Recently spent nearly two months researching international schools in Madrid for my child, and today I’m sharing my experience with everyone. Madrid offers quite a variety of international schools, but there’s significant variation in both pricing and teaching quality. I hope this post helps parents who are currently facing this decision.
Overview of Major International Schools
Madrid’s most well-known international schools are primarily concentrated in the northern and northwestern areas. The American School is located in Pozuelo de Alarcón, the British School in Soto de Viñuelas, and Runnymede College in La Moraleja. I visited all of these schools in person, each has its own characteristics but the tuition fees are definitely not cheap.
Tuition Fee Comparison
Below is the approximate tuition fee range I compiled for the 2024-2025 academic year:
| School Name | Kindergarten Annual Fee | Primary Annual Fee | Secondary Annual Fee |
|---|
| American School of Madrid | 12000-14000€ | 15000-18000€ | 19000-22000€ |
| King’s College | 11000-13000€ | 14000-17000€ | 18000-21000€ |
| Runnymede College | 10000-12000€ | 13000-16000€ | 17000-20000€ |
| International College Spain | 9000-11000€ | 12000-15000€ | 16000-19000€ |
Note that these are tuition fees only, excluding additional costs such as school buses, lunches, and extracurricular activities, which add at least another 3000-5000 euros annually.
Curriculum System Differences
American School offers the US curriculum plus AP, which is suitable for families planning to send their children to American universities. British School primarily follows the British national curriculum, culminating in IGCSE and A-Level examinations. I previously considered French schools but abandoned that option due to the high French language requirements. If you want a more internationalized choice, consider schools with IB programs, like International College Spain (ICS) which offers a complete IB program.
My personal advice is to choose the curriculum system based on your child’s future educational path, not just the school’s reputation. We ultimately chose King’s College, mainly because it’s close to home and the school has an excellent Chinese language program, so our child won’t completely lose their Chinese.
Application and Admission Requirements
Most schools require applications six months to a year in advance, especially for popular grade levels. Application materials generally include birth certificates, vaccination records, previous transcripts, etc. Some schools require interviews to test children’s language proficiency and academic abilities.
If your child hasn’t been in an English-speaking environment before, I recommend preparing in advance. We specifically hired a native English tutor for three months, which helped the interview go smoothly. Additionally, competition for Madrid’s international schools is quite fierce, especially for primary and middle school spots at good schools, so be prepared for waitlists.
Overall, Madrid’s international education resources are quite abundant, though the costs are certainly substantial. I recommend visiting several schools in person and communicating with current parents to find the best fit for your child.
