International Schools in Macau: The Complete List and 2026/27 Fees

Quick Answer: Macau has four schools that teach an international curriculum in English or Portuguese: The International School of Macao, School of the Nations, Macau Anglican College and Escola Portuguesa de Macau. Here is what each offers, what it charges in 2026/27, and how the government subsidy works for residents.

Macau has four schools that teach a foreign curriculum from kindergarten to school-leaving age: The International School of Macao (Canadian Alberta curriculum with the IB Diploma), School of the Nations (IB), Macau Anglican College (Cambridge) and Escola Portuguesa de Macau (Portuguese). Published 2026/27 fees run from about MOP 80,000 to MOP 168,000 a year, and Macao residents receive a government subvention against them. This guide lists each school, its curriculum and its fees, and explains how the subsidy and admissions work. See the Macau schools directory for listings.

Which international schools are there in Macau?

School	Location	Curriculum	Ages	Tuition 2026/27 (MOP per year)
The International School of Macao (TIS)	Taipa, on the Macau University of Science and Technology campus	Alberta (Canada) curriculum; IB Primary Years; IB Diploma in Grades 11 to 12	Pre-K to Grade 12	117,500 (Pre-K to Senior K); 135,000 (Grades 1 to 3); 147,000 (Grades 4 to 6); 154,000 (Grades 7 to 9); 168,000 (Grades 10 to 12)
School of the Nations	Taipa	IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma	K1 to Form 6	New students: 82,830 (K); 105,870 (primary); 116,250 (Forms 1 to 3); 130,020 (Forms 4 to 6)
Macau Anglican College	Taipa	Cambridge Primary, Lower Secondary, IGCSE and A Levels; DSEDJ-approved curriculum	K1 to Form 6	Published as scanned fee structures for kindergarten, primary (resident and non-resident) and secondary; on request
Escola Portuguesa de Macau	Macau peninsula	Portuguese national curriculum	Pre-school to 12th year	On application

Sources: TIS tuition and fees 2026/27, School of the Nations fees 2026/27, Macau Anglican College fee structure, checked 15 September 2026. TIS fees include textbooks, materials, insurance, local field trips and exam fees; lunch and transport are paid to suppliers. School of the Nations charges a MOP 1,015 application fee and reserves new places with a deposit of MOP 6,000 (kindergarten) to MOP 9,000 (secondary).

How does the government subsidy work?

Macao resident ID holders at private schools receive a per-student subvention from the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ). TIS states the 2026/27 amounts as MOP 23,750 for kindergarten, MOP 26,560 for elementary and MOP 29,490 for secondary, deducted from the fees above, so a resident family pays about MOP 93,750 for kindergarten and MOP 138,510 for Grades 10 to 12 at TIS. The other schools apply the subvention on the same basis. Non-residents (children on dependant visas of non-resident workers) pay the full fee. Every private school's fee items are registered with DSEDJ under item codes, which is what the "Table of School Fees" documents on school websites are.

What separates the schools?

The International School of Macao

Founded in 2002 and the largest international school in the territory, teaching the Alberta curriculum with Alberta high school graduation and the IB Diploma available in Grades 11 and 12. English-medium with Mandarin, Portuguese and other languages. The most expensive, and the default for expatriate families in the gaming, hospitality and university sectors. Sibling discounts of 5% for a second child and 15% for three or more.

School of the Nations

Opened as a kindergarten in 1988 and now an IB continuum school with the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes. Smaller than TIS, on Taipa, with a strong local and mixed-nationality intake and fees about a quarter lower.

Macau Anglican College

An Anglican foundation school supported by the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui, with about 1,400 students from kindergarten to Form 6 following the Cambridge route to IGCSE and A Levels within a DSEDJ-approved curriculum. The most affordable English-medium option and the one most local families choose.

Escola Portuguesa de Macau

The Portuguese-curriculum school, teaching in Portuguese to the Portuguese 12th year, and the natural choice for Portuguese-speaking families or anyone aiming at universities in Portugal and the EU.

How do admissions work?

1. Timing. TIS and Macau Anglican College run August to June; School of the Nations runs three terms from September. Kindergarten intakes are decided in the spring (School of the Nations takes K1 deposits in mid-April), so apply in the winter before.
2. Documents. Passport or Macao ID, previous school reports, and for older children an English assessment and interview.
3. Money at offer. Application fee (MOP 1,000 to 1,015 at School of the Nations; TIS lists none separately), then a term's fees or a deposit to hold the place.
4. Language. All three English-medium schools teach Mandarin; TIS and School of the Nations offer Portuguese. Cantonese is the street language and is picked up outside class.

How does Macau compare with Hong Kong?

Macau's top fee, MOP 168,000 a year at TIS, is about HK$163,000, which is roughly what Hong Kong's mid-priced international schools charge and well below its most expensive, and Macau has no debenture system. Families working in Macau but living in Hong Kong sometimes compare the two; the hour on the bridge each way settles most of those comparisons. For Hong Kong options, see our Hong Kong international schools page, and for the wider region the Macau country page.