Our little one is now old enough for kindergarten, and my partner and I have been wracking our brains over his education. Since we’re in Spain, we wanted to explore the international schools here, hoping to provide him with a multilingual environment from a young age. However, we were quite shocked by the tuition fees after looking into them. I’ve spent a lot of time researching several schools in Madrid and Barcelona and have organized the information I’ve gathered to serve as a reference for other parents facing the same dilemma. I also welcome everyone to add more information and discuss!
Breakdown of International School Costs
After some research, I found that the cost of international school is far more than just ‘tuition.’ Basically, a full year’s expenses will include the following main components:
- Registration/Application Fee: This is a one-time fee, or an annual ‘seat reservation’ fee, which is usually non-refundable.
- Tuition: This is the biggest expense and can be paid annually, per term, or monthly.
- Meal Fee: This is mandatory at most schools and covers lunch and snacks.
- School Bus Fee: If you need school bus service, this is a significant additional expense.
- Materials/Activity Fee: This includes books, school supplies, some extracurricular activities, etc.
So, when you look at a school’s price quote, be sure to ask exactly what the “total cost” includes to avoid unexpected bills later on.
Tuition Fee Reference for a Few Popular Kindergartens
I’ve mainly looked at British and American schools, as they are the mainstream choices. The data below is from the schools’ official websites or from email inquiries and may be subject to change. You should always confirm the specifics with the school’s official information for the current year. All prices are in Euros per year.
| City | School Name | Approx. Annual Fee Range |
|---|
| Madrid | The English Montessori School | €6,000 - €8,000 |
| Madrid | International College of Spain | €10,000 - €13,000 |
| Barcelona | The British School of Barcelona | €9,000 - €12,000 |
| Barcelona | Benjamin Franklin International School | €11,000 - €14,000 |
Please note: The table above only shows the tuition fees. If you add registration fees, meal plans, bus services, etc., the total annual cost for Spanish international schools will likely be an additional €3,000 to €5,000. For example, some schools charge nearly €2,000 a year just for the school bus, which is a total rip-off! So, all in all, a realistic budget for one child in an international kindergarten in Madrid or Barcelona is around €15,000 to €20,000 per year.
This information is certainly not exhaustive. Do you know of any other good schools or have firsthand experience to share? For example, insights on the school’s teaching atmosphere, the teachers’ level of responsibility, how well children adapt, etc. Please feel free to leave a comment below to chat and provide more real-world references for other parents! Thanks in advance, everyone!
