Semester vs monthly enrolment — how to pick your swim membership

The short answer

At every Aqua Swim location except Geneva Vernier (which is semester-only), you can choose between monthly rolling and semester enrolment.

Monthly gives you maximum flexibility. You pay every 30 days, and you can cancel with 30 days' written notice to luna@aquaswim.ch. If your child starts in September and you're not sure swimming will stick — or your schedule might shift mid-year — monthly is the safe bet.

Semester is the prepaid option: you pay once for the entire term (Fall runs August through February, Spring runs February through June — roughly 19 lessons each). Because you commit upfront, the per-lesson cost is noticeably lower than staying monthly for the same number of weeks. Prices vary by pool — see the FAQ for current semester and monthly rates.

Why parents pick monthly

You want to try before you commit. A four-year-old starting Level 3 at Coppet might love it — or might decide after six weeks that football is more their thing. Monthly enrolment means you're not locked in.

Your schedule is uncertain. If you travel frequently, or your child's school schedule shifts term to term, monthly lets you pause (with 30 days' notice) rather than losing the prepaid semester fee.

You joined mid-semester. We prorate semester pricing if you start halfway through, but some parents prefer the simplicity of monthly when they're starting late.

Why parents pick semester

You know you're in for the long haul. If your child has been swimming with us for a year already — say they're in Level 5 with Coach David at Lausanne EHL — you know they'll finish the term, so you may as well take the better per-lesson rate.

You want the early-bird discount. For Fall 2026, families who book semester enrolment before the term starts get an automatic early-bird discount at checkout. That stacks on top of the base semester saving.

You're using health-insurance reimbursement. Many Swiss complementary insurers reimburse part of the cost of swimming lessons under QualiCert preventive care. If you're claiming the full year, paying semester upfront is simpler — you submit one receipt per term instead of twelve monthly invoices.

What happens if you join mid-term?

We prorate semester pricing. If the Fall semester started in late August and you book in October, you'll only pay for the remaining lessons — never the full term. Monthly enrolment doesn't prorate (you always pay for the next 30 days), but you're not penalised for starting late on semester either.

The one exception: Geneva Vernier

Our newest pool — Geneva Vernier — is semester-only. No monthly option, no trials, and you commit for the full term. Why? The warm 32°C indoor pool and the facility access agreement make short-term enrolment unworkable there.

That said, if you book Vernier before 1 October 2026 and pay by card or TWINT, we waive the registration fee as a launch promo.

Can you switch mid-year?

Yes, but only in one direction: monthly → semester. If you start on monthly in September and decide in October you want the semester rate, email luna@aquaswim.ch. We'll credit your monthly payments and move you onto semester enrolment for the rest of the term.

You can't switch from semester back to monthly mid-term — the prepaid semester fee is strictly non-refundable. (You can transfer the enrolment to another swimmer in your family for a small admin fee, though.)

Worth knowing: the sibling discount

Whichever option you pick, the 10% sibling discount applies automatically to your second swimmer onward — on monthly and semester alike. If you have two kids both doing semester at Montreux, the second one gets 10% off the semester fee. The discount stacks with early-bird semester pricing, too.

So which should you pick?

If your child is under five or brand-new to lessons, start monthly. The flexibility is worth the extra cost while you're figuring out whether swimming clicks.

If your child is in Level 4+ and you know you'll finish the term, go semester. The saving is real — and if you're doing both Fall and Spring, it adds up over the year.

And if you're joining our new Vernier location? The choice is easy — semester is your only option, and the launch promo runs until 1 October.

For current monthly and semester rates, see the FAQ; for private and semi-private options, see the private-lessons page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I cancel semester enrolment mid-term if my child gets injured?

Semester fees are strictly non-refundable, even for injury or illness. You can transfer the enrolment to another swimmer in your family for a small admin fee, or pause and use make-up tokens when your child returns — but we can't refund the prepaid term.

Is there a registration fee on top of monthly or semester?

Yes — an annual registration fee applies to all new families, whether you pick monthly or semester. It's a one-time charge per family (not per child). The only exception right now is Geneva Vernier before 1 October 2026, where we're waiving it as a launch promo if you pay by card or TWINT. Current fees are on /en/faq.

Is there an early-bird discount for Fall 2026 semester?

Yes — book semester enrolment before the term starts and an early-bird discount is applied automatically at checkout. No promo code needed, and it applies at every location. See /en/faq for the current amount.

If I start monthly in September, can I switch to semester in October?

Yes. Email luna@aquaswim.ch and we'll credit your September/October monthly payments toward the prorated semester fee for the rest of the term. You can't switch the other direction (semester back to monthly) mid-term, though.

Does the 10% sibling discount apply to both monthly and semester?

Yes. The second swimmer onward gets 10% off automatically, whether you're on monthly or semester. The discount stacks with semester early-bird pricing too.

Which pools offer monthly enrolment?

All of them except Geneva Vernier. Coppet, Lausanne EHL, Lausanne Malley, Montreux, Aubonne, and Fribourg all let you choose monthly or semester. Vernier is semester-only. Current rates per pool are on /en/faq.

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