Learning, Living, and Progressing Together
Expectations are high – but so are the rewards. Our students rise to the challenge, laying the strongest foundations for their future studies and lives. Up here in the calm of the mountains, with guidance and support, learning comes more naturally. A well-structured daily rhythm offers stability, orientation, and inspiration – and friendships formed here often last a lifetime.
International Dual Qualification
Our students at Gymnasium follow a bilingual curriculum in German and English, earning the Swiss Matura certificate. This, together with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma – offered in both our four- and six-year Gymnasium programmes – prepares them exceptionally well for leading universities worldwide.
Lower and Upper Forms of the Gymnasium
The majority of students join the Lower Form of the Gymnasium (equivalent to Years 7 and 8) directly following their primary education. In addition to the usual core subjects, we have already implemented the first changes in line with the WEGM (Further Development of the Gymnasium Maturity) for the 2025/26 school year: at Stiftsschule Engelberg, we are already teaching ‘Nature of Language’ and ‘Nature and Technology’ in the Lower Form. In the subsequent Upper Form, the revised curricula will also be introduced from the 2026/27 academic year, leading to new and exciting specialized and supplementary subjects. The Upper Form corresponds to the four-year Gymnasium.
Two Sets of Requirements, One Curriculum
At our school, the requirements of the International Baccalaureate (IB) are seamlessly integrated with those of the Swiss Matura, creating a coherent and balanced academic pathway. Students are not generally required to make a significant additional effort in terms of acquiring subject knowledge. However, during certain periods, they may experience a somewhat increased workload owing to independent research projects, written assignments, co-curricular study weeks, and the IB’s CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) commitments. Learn more here.
What our Students Value
- A supportive and respectful learning environment within our boarding community
- The enriching experience of living and learning alongside peers – both girls and boys
- A thoughtfully structured daily routine that balances study and leisure, work and relaxation
- Modern facilities set within historic Abbey grounds, steeped in tradition and character
- The synthesis of two academic programmes, culminating in both the Swiss Matura certificate and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma
- The opportunity to achieve strong proficiency in English through a bilingual curriculum
- The chance to learn a musical instrument – such as the organ – and to participate in the Abbey Orchestra and Choir
- Ample opportunities for sport and recreation in the stunning Alpine surroundings of Engelberg
- Involvement in the School Theatre, whether on stage, behind the scenes, or in production
- The option to remain in residence at weekends for a fully immersive boarding experience
- The Benedictine tradition as a guiding foundation, fostering values and a sense of belonging
- Encouragement to engage with life’s fundamental questions
- Personalized support in developing into a self-assured, independent young adult
Hear from Students
Our Daily Life: Personal Growth
As a relatively small and distinctly personal Gymnasium, we are able to offer highly individualized support to each of our students. Our Daily Routine is guided by the wise Benedictine rhythm of life, in which work is thoughtfully balanced with rest and recreation.
This holistic approach nurtures intellectual, artistic, and athletic development, encouraging the flourishing of each student’s full potential. Further insights into our educational philosophy can be found in the interview with Father Dr. Andri Tuor OSB, Boarding House Educator, here.
Everything it Needs
Each year group comprises a class of approximately twenty students. Every class has a dedicated classroom, complemented by a reference and lending library, group study rooms, music halls, an art studio, and well-equipped laboratories for chemistry, biology, physics, and geography.In addition, students benefit from a wide range of sports facilities, including gymnasiums, two football pitches, a tennis court, and a disc golf course. And of course – the mountains.
Our Benedictine Heritage
For centuries, both teaching and Day-To-Day Student Care were entrusted to the Benedictine monks of Engelberg. Today, this responsibility lies in the capable hands of dedicated lay teachers and lay boarding house educators.
Yet the spirit of our Benedictine tradition remains deeply woven into the fabric of school life, and the close bond between monastery and school continues to flourish. At the heart of our community is the Pastoral Care Team, which provides a rich programme of spiritual life, including worship services, Taizé evenings, days of reflection, and pilgrimages.
Good for Learning, Grounded in Life
The Benedictine ethos, inspired by the Rule of Saint Benedict, shapes not only the character of our school and boarding life, but also its Daily Routine in the most practical sense. It fosters focused study, mutual respect, and a spirit of community grounded in purpose and care.
We warmly welcome your enquiries and would be delighted to assist you.
Lower and Upper Form of the Gymnasium
The six-year Gymnasium begins after primary school with Year 7. In the two-year Lower Form of the Gymnasium, teaching focus is on the subjects German, Mathematics and English, including an introduction to Latin.
Instead of Latin, the new subject ‘Nature of Language’ is designed to give students an in-depth understanding of language as a system, as a cultural phenomenon and as a tool for communication. The subject aims to encourage the analysis of linguistic structures, reflection on language use and an exploration of the diversity of human language forms.
The integrated subject ‘Nature and Technology’ does not simply combine the three science subjects of biology, physics and chemistry; rather, it aims to provide students with a fundamental understanding of scientific principles and technical applications.
Progression from the 2nd or 3rd year of Secondary School to the 1st Year of the Upper Form of the Gymnasium is possible. The Upper Gymnasium prepares students for the federally recognized bilingual Swiss Matura certificate (German, English). In Years 10 to 12 students are prepared for the IB Diploma.
From the 2nd year of the Upper Form of the Gymnasium (Year 10), students are trained in the practical use of English through immersive teaching in mathematics, and from the 3rd year in their Specialized subjects. They choose individually to specialize in Business Management, Religion and Societies, Global Politics or Philosophy, and supplement their curriculum with Design Technology, Physics, Chemistry or Environmental Systems and Societies.
English is the language of communication in many different fields today. In Switzerland, too, more and more lectures are being given in English. The bilingual Matura in German and English offers an excellent foundation for students to meet later requirements at university and in their careers.
Teaching Staff
20 teachers, including one monk, teach at the Stiftsschule.
The special commitment of the teaching staff and supervisors at the school and boarding school makes a decisive contribution to the development of the individual students.
Our teachers work closely together across subject and class boundaries and are in regular contact with our boarding house educators.
Learning Support and Study Courses
Students whose mother tongue is not German acquire the necessary language proficiency and skills in order to be able to follow the lessons in German.
Supporting the young people entrusted to us is important to us. If a student or the teacher sees a need for additional support in a subject, the subject teacher reports this to the secretary's office, which coordinates and organizes everything else. Whenever possible, tutoring at Stiftsschule Engelberg takes place on the school premises as individual lessons or in small groups and in close consultation with the relevant subject teacher.
For even more flexibility and to be able to cover the entire range of subjects at any time, young people now also have the option of online tutoring. Here we work exclusively with Web Lernen.
Web Lernen is the leading digital tutoring school in Switzerland. Its experienced and qualified team of teachers is permanently employed by Web Lernen and is always ready to provide students with the best possible support and long-term encouragement. The Web Lernen teacher is also in close contact with the subject teacher at Stiftsschule Engelberg. In this way, the tutoring can be optimally prepared and followed up and individually tailored to the respective student.
To ensure that the time can be used optimally, the secretary's office also takes on the interface function here: coordinating appointments, providing the relevant teaching materials and making arrangements between the school teacher and the tutor.
Sometimes it may be necessary to get professional help for those with learning difficulties. In such cases, we coordinate with "Lerntherapie Zentralschweiz".
Individual learning therapy counseling offers intensive, pedagogical-psychological, individual counseling that focuses on improving the learning performance of children and adolescents. This includes the improvement of thinking skills, emotional learning conditions, social factors and biological-neurobiological learning conditions.
With an assessment of learning potential, targeted training and individualized tips, significant improvement of the learner’s situation is usually achieved.
We offer the opportunity for students to take extra-curricular courses to prepare for Cambridge English Certificates.
Why?
Cambridge certificates are recognized by over 20,000 universities, companies and governments worldwide. In Switzerland this recognition is especially prominent: the examinations are an integral part of business training and qualification. On the tertiary level, these certificates serve to satisfy required proof of language proficiency, for example, in pursuing teacher training or in order to study at institutions of higher learning such as the ETH or University of St. Gallen.
Who?
As the course focuses on teaching exam techniques, a good knowledge of English is a mandatory requirement. For this reason, students from the 2nd or 3rd year of the Upper Form of the Gymnasium usually take part in the course.
In addition, only those with the necessary motivation and willingness to put in the extra work are admitted. In return, the long-term success rate is very high.
How?
Extensive information about the examinations and certificates, as well as an online placement test, can be found on the website of Cambridge Assessment English, one of the non-profit organizations associated with Cambridge University. (https://www.cambridgeenglish.org).
Before the preparatory courses begin, an informal orientation meeting is held for prospective participants. At this meeting a placement test also takes place.
Which certificate?
As the examinations are costly, it is crucial that participants are placed and prepared at a level so as to ensure their best passing grade results. It is, for example, advisable for someone whose proficiency is not clearly at the C1 level to take the B2 exam and achieve an excellent grade rather than a borderline outcome. The course instructor consults with students who are uncertain about their level.
What does a course entail?
Preparatory courses commonly take place in the second half of the school year, running 10 – 12 weeks. Groups meet once a week for a one-hour lesson working with authentic materials from past examinations. The course instructor is also available online outside of meeting times and provides feedback regularly. Just before the actual examination date, the participants meet informally for additional practice, e.g. lunch meetings to practice conversation skills.
A wide range of advisory services are available in cooperation with the OW Careers and Further Education Advisory Service. In addition, the alumni organizations (Alumni Stiftsschule Engelberg, Alt-Angelomontana) offer valuable support and exchange.