Neuchâtel Junior College offers the exceptional opportunity to study Canadian (Ontario) curriculum in Switzerland. Students take grade 12 courses in their final year of high school or gap year. Extensive travel experiences throughout Europe are part of the program. Students gain an authentic cultural experience living with French-speaking Swiss hosts. Students develop independence and life skills preparing them for post-secondary studies and the global workplace. Full-year or one-semester options are available.
Neuchâtel Junior College was founded in 1956 and, from then to now, there’s been nothing else quite like it when it comes to options for North American students. It’s so unique that, in some ways, it’s hard to believe that it exists at all: a school, offering the Ontario curriculum, nestled within the stunning natural and diverse cultural environments of Europe. The views are inspiring, as is the proximity to international organizations, including the UN in Geneva. Skiing in Zermatt, visiting Flanders Fields on Remembrance Day … it goes on and on. The instruction is rigorous, and classes are intimate. The majority of students arrive from Ontario, though the student population is drawn from across Canada, the US and abroad. The ideal student is one who is inclined to make the most of the vast range of opportunities that the school provides through this unique educational experience.
Additional notes: Students use local public transportation to travel from homes to school. Student transportation pass is included in tuition.
Gallery showcasing school life and general photos of Neuchâtel Junior College.
Gallery showcasing specific locations and facilities found at Neuchâtel Junior College.
The early application deadline for September 2026 is July 7, 2025. Early applicants may receive a conditional offer of admission in the autumn, and candidates who are accepted as part of the Early Application option will receive an additional 1,000 Swiss Franc (CHF) tuition incentive upon enrolment applied to their second tuition payment (June 2026).
Focus |
---|
Academic |
Subject | offered |
---|---|
Evolution as consensus theory | |
Evolution as one of many equally viable theories | |
Evolution is not taught |
Subject | offered |
---|---|
Biology | |
Chemistry | |
Ecology | |
Geology | |
Meteorology | |
Physics | |
Physiology | |
Zoology |
Subject | offered |
---|---|
Canadian lit | |
American lit | |
European (continental) lit | |
World (non-Western) lit | |
English lit | |
Ancient lit |
Subject | offered |
---|---|
Chinese-Cantonese | |
Chinese-Mandarin | |
French | |
German | |
Greek | |
Italian | |
Japanese | |
Hebrew | |
Latin | |
Russian | |
Spanish | |
ESL |
Subject | offered |
---|---|
Acting | |
Dance | |
Drama/Theatre | |
Graphic Design | |
Music | |
Visual Arts |
Expressive | |
Disciplined |
Subject | offered |
---|---|
Computer science | |
Robotics | |
Web design |
Flexible pacing style | offered |
---|---|
Subject-streaming (tracking) | |
Multi-age classrooms as standard | |
Ability-grouping (in-class) as common | |
Frequent use of cyber-learning (at-their-own-pace) | |
Regular guided independent study opportunities | |
Differentiated assessment |
NJC offers no/limited support for students with learning difficulties or special needs.
Subject Ttype | offered |
---|---|
Learning strategy and study counselling; habit formation | |
Extra support and minor accommodations for children experiencing subclinical difficulties |
Subject Ttype | offered |
---|---|
Accommodations | |
Modifications | |
Extra support |
Read our guide to special needs schools and special education
Curriculum delivery: Enrichment (The main focus is on enrichment. This means that while students may work at a marginally quicker pace than public school peers, the primary aim is to study subject in broader and deeper ways.)
Program | offered |
---|---|
Custom subject enrichment (special arrangement) | |
Custom curriculum compacting (special arrangement) | |
Guided independent study (custom gifted arrangement) | |
Cyber-learning opportunities (custom gifted arrangement) | |
Formalized peer coaching opportunities (specifically for gifted learners to coach others) | |
Custom subject acceleration (special arrangement) | |
Career exploration (custom gifted arrangement) | |
Project-based learning (custom gifted arrangement) | |
Mentorships (custom gifted arrangement) |
In grade Gr. 12, NJC students perform an average of >2 hours of homework per night.
12 | |
---|---|
NJC | 160 mins |
Site Average | 105 mins |
Lettered or numbered grades | Gr. 12 to Gr. 12 |
Prose (narrative)-based feedback | Gr. 12 to Gr. 12 |
Parent-teacher meetings | Gr. 12 to Gr. 12 |
Competitive sports: 10
Recreational sports: 20
Neuchâtel Junior College offers 12 clubs and extracurricular programs.
12 | |
Boarding | SF 64,115 |
Grade range that need-based aid is offered: | 12 |
Percentage of grade-eligible students receiving financial aid | 10% |
Average aid package size | $10,000 |
Percentage of total enrolment on financial aid | 10% |
Total aid available | $0 |
This school works with Apple Financial Inc. for processing financial applications
Interview
Supplementary Essays
Application File Review
Apple Financial Third-Party Review
Applicants for the scholarship must have submitted an application to Neuchâtel Junior College by the application deadline of January 15, 2026.
Canadian citizen in who are academically eligible to study at NJC - with a minimum of 3 years of high school completed before attending Neuchâtel Junior College
Demonstrated commitment of three (3) or more years to community involvement
Attending NJC for the full academic year
The following components must be submitted by the deadline in order for the application to be assessed by the Scholarship review and Admission committee.
Application for admission to Neuchâtel Junior College submitted by the January 15, 2026 application deadline through the general admission portal on the njc.ch website.
Outside of the general application for admission to NJC, all other documents and videos must be submitted to the scholarship portal - link provided by emailing [email protected]
Application form for the Dr. Daniel Andreae Scholarship for Community Engagement signed by student and parent/guardian;
Video Submission (5-7 mins) describing the contribution(s) the applicant has made to his or her neighbourhood, community and/or society and how this involvement has contributed to their personal growth;
A copy of your current resume; and
A letter of recommendation from one of the agencies or organizations outlining tasks performed while volunteering including length of participation.
Grades | Gender | Living Arrangement | Enrolment | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Group 1 | Gr. 12 to Gr. 12 | Coed | Homestay | 75 |
Total enrolment | 75 |
Average class size | 14 |
% of international students (total enrolment) | 10% |
Number of different nationalities within student population | 5 |
12 | |
---|---|
Homestay Enrollment | 70 |
Class Size | 14 |
Assessment | Required | Grades |
---|---|---|
Interview | N/A | |
SSAT | ||
SSAT (out of province) | ||
Entrance Exam(s) | ||
Entrance Essay | N/A |
Homestay students: Rolling
Offer mid-year entry: Yes
Application fee: $300
Registration fee: $7,500
Deposit: N/A
This is the percentage of applicants typically accepted into the school. So if 50 students are admitted out of 100 applicants, the school has an overall acceptance rate of 50%.
Student Entry Points
This shows approximately how many openings there are likely to be in each grade in a typical year, as well as the estimated acceptance rate for each grade level.
Student Type | 12 |
---|---|
Homestay Acceptance (Acceptance rate) | 0 |
Average graduating class size | 70 |
Students accepted into post-secondary studies upon graduation | N/A |
Percentage of students who attend post-secondary institutions outside of Canada | N/A |
Students who attended a Ivy+ school Number of students in the past 5 years that that attended one of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Stanford, University of Chicago, Oxford or Cambridge (UK) | 3 |
Queen's University | 19% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western University | 12% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
McGill University | 10% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dalhousie University | 7% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University of Toronto | 5% |
Neuchâtel Junior College Graduates’ Post-Secondary Studies:
Aggregate of All Schools’ Post-Secondary Studies:
Career planning | |
Internships |
Mentorship Program | N/A |
University counseling |
What NJC says:
One characteristic of all good students is an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Our unique school, perched on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel in the beautiful Swiss town of the same name, is ideally suited to students of this kind. Students come to us eager to learn more about the world around them; drawn to change, they sense that the world has more to offer them if they could just step outside the boundaries of their local experiences. Neuchâtel Junior College exists for these types of students at this pivotal time in their lives, and here, they learn about themselves as much as they learn about the world.
In 1956, NJC’s visionary Founder, Leonard Wilde, knew that, “To be a leader today, one must travel the world.” This enduring idea is just as – if not more – relevant today. As much as our students have likely travelled to places with their families before, in most cases, they have not gone on an extended, independent journey. The Neuchâtel experience offers a view to the world beyond childhood borders, and our trips are integrated with the curriculum to make the learning experience richer and fuller. The fact that students have chosen this journey to NJC sets them apart both geographically and personally from where they began, thereby transforming them well beyond the potential of any single school trip experienced before.
Over the course of many months, our students explore centres of Western European civilization, which helped to shape our own culture, giving them knowledge of the past with which to consider the future. They visit unfamiliar and exotic places to gain an insight into the similarities and differences of other cultures in this increasingly global community. Inspired by NJC’s program, our students also learn that they can have a positive impact on each place they visit. This may be through participation in a service rip, involvement in a Model UN activity, or by helping to make our school community a better place through personal character, talent, ideas and leadership. All of this they experience while immersed in their studies, surrounded by inspiring teachers and classmates, and living with a local Swiss, French-speaking family. This formula, unique in the world for over 60 years, consistently opens minds, broadens perspectives, and inspires graduates to make their place in the world more meaningful and purposeful.
Who is best suited to attend Neuchâtel Junior College? I would encourage you to take advantage of this transformational experience if you are willing to meet two very important expectations. You must come prepared to work hard in your academic studies and be curious about the world around you; these are prerequisites so that you will be able to apply your newfound knowledge, confidence, independence and leadership in your chosen university, in the career that you wish to pursue, and throughout your life.
I look forward to meeting you soon. A bientôt!
October 20, 2020
A New School Year Begins
Read about the adventures of the Class of 2021 and what they've been up to since they arrived in Switzerland!
Read full article
October 20, 2020
NJC Featured in Globe and Mail Article
Read about how NJC has adapted during COVID 19!
Read full article
Disclaimer: Information presented on this page may be paid advertising provided by the advertisers [schools/camps/programs] and is not warranted or guaranteed by OurKids.net or its associated websites. See Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Our Kids ™ © 2015 All right reserved. | ![]() |