Boarding School Life in Lausanne

Going to a new school for the first time can be scary! We make things easy so students soon feel at home.

Before a new student arrives our ‘buddy’ system connects them to current students. This means that when they get here, they already know some familiar faces.

Our caring boarding staff, who live on every floor, are there to support students in this new, exciting stage of life. They help them settle in and get used to the boarding school way of life; they listen to any concerns students may have and they share and celebrate achievements. They always have the student’s happiness and well-being at heart.

Students soon feel happy, safe and part of the Brillantmont family. Even those who arrive in the middle of the school year fit in easily and quickly into our small community. We are a community which promotes mutual respect and which values everyone as an individual. We want everyone to “be themselves” at Brillantmont.

Download our School Year information package here

Our boarding team

Our warm, experienced and friendly boarding staff live alongside you on every floor. They speak different languages between them and want you to feel at home and settled. When you join BM, you join a big family; we are there to take good care of you, to celebrate the good times and to support you all the way on your journey to adulthood.

Our Head of Boarding, Mr Dix, leads our dynamic boarding team and ensures that, together with them, your Brillantmont experience is happy and positive.

Our boarding houseparents live on the floors, alongside the students. They will make you feel at home in your Brillantmont boarding life and take good care of you.

We promote a positive and supportive environment for students’ learning and well-being.

Our boarding houses are the place our students call home and they can be decorated with photos and other personal objects. Our rooms are large and spacious and many have breathtaking views over the lake and the Alps. All students share a room with someone from another nationality and of a similar age / grade level, as this promotes inter-cultural learning, understanding and builds lasting friendships.

In 8th and 9th Grade students may be in a triple room, as this enables them to develop their language skills and also their confidence, since for many, it is their first time living away from home. Students who come for a short stay, such as a term or Winter Course may also be in a triple room, regardless of their grade.
In 12th Grade, students may request a single room. However, we do not have many single rooms and for this reason, a single room is never guaranteed in 12th Grade, as it depends on how long a student has been with us. Single rooms are the same price as the shared rooms.
Bathrooms are large and spacious and are shared between 3-4 students. In one of the boarding houses (Château), there are a few ensuite bathrooms, but in all other buildings, bathrooms are shared.

Each boarding house has a lounge area and a small kitchen, where students get together with others to relax and make snacks at the weekend.

Food

Meal times are very sociable. All meals are taken together in the dining room with the staff and provide the opportunity to chat and spend time together.

Our chef and her team prepare delicious food, which is healthy and balanced. The food is very international and celebrates the cultural diversity of our community. The chef is always open to student suggestions, via the Student Council and once a term students get to choose their "dream menu" for a week!
Different menu choices are available with a vegetarian option and a varied salad bar. International evenings are held regularly. These celebrate different cultures with the school and enable the students to practise their culinary skills as they work with the chef to prepare a special menu, typical of their home country.
At break-times, a selection of fruits and healthy snacks and drinks are available.

We expect all students to eat their meals at school and to respect the commitment of our chef to making great food.

What's life like as a day student at Brillantmont?

Nicolas is of Swiss origin. With his family, he has traveled and lived in several places across the globe, before they returned home to Switzerland.

Now studying journalism at the University of Stirling in Scotland, Nicolas talks about his four years as a day student and how he seized every opportunity to get involved in school life, joining clubs, excursions and ski weeks.
When his parents needed to travel, Nicolas was able to stay overnight in the boarding school.

In this video, Nicolas and his mum share their thoughts on why Brillantmont was a great choice.

Download our Academic Programme package here →

Villa
Downstairs in Villa, there are classrooms and upstairs, a boarding house, spread over three floors. The rooms on the third floor have characteristic beams and are very cosy. All rooms are light, modern and spacious and nearly all have views over the lake and mountains. A cosy lounge area is in the attic.

Château
Château is the main administrative building and also houses some classrooms and laboratories. The boarding accommodation is on two floors, with around 10 students per floor. Nearly all bedrooms have views over the lake and mountains. Most rooms have fantastic, ensuite bathrooms, which were all renovated in 2018.

Monribeau
Monribeau is the largest boarding house. It is an important building in the school as it is where the dining room is located! The boarding accommodation is on four floors with north facing and lake view rooms. All the rooms are very large and spacious and a lounge and kitchen area is available.

Pierre Grise
Pierre Grise is a small, cosy boarding house. Around 6 students live on each of its two floors and there is a large relaxation area and huge terrace.

Graveline
Graveline is the smallest boarding house and is a very cosy place to live. It has a very homely feel and has a large lounge area and lovely private garden.