Moving abroad with children raises one question above every other: will the school be as good as the one you’re leaving behind? We’ve looked across eight European countries – Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Ireland and the UK – and picked out ten schools that consistently deliver for relocating families, at very different price points.
For expat families relocating within Europe, some of the strongest school choices sit in Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Ireland and the UK, with day fees between roughly €9,550 (£8,120) a year at The English School in Nicosia and €35,087 (£29,825) for senior years at the British School of Paris. Most of the schools below follow the English National Curriculum through GCSE or IGCSE, then offer either A-Levels or the International Baccalaureate Diploma at sixth form. Several hold accreditation from the Council of British International Schools (COBIS), British Schools Overseas (BSO) inspection, or the IB organisation itself. Fees and curricula change from year to year, so treat the figures here as a starting point and confirm current rates directly with each school before you apply.
Contents
- Spain: the biggest expat community, and the choice to match
- France: a long-standing option west of Paris
- Portugal: strong value around Lisbon and Porto
- Italy: Rome’s long-established British school
- Greece: Athens’ oldest British school
- Cyprus: the most affordable school on this list
- Ireland: an established IB choice
- The UK: for families moving from the US
- Fees at a glance
- What to check before you commit
Spain: the biggest expat community, and the choice to match
With more British families settling in Spain than anywhere else in Europe, it’s no surprise the country has some well-established schools to serve them.
King’s College, The British School of Madrid sits on a 12-acre campus at Soto de Viñuelas, north of the capital. Founded in 1969 and inspected under the British Schools Overseas framework, it follows the UK National Curriculum to IGCSE, then offers A-Levels or the IB Diploma – its 2025 IB average was 35.5 points, well above the world average. Day fees run to roughly €8,100–€18,000 (£6,885–£15,300) a year depending on year group, with boarding available through Tenbury House for pupils from 16.
The British School of Barcelona teaches around 2,000 pupils across four campuses, from its main site in the city to Castelldefels and Sitges. It holds NABSS, COBIS and HMC accreditation and was rated outstanding at its most recent BSO inspection. Fees for 2025/26 range from €12,800 (£10,880) in the early years to €20,250 (£17,210) by Year 10, plus a one-off matriculation fee.
For more on how schooling works more broadly if you’re moving with children, see our guide to education in Spain.
France: a long-standing option west of Paris
The British School of Paris, in Croissy-sur-Seine, is the only school in France with British Schools Overseas status registered with the UK Department for Education. Founded in 1954, it teaches the full English National Curriculum from age three through to A-Levels, and has maintained close to a 100% A-Level pass rate for well over a decade, with three-quarters of grades at A*–B in recent years. Tuition for 2026/27 runs from around €21,305 to €35,087 (£18,110–£29,825) depending on year group, and the fee includes textbooks, lunch and most extra-curricular activities.
If you’re weighing up schooling options as part of a wider move, our guide to education in France covers the state and private routes too.
Portugal: strong value around Lisbon and Porto
There are two schools worth considering here, one in each of Portugal’s main expat hubs.
St Julian’s School, in Carcavelos on the Portuguese Riviera, is the oldest and largest British international school in the country, established in 1932. It teaches the English National Curriculum to IGCSE, then moves to the IB Diploma or Career-related Programme, and holds CIS, NEASC and IB accreditation alongside COBIS associate status. Day fees for 2025/26 sit between roughly €8,200 and €19,365 (£6,970–£16,460), with sibling discounts from the third child.
CLIP – Oporto International School, a non-profit school in Foz do Douro, offers the English National Curriculum through Cambridge IGCSE and A-Levels on a substantial campus with an indoor pool and 200-seat auditorium. Fees for 2025/26 range from around €9,140 to €15,190 (£7,770–£12,910), making it one of the more accessible options on this list.
For a wider look at schooling routes and requirements, read our guide to education in Portugal.
Italy: Rome’s long-established British school
St George’s British International School, Rome has taught in the city since 1958, with a main campus at La Storta and a junior site near the Vatican. It follows an enhanced UK National Curriculum to IGCSE, then offers the IB Diploma or A-Levels (reintroduced for 2025/26), holding COBIS, HMC, BSO and NEASC accreditation. Its 2025 IB average of 36 points is among the strongest in continental Europe. Fees for 2026/27 run from €13,900 for the earliest years to €27,000 (£11,815–£22,950) at sixth form, with lunch included.
See our guide to education in Italy for more on how the wider school system works.
Greece: Athens’ oldest British school
St Catherine’s British School, Athens was founded in 1956 on the grounds of the British Embassy and now teaches more than 1,300 pupils from over 40 nationalities. It follows the National Curriculum of England to IGCSE, then the IB Diploma for the final two years, and holds HMC and COBIS affiliation. Fees for 2025/26 range from around €9,710 to €16,500 (£8,255–£14,025), with additional one-off registration and development charges.
Our guide to education in Greece covers the wider options, including state schooling.
Cyprus: the most affordable school on this list
The English School, Nicosia is the oldest British-founded school in Cyprus, established in 1900, and is a not-for-profit institution run under Cypriot law with HMC membership and BSO accreditation. It’s secondary-only, taking pupils from around age 11 through a selective entrance exam, and teaches to IGCSE and A-Level rather than the IB. Fees for 2026/27 are €9,550 (£8,120) for a first child and €8,595 (£7,305) for a second, by far the lowest headline figure of any school here.
For more detail on schooling and settling in more broadly, see our guide to education in Cyprus.
Ireland: an established IB choice
St Andrew’s College, Dublin has offered the IB Diploma since 1982, one of the longest track records of any school on this list, alongside the Irish Leaving Certificate. Day fees sit at around €9,100 (£7,735) a year, making it a genuinely affordable route to an internationally recognised qualification for families settling in or around Dublin.
The UK: for families moving from the US
TASIS England, in Thorpe, Surrey, combines an American curriculum with the IB Diploma and takes both day and boarding pupils, making it a natural fit for families relocating from the US who want continuity for their children. It won the ISA Boarding School of the Year award in 2023. Day fees start from around £17,500 a year, with boarding fees rising to roughly £57,000.
Fees at a glance
| School | Country | Curriculum | Annual fees (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| King’s College Madrid | Spain | UK curriculum, A-Levels or IB | €8,100–€18,000 (£6,885–£15,300) |
| British School of Barcelona | Spain | British curriculum, IGCSE, A-Levels or IB | €12,800–€20,250 (£10,880–£17,210) |
| British School of Paris | France | English National Curriculum, A-Levels | €21,305–€35,087 (£18,110–£29,825) |
| St Julian’s School | Portugal | English curriculum, IGCSE, IB | €8,200–€19,365 (£6,970–£16,460) |
| CLIP Oporto International School | Portugal | English curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE/A-Levels | €9,140–€15,190 (£7,770–£12,910) |
| St George’s British International School | Italy | UK curriculum, IB or A-Levels | €13,900–€27,000 (£11,815–£22,950) |
| St Catherine’s British School | Greece | National Curriculum of England, IB | €9,710–€16,500 (£8,255–£14,025) |
| The English School | Cyprus | British curriculum, IGCSE, A-Levels | €9,550 (£8,120) first child |
| St Andrew’s College | Ireland | IB Diploma, Irish Leaving Certificate | Around €9,100 (£7,735) |
| TASIS England | UK | American curriculum, IB | From £17,500 (day); up to £57,000 (boarding) |
Note: Tuition fees and application deadlines are reviewed annually, and fees typically rise each year, so always confirm current rates directly with the school before budgeting.
What to check before you commit
Headline fees rarely tell the whole story. Most schools charge a separate registration or “development” fee on top of tuition, and lunch, transport and exam entry are often billed separately too, so ask for a full first-year cost breakdown rather than relying on the published tuition figure alone.
It’s also worth checking a school’s most recent inspection report – whether that’s a British Schools Overseas inspection, an IB authorisation review or the local equivalent – rather than relying on marketing copy. Ask how many nationalities are represented in a typical class, since a school that’s 80% British won’t give your children the same experience as one with a genuine international mix, and speak to current parents wherever you can.
Once you’ve settled on a school, fees paid in euros from a foreign income carry currency risk of their own – a shift in the exchange rate can add hundreds to a single term’s bill without warning. Smart Currency Exchange can help you plan ahead, lock in a rate for upcoming school fee payments, and take that particular worry off your list. Get in touch with Smart Currency Exchange to find out how.
