Zurich schools, the lake shore and Zumikon

Zurich is not “the international school.” It is a German-speaking canton with two English IB day houses posting families name in the first week, and a much older set of Volksschulen that stay families name in the second.

The portraits we have are Zurich International School in Wädenswil and Adliswil, and Inter-Community School Zurich in Zumikon. Use them for franc tables. ZIS prints 2026/27 on the German fees page. ICS prints 2026–27 Financial Regulations, including Lex Aeppli in the younger years. This note is the city between them. The Switzerland country page is the wider map — Zug, Basel, Leysin.

Two climates, two roads

ZIS sits on the lake shore — Lower School in Wädenswil, Middle and Upper in Adliswil. IB or AP in the upper school. A bilingual English/German path in the younger years. It is not Bahnhofstrasse.

ICS sits in Zumikon, east of the lake. PYP, MYP, Diploma. About 800 students on the school’s own snapshot, since 1960. Add the capital fund. Ask whether Lex Aeppli applies to this child in Kindergarten through Grade 4.

They share a canton and almost no Monday. Time both gates from the flat you will actually rent.

The German city is the other school

If you might stay, an English IB is not automatically the kindest paper. A Volksschule that charges nothing at the door, a cantonal Gymnasium — those are official mornings.

The language of the yard is the test. High German in the classroom and Swiss-German in the park are not the same Tuesday.

Zug and Basel are not suburbs of Zurich. Leysin is a boarding mountain, not a day commute.

What to ask on the stairs

Ask which road this child stands on. Ask ICS whether Lex Aeppli applies. Add the capital lines. Time Wädenswil and Zumikon on the same wet Tuesday.

The city hub is the short map. The two portraits are the long ones.

Friendly orientation, not formal admissions advice. Always confirm dates with the school.