FOUR Forest Zug: A Bilingual Alternative to the Local Volksschule

If you're weighing whether to move your child out of the local Zug Volksschule and into a bilingual environment, FOUR Forest's Zug campus in Steinhausen is one of the few schools in the canton that lets your child keep both Swiss Curriculum 21 and a genuine second language, without switching to a fully international system.

Quick facts

Ages / stages: Preschool, 1st & 2nd Kindergarten, Primary (Grades 1–6), Secondary (Grades 1–3)
Curriculum: Swiss Curriculum 21, taught in alternating weekly language blocks
Languages: German and English
Group: Cognita family of schools

Why parents switch here

A true week-on, week-off bilingual model.

Students are taught one full week in English and the next in German, following Swiss Curriculum 21 with the British National Curriculum included for English lessons. Classes are led by teachers who teach in their native language or a language they're fluent in, so children experience each language as it's actually spoken.

Secondary school stays local.

The Secondary School follows Swiss Curriculum 21, with most classes in German and some in English, and actively supports a pathway to Gymnasium or an apprenticeship. If your long-term plan is for your child to stay in the Swiss system (Gymi, then university or Berufslehre), this is an important factor to consider when comparing schools.

Forest days are built into the Swiss curriculum, not an add-on. The outdoor classroom philosophy encourages children through positive, achievable activities in a natural environment, helping them build confidence, emotional awareness, and respect for the world around them, supervised throughout by fully trained specialists.

Facilities that support both languages and both learning styles. The Zug campus has modern classrooms, dedicated spaces for art, music, and science, extensive outdoor areas including a forest school, sports facilities, playgrounds, libraries, and a full range of after-school programmes.

Language support if your child is starting from zero. Extra language support is available in both German and English, delivered by a specialised team of language experts who help each child settle into the bilingual model. Children don't need to arrive fluent in either language to thrive here.

Fees, School Year 2026/27 (Canton Zug resident / non-resident)

One-time enrolment fee: CHF 2'500
Preschool & 1st Kindergarten: CHF 14'379 (3 half days) to CHF 22'287 (full-time)
2nd Kindergarten: CHF 22'740 / CHF 24'195
Grades 1–4: CHF 23'688 / CHF 25'143
Grades 5–6: CHF 25'896 / CHF 27'351
Secondary, Grades 1–3: CHF 27'540 / CHF 30'035
Sibling discount: 10% for the second child, 25% for the third (private payers)
Canton of Zug subsidy: from 1 August 2026, eligible Zug-resident families with both parents working, studying or in training can receive CHF 47.15/day toward Preschool and 1st Kindergarten costs, applied directly to FOUR Forest fees. Parents apply for it themselves.

What to know before you enquire

A one-time application fee applies; ask FOUR Forest directly for the current amount and Talentia (gifted/talented) programme details.
Personal tours run year-round, including during school holidays.
Download the current prospectus before your visit so you can compare timetables against your child's current Volksschule week.

Take the next step

Parents moving from a purely German-language local school describe the same pattern: settle-in worries before the visit, relief afterwards. Book a personal tour of FOUR Forest Zug and walk the forest school, the classrooms and the sports facilities before you decide.

Book a Personal Tour | Download the Prospectus | See Fees in Full