International Schools in Barcelona: Fees, Curricula and Neighbourhoods

Quick Answer: Barcelona's international schools charge €9,000 to €27,000 a year in 2026/27, far less than Asia's hubs, and cluster in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, Esplugues, Sant Cugat and along the coast at Castelldefels and Sitges. Here are the schools, the fees, the curricula and how admissions work.

Barcelona is one of the cheaper European cities for an international education: published 2026/27 tuition runs from about €9,000 for early years to €27,062 for high school, a third of what Singapore's premium schools charge. The choice is broad (American, British, IB, German, Spanish bilingual), the schools cluster in four areas, and every one of them teaches Catalan alongside its own curriculum. This guide covers the schools, the fees, the curricula and the neighbourhoods. The full list is on our Barcelona international schools page.

Which schools are there, and what do they charge in 2026/27?

School	Area	Curriculum	Tuition 2026/27 (€ per year)	One-time and annual fees (€)
American School of Barcelona	Esplugues de Llobregat	American; IB Diploma	14,114 (early childhood) to 27,062 (Grades 9 to 12), family rate	Application 250; capital levy 3,000 to 6,000; matriculation 975 a year
Benjamin Franklin International School	Sarrià	American; IB Diploma	12,950 (early childhood) to 21,720 (Grades 9 to 12)	Application 250; entrance 6,000; matriculation 1,100 a year
St Peter's School	Sarrià-Sant Gervasi	IB PYP, MYP, Diploma	9,450 (Foundation) to 22,250 (Diploma)	Enrolment 4,500; registration 1,800 to 2,250 a year
British School of Barcelona	Castelldefels, Sitges, Maresme	British; IGCSE; A Levels and IB	8,600 (nursery) to 17,250 (Year 11); sixth form higher	On the school's fee sheet
St George Barcelona	Sarrià-Sant Gervasi	British; IGCSE; A Levels	13,260 to 21,340	Enrolment 3,500; registration 1,000 a year
Hamelin-Laie International School	Montgat (north coast)	British to IGCSE; IB Diploma or Spanish Bachillerato	11,186 (early years) to 15,493 (IB Diploma Year 13)	Registration 696 to 1,291 a year
Oak House School	Sarrià-Sant Gervasi	British to IGCSE; Bachillerato and A Levels	10,995 to 14,495	Admission 3,500
European International School of Barcelona	Sant Cugat del Vallès	British and Spanish tracks	10,300 to 13,710	On the school's fee sheet
Agora Barcelona International School	Sant Esteve Sesrovires	IB continuum; Spanish	On application; boarding available	On application
Deutsche Schule Barcelona	Esplugues de Llobregat	German; Abitur	On application	On application

Sources: American School of Barcelona fees 2026/27, Benjamin Franklin fees 2026/27, Hamelin-Laie fees 2026/27, Oak House fees, St George fees; St Peter's, British School of Barcelona and European International School figures as listed by Doris and International Schools Database in September 2026. ASB and Benjamin Franklin publish higher corporate rates for employer-paid places.

Which curriculum should you choose?

• American with the IB Diploma (ASB, Benjamin Franklin): US high school diploma, AP courses at ASB, and the IB Diploma as the university-entrance qualification. Both are long established and the most expensive.
• British (British School of Barcelona, St George, Kensington, Oak House, Hamelin-Laie): English National Curriculum, IGCSE at 16, then A Levels, the IB or the Spanish Bachillerato depending on the school. The largest group and the widest price range.
• Full IB (St Peter's, Agora): Primary Years to Diploma in one system.
• German (Deutsche Schule): the Abitur, taught in German with Spanish and Catalan.

A feature of Barcelona is dual tracks: several British-curriculum schools run the Spanish Bachillerato alongside IGCSE or the IB, which keeps Spanish universities open without a homologation process. If your child may study in Spain, ask about it. Our Cambridge vs IB guide covers the IGCSE and IB trade-offs.

What about Catalan?

Catalonia's Education Act makes Catalan the normal language of instruction in the Catalan school system, and foreign-curriculum schools authorised by the Generalitat teach Catalan language and culture to all students, with Spanish alongside. In practice that means a few periods a week of Catalan from primary, taught to the child's level. Children arriving with no Catalan or Spanish are not disadvantaged in admissions, and most schools run beginner streams. Families staying more than two or three years usually come to see it as an asset: local universities, local friends and local jobs all run on it.

Where are the schools?

• Sarrià-Sant Gervasi and Pedralbes: the leafy upper districts of the city, home to St Peter's, St George, Kensington, Oak House, Benjamin Franklin and the German school. Walkable from the neighbourhoods most expatriate families rent in, at city rents.
• Esplugues de Llobregat: just over the city boundary to the west, with ASB and ES International. Fifteen minutes from Sarrià by car.
• Sant Cugat del Vallès: the suburb over the Collserola ridge, with European International School and Agora Sant Cugat, larger houses and a 25-minute FGC train into the city.
• The coast: British School of Barcelona in Castelldefels and Sitges to the south, Hamelin-Laie in Montgat to the north. Beach towns with 30 to 40-minute commutes.

Buses run from the city to the out-of-town campuses (ASB charges €2,035 to €2,365 a year by route).

How do admissions work?

1. September to June year; apply from the autumn before entry. Nursery, Reception and Year 1 at the established schools fill by spring.
2. Application fee about €250, school reports, an assessment or interview, English level check.
3. On acceptance: entrance or capital fee (€3,500 at St George and Oak House, €4,500 at St Peter's, €6,000 at ASB and Benjamin Franklin) plus the annual matriculation or registration fee.
4. Sibling discounts from the third child at most schools (10% at St George and Benjamin Franklin; 20% for the third and 75% for the fourth at European International School).
5. Early-payment discounts: ASB 3% for payment by 28 February; Benjamin Franklin 1.5% for annual prepayment.

Compare every school by curriculum and district on our Barcelona international schools page, or widen the search to international schools across Spain.