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Colegio Helvetia

Colombia, Bogotá

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The school at a glance
Instructs in Spanish, German, French, English
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 3 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 780
Type Co-educational
Opened 1949
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum Bespoke Curriculum
Taught languages Spanish, German, French, English
Strengths Languages, Performing Arts, Service and Sustainability
Clubs Cultural and Language, Arts and Creative, Community and Service
Stages Preschool, Early Years, Kindergarten, Primary School, Secondary School, Senior Secondary School
Introduction

Colegio Helvetia is a private, co‑educational, non‑denominational school in Bogotá that follows a Swiss model within a Colombian context. Serving ages 3 to 18, it operates on a Calendar B and has no uniform policy, with classes taught primarily in English and Spanish and dedicated sections in German and French. The school offers language immersion programs with certification in German or French, and a four‑cycle curriculum: Playgroup (3–4), Cycle I (4–8), Cycle II (multilingual immersion focus), and Cycle III (7–12) with options to select priority and complementary subjects. It awards dual certification: the Swiss Matura, supervised by the Canton of Bern, and the Colombian high school diploma, while Saber 11 preparation is integrated into the program. The Research Center Library houses resources in four languages, and the Casita de los libros supports early immersion learning. Signature initiatives include a language‑rich environment, a modern Master Plan, and a community‑funded Coliseum‑Theater project today.

Calle 128#71A-91, Bogotá, Colombia

The Essentials

Colegio Helvetia has 780 pupils, instruction in Spanish, German, French, English.

Location
The school is located at Calle 128 # 71A – 91, Bogotá, Colombia. It provides its own transportation service with a fleet of 19 vehicles, and a monitor accompanies each trip to ensure safety and orderly travel.

Stages
Playgroup (3-4 years old); Cycle I (KINDERGARTEN – SECOND GRADE); Cycle II (THIRD – SIXTH GRADE); Cycle III (SEVENTH – TWELFTH GRADE).

Type
The school is private, co-educational, non-denominational, and follows a B-calendar. It offers multilingual education with sections in German and French, in addition to a strong emphasis on English and Spanish as the languages of instruction.

Country affiliation
Switzerland

Religious affiliation
Non-denominational

Bus service
The school operates its own transportation service with 19 vehicles, each accompanied by a monitor to supervise and ensure safety on trips.
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
No uniform is required.

Governance and Ownership
The Helvetia School Association (AEH) has the fundamental purpose of contributing to the improvement of the school life of the members of the Swiss community in Colombia and of ensuring the financial sustainability of Colegio Helvetia.
Fees
Application / admission fee

- COP 270,000 — one-time payment to initiate the admissions process (pago derechos de admisión).

Enrollment (matrícula) and tuition (pensión)

- Enrollment (matrícula, one-time): COP 3,359,000 (reported as the matrícula value).
- Tuition (pensión): COP 3,350,000 per period as reported (listed as 'pensión').

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Academic calendar: the school operates on Calendar B (August–June). Matriculation for the upcoming cycle is indicated in April with classes starting in August.
- The school accepts online payments through its store for admission items; specific tuition-billing frequency (monthly, per term, or per semester) is not published in a detailed per-grade schedule in the school's public admissions materials.

Boarding

- Boarding is not offered; the school operates as a day school.

Other costs and routine extras

- Transport: the school operates an in-house school-transport service (fleet and monitors), billed separately from basic tuition; route and fee details are not published publicly.
- Food / cafeteria: an institutional meal service exists; specific meal-plan costs are not published in the public menu page.
- Extracurricular activities: extracurriculars are offered and may carry additional fees; specific prices are not published in the public materials.
- Uniform: the school indicates it operates without a uniform; therefore no uniform purchase is required as a standard mandatory cost.
- School store / incidental purchases: the school maintains an online store for admission payments and other items; incidental purchases (books, materials, events, trips) may appear there or be billed separately.

Refunds and cancellation

- No publicly posted, detailed refund or tuition-cancellation policy was located in the school's admissions pages or FAQs. Families should expect admission and enrollment payments to follow the school's internal policy; a public, grade-by-grade refund schedule is not published.

Fee payment options and surcharges

- Payment channels observed: online store (card payments), bank transfer/consignation. Some school-related payment pages and partner-trip registration documents indicate bank-transfer details and note a credit-card surcharge in certain transactions (a 3.5% surcharge is referenced on related event/trip payment documents). Card payments for admissions are processed through the school store.

Summary of available figures and gaps

- Available, specific amounts found: COP 270,000 (admission fee), COP 3,359,000 (matrícula), COP 3,350,000 (pensión).
- Not publicly available in the school's published materials: a full, grade-by-grade and per-term tuition schedule, explicit billing frequency (monthly vs. per term) for every year group, published transport/meal/extracurricular price lists, and a detailed public refund policy. For those items, only the existence of the service or a general indication (for example, that transport and meals are provided) is published.
Academics

Colegio Helvetia teaches Bespoke Curriculum for students aged 3 to 18.

Curriculum
Multilingual education with German and French sections, complemented by English and Spanish as core languages. Language immersion programs exist in German or French, with certification in those languages. The curriculum is organized around four cycles: Playgroup (3–4), Cycle I (4–8), Cycle II (multilingual education with immersion focus), and Cycle III (7–12) with options to select priority and complementary subjects. The school offers dual certification: the Swiss Matura and the Colombian high school diploma. The Swiss Matura diploma is supervised by the Canton of Bern and opens doors to universities in Switzerland, Europe, and beyond; Saber 11 (ICFES) preparation is part of the program.

Student Teacher Ratio
7 students per teacher.

Exam Results
Saber 11 (ICFES) exam preparation and historically outstanding results.

Higher Education Progression
Graduates gain admission to universities in Colombia, Switzerland and around the world; the Matura enables direct access to Swiss universities without entrance exams and facilitates admission to Colombian universities such as Universidad de los Andes, Universidad del Rosario, and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The school develops global citizens and leaders with critical thinking, responsibility, and an open-minded approach to the world. It teaches empathy and respect as essential values, fostering an environment where students from diverse cultures coexist and learn from each other. Comprehensive education balances knowledge, values, and life skills to promote personal growth and autonomy in a respectful, diverse community. The School Welfare program promotes healthy coexistence and prevents issues that affect the school environment, supported by an interdisciplinary team and psychology services.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Inclusive Education accompanies, advises, and supports actions to help students with disabilities, learning difficulties, or exceptional talents access learning, coordinating with interdisciplinary teams to tailor educational plans. The interdisciplinary CH team, psychology, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and the inclusion program provide evaluation, guidance, and referrals to meet each student's needs.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The school is trilingual (Spanish, German or French, and English). Immersion in German or French is used in Cycle II, and English is taught as a language from early on.

Mental Wellbeing
The interdisciplinary School Coexistence team accompanies students and their development through the School Guidance Service (SOE+) to promote emotional well-being and mental health. Psychology, speech therapy, and occupational therapy support are available, with plans to monitor and support individual student needs. Psychoeducation for families and socioemotional skill workshops are offered, along with risk prevention programs.

Safeguarding
Safeguarding is addressed through the Integral Attention Route for School Coexistence (RAICE), the Coexistence Manual, and protocols for bullying, cyberbullying, and sexual violence. School mediators facilitate peaceful conflict resolution, and the program includes parenting education and external partnerships to support students. An interdisciplinary team coordinates protection measures and referrals to professionals as needed.
Parent Experience

History
Since 1949, Colegio Helvetia has been an educational reference in Bogotá, combining the excellence of the Swiss model with the cultural richness of Colombia. It is private, co-educational, non-denominational, and operates on a B calendar, offering a multicultural environment with high academic standards. The pedagogical proposal features multilingual education, with German and French sections—the official languages of Switzerland—and a strong emphasis on English and Spanish as native languages. This approach prepares students to access the best universities in Colombia, Switzerland, and the world. The curriculum includes Language Immersion, Certification in French and German, the Matura, and the Colombian high school diploma, with a secular calendar and a teacher-student ratio of about 7:1, and no uniform; teachers are multicultural and multilingual.

Community
The Helvetia community comprises the Helvetia School Association, the School Board of Directors, the Rector's Office, the Directive Team, and Councils including the Board of Directors, Academic Council, Student Council, Conflict Resolution Committee, and Parent Council. Alumni are connected through ASO Helvetia and the Parent Association, and the Swiss-Colombian Foundation is part of the community. Pedagogical projects underpin the community life, including Language Immersion, Matura, SUISSE MUN, Green Week, Economics Week, Night of the Arts, and Studying in Switzerland. The school also features a Our School in Photos gallery and cultivates a multilingual, multicultural environment that prepares students to be global citizens.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The Master Plan provides a strategic vision to modernize Colegio Helvetia's infrastructure, creating spaces that support learning, creativity, collaboration and growth, while integrating architectural heritage with contemporary educational demands. The initiative highlights the community's role in funding and shaping essential spaces, including emblematic projects such as the Coliseum-Theater, to ensure future-oriented facilities.

Academic Facilities
The school's main library is the Research Center (C.I.), with an up-to-date collection of bibliographic, audiovisual and didactic materials in Spanish, German, French and English, aligned with curricular guidelines and focused on children and youth. Digital information is accessible through fixed and mobile computer terminals. The Pedagogical Library within the Research Center contains more than 1,800 educational resources. A dedicated, younger-friendly space called the Casita de los libros (Little House of Books) serves Playgroup to second grade, housing over 5,000 books and about 1,400 German- and French-language films for home loan, supporting immersion language learning. The school also offers a Language Immersion program with certification in French and German, the Swiss Matura, and the Colombian high school diploma, all within a multilingual and multicultural framework; the academic calendar follows a Calendar B structure and there is no uniform policy.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Extracurricular activities are designed to extend learning beyond the classroom, offering options in sports, arts, science, technology and more; programs are renewed each semester to reflect student interests. Extracurricular activities begin February 16 and end June 18, 2026, with registrations through the Phidias platform. Contact Extracurriculares@helvetia.edu.co for inquiries; offerings cover Playgroup through Cycle III.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school offers enrichment through a range of activities beyond the classroom, including sports, arts, science, technology, and more. These extracurricular experiences are designed to be creative, fun, and meaningful, and they support personal development across social, emotional, and cognitive domains. The school renews and expands the offering each semester to respond to student interests and passions. They cultivate autonomous, confident students who collaborate and think critically, preparing them for challenges in the modern world.

Arts & Creative
Arts are a core component of extracurricular life. Noche de Artistas is a flagship annual music event featuring performances by students across all levels, guided by music and art staff. The event celebrates diversity, teamwork, autonomy, and openness to the world, and music serves as a universal language connecting families, teachers, and students. The school fosters artistic expression through ongoing performances and collaboration throughout the year.

Cultural & Language
Estadía Lingüística provides a language-immersion experience during the first semester of 10th grade, where a student stays with a host family and attends a school where the immersion language is used, in Switzerland, France, or Germany. SUISSEMUN expands multilingual competence by simulating UN deliberations; students in 7th through 12th grade participate in committees in several languages, with roles in organization and communication. As a multilingual school in Bogotá, the program strengthens global competencies and intercultural understanding.

Social & Hobbies
Students can freely choose among multiple extracurricular options to discover new talents or deepen existing passions. The program includes the Grupo de Juegos and activities for different grade cycles (Kindergarten–Second; Third–Sixth; Seventh–Twelfth), with after-school options and events throughout the year. These experiences foster social interaction, collaboration, and personal growth outside the classroom.

Community & Service
Semana Verde connects students with environments beyond the classroom through field experiences, broadening their worldviews and building collaboration, autonomy, intercultural openness, and critical thinking. The experiences emphasize respect for the environment, social responsibility, and community engagement. Bienestar Escolar supports convivencia and well-being with an interdisciplinary team guiding students, families, and staff toward a safe, positive school climate.

Leadership & Professional
The student government is elected for the 2025–2026 school year and includes the Personería and Consejo Estudiantil. The Personería ensures students' rights and duties, receives concerns, and mediates with the Rector. The President and Vice President of the Consejo Estudiantil act as student ambassadors, preside meetings, lead initiatives, and coordinate with the Secretaria General. They serve as the voice of students in the governance structure and help drive student-led projects.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Learning to live together is as important as mathematics, languages, and sciences. A comprehensive wellbeing program includes an interdisciplinary team, SOE+ guidance services, and support for inclusion to promote a safe, pro-social, and happy school environment. The school attends to emotional health and academic development with counseling, psychology, speech therapy, and occupational therapy services. Protocols, mediators, and parent programs reinforce positive interactions and a healthy school climate.
Languages

Language Provision
German and French are taught in dedicated sections as official languages of Switzerland. There is a strong emphasis on English and Spanish as mother tongues. The curriculum is organized into three cycles: Kindergarten–Second, Third–Sixth, and Seventh–Twelfth, with German or French as immersion language in Cycle II and Cycle III. The school offers the Swiss Matura and the Colombian bachillerato.

Bilingual Teaching
Multilingual education with sections in German and French, official languages of Switzerland. There is a strong emphasis on English and Spanish as mother tongues. The program is organized in three cycles: Cycle I (Kindergarten–Second), Cycle II (Third–Sixth), and Cycle III (Seventh–Twelfth). This arrangement prepares students to access top universities in Colombia, Switzerland, and the world.

Immersion Programs
Cycle II deepens academic training in specific areas with a focus on the immersion language, either German or French. A culture of respect, empathy, and personal growth is cultivated. This cycle prepares students to access prestigious universities in Switzerland, Colombia, and beyond, through the Matura.
Reputation

Awards
Top 25 Best Schools according to Sanpiens Research
Seal-2025 Best Schools

Accreditations
SwissCham
Swiss Embassy
Canton of Bern
Canton of Valais
Uncoli
Admissions

Admissions
1. Begin the admissions process by completing the online application, scheduling a guided tour, and paying the admissions fee. Entering Playgroup marks the beginning of an adaptation journey and includes educational immersion in a second language. The calendar is a B calendar (August–June); the school is co-educational, does not require uniforms, and is trilingual (Spanish, German or French, and English). Tours are available Monday to Friday at 9 a.m. or 3 p.m. 2. After payment, fill out the admission form and upload the required documentation to continue with the process. Documentation is organized by grade: Playgroup documents and Kindergarten through 12th-grade documents can be downloaded from the admissions section. Online document submission follows to move the process forward. 3. Online document submission continues and an interview notification is issued. 4. Interviews are conducted as part of the admissions process. 5. A decision notification is issued. 6. Enrollment is completed. 7. Enrollment occurs in April 2026. 8. Start of classes takes place in August 2026.
School Events
The school has not added events
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