Linz International School Auhof (LISA) is a school branch of the Europagymnasium. Founded in 1992, LISA has seen its students graduate with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma since the year 2000. With this diploma, students can continue their university studies both in Austria and abroad.
At LISA, learning happens in English, in a close-knit community that reaches from Linz to the wider world. Because of our international orientation, we promote cosmopolitanism, tolerance and respect. Students, parents and teachers all identify with our school branch, and this shared sense of belonging creates a positive working climate and a strong school community.
Our school also runs an extensive German as a Foreign Language programme. International students who join us in Grade 5 (“1. Klasse AHS”) can therefore go on to study at a German-language university after they graduate.
The sections below bring together how we teach, what we offer beyond the classroom, the facilities our students work in, and the qualifications they graduate with.
How We Teach
English is the language of instruction in all subjects. Our teaching team is highly qualified and motivated, and includes international teachers and native English speakers. In the first school year (Grade 5), teachers use both German and English in their lessons, so students with German as their mother tongue need no prior knowledge of English to begin. Teachers adapt teaching materials to suit the level of their students, and in the senior classes pupils work with authentic, English-language resources.
Authentic English materials. To give students a genuine language experience, we use teaching materials originally written in English and imported from the United States and the United Kingdom.
Language assistants. Native-speaker language assistants encourage students to try out new words and structures. These situations promote natural conversation and give students the chance to practise English across virtually all of their subjects.
German as a Foreign Language. LISA has a large German as a Foreign Language department. Students who arrive with little or no German receive instruction appropriate to their level, so they can build their language skills at a pace that suits them.
Beyond the Classroom
Learning at LISA extends well beyond formal lessons.
Extracurricular activities. A range of after-school activities, including sports, is open to all students.
Music, drama and the arts. LISA places real value on creative activities in music, ensemble, art, choir and drama. Students can develop and showcase their performance skills throughout the year, including on our open-air amphitheatre stage, the “Theatron”, set in the school garden. Drama is also offered as a course, which helps students build self-confidence.
Trips and school events. Our international outlook comes to life through travel, with trips to destinations such as Malta, Ireland, France, Spain, Japan and South Africa, alongside many school events throughout the year.
Social skills programme. In the lower classes, a dedicated social skills programme supports students in building a strong and supportive class community.
Our Facilities
Library. Our library holds over 15,000 books across a wide range of subjects in English, German and French. It also provides quiet study space and computers for research.
Science labs. Our Biology, Chemistry and Physics laboratories enable students to put the theory they learn in class into practice.
Computer rooms. Three computer rooms give students the opportunity for intensive training in computer skills. The equipment is shared with the other two branches of the Europagymnasium.
Classroom technology. Every class has a laptop and projector, and teachers have easy access to multimedia teaching materials for use in lessons.
Drama room. Our drama room gives students a dedicated space to rehearse and develop their musical and dramatic performances.
A plan of the school building is available here: Raumplan (PDF)
Graduation Diplomas
LISA is a university-preparatory general education school. We offer the Austrian AHS Reifeprüfung (“Matura”) to students who speak German as a mother tongue and who have taken a German mother-tongue language course. The AHS Reifeprüfung comprises oral and written examinations together with a written research report (Vorwissenschaftliche Arbeit, VWA).
Most LISA students complete both the Austrian Reifeprüfung and the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB DP). Either qualification enables students to continue their studies at universities and universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen), in Austria and abroad.
