attending top universities in the US and around the world.

Boarding school community provides a stable, caring, and supportive family-like environment. Located in the stunning Swiss Alps, Leysin American School is an international boarding school that has been bringing enriching, educational experiences to students since 1961.

From practical, engaging in-class academics to experiential learning on international cultural trips, we believe in bringing together students from around the world and providing them with an education that sparks their curiosity and encourages them to be the best global citizens they can be.

Leysin American School seeks to create an engaging learning environment that promotes inquisitiveness, excitement, and inspiration in students and staff alike. Students begin their academic journey at LAS in Middle School—grades 7 and 8—where they work together to develop a toolbox of essential skills and knowledge they can carry with them as they advance in their education.

Grades 9 and 10, also known as the Preparatory Years, are a crucial time of self-discovery and expanding interests. LAS supports students during this transitional phase of life by exposing them to new opportunities and encouraging them to take on student leadership roles. Finally, schooling at LAS culminates in the Diploma Years program—grades 11 and 12—during which time students can choose to pursue an International Baccalaureate or US High School Diploma. Both programs are uniquely challenging and encourage students to develop their curiosity and independence while ultimately preparing them for postsecondary success.

The Program

Middle School

The LAS Middle School provides students in grades 7 and 8 with a safe environment in which they can learn, study, play, and thrive. Students in the Middle School program are immersed in a tight-knit community of passionate learners and take part in an exciting curriculum filled with educational field trips and opportunities for hands-on, experiential learning.

Preparatory Years

Preparatory Years students are those who are entering their first two years of high school. LAS seeks to support students during this transitional period of their lives by allowing them to test the waters in new, challenging classes, encouraging them to join teams and take on leadership roles, and exposing them to international cultural experiences.

Opportunities for introspection and self-discovery extend beyond the classroom. Model United Nations, the Alpine Institute, and Robot Gardening are all examples of interactive, self-regulated learning opportunities that students can take advantage of in order to learn more about themselves, their learning styles, and their interests.

Diploma Years

Diploma Years program marks an exciting time during which students begin to prepare for the next major phase in their lives. LAS guides students throughout this time, offering them the chance to tailor their academics to meet their goals. All Diploma Years students work towards achieving the LAS Diploma and have the option to take AP classes, IB classes for credit, or earn a second full IB diploma.

Students in their Diploma Years also regularly consult with the University Advising Office as they prepare to further their education.

Senior students are encouraged to exercise their growing independence through academic, social, and leadership opportunities, and by taking advantage of small group travel in and around Switzerland.

Students are also encouraged to take on roles as Student Council members, Student Ambassadors, and club presidents—such positions help them to build character, develop new skills, and be set apart on university applications.