the monolingual and bilingual way at FGZ

Content - Lower school of the Gymnasium

Swiss Bilingual Matura as final examination: bilingual in all study profiles

The bilingual lower school of the Gymnasium is aimed at students with very good knowledge of both German and English who have no difficulty following lessons in either language at native-speaker level. This department offers the same selection of subjects as the monolingual lower school of the Gymnasium; Latin is therefore also taught.

Mathematics, History, Geography and Religion are taught in English in accordance with the immersion principle meaning that half of all lessons are taught in English and half in German.
After the 2nd class, at the end of the lower school, our students transfer to the upper school of the gymnasium of Freies Gymnasium Zürich. For the final four years of the programme, students can choose the study profile which best suits their talents.

The bilingual programme in the Gymnasium is concluded with the Swiss Bilingual Matura which qualifies students for admission to Swiss and international universities.

«Promotion Regulations monolingual and bilingual Lower School of the Gymnasium»

Admission to the Lower School of our Gymnasium from our partner school, Lakeside School

Due to the pioneering work in genuine bilingual education that Freies Gymnasium Zürich has carried out in collaboration with Lakeside School (Küsnacht), the two schools have extensive experience of the required performance levels. For this reason, students from Lakeside school are admitted to Freies Gymnasium Zürich on the recommendation of their school, without needing to take the entrance examination.

Admission to the Lower School of our Gymnasium from other schools

Students from other schools or from abroad have to take an entrance examination. Students are eligible to take this examination if they:

  • have good knowledge of both German and English
  • achieved at least a 5 average in their last report in their first language (English or German) and Mathematics (including Geometry)
  • can provide evidence of equivalent qualifications.

The entrance examination is based on work in the primary school and consists of written and oral exams in German, English and Maths. Parents and prospective students take part in an admission interview with the school management as part of the admission process.

«English Language Requirements»
«Admission to the 1st Class of the Bilingual Lower School of the Gymnasium»

Dates of examinations

  • Written examination: 12 March 2012 (German and Mathematics), 14 March 2012 (English)
  • Oral examination: 20 and 21 March 2012
  • Registration deadline: 29 February 2012

Transfer to the Upper School of the Gymnasium: all study profiles bilingual

After the 2nd class, students from the bilingual lower school of the Gymnasium transfer to the upper school of the Gymnasium of Freies Gymnasium Zürich without needing to take an entrance examination.

Ideally, students continue in the bilingual programme. This is available in all study profiles and is concluded with the state-recognised Bilingual Matura.

At Freies Gymnasium Zürich students can choose from the following programmes and study monolingually or bilingually:

  • Classics with Latin as core subjects, combined with English or Greek
  • Modern Languages with Italian as core subject
  • Economics and Law with «Economics and Law» as core subject
  • Mathematics - Natural Sciences with Biology and Chemistry, or Applied Mathematics and Physics as core subjects

Basic, core and supplementary subjects

The Matura subjects are made up of seven basic subjects, the core subject and a supplementary subject.
The study profile is essentially decided by the core subject. Lessons in the basic subjects are more or less the same for all students, irrespective of study profile. This is intended to form the basis of a general education.
All profiles include an introduction to «Economics and Law» (two lessons a week). In addition, there are optional subjects.

Extended essay (Maturaarbeit)

Working alone or in a team, students write an extended essay on a subject of their own choice. The extended essay must be approved for the student to be admitted to the Matura examinations.

School fees 2011/2012

CHF 23'600.-, payable in four instalments of CHF 5'900.-
(Subject to change)

Contact us for a personal appointment

Our Head of Department, Vice Principal Remo Kaspar, would be pleased to give you further information. Please make an appointment with the administration office.

Phone administration office:+41 43 456 77 77
sekretariat@anti-clutterfgz.ch
rkaspar@anti-clutterfgz.ch