Glion and Les Roches: how the two Swiss schools differ

Glion and Les Roches are two separate Swiss hospitality schools, not one school with two names. Glion's bachelor's runs "1 + 3 years" in Switzerland or London^[1]. Les Roches' four-year BSc is spread across Crans-Montana, Marbella and Abu Dhabi^[2]. Both hold Swiss and NECHE accreditation, and since April 2026 the US accreditor's site shows the same status note on both^[5][6]. Here's how they line up, and what you should ask each one.

How do Glion and Les Roches compare at a glance?

Are Glion and Les Roches the same school?

No. NECHE keeps a separate record for each^[5][6]. They do overlap in places. Both sites link to Sommet Education resources, but neither explains the relationship^[8][9]. NECHE's April 2026 list also names "Glion Institute of Higher Education/Les Roches Global Hospitality Education, Lausanne" in one accepted substantive change proposal^[12]. What that proposal covers isn't clear to us, so we won't read anything into it.

In practice, you apply to each school on its own terms. Each one sets its own admission, fees, campus sequence and degree rules.

Which accreditations do they hold?

Les Roches says it holds Swiss Accreditation Council status as a university of applied sciences institute, plus NECHE accreditation^[8]. Glion lists NECHE and the Swiss Accreditation Council among its accreditations but gives no detail on status^[11].

On NECHE's side, the two records match. Each school is a member, first accredited in 2005, with a comprehensive evaluation in 2020 and the next one due in Fall 2029^[5][6].

What is the April 2026 "Program of Special Monitoring"?

Both NECHE pages show "Placed on Program of Special Monitoring" in April 2026, under the action on institutional status^[5][6]. They give no reason and no day. Neither school is on NECHE's page for institutions on warning, probation or show cause^[7]. NECHE defines adverse actions as denial or withdrawal of candidacy, denial or withdrawal of accreditation, and probation^[7]. Special monitoring isn't on that list.

We can't tell you more than that. We haven't seen the reason, and we won't guess. The school pages we read don't mention it either. Ask each school directly.

What do the fee pages say?

Both schools put their fees in PDFs rather than on the page, so you won't find CHF amounts here. Glion covers Spring and Fall 2027 for Switzerland and London. It says fees can change every semester, and it lists a 35% tuition reduction for new Swiss-national students^[3]. Les Roches has 2027 schedules for Crans-Montana and Marbella, a 2026 one for Abu Dhabi, and a separate schedule for Swiss residents^[4].

Before you compare any two numbers, check the campus and the intake year. Our cost planner shows which fee evidence we've verified for each school.

What about rankings?

Glion says it ranks No. 3 worldwide for Hospitality & Leisure Management in the QS 2026 subject rankings^[10]. Les Roches calls itself the world's "No.2 ranked institution in our field"^[8]. Both are the schools' own claims, and we haven't read the ranking body's page for this check. Our rankings page explains the published method.

What does this mean for you?

• If you want one campus, in Switzerland: Les Roches builds its bachelor's around transfers between three campuses^[2]. Ask whether you can stay in Crans-Montana the whole way through. With Glion, ask where each year takes place. The bachelor's page says "Switzerland/London" and doesn't name the campus^[1].
• If time matters: Glion's "1 + 3 years" and Les Roches's four years have different shapes^[1][2]. Ask Glion what the "1" is, and what you'd hold if you stopped after it.
• If internships drive your choice: Glion offers three placements of up to 18 months in total, while Les Roches has two of six months each^[1][2]. Ask who finds the placement for you.
• If recognition matters to you: ask each school for its April 2026 NECHE letter and a plain explanation of what it means for your degree.

What should you do next?

Put both schools on one shortlist. Ask each admissions office for the fee PDF for your campus and intake, and get the monitoring answer in writing. Start with our Glion and Les Roches profiles, then try the comparison tool. This guide is affiliated with BHMS, one of the eight schools it covers, and we've set out how we handle that in full.