Joining ZIS

Resource

Middle School students in drama class performing — Join us at our open-house events

Upcoming events in January and March 2024. Learn about our school: Lower School (ages 3-11) including Bilingual Pathway (ages 3-8) and Middle School (ages 11-14)

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We do everything we can to make sure every member of our ZIS community feels welcomed, included and inspired.

ZIS is not just a place for students. It is also a place for families and employees, where everyone feels welcomed and included.

We are home to people from many different countries, cultures and backgrounds. We value different perspectives and ideas, and work hard to make sure everyone feels comfortable in our community.

Whether you are joining ZIS from another location in Switzerland or moving here from another country, we have put together some information to ensure that you settle in smoothly and quickly.

We are always happy to answer any questions you may have about ZIS, Zurich or Switzerland itself. Get in touch with our Admissions Team and we will help you with your new start.

In This Section

Helping Your Family Transition

Moving to a new city or country can be complicated. Our community has representatives that can help.

Family Connections

Family Connections

Lower School Families

Our Lower School Counselor connects your child with a student buddy, this will also be a family connection for you. Our Counselors will connect you with a family with similar aged children.

Middle and Upper School Families

The ZIS experience is not just for students; parents are an integral part of the ZIS community. The ZIS Parents' Association (PA) Welcome Committee will help your family feel connected even before you arrive, to help make your transition as seamless as possible by giving you the opportunity to connect with a Family Buddy.

Our School Counselors are here to help you and your family to transition to and from ZIS:

Lea Richter, Early Childhood Counselor, lerichter@zis.ch
Marlo Frontiera, Lower School Counselor, mfrontiera@zis.ch
Karin Shipley, Middle School Counselor, kshipley@zis.ch
Lisa Karlsson, Middle School Counselor, lkarlsson@zis.ch
Katie Richardson, Upper School Counselor, crichardson@zis.ch
Patricia Henderson, Upper School Counselor, phenderson@zis.ch

Early Childhood kids coming down the slide

School Transportation

There is a range of different transportation options to get your child to and from the Primary Campus in Wädenswil and the Secondary Campus in Adliswil. Find out more about routes and registration.

Bus Services Overview
Carpooling

Bus Services Overview

Lower School Bus Service Overview

Customized Door-to-Door Bus Service (Preschool to Grade 5)

Zurich International School offers a bus service that picks up and drops off Lower School children at specific points along a variety of routes, and brings them directly to the school in Wädenswil for the start of the school day.

ZIS busses operate in the greater Zurich area, with pickup and drop-off options also in Zug. Each bus operates a timetabled route, based on the location of registered bus riders.

We offer flexible departure times at the end of the school day in order to accommodate children who want to participate in after school activities and recreational sports. This means that children can either depart directly after school or an hour later on the days they have after school activities.

Service provided by Auto AG Rothenburg
8-seater vans provide more flexibility for collection points and shorter driving times
Fully sustainable, electric vehicles
App-based schedule and absence management, live tracking and information updates

ZIS Lower School "village liner"

The first step towards independent travelling! The “village liner” is a ZIS exclusive bus service on a set route between Rüschlikon and the Lower School, with several stops at public bus stops along the route.

This service is ideal for families who want their children to travel to school and back more independently. It is the first approach for children to use public transportation in a safe and chaperoned environment. No attendance will be taken on this bus and registered children are free to use any stop to get on and off in combination with public or private transportation.

Free after school care: If siblings registered on the village liner are on different schedules for after school activities, free after school care will be provided to enable them to travel home together on the later bus.

Students of all ages can travel on this ZIS-exclusive bus which will have a chaperone. We suggest parents of EC-aged children contact our Bus Coordinator, Roland Gähwiler, at bus@zis.ch, to discuss before booking.

If you have any questions, please contact the Bus Coordinator, Roland Gähwiler at bus@zis.ch

Secondary Campus Shuttle Bus

ZIS Thalwil - Secondary Campus Shuttle

This shuttle service is the ideal addition to public transport for students living along the lake side as well as in the Zug/Luzern and Schwyz/Glarus area for all relevant trains stopping in Thalwil.
In addition to the public bus services departing from the Secondary Campus, an additional bus service is available just for ZIS School students, which goes directly to Adliswil train station and then onto Zurich Morgental. This extra bus service is exclusive to ZIS students.

Carpooling

Parents can connect to share journeys for their children. With this free-of-charge service, ZIS has added an additional option to enable members of our community to reduce their carbon footprint and the number of vehicles on our campuses.

Carpooling presents an effective solution to alleviate traffic congestion, fostering a safer and more sustainable environment for everyone. By encouraging parents and employees to carpool, we aim to decrease the number of cars on the roads and enable smoother traffic flow around our campuses – it's a practical and necessary step towards a greener future.

What are the benefits of carpooling?
Preservation of resources and protection of the environment

Cost-sharing, making commuting more affordable
Opportunities to build social connections within the community
Additional commuting options and flexibility for travel needs

ZIS has partnered with HItchHike to offer a convenient and efficient carpooling solution for parents on both the Wädenswil and Adliswil campuses. Further information is available here.

Lunch Program

Our nutritious lunches include locally-sourced ingredients and options for vegetarians.

We offer an optional hot lunch program at both campuses. All food is prepared in our own kitchens using fresh, in-season fruit and vegetables.

The ZIS Lunch Program is provided by Passion Food which specializes in catering to international schools. Daily hot meals and salads, using fresh, locally sourced seasonable vegetables, are prepared in our own kitchens on site.

Students can also bring in lunch from home and children sit together to eat.

Menu Plans

Students have a daily menu choice and can choose from a meat option or a vegetarian option, apart from Mondays, which is 'Meatless Monday'. Menus are posted in the Community Portal up to 1-2 weeks in advance.

Payment Options

Flexible payment options are available including pre-payment and registration in advance. Lunch can be purchased daily with cash and Middle and Upper School students can pay via card. Lunch vouchers for younger children at the Lower School can be purchased.

Lunch Details by Division

Primary Campus - Early Childhood and Lower School

All menus are freshly prepared in the kitchen on campus. Students have the choice of a menu with meat or the vegetarian option. The menu includes a salad, fresh fruit and one drink (water or milk).

Early Childhood hot meals are delivered directly to the classroom so that children can eat in a familiar environment with appropriate supervision.

Menu price

Preschool-Kindergarten: CHF 9.00
Menu price Grades 1-5: CHF 11.00

Students also have the option to bring their own lunch from home.

Early Childhood lunch menu (Preschool and Kindergarten)

Orders for lunch are placed directly with the catering service Passion Food via their website. You can also purchase lunch tokens in batches of 10 tokens.

We cook nut free! For all other allergies, please ask the kitchen chef! (Preschool and Kindergarten)

Lower School lunch menu (Grades 1-5)

Orders for lunch are placed directly with catering service Passion Food. Lunch tickets can be bought in batches of 10 or individual lunch tickets can also be bought at the cafeteria.

Each lunch comes with fresh salad and fruit. We cook nut free! For all other allergies, please ask the kitchen chef!

Secondary Campus - Middle School

The menus are prepared in the kitchen on site. Included in the menu is a salad from the buffet, fresh fruit and a drink (Ice tea, Syrup or water). Homemade soup is also offered in the winter months.

Menu price: CHF 12

Students have the option to bring their own lunch from home and a microwave is available if students wish to heat food.

Middle School

Middle School lunch menu

Students can buy lunches on a daily basis with cash. Orders for lunch per semester are placed directly with catering service Passion Food.

Fresh salads every day. Sandwiches available for sale.

Gluten Free = GF / Lactose Free = LF

Secondary Campus - Upper School

The menus are prepared in the kitchen on site. Included in the menu are a salad, fresh fruit and a drink (choice of juices). Homemade soup is offered in the winter months.

Menu price: CHF 13

A range of sandwiches, wraps, snacks and salads to go, are also available throughout the day.

Students also have the option to bring their own lunch from home. A microwave is available as well as a soda water fountain.

Upper School

Upper School lunch menu

Orders for lunch per semester are placed directly with catering service Passion Food through their website.

Students can buy lunch with cash or card on a daily basis. As well as the daily hot lunch, there is also a selection of sandwiches and salads each day.

Gluten Free = GF / Lactose Free

Before and After School Care

We provide regular care programs out of school hours, featuring play, arts and crafts and other activities.

After School Care
Before School Care

After School Care

At the Lower School we offer an after school care program for an additional fee, for students from Preschool to Grade 5.

After School Care is from 15:30 (14:30 on Wednesdays) until 18:00. Children can attend for the whole season or on a daily, casual basis, and parents can register online through the Community Portal.

The time is divided into free play (with various optional planned activities available); snack time (where a healthy snack is provided, and the children are encouraged to help prepare, serve and tidy up afterwards); and outdoor play. Activities include arts and crafts, board games and puzzles, Lego and construction, Playdough, reading, and DVDs on rainy days.

Fees (including snack)

After School Care is charged at a rate of 15 CHF per hour. There is a minimum charge of 7.50 CHF for the first 30 minutes. Students are then charged for each additional minute that they stay in After School Care.

Before and after school care does not operate during school vacations or on Professional Development Days.

Before School Care

The Breakfast Club is from 07:00 to 08:00 (pre-registration required, a minimum of 24 hours in advance), with breakfast served by 07:45. After 08:00 children will be supervised without charge until classes begin.

Fees (including breakfast)

Per day Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
07:00-08:00 CHF 15 (including breakfast)

Before and after school care does not operate during school vacations or on Professional Development Days.

Welcoming you to the Community

The Parents' Association has a network of representatives within the parent body for different residential areas of Zurich and neighboring towns and villages, as well as representatives for different nationalities.

Area and Nationality Representatives offer new families and existing families a warm welcome to ZIS and host a minimum of two social engagements per school year for their respective group as well as participating in WorldFest (which is an annual celebration of international culture).

We will connect you with your local area rep and/or nationality rep.

Contact Us

We are here if you have questions about ZIS. Contact us to learn more.

Virtual Tours

Take a virtual tour of our Lower School in Wädenswil, or our Middle and Upper School in Adliswil

Joining ZIS

Join us at our open-house events

Lunch Program

Menu Plans

Payment Options

Welcoming you to the Community

Admission to Grade 8 & Upper School for 2024/25 School Year