Austria · Salzburg
SALIS is the selective international stream at the public BG Zaunergasse in Salzburg. Its eight-year bilingual programme leads through the Austrian Gymnasium curriculum and can culminate in both the Austrian Matura and the IB Diploma. There is no ordinary tuition, but the 2026–27 programme contribution is €990 and later-entry assessments can add substantial costs.
SALIS, or Salzburg International School, is the international stream within BG Zaunergasse, an Austrian state Gymnasium. It is a co-educational day school at Zaunergasse 3 and does not offer boarding.
The school is publicly funded and the International Baccalaureate directory identifies SALIS as a state IB World School. It should not be confused with American International School–Salzburg, a private day and boarding school with an American curriculum.
SALIS runs for eight years. Year 1 corresponds to Austrian Grade 5, normally for pupils aged ten or eleven. Years 7 and 8 are the two years of the IB Diploma Programme.
The lower school, SALIS Years 1–4, teaches through both German and English. English becomes increasingly important as pupils progress. In upper secondary, and especially during the IB Diploma Programme, English is the principal teaching language.
SALIS remains part of an Austrian Gymnasium. Pupils follow national requirements as well as the international programme, and the school prepares them for the Austrian Matura and the IB Diploma. Families should confirm the exact subject combination and conditions for completing both qualifications.
The admissions policy says applicants must live with a parent or legal guardian in Salzburg or nearby. A residence registration document, known as a Meldezettel, is required within one month of official admission or by the date the pupil joins the class.
Successful Year 1 candidates must be able to participate fully in at least one teaching language. A German-speaking child is not expected to know more English than is normally taught in primary school. A regular applicant from an Austrian or German primary school must also meet the legal standard for entry to a Gymnasium.
For later lower-school entry, the school expects age-appropriate English and basic German. Pupils whose first language is not German normally take German as a Foreign Language.
Upper-secondary applicants need strong written and spoken English. Where English is the pupil’s strongest academic language but not the first language, the policy requires at least B2 in the SALIS assessment or an accepted equivalent.
The admissions page reviewed on 4 September 2026 says all lower-school classes are full and upper-secondary places are limited. That is a current capacity statement, not a permanent admissions rule.
For SALIS Year 1 entry in 2027–28:
The detailed German admissions page contains one stray reference to 16 December 2025. The German and English overview pages and the English admissions page all give 16 December 2026, so that is the operative published date. Families should still confirm it when the portal opens.
Applications for Years 2–8 may be considered later, depending on capacity. The school’s general guidance says Years 2–6 applications should normally arrive by the end of May before entry. It does not guarantee that applications received after 15 June will be processed.
Direct entry to IB Diploma Year 2 is limited to transfer pupils already attending an IB World School. SALIS must be able to match the existing subject combination.
Applicants first register and provide school reports and identity and residence documents. They then complete the relevant assessment. The current school is asked for a Pupil Assessment Form before the final decision.
The assessment differs by entry year:
| Entry point | Assessment | Published charge |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | Reading, language creativity and logical reasoning; written and oral | Normally free; €60 only for a late test after the scheduled January assessments |
| Years 2–5 | Mathematics and English | €90 per subject, €180 total |
| Year 6 | Mathematics, English and one science | €90 per subject, €270 total |
| Years 7–8 | Mathematics, English and one science | €120 per subject, €360 total |
Assessment charges are non-refundable. The school may request an in-person family meeting and normally prefers in-person assessment, although some lower-year tests can take place at the pupil’s current school.
The admissions policy says SALIS compares completed applications and offers places to the strongest candidates. Applicants may be waitlisted when no place is available. Assessment success does not guarantee admission.
SALIS publishes classroom differentiation, free Academic Remedial Coaching, peer tutoring, counselling and possible examination accommodations. Its inclusion policy also describes staff support for academic, social, emotional, physical and psychological needs.
Provision is not unlimited. The admissions policy says available resources restrict how many pupils can use the learning-support programme. It may refuse admission where significant academic or physical needs cannot be supported adequately.
Families must provide relevant individual education plans, speech and language reports or psychological reports with the application. Any need for IB Diploma examination arrangements must be identified before the programme begins. Requests are due to the IB coordinator by the end of the first week of Diploma Year 1 and remain subject to IB approval.
BG Zaunergasse charges no ordinary school tuition. For 2026–27, SALIS requires a contribution of €99 per school month, or €990 for the school year, to cover additional international-programme costs.
The December 2025 admissions policy still states €93 per month. The live 2026–27 programme page is newer and gives €99, so families should use that current figure and confirm it on the invoice.
Assessment charges may apply as listed above. The public pages do not give a complete list of trips, equipment or IB examination costs, so families should request the current annual budget.
BG Zaunergasse publishes optional day-care charges separately:
| Days each week | Monthly care charge |
|---|---|
| 1 | €26.40 |
| 2 | €35.20 |
| 3 | €52.80 |
| 4 | €70.40 |
| 5 | €88.00 |
These charges are collected for ten months, from September through June. A reduction may be available on application. Lunch is charged separately at €7 per meal, with an advance by semester and an end-of-year reconciliation for unused meals.
Day care can normally be cancelled only at the end of a semester with three weeks’ written notice. Late notice leaves the family liable until the end of the school year.
SALIS is most relevant to families who can meet the residence requirement and want a public bilingual Gymnasium route with Matura and IB Diploma preparation. It also requires the academic and language profile to pass selective admission.
Compare it with American International School–Salzburg if the pupil needs boarding or an American high-school diploma. The Salzburg school-search guide and Austria guide place both options in context.
Official pages and documents we read. If a figure matters to your budget or your application, open the link and confirm it is still current.
Friendly orientation, not an application. Dates, fees, and programme details move. Confirm everything with the school.
American International School–Salzburg is a small English-medium school for Grades 7–12. Pupils work toward an American high school diploma and may take Advanced Placement courses and examinations. Families can choose day attendance, five-day boarding or full boarding.
GrazAkademisches Gymnasium Graz is a public, co-educational day school in the city centre. It follows the Austrian AHS route to the Matura. PEP English Plus adds English to selected lower-school subjects, but it is neither an IB programme nor a fully bilingual pathway.
ViennaAMADEUS combines English-medium International Baccalaureate programmes with a music and arts academy in Vienna’s 18th district. Day pupils can start at age 3; boarding is for ages 11–18. Budget for entry fees and a security deposit as well as annual tuition.
ViennaAIS Vienna is an English-medium day school from age four through Grade 12. Every graduate earns its US High School Diploma, while eligible pupils may also pursue the IB Diploma. Entry depends on academic readiness, English level, support capacity and the school's priority order.
Salzburg's two featured international routes lead to different qualifications. AIS-Salzburg offers an American high-school diploma, Advanced Placement courses and boarding from Grade 7. SALIS is a public bilingual Gymnasium whose upper years can lead to both the Austrian Matura and the IB Diploma.
7 minStart with the qualification your child would actually receive. Then check its subjects, language demands, and recognition in the countries where they may study next.
7 minStart with your child and the family's likely plans. Define the non-negotiables, verify the school's claims, compare three realistic options and visit with specific questions.
7 minTuition is only one line of the budget. Separate charges from advance payments, record what each figure includes, and ask the school to confirm your calculation in writing.