The verdict in three sentences
For a pre-university college in Fribourg preparing 16 to 19 year olds for universities in the UK, the US, the Netherlands or Switzerland, the website is a proof tool: programmes (IB, A Level or Swiss maturité depending on your offer), university application guidance and the real destinations of former students. A Fribourg agency is the right call if your site must be fully bilingual in French and German with frequent filming; a remote studio at a fixed price (CHF 2,700 to 8,200) fits if your families mostly read English and French and you want a site live in 3 to 4 weeks. Either way, have ownership of the domain, code and content written into the contract in the college's name.
How does the project run with each type of provider?
Fribourg is a bilingual city, with a university teaching in French and German, and it draws families from across French-speaking Switzerland, Bern and abroad, including English-speaking expatriate families. For a college focused on studying abroad, the choice of provider depends as much on how the project runs as on price. The table compares the phases.
| Phase | Local agency (Fribourg, Bern) | Remote studio (Kolonell) |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping | On-site workshop, 1 to 2 weeks | Video calls, 2 to 3 sessions over 1 week |
| Copywriting | Native French and German common | Native English or French copywriting included |
| Photos and video | Local crew, several shooting days possible | Fribourg photographer to arrange, separate cost |
| Build and integrations | 4 to 8 weeks | Within the 3 to 4 week delivery |
| Testing and fixes | 1 to 3 weeks | Acceptance testing before launch, on an agreed checklist |
| Post-launch support | Maintenance contract, variable price | 3 months included, then on quote |
| Build price (2026 ballpark) | CHF 9,000 to 30,000 | CHF 2,700, 4,500 or 8,200 |
The local agency ranges reflect typical agency quotes and public rate pages in Fribourg and Bern for 12 to 20 pages with forms; experienced freelancers often quote CHF 4,000 to 11,000, copywriting extra. What each plan includes is described on the international offer page.
When is the Fribourg agency clearly the better choice?
The local agency has a clear advantage if the German version of your site must match the French one, which is common in Fribourg when part of the student body comes from the Sense district, Bern or German-speaking Switzerland. It also wins if you want to film regularly (lessons, mock admission interviews, graduation ceremonies) and if your board insists on in-person working sessions. A remote studio can produce a trilingual site on the Premium plan, with the number of languages set in the quote, but the included native copywriting covers English and French: German then needs a native reviewer on your side.
A remote studio is enough, and often more efficient, when your content is already written (programmes, application calendar, counsellor profiles) and the priority is a clear application journey before visit season.
What must a pre-university college site show, and which rules apply?
| Content | Why families look for it | Good practice |
|---|---|---|
| Programmes (IB, A Level, maturité) | Comparison with the public gymnase | One page per programme, subjects and workload |
| University guidance | Preparing applications abroad | Typical calendar from autumn to January, counsellor's role |
| Alumni destinations | Proof of outcomes | Verified, dated list, no unverifiable percentages |
| Exam results | Academic credibility | Official, dated figures only |
| Admissions and scholarships | Financial accessibility | Steps, deadlines, general scholarship criteria |
| Boarding or housing | Students from other cantons or countries | Dedicated page explaining supervision of minors |
| Data protection and accessibility | Trust and readability | nFADP privacy notice, WCAG 2.1 AA target |
Application forms collect data that is sensitive in practice (school reports, letters, sometimes health information for boarding). The revised Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (nFADP), in force since 1 September 2023, requires you to explain purposes, limit collection and document hosting; for the most sensitive documents, secure upload through your admissions software is preferable to a plain form. Even for students aged 16 to 19, consent to publish photos should follow your internal policy, involving parents for minors. Private schools in Fribourg operate within a cantonal framework, and an IB authorisation should only be displayed if it is current. This is not legal advice.
Linking to admissions software, a parent portal or a school management tool is an integration on quote.
Which questions should you ask both providers?
- Who writes the French, the English and, if needed, the German, and who reviews?
- Will the domain, hosting and code be in the college's name from the start?
- How are application attachments protected?
- What do we receive at the end of the contract: source code, access, documentation?
- How many working sessions are planned, and in what format?
- What does post-launch support cover, and at what price afterwards?
Mini case study
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*Illustrative example.* Thomas heads a 90-student pre-university college in Fribourg preparing students for the IB Diploma and applications to UK and Dutch universities. His current site receives about 6,000 visits a year, with these rates (working assumptions):
| Step | Current situation | With a clearer site |
|---|---|---|
| Annual visits | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| Information requests (1.5% then 2%) | 90 | 120 |
| Applications submitted (40% of requests) | 36 | 48 |
| Enrolments (50% of applications) | 18 | 24 |
That is six more enrolments a year, if the enquiry rate assumption holds. A local agency quotes CHF 20,000 for a French, German and English site. The remote Premium plan costs CHF 8,200; Thomas adds a German reviewer estimated at CHF 1,500 and a photography day at CHF 1,800 (market assumptions), for CHF 11,500 and a gap of CHF 8,500. Since only 15% of his students are German-speaking, he chooses the remote studio.
FAQ
Can a remote studio build a trilingual site for a Fribourg college?
Yes, the Premium plan at CHF 8,200 is the multilingual plan and the number of languages is set in the quote. Native copywriting covers English or French; for German, plan a native reviewer.
Should we publish where former students went to university?
Yes, it is often the most visited page, provided the list is verified and dated, for example covering the last 3 graduating classes. Avoid percentages you cannot document.
How long does it take to launch the site?
Allow 3 to 4 weeks with a fixed-price studio once content is approved, versus 8 to 12 weeks in general with a local agency. Aim to launch before the autumn visits.
How do we protect school reports and letters sent with applications?
Limit the website form to contact details and route documents to a secure upload, for example in your admissions software. That integration is on quote, and it reduces the volume of sensitive data stored on the site.
Which plan fits an English-only site?
Starter at CHF 2,700 or Growth at CHF 4,500, depending on the number of pages and features. To compare like for like, request a free quote.
Let's scope your project. A site that showcases your programmes, your guidance towards universities abroad and a clear application journey, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks within a CHF 2,700 to 8,200 grid. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.