InventumInventum
vs
L
Laurel Springs

Which Online School Is Right for Your Family?

Both schools serve globally mobile, schedule-driven families with flexible, online education. But their qualifications, teaching models, and pricing are worlds apart.

Inventum
Laurel Springs
Qualifications
Cambridge IGCSE & A-Levels (globally recognised)
US High School Diploma (AP / Honors)
Pricing
From €730 per subject
$11,700–$17,250 per year
Teaching model
Live, recorded & async — real teachers, real lessons
Asynchronous only — no live whole-class teaching
1-on-1 sessions
1-on-1 sessions with your subject teacher included
Office hours & optional tutoring (Tutor.com)

€730

Starting price per subject

1-on-1

Teacher sessions included

24/7

Content access

3

Learning journeys

How it works

How Inventum Works

Laurel Springs is 100% asynchronous — there are no live lessons and teachers act primarily as graders and facilitators. Inventum gives you three genuinely different learning approaches, from fully asynchronous to live small-group, all built around Cambridge qualifications that open doors at universities worldwide.

Journey 1

Fully Asynchronous Learning

24/7 access to our premium core curriculum materials. Study entirely at your own pace, free from any bell schedule or forced live attendance. Perfect for highly independent learners.

Ideal for: Independent learners, professional athletes, globally mobile families

Journey 2

Recorded Precision Teaching

Expert recorded lessons you can pause, rewind, and re-watch until mastery is achieved. Actual teaching — not just a course platform and an auto-graded quiz.

Ideal for: Students who need structure but can't commit to fixed time slots

Journey 3

Live Precision Teaching

Small-group live sessions — intimate, discussion-based, and taught by a specialist. Real-time engagement that an asynchronous-only model simply cannot offer.

Ideal for: Students who thrive on real-time interaction and collaborative problem-solving

Head-to-Head Comparison

Inventum vs. Laurel Springs

Qualifications
Inventum

Cambridge IGCSE & A-Levels — accepted by universities worldwide

Laurel Springs

US High School Diploma with AP / Honors — strongest for US university applications

Teaching model
Inventum

Live, recorded & fully async — real teaching at every level

Laurel Springs

Asynchronous only — no live whole-class teaching; teachers grade and facilitate

1-on-1 teacher sessions
Inventum

1-on-1 sessions with your subject teacher included per subject

Laurel Springs

Office hours available, but no structured 1-on-1 teaching sessions included

Total Transparency

The Real Cost Comparison

Laurel Springs bundles everything into a large annual full-time fee — $11,700 to $17,250 per year depending on grade level and tier. Inventum charges per subject, so families living outside the US only pay for Cambridge qualifications their child will actually sit.

Pricing structure

Inventum

Per-subject, fully modular

Laurel Springs

Annual full-time tuition or per-course enrolment

High school / A-Level equivalent

Inventum

From €730 per subject per year

Laurel Springs

$11,700–$17,250/yr full-time; $1,850–$2,200 per single course

Teaching included

Inventum

Yes — live, recorded & async lessons

Laurel Springs

Asynchronous courseware only; live teaching reserved for Academy tier

1-on-1 teacher sessions

Inventum

Included with every subject

Laurel Springs

Office hours available; structured 1-on-1 not included as standard

Payment options

Inventum

Flexible: 1, 3, 6, or 10 instalments

Laurel Springs

Annual or semester upfront; limited instalment options

Families outside the US can study three Cambridge A-Levels with Inventum for less than the cost of a single year of Laurel Springs full-time tuition.

See full pricing breakdown
Which School Is Right for You?

The Honest Answer

Laurel Springs might suit you if...

  • You are based in the US and your child plans to apply primarily to American universities
  • Your child needs AP courses or NCAA-approved coursework for college athletic recruitment
  • Total schedule independence is the priority and your child thrives in a fully self-directed, asynchronous environment
  • You want access to a wide range of US electives, AP Capstone, or dual-enrolment college credits

Inventum is built for you if...

  • You want internationally recognised Cambridge qualifications — accepted by universities in the UK, EU, and worldwide
  • You want your child to be actively taught, not just handed courseware and marked — live, recorded, or async
  • You want 1-on-1 sessions with a subject teacher included — not just office hours or third-party tutoring
  • You want transparent per-subject pricing from €730 rather than a $11,700–$17,250 annual fee

Next step: Schedule a personal discovery call

Book a free academic fit call for your child.

Get an academic assessment, ask your questions, and leave with a clear online school plan before you make an enrolment decision.

  • Free academic assessment
  • No obligation to enroll
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Cambridge & Pearson accredited

Frequently Asked Questions.

All the tests and exams in the Upper Primary (Year 5 & Year 6) and Lower Secondary (Year 7-Year 9) are internal Inventum exams taken online. For the second year of the IGCSE program (Year 11), AS (Year 12), and A-Levels (Year 13), the exams have to be taken in a physical Cambridge or Pearson exam centre. You can find the list of exam centres worldwide here.

For the Upper Primary (Year 5 & Year 6) and Lower Secondary (Year 7-Year 9), you will receive a certificate from Inventum when you complete a year level. Cambridge issues your certificate for IGCSE. For AS and A-Levels, your certificate comes from Cambridge or Pearson, depending on which board's syllabus you follow.

Successful completion of A-Levels will give you access to universities around the world. This is the most recognised secondary school certificate globally by universities and employers.

In principle, this is possible, but it will require your time and dedication. You will still pay the fees for two years, as you will have access to 121 teaching, live lessons, etc., for both years.

You decide on the study schedule based on your preferences and timetable. Your dedicated study coach can help you make a schedule that suits your circumstances. When choosing Journey 3, you also commit to the live lessons schedule.

We use precision teaching, meaning the live lessons cover only the critical and most difficult parts of the curriculum. On average, there are two live lessons a week per subject.

This will depend on yourself, the number of chosen subjects and the year level, but on average, a full-time Learner spends approximately four hours a day studying.

The Upper Primary (Year 5 & Year 6) and Lower Secondary (Year 7- Year 9) have five mandatory subjects: English, Maths, Science, History and Geography. There are no mandatory subjects for IGCSE (Years 10&11) and A-Level programs (Years 12&13), but you choose them based on your interests and future plans.

For the Upper Primary (Year 5 & Year 6), Lower Secondary (Year 7-Year 9), and IGCSEs (Years 10&11), you will be required, as a full-time student, to take a minimum of five subjects and for the A-Level program (Years 12&13) a minimum of three subjects.

You can complete the application form on our website by clicking the “Apply” button.

Once we receive your application, we will contact you within 48 hours to arrange an onboarding call. During this call, you will be introduced to all our platforms, handbooks, and practices and assigned a dedicated study coach. After this, you are ready to start!

We are a non-selective school and will therefore not require a certain grade average, but we will assess every case individually. Learners need, however, to be fluent in English as this is the language of instruction.

We look at the Learner’s age and previous schooling history to determine the best starting point for them at Inventum. If there are any doubts, we recommend the Learner take a CAT4 test.

Our high flexibility learning model, combined with the level of support Learners can choose from, is a unique feature among online schools. Together with the Learner, we build the learning journey that caters to their individual needs. By following our mindset modules, we ensure they are ready for the future by educating them on emerging technologies and ensuring they grow as individuals.

Cambridge certificate is recognised globally by universities. We do not, however, have agreements with local educational authorities, so it is the parent’s responsibility to check the rules and possible restrictions for homeschooling or online schooling in their home country.

A-Levels ask students to specialise in three or four subjects in depth, while the IB requires six subjects across a broad range plus an extended essay and Theory of Knowledge. Both are recognised for university entry worldwide.

Read the full IB vs A-Levels comparison