Quick answer: How do international school admissions work in Houston? Most Houston international schools typically open applications in early autumn, close them between December and February, and send offers around March for an August start. Expect entrance testing from about Grade 2, teacher recommendations and an enrolment deposit. The Awty International School, The Village School and British International School of Houston all charge roughly USD 20,000 to 40,000 a year.
Last reviewed: October 2026 by Emma from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.
Families relocating to Texas are often surprised by how early the process starts. International school admissions in Houston follow the American independent school calendar, which means the real decisions for an August 2027 start are made over the coming winter, not in the summer before the move. If your employer has only just confirmed a transfer, it is worth reading this guide before you book a house-hunting trip, because the order in which you do things matters.
This guide walks through the process step by step: when to enquire, what a visit involves, which documents to prepare, how entrance testing and recommendations work, and what happens after an offer. It also covers the age cut-offs that catch out many families arriving from the UK, Europe and Asia, and how mid-year entry works when a job move does not fit the school calendar.
Houston for relocating families: where the schools are and how you will commute
Houston draws international families mainly through energy, engineering, the Texas Medical Center, the Port of Houston and NASA's Johnson Space Center to the south east. Many arrive on two to four year assignments, which is why schools here are used to applications from abroad, interviews over video and students joining with records from several countries.
The city is vast and spread out, with no zoning in the European sense, and almost everyone drives. The three schools in this guide sit on the west side. The Awty International School is in Spring Branch, close to the I-10 Katy Freeway and a short drive from the Memorial and Heights areas. The Village School is further west in the Energy Corridor and Westchase area, off Westella Drive. British International School of Houston is not inside the city at all: it is in Katy, roughly 25 miles west of downtown, which suits families buying in Katy, Cinco Ranch or Fulshear.
Commute times change dramatically with traffic. A drive that takes 20 minutes at 9pm can take 50 minutes at 7.30am on the Katy Freeway or the Beltway. Before you sign a lease, test the school run at the hour you would actually do it, and ask each school about bus routes, since coverage tends to be focused on nearby suburbs.
Curricula you will meet in Houston's international schools
Admissions requirements vary with the programme your child is entering, so it helps to know what each school offers before you apply.
- International Baccalaureate: all three schools list the IB. Awty students can graduate with the IB Diploma Programme, and both The Village School and British International School of Houston also list IB programmes.
- French Baccalaureate: Awty offers a dual-diploma pathway in which students can take the French Baccalaureat as well as, or instead of, the IB Diploma.
- Language immersion: Awty's early years (PK3 to Grade 1) offer French and Spanish immersion, and its profile lists English, French and Spanish.
- British-style education: British International School of Houston serves a large British community and follows an English-medium, internationally minded approach that families from the UK will recognise.
- American college preparation: all three prepare students for US universities, and admissions offices will ask about grades, transcripts and standardised test results in the same way American independent schools do.
The three schools and what their admissions look like
The Awty International School
Awty is a PK3 to Grade 12 day school at 7455 Awty School Lane, serving more than 1,800 students from over 50 countries. Its programme blends American, French and international traditions, with French and Spanish immersion in the early years and graduation through the IB Diploma Programme and/or the French Baccalaureat.
Tip: because Awty is large and in demand, its application window is one of the first to close. If you want the French track for an older child, ask how French level is assessed, since joining a French-language section after the early years usually requires an existing level of French.
British International School of Houston
BISH is on North Westgreen Boulevard in Katy, west of Houston. It has operated for over 15 years, teaches in English, lists the IB, and reports a student body from over 70 nationalities, with roughly 36% British and 17% American students. Its profile stresses individualised learning and differentiated teaching.
Tip: families moving from England often find the transition smoothest here, but check how your child's school year in England maps onto the American grade the school will place them in, as this is decided by birth date, not by the year group they left.
The Village School
The Village School is at 13077 Westella Drive in west Houston. It teaches in English, lists the IB, and has students, faculty and staff from over 60 countries. The school puts weight on high expectations, student support and community service with charities and agencies around Houston.
Tip: ask about the service programme during your visit and how it links to the IB, as it is a central part of school life and a good indicator of whether the culture suits your child.
Fees, deposits and the age cut-off to check early
None of the three profiles publish fees, so treat these as indicative. For the 2026 to 2027 year, Houston international and independent school tuition is roughly USD 20,000 to 30,000 a year in pre-kindergarten and the early years, roughly USD 25,000 to 35,000 in elementary and middle school, and roughly USD 30,000 to 40,000 or more in high school. In euro terms, that is very roughly EUR 18,000 to 37,000.
- Application fee: typically USD 100 to 250, non-refundable, paid when you submit.
- Enrolment deposit: usually a share of tuition, paid within a few weeks of the offer to hold the place.
- New student or capital fee: a one-off charge at some schools, often several thousand dollars.
- Annual giving and development: voluntary but strongly encouraged in US independent schools.
- Uniforms, devices and books: budget roughly USD 500 to 1,500 a year.
- Transport and lunch: bus and meal plans are usually charged separately.
- Exams and trips: IB and Baccalaureate exam fees, plus residential trips in older years.
Age placement is the detail that most often surprises families. In Texas public schools a child must be 5 years old on or before 1 September to start kindergarten (Texas Education Code), and many Houston private schools use the same 1 September cut-off, so late-summer birthdays need checking early. A child born in late August may be among the youngest in the class, while one born on 2 September will wait a further year. Children arriving from the UK may therefore be placed a year "behind" their old year group in name, even though the content is similar.
Step-by-step: the Houston admissions timeline
Step 1, September to November: enquire and visit. Request information, register on each school's admissions portal and book a tour or open morning. If you are still abroad, ask for a virtual tour and a video call with the admissions office. Schools typically hold their main open events in the autumn.
Step 2, December to February: apply and test. Application deadlines are typically between December and February for the following August. You will usually submit an online form, the application fee, two or three years of school reports, a birth certificate and passport, immunisation records, and teacher recommendation forms sent directly from your child's current school. Students from roughly Grade 2 upwards typically sit an entrance test, often the ISEE or a school-set assessment, plus an interview or a classroom visit. Younger children usually attend a play-based screening. Financial aid applications run on a similar timetable and often close in January, so apply for aid at the same time as admission, not after.
Step 3, March onwards: offers, deposits and waiting lists. Many Houston independent schools send decisions on a common date in March, with a short deadline to accept and pay the deposit. If you are waitlisted, write to confirm continued interest and send updated reports. Places do open in spring and summer as families relocate.
Mid-year entry. Because Houston has many corporate transfers, schools do accept students during the year when places exist. Contact admissions as soon as your move is likely, even before it is confirmed, and ask whether a place can be held subject to your visa or start date. Have translated reports ready, since anything not in English will slow the file.
Compare schools across the state
If your employer could place you elsewhere in the state, or you want to see how these schools compare with options in Dallas and Austin, read our guide to the best international schools in Texas before you shortlist.
More guides to schools in Houston
Frequently asked questions
When should I apply to international schools in Houston for August entry?
Start in September or October of the year before. Most Houston independent schools typically close applications between December and February, run entrance tests and interviews in January and February, and send offers in March. If you only learn about a relocation in spring, apply anyway and ask to join the waiting list, as places often open over the summer.
Do Houston international schools accept students in the middle of the year?
Yes, when a place is available. Houston has many corporate relocations, so schools such as Awty, The Village School and British International School of Houston are used to mid-year arrivals. Contact admissions early, send recent reports in English, and ask whether testing can be done remotely so the decision is ready before you land.
What grade will my child join if we move to Houston from the UK?
Placement in Houston follows birth date, not your child's previous year group. Kindergarten entry generally requires a child to be five on or before 1 September, so a pupil finishing Year 2 in England will often join Grade 2 rather than Grade 3. Ask each school to confirm placement in writing before you accept an offer.