The verdict in three sentences
For a private or international school in Geneva, the website is first an admissions funnel (enquiry, visit, application) read by expat families who are often still abroad, so your provider must master that path, the fees page and image consent for pupils. A Geneva agency makes sense if you need regular workshops with leadership, admissions and the foundation board, or a multi-day shoot during the school year; a remote studio on a fixed grid (CHF 2,700 to 8,200) is enough when the brand and curriculum content exist and you want a fast bilingual site. In both cases, set ownership of the domain and content, and handover on exit, in the contract.
Which criteria separate a Geneva agency from a remote studio?
A school has more reviewers than a company: the head, the admissions lead, programme coordinators (IB, Swiss Maturité, British or French curriculum), communications and sometimes parent representatives. The criteria below reflect that.
| Criterion | Geneva agency | Remote studio | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time zone | Same | Kolonell: 1 to 2 hours difference, full shared working day | A fixed weekly slot outside teaching hours |
| Workshops with leadership and admissions | On campus | Video, 60 to 90 minutes | Number of workshops and review rounds included |
| French and English copywriting | Depends on the team | Native French or English copywriting included | Who reviews programme pages |
| Campus photos and video | Often organised on site | Shot list; the school books a Geneva photographer | Parental consent before the shoot |
| Admissions software or parent portal | Experience varies | Links or integration on quote | Who manages access |
| Domain and hosting | Sometimes in the agency's name | In the foundation's or company's name, written in the contract | Admin access for the school |
| Support after launch | Annual retainer is common | 3 months included, then on quote | Response time during admissions peaks |
What does each option cost in Geneva over three years?
The ranges below are a 2026 ballpark based on typical quotes and public rate pages of Geneva and French-speaking Swiss agencies. A school site often has 30 to 60 pages, which weighs on price.
| Provider type | Build, 2026 ballpark | Typical lead time |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | CHF 6,000 to 15,000 | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Geneva or Romandy studio | CHF 15,000 to 40,000 | 10 to 16 weeks |
| Full-service education agency | CHF 40,000 to 90,000 | 16 to 24 weeks |
| Kolonell Starter / Growth / Premium | CHF 2,700 / 4,500 / 8,200 | 3 to 4 weeks |
Three-year view. Maintenance figures are market assumptions, not Kolonell prices: Kolonell includes 3 months of support, then maintenance is on quote.
| Cost line | Geneva studio | Kolonell Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Build | CHF 28,000 | CHF 8,200 |
| Maintenance (market assumption, CHF 300 a month) | 300 x 36 = CHF 10,800 | 300 x 33 = CHF 9,900 |
| Local photographer, 2 days on campus | CHF 3,500 | CHF 3,500 |
| 3-year total | CHF 42,300 | CHF 21,600 |
When is the Geneva agency genuinely the better choice?
To be frank: if the school is changing its name, merging two campuses or launching a new programme, an agency on site that runs workshops with teachers, students and parents will produce a truer story. If you also want brochures, signage, student videos and open day campaigns, one local partner covering all of it simplifies governance. And if the foundation board expects in-person presentations at each stage, proximity matters.
A remote studio is enough when the visual identity exists, curriculum content is written or easy to gather, and the goal is a clear, fast, bilingual site that converts more admissions enquiries.
Questions to ask both providers:
- Have you built an admissions funnel (enquiry, visit, application) before, and how do you measure it?
- How do you handle pupil photos: consent, blurring, removal on request?
- Who writes French and English, and who reviews programme and accreditation pages?
- Will the domain and hosting be in the school's name, with admin access?
- What does support cover during admissions peaks, and how fast?
What should a Geneva international school website include in 2026?
A frictionless admissions funnel. Each stage has its page and its action.
| Stage | Page or tool | Metric to track |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery | Programmes, school life, campus | Page views per programme |
| Enquiry | Short form (age, grade, entry date) | Enquiry rate |
| Visit | Visit or open day booking | Enquiries to visits |
| Application | Link to admissions software, on quote | Visits to applications |
| Enrolment | Confirmation and documents | Applications to enrolments |
A transparent fees page. Families compare several Geneva schools. Publish tuition by grade, registration, lunch and transport fees, and discount conditions. A clear page cuts unqualified enquiries.
Clearly explained programmes. IB, Swiss Maturité, British, French or American curriculum: a pathway table by age helps families arriving from other systems. Cite accreditations (for example IB World School, CIS or NEASC) only if the school actually holds them, with the official wording. Private schools in Geneva are subject to oversight by the cantonal Department of Public Education; check any related wording with your leadership.
Safeguarding and image rights. No identifiable pupil photo without written parental consent, a fast removal procedure, and a page on the child protection policy.
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Data protection. Forms process pupil and parent data under the Swiss revised Federal Act on Data Protection (nLPD/revFADP), supervised by the FDPIC. Keep fields minimal, do not ask for health data in enquiry forms, and publish a privacy notice and cookie consent. Families from the EU may also bring GDPR considerations. This is not legal advice.
Accessibility and languages. Target WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 AA (contrast, keyboard navigation, captions on videos). French and English are the base; German or other languages may follow depending on your audience. Several languages belong to the Premium tier, and the number of languages is set in the quote.
Timing. Enquiries peak from January to April for September entry, then again with summer expat arrivals. Launch in October or November, ahead of the peak.
Compare the tiers on the international website offer.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Claire leads admissions at a 450-pupil bilingual international school in Geneva. The school receives 400 enquiries a year: 30 percent lead to a visit, 50 percent of visits to an application and 70 percent of applications to enrolment, so 42 enrolments.
With a clear fees page and online visit booking, she targets a 32 percent visit rate instead of 30.
- Visits: 400 x 32 percent = 128
- Applications: 128 x 50 percent = 64
- Enrolments: 64 x 70 percent = 44.8, so about 3 more
- Extra annual fees at CHF 28,000 per pupil: 2.8 x 28,000 = CHF 78,400
Project cost: Kolonell Premium (CHF 8,200) and a local photographer (CHF 3,500), so CHF 11,700. A single extra enrolment covers the project.
FAQ
How much does a Geneva agency charge for a private school website?
As a 2026 ballpark, CHF 15,000 to 40,000 for a studio and up to CHF 90,000 for a full-service agency. The number of pages and languages moves the price most.
Can we publish photos of pupils?
Yes, with written parental consent and a removal procedure within a few days, for example 5 working days. Use wide shots or shots from behind when consent is missing.
Can the site connect to our admissions software?
Most admissions platforms and parent portals offer links or embeddable forms; integration is on quote. Plan 1 week to test the full journey.
Should we publish tuition fees?
It is not mandatory, but a clear page filters enquiries. Showing ranges by grade, even wide ones (for example CHF 25,000 to 40,000), saves dozens of unnecessary exchanges.
How quickly can the site be ready?
Kolonell delivers in 3 to 4 weeks once content is gathered. For a November launch, start the project in September.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your programmes, languages and admissions calendar, and we will return a fixed scope, a price on the grid and a 3 to 4 week plan. 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.