Services
expat-services.ch lists 3 hand-checked language schools in Lugano for English speakers: Berlitz Switzerland, Flying Teachers and Scuola ILI.
Besides English, they also work in Italian, French, German and Spanish. Every profile shows the services, languages and contact details, checked by hand before going live.
3 providers
Language school with centres across Switzerland offering German, Swiss German, French, Italian and English lessons for expats, private or in groups, on site or online.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Zurich-headquartered provider teaching German, Swiss German, French, Italian and more at its schools, at clients' premises or online, incl. integration and certificate courses.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Lugano school for Italian language and culture with intensive and evening group courses, private lessons, conversation sessions, certification courses and fide test preparation.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Local facts
English was a main language for 4.6% (2024) (FSO, checked ) of the canton's residents aged 15 and over. The cantonal integration service in Bellinzona supports Italian courses for people arriving from abroad; place, times, cost and childcare are set by each organiser (ti.ch, checked ). The cantonal Italian courses for foreign nationals aim at level B1 (ti.ch, checked ). The tests for Italian named on the cantonal page are fide and CELI, with exam centres found by choosing Canton Ticino in the search tools (ti.ch, checked ).
The city's list of course organisers refers to a fide-based method promoted by the State Secretariat for Migration. The cantonal adult courses run from September to June or by semester, with registration in August or January and a fee that varies with type and duration (lugano.ch, checked ). A programme for migrant women combines 70 hours of Italian with social activities and babysitting, and the Istituto della formazione continua gives civics courses for naturalisation candidates (lugano.ch, checked ).
For a C permit, Ticino looks for A2 spoken and A1 written in Italian, and B1 spoken for an early grant (Fedlex, checked ).
New arrivals report to a Puntocittà counter in person or through a proxy; the deadline is 8 days (2026) (lugano.ch, checked ), and one adult can register a whole family. Foreign nationals show their permit or, while it is pending, a copy of the application (lugano.ch, checked ). The certificate of the arrival notice costs CHF 15 a copy (lugano.ch, checked ). More in registering at your commune.
Read more The fide test in Switzerland: levels, format, fees and test centres
Checked by the expat-services.ch editorial team