Quick answer: how do international school admissions work in Guayaquil? Most schools follow the Costa calendar, so the year starts in late April or May and applications peak from October to February. Expect an enquiry, visit, entrance assessment and interview, then a deposit. Colegio Menor in Samborond贸n teaches in English; monthly fees run roughly $350 to $1,200.
Last reviewed: October 2026 by David from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.
Moving to Ecuador's largest city with children means working to a school calendar that surprises many newcomers. This guide to international school admissions in Guayaquil walks through each stage, from the first enquiry to the deposit that secures a place, and explains how the coastal school year changes your timing compared with Quito, Europe or North America.
We focus on three schools with verified profiles on International School Advisor: the long-established Academia Naval Almirante Illingworth on the Daule road, Internacional SEK Guayaquil on the V铆a a la Costa and Colegio Menor School in Samborond贸n. They differ a great deal in language of instruction, size and style, which is exactly why the admissions process looks slightly different at each one.
Guayaquil for school-age families: where the schools are and how people get there
Guayaquil is Ecuador's main port and commercial centre, and most relocating families arrive for work in trade, shipping, agribusiness, energy or the regional offices of multinational companies. The city sits on the west bank of the Guayas river, and that geography shapes school choice more than anything else.
Many international and internationally minded families live in Samborond贸n, the suburb across the river reached by bridge, where gated developments line the V铆a a Samborond贸n. Colegio Menor sits at kilometre 9 of that road, so families living along it often have short school runs. A second cluster of residential growth runs west along the V铆a a la Costa, where Internacional SEK Guayaquil is located. The third axis is the road north towards Daule, home to Academia Naval Almirante Illingworth at kilometre 8 and a half.
Traffic is the practical issue. Crossing the river at peak hours, or travelling from Samborond贸n to the V铆a a la Costa, can take far longer than the distance suggests. The simplest rule is to settle housing and school together: a family living in Samborond贸n with a child at a school on the coast road will spend a lot of time in the car. Ask each school about bus routes before you sign a lease, because school transport is common here and can make a distant campus workable.
Curricula and languages you will find
- Ecuadorian national curriculum: Educaci贸n Inicial for the youngest children, Educaci贸n General B谩sica through primary and lower secondary, and the national Bachillerato at the end of secondary. All three schools are approved within the Ecuadorian system.
- International Baccalaureate: Academia Naval Almirante Illingworth runs an IB track (Bachillerato Internacional) in the final years, with its own coordinator.
- US-style, English-medium schooling: Colegio Menor describes itself as bilingual English and Spanish, modelled on international and US schools, with English as the language of instruction.
- Spanish-medium schooling with English as a subject: Internacional SEK Guayaquil and ANAI teach mainly in Spanish, with ANAI listing a high level of English.
The schools and what their admissions processes mean for you
Colegio Menor School, Campus Samborond贸n
Colegio Menor was founded in Quito in 1995 and opened its Samborond贸n campus in 2013. It is affiliated with the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, recognised by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Education, accredited by AdvancED and part of the Nord Anglia Education group. It covers nursery through high school, with English as the language of instruction.
Tip: because teaching is in English, the school will want to understand your child's English level for older year groups. Bring recent reports from an English-medium school if you have them, and ask how they support children arriving with stronger Spanish than English, or the reverse.
Academia Naval Almirante Illingworth
ANAI has more than 60 years of history and covers Educaci贸n Inicial, all of Educaci贸n General B谩sica and the national Bachillerato, alongside an IB track and a fully online modality, ANAI Online. Teaching is in Spanish with a high level of English. The school is organised into separate male and female sections plus a mixed afternoon section, and it runs school transport, including a dedicated route for IB students.
Tip: when you apply, specify which section you want, since single-sex morning sections and a mixed afternoon section are different daily experiences. Families aiming for the IB should ask at what stage students move onto that track and what is required to join it.
Internacional SEK Guayaquil
Internacional SEK Guayaquil is on the V铆a a la Costa and is a member of the SEK Education Group, a network of schools with roots in Spain. Its profile lists stages from nursery through high school, with Spanish as the language of instruction. Detailed information on programmes is limited on the profile, so treat the first visit as a fact-finding meeting.
Tip: ask the admissions team directly which diplomas and international programmes are offered in the final years, how English is taught by stage and whether bus routes reach Samborond贸n or central Guayaquil.
Fees: what to budget before you apply
Ecuador has used the US dollar as its official currency since 2000. Schools in the Coast region (Sierra-Costa split) follow the Costa calendar, with the school year starting in late April or May, while Quito and the Sierra start in September. For families paid in dollars this removes currency risk entirely; for those paid in euros or pounds, the exchange rate moves your real cost each month.
None of the three profiles publishes fees, so the figures below are broad, indicative ranges for private schools of this type in Guayaquil and Samborond贸n:
- Early years (Inicial): roughly $350 to $800 a month.
- Primary (B谩sica): roughly $450 to $1,000 a month.
- Secondary and Bachillerato or IB years: roughly $500 to $1,200 a month, with English-medium and IB options towards the top.
Fees are normally quoted as a monthly pension over ten months plus an annual enrolment fee (matr铆cula). Private school fees in Ecuador sit within a framework overseen by the Ministry of Education, so ask each school for its approved figures for the coming year. Extras to budget for:
- Application or assessment fee: often charged when you submit the file.
- Annual enrolment fee: paid each year to confirm the place.
- Uniforms: day and sports uniforms, bought through the school or approved suppliers.
- School transport: priced by route and distance.
- Meals and snacks: cafeteria plans or packed lunches.
- Books, devices and materials: many schools publish a list each year.
- IB and external exam fees: charged in the final years.
- Clubs and sport: some competitive teams and trips cost extra.
Practical advice: a step-by-step admissions timeline
Work backwards from April or May. Because the Costa year starts in late April or May, the main admissions window runs roughly from September or October to February. Make your enquiry as soon as your move is confirmed, book a visit, then submit the application with documents. Most schools follow with an entrance assessment for the child (reading, writing and maths, plus English for English-medium places) and a family interview. If an offer follows, you will normally pay the enrolment fee or a deposit within a short deadline to hold the place. Families arriving from Quito or a September-start country often find themselves either half a year early or in the middle of a school year, so ask early about mid-year entry; most schools will consider it if a place exists.
Prepare documents well ahead. Expect to provide passports or identity cards, the child's birth certificate, the last two or three years of school reports, a transfer or good-conduct letter from the current school and vaccination records. Foreign school records usually need to be recognised by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Education before the child can be placed in the national system, and official documents typically need an apostille and a Spanish translation. Starting this in your home country saves weeks.
Check year group placement and waiting lists. Ecuador places children by age against the school year, and with a spring start the cut-off can put your child in a different year from the one at home. Ask each school how they would place your child and why. Popular entry points such as the early years and the first year of B谩sica can fill early, so if a school offers a waiting list, join it and keep a second option active until you have a confirmed place.
Compare schools across the province
Once you have a sense of timing and documents, it helps to see how these schools compare with others nearby. Our ranking of the best international schools in Guayas brings together profiles, curricula and family reviews across Guayaquil, Samborond贸n and the rest of the province.
More guides to schools in Guayaquil
Frequently asked questions
When should I apply to a school in Guayaquil?
Most schools in Guayaquil follow the Costa calendar, so classes start in late April or May. The busiest application period runs roughly from October to February. If your move is confirmed later, contact schools anyway: many consider mid-year entry when a place is free, especially outside the most popular early years and first grade of B谩sica.
What documents do international schools in Guayaquil ask for?
Expect passports, the child's birth certificate, two or three years of school reports, a letter from the current school and vaccination records. Foreign records usually need recognition by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Education, and official documents often need an apostille plus a Spanish translation, so start gathering them before you leave home.
Is there an entrance exam for international schools in Guayaquil?
Most private schools assess applicants before making an offer. Typically this covers reading, writing and maths at the right level, an English check for English-medium places such as Colegio Menor in Samborond贸n, and a short interview with the family. Younger children are usually observed in play rather than formally tested.