FAQ

 

 

 

 

When should my child apply and how long does the procedure take?

We operate a rolling admissions procedure, so there is no cut-off date – although the sooner the better of course. As soon as we receive all the admissions documents and the application fee is paid, we give an answer usually within 2 or 3 days and never more than a week later.

View the Admissions process.

What are the documents needed?

The Admissions procedure gives the details, and we have lots of experience in judging the level and character of students from other systems (although we require translations of reports not in English or French). The reports, recommendation and assessment tests are particularly useful. If the applicant has already applied to Le Rosey, the admissions dossier can be transferred to Le Régent and no further documents are required.

Is a visit important?

It is extremely helpful for you to see the school and we prefer to meet candidates and their family. School is about learning with other people and the human aspect of choosing Le Régent can be just as important as an academic level. When a visit is not possible, we insist on a Skype interview or a meeting with one of our representatives during their travels around the world.

What is the link between Le Régent and Le Rosey?

In 2019, Le Rosey began a coaching relationship with Le Régent. Although they are different schools, Le Rosey and Le Régent share many values – and particularly their attachment to an international education in Switzerland. This means that a candidate for whom there is no place at Le Rosey can be admitted to Le Régent. In certain cases, a candidate who has applied to Le Rosey but admitted to Le Régent can transfer to Le Rosey at the beginning of the year if a place becomes available.

Will my child be suitable for Le Régent?

We aim to recruit students with ambitions in more than one area. Clearly academic aspirations and the ability to follow the school curriculum (at the Pre-Bac and IB level in particular) come first but talents in a wide range of areas such as sports, arts, debating, entrepreneurship or more can be very important and should be mentioned in the application. Perhaps more important for boarders, however, is their readiness to live in a community and adapt to boarding school life.

What about my child’s level of English?
Younger children (up to the age of 11) who are learning English are very welcome to join Le Régent. They are placed in an EAL programme where they receive intensive English lessons and a modified programme in the other subjects so that they can quickly pick up and feel confident in English. And in a boarding school, where the language of social life and of instruction is English, progress can be remarkably fast.

English language fluency is increasingly important for students over the age of 13. By way of an indication, we normally expect an intermediate standard of English at this stage and by the age of 14 they should speak English fluently and be able to pass the Cambridge “PET” test or equivalent.

Is there a difference between being a day student or boarder?

In some cases, the choice is easy: for parents living abroad or a long way from Crans-Montana, boarding is the only option. For “locals” the decision may be more difficult although we welcome both boarding and day students. The rhythm of the day is based on the boarding experience, but our day students are fully integrated into the life of the school. Sometimes children start off as day students and choose to become boarders in later years. If you are uncertain, do not hesitate to discuss this matter with us.

Learn more about boarding at Le Régent.

Which year group or grade level?
When your child applies to Le Régent, great care is taken over placement in the appropriate year group. Normally this is based on the age of the child and their previous year group or grade. In an international school, however, this can be more complicated and we take a number of factors into account, including academic ability level of maturity. A general guide can be found in our Curriculum Overview, but we will discuss your child’s particular requirements during the Admissions Process. Please note that our cut-off birth date for each year group is normally 1st September.
What about learning differences?

In cases where a candidate has specific learning differences (dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADD or ADHD) support is available, and we are happy to discuss whether or not they will be able to handle the requirements of our academic programme. When in doubt, talk to us personally and we shall be more than happy to discuss with you the specific needs of your son or daughter.

Financial aid
Le Régent occasionally offers financial assistance to a small number of worthy candidates whose parents can demonstrate that gaining a bursary would allow them to provide their children with their ideal educational experience. Normal bursaries would be in the region of 10% – 25% of the annual fees. All requests will be means-tested, before a final decision is taken. Successful candidates will need to demonstrate a high standard of academic performance and a personality that reflects the school’s philosophy. Please contact the Director of Admissions or the Headmaster for further information. (Please note that IB Scholarships are dealt with separately.)
How much does Le Régent cost?

It depends on two things: day or boarding and the age/year group. We ask for payment in two tranches by the dates given in Le Régent’s annual fees.

What about a passport, permit or visa?

Our admissions team will organise the obtention of the residence permit for non-Swiss residents, although we cannot obtain visas on students’ behalf.

The parents/legal guardians must submit an application for a multi-entry visa by the end of May at the latest to the Swiss embassy or consulate in their own country.

Please note that visas can take up to 12 weeks to process.

Students are not able to begin studying in Switzerland until their visa has been approved, so it is crucial that an application is made at the earliest opportunity, to avoid important work being missed at the beginning of the new school year.

If the student holds a current passport from one of these countries, he/she can travel freely in and out of Switzerland and the admission team will obtain the student’s residency permit upon arrival in Switzerland:

Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San-Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and The Vatican.