What do Dodi Al-Fayed, Tracee Ellis Ross, and the last Shah of Iran all have in common? They all attended the same Swiss boarding school. For 150 years, Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland has educated the richest of the rich. We're talking royalty, politicians, and media royalty.
Have you ever wondered "the best education that money can buy" actually means? Well, wonder no further. This is a look inside Le Rosey—and whether it's worth the $130,000 price tag!
150 Years Of Tradition
Institut Le Rosey was established by Paul-Émile Carnal in 1880 The school takes its name from the Château du Rosey, a 14th-century castle in Rolle, Switzerland. A castle away from home for the next generation of royals, if you will.
Le Rosey is somewhat unique as it operates out of not one, but two campuses. Spring and autumn classes take place in the château overlooking the picturesque waters of Lake Geneva. When the weather turns cold, the students migrate to a chalet in Gstaad, where skiing is the name of the game.
Duality is a core facet of Le Rosey's identity. Not only do the students rotate campuses, but they are expected to be fluent, both linguistically and culturally in English and French. The students are some of the most privileged children in the world, but their academic performance trumps parental capital.
The Cream Of The Crop
In addition to fluency in English and French, students are required to pick up a third or even fourth language—this is where having a mother tongue outside of English or French would come in handy! Students are also expected to score top marks on their International Baccalaureate Diploma. In addition to your standard history and geography, students also take classes in gardening, philosophy, politics, and economics.
For extracurriculars, students are absolutely swamped with choices. To stay active, students have one hour of sport a day (sailing, horseback riding, and snowboarding) are some of the top choices. In addition, an hour of art is required each week, encompassing everything from theater and classical music to 3D printing and rock bands.
While students are taught both the ways of the Continent and the United Kingdom, Le Rosey resists any sort of hegemonic identity. Of the approximately 460 students, no more than 10% may come from the same country—no exceptions! Word on the street is that this policy was implemented because children of Russian oligarchs "terrorized" the rest of the student body.
Life at Le Rosey
Patrick Robert Doyle on Unsplash
In spite of its eye-watering tuition fees and cut-throat admission process (allegedly there are five applications for every spot), life at Le Rosey is deceptively simple. Bedrooms and bathrooms are shared, and roommate assignments shift as the seasons do. Students are responsible for keeping their space tidy and being down to breakfast before 8 am.
The schedule, if we're being honest, sounds grueling. Students rise at 7 in the morning and don't have a chance to start their homework until 8 pm. Apart from a mid-morning hot chocolate break, they hardly have a minute to think.
Formal attire is mandatory for dinner, which is marked by "fairly rigid customs". Tables seat seven to nine students, whose places are marked by a personal napkin for the whole term. Students rotate serving the table and are not allowed to leave until the boarding director grants express permission.
This is all by design, of course. Le Rosey is not shy about its admission requirements, and any child that is deemed spoiled or undisciplined is not worthy of the title of Rosean. After all, students aren't just representing their countries; they're representing 150 years of tradition.
Le Rosey is notoriously private for a private school, rarely allowing cameras inside or granting interviews. They have to keep the mystique alive somehow!
