Austria · St. Gilgen
StGIS offers an English-language IB education in a small lakeside setting near Salzburg. The important decisions are day versus boarding, English readiness, support needs, and the full contract cost.
St. Gilgen International School is a co-educational day and boarding school beside the Wolfgangsee. The main campus is at Ischlerstrasse 13, 5340 St. Gilgen. The school estimates Salzburg Airport at about 35 minutes by road.
The current education page presents Grade 5 as the primary stage. The IB Middle Years Programme covers Grades 6–10, followed by the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11–12.
Senior students may take the full IB Diploma or individual IB course certificates. They also work towards the school’s own StGIS Diploma. The school describes that diploma as accredited by CIS and WASC.
There is one published inconsistency. The curriculum overview and August 2026 admissions policy start at Grade 5, but the fee policy prices day places for Grades 4–5. Families seeking Grade 4 should obtain written confirmation that a place and programme exist.
Boarding fees begin at Grade 7. StGIS uses three nearby residences: Bachwirt, Traube and Kendler. The school describes shared double rooms with en-suite bathrooms, arranged by age and gender.
Admissions are rolling, although most pupils start in September. A place depends on capacity and whether the school believes a late entrant can manage academically and socially. Waiting-list placement does not guarantee admission.
Applicants must have completed the previous grade. Placement normally follows age, using 31 August as the cut-off. The Head may approve a different grade after discussing the child’s development and prior schooling.
The first stage requires three years of school reports, a passport copy and a student motivation letter. It also requires two recommendations, normally involving English, mathematics or the current Head. Any educational agency must be declared when the initial application is made.
The school then strongly prefers a trial day, although the current policy does not make it compulsory. All candidates are interviewed. From Grade 7, applicants take English and mathematics assessments; boarding applicants normally stay overnight.
StGIS offers intensive English support for beginners and pupils with limited English in earlier grades. Strong English is expected by Grade 10. Grades 11–12 require two languages, including English.
Families must disclose learning, behavioural, medical and allergy information. The school may request professional reports at the parents’ expense and can make reasonable assessment adjustments where possible.
StGIS says it can support temporary difficulties. It is not equipped for pupils needing long-term professional support for serious learning difficulties or a history of behavioural problems. An offer may be withdrawn if material information was false, incomplete or withheld.
The first term, or approximately four months, is probationary. If a pupil is not thriving, the school may change the grade, programme or boarding house after discussion with parents.
The operative published application fee is €320 and is non-refundable. An earlier official 2026/27 PDF said €290, but that copy has been superseded. Ask admissions to confirm the invoiced figure in writing because the amount changed during the cycle.
Scholarships are usually partial, reviewed annually and awarded at entry. Full awards are described as extremely rare. Grade 8 or younger applicants are considered only in extraordinary circumstances.
The live admissions page says scholarship applications close in mid-March. The August 2026 admissions policy says the end of February for the following year. Use the earlier date unless the school confirms otherwise in writing.
| Route | Grade | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| Boarding | 7–8 | €67,500 |
| Boarding | 9–10 | €74,200 |
| Boarding | 11–12 | €75,800 |
| Day | 4–5 | €32,800 |
| Day | 6 | €35,400 |
| Day | 7–8 | €42,000 |
| Day | 9–10 | €48,300 |
| Day | 11–12 | €50,300 |
The day figures include tuition, lunch, most curriculum and sports trips, and the weekday ski pass. Boarding adds accommodation, all meals, weekend activities, most event travel, and ordinary uniform laundry.
Important extras include uniform, laptop, ski hire, personal laundry and travel to or from school. Individual music, mathematics or learning support costs extra. So do major optional trips, IB examinations, university tests and medical transport.
The non-refundable enrolment fee is €2,700. The refundable deposit is €12,000 for boarding or €6,000 for day pupils. A family with several children provides only one deposit.
Enrolment renews automatically. Withdrawal or a change between day and boarding requires written notice one full term in advance. Late notice can make the following term payable.
Families without an EU passport must arrange the pupil visa through the relevant Austrian embassy. StGIS says the process can take a couple of months and does not assess visa eligibility.
The visa file normally needs the signed contract and school attendance confirmation. It also needs proof of paid tuition, Austrian health insurance, identity and custody documents, and the school’s Power of Attorney.
Every pupil needs comprehensive Austrian liability, accident and health cover before attendance. The policy says Austrian pupils may use their e-card. Non-EU pupils need private Austrian medical insurance; travel insurance alone is not enough. Other EU families should confirm acceptable evidence.
The Power of Attorney and local boarding arrangements should not be mistaken for parental immigration advice. Ask the Austrian authority what consent, custody or local representation documents apply to your child.
StGIS offers a small English-language IB environment with day and boarding pupils on one lakeside campus. It is most convincing for families who actively want this residential setting, rather than simply an international school near Salzburg.
Use the St. Gilgen city guide for location context, the Austria guide for the national system, and the boarding guide for residential questions.
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.
Akademisches 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.
SalzburgAmerican 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.
St. Gilgen is a lakeside village in the Salzkammergut, linked to Salzburg by bus rather than rail. It suits families who want village life with an English-medium IB school on the doorstep; families who need city choice or Austrian public schooling in German should weigh Salzburg first.
8 minStart with the child and a realistic weekly timetable. Then confirm who provides care, which nights are covered, and what happens when plans change.
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.