International School Admissions in Quito: 2026 Step-by-Step Guide

Quick answer: How do international school admissions work in Quito? Apply 6 to 12 months before the September start of the Sierra school year. Expect an application fee of roughly USD 50 to 150, an entrance assessment and family interview, apostilled records for grade recognition, and monthly fees of roughly USD 400 to 1,400. Popular entry years fill by March.

Last reviewed: October 2026 by Catherine from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.

Moving to Quito with children means sorting out a school place long before you have found a flat. This guide explains international school admissions in Quito step by step: when the academic year runs, when applications open, which documents Ecuador actually asks for, how entrance assessments work and what to do if your child ends up on a waiting list.

It is written for relocating families as much as for Ecuadorian parents returning from abroad. The process is not complicated, but it has a few local quirks, notably the Sierra calendar, the apostille requirement and grade recognition by the Ministry of Education, that catch people out when they start late.

Quito's school map: where families live and where schools sit

Quito stretches for more than 40 kilometres along a narrow Andean valley at around 2,800 metres, and that shape matters for admissions. A school that looks close on a map can mean a 45 minute drive at rush hour, so most families choose the area and the school together.

The established international schools split into two clusters. Some sit in the north of the city, within reach of neighbourhoods such as El Batán, Quito Tenis, Bellavista and the streets around Parque La Carolina, where many embassy and corporate families rent. A growing number have moved east, down into the Tumbaco and Cumbayá valleys. The valleys are a few hundred metres lower, noticeably warmer and greener, and they have become the default choice for families who want a house with a garden.

Curricula you will come across

All private schools in Ecuador must deliver the national curriculum and lead to the Ecuadorian Bachillerato. International schools layer another programme on top, which is why admissions teams look closely at a child's previous system and language.

International Baccalaureate (IB): the Diploma Programme in the final two years is offered by several Quito schools, and some also run the Primary Years and Middle Years Programmes.
English National Curriculum and Cambridge IGCSE: the British route, leading to IGCSE exams around age 16.
US-style programmes: an American high school diploma, often with Advanced Placement courses, aimed at families looking at North American universities.
Bilingual Ecuadorian programmes: the national curriculum taught with a strong English component, sometimes combined with the IB Diploma.

Four international schools to shortlist in Quito

The schools below take a steady flow of international applicants each year. Each has its own entry points, deadlines and assessments, so treat this as a starting shortlist rather than a ranking.

British School Quito (BSQ)

BSQ was set up under a 1995 agreement between the governments of Ecuador and the United Kingdom and acts as the UK's binational school in the city. It teaches students aged 3 to 18 on a single green campus in the Tumbaco valley, following the English National Curriculum through to Cambridge IGCSE in Years 10 and 11 and the IB Diploma in Years 12 and 13. Graduates leave with both a British School Diploma and the Ecuadorian Bachillerato. Roughly three quarters of pupils are Ecuadorian and the rest come from more than thirty countries, so class sizes are small and the atmosphere is genuinely mixed. For admissions, expect to share recent reports and to book an assessment in English; the school also has a Student Support Department, so mention any learning needs early.

Colegio Menor School, Campus Quito

Colegio Menor, founded in 1995, is a bilingual English and Spanish school in Cumbayá, affiliated with the Universidad San Francisco de Quito and part of the Nord Anglia Education group. It is modelled on international and US schools, is accredited by AdvancED (now Cognia) and runs from the early years to the end of secondary. English is the main language of instruction, so older applicants are usually assessed on their English as well as on maths.

Internacional SEK Ecuador

Part of the Spanish SEK Education Group, this campus sits in the north of the city, on De los Guayacanes. Spanish is the main teaching language and the school covers every stage from nursery to the end of high school, with an international outlook drawn from the wider SEK network. It is a practical choice for families living in northern Quito who want a strong Spanish-language education with international programmes rather than a fully English-medium school.

Internacional SEK Los Valles

The sister campus in the eastern valleys, on General Eloy Alfaro, offers the International Baccalaureate alongside the Ecuadorian programme, again with Spanish as the main teaching language. It covers nursery through high school.

Fees and admission costs in USD

Ecuador has used the US dollar as its official currency since 2000, so in 2026 every school quotes fees in dollars and there is no exchange rate risk for families paid in USD. Private school fees in Ecuador are also overseen by the Ministry of Education, which means increases are regulated rather than set freely by each school.

As a rough guide, English-medium and IB schools in Quito charge roughly USD 700 to 1,400 per month, usually billed over ten months. Bilingual schools with Spanish as the main language tend to sit at roughly USD 400 to 900 per month. On top of tuition, budget for:

Application or assessment fee: roughly USD 50 to 150, usually non-refundable.
Enrolment fee (matrícula): paid each year, often around the level of one monthly fee.
New student or capital fee: some international schools charge a one-off entry fee or a refundable deposit.
School bus: especially relevant if you live in the city and the school is in the valley.
Meals and snacks: sometimes included, often charged separately.
Uniforms, books and devices: a noticeable cost at the start of each year.
Exam fees: IGCSE and IB Diploma registrations are charged in the final years.

The admissions timeline, step by step

Start ten to twelve months ahead. Quito's Sierra calendar runs from September to June, and most schools open applications for the next September between October and January. Early years, first grade and the first year of secondary fill first. Arriving mid-year? Apply to several schools at once, as you are waiting for a place someone else has left.

Prepare documents before you apply. You will usually need passports, birth certificates, two or three years of school reports, a letter from the current school, vaccination records and a reference. Documents issued abroad should be apostilled and, if they are not in Spanish, translated. The school then uses them to request recognition of prior study from the Ministry of Education, which confirms your child's grade. Families on work, investor or dependent visas should also ask when the visa or cédula must be presented, as final registration normally depends on it.

Expect assessments and plan for waiting lists. Most schools combine an age-appropriate test in English, Spanish and maths with a family interview, and younger children often have a play-based session instead. If you are offered a waiting-list place, confirm in writing, ask where your child sits on the list and when places usually move. Paying a deposit at a second school while you wait is common and sensible, provided you check the refund terms.

Compare schools before you commit

Once you have a shortlist, it helps to see the wider picture of how schools across the country compare on curriculum, language and fees. Start with our ranking of the best schools in Ecuador, then visit your top two or three in person.

More guides to schools in Quito

Frequently asked questions

When does the school year start in Quito?

Quito follows the Sierra regime, so classes run from early September to late June, with a break at Christmas and a shorter pause around Carnival. Most international schools open applications for the following September between October and March, and the busiest entry points are the start of preschool, Year 1 or first grade, and the first year of secondary.

Do I need to apostille my child's school records for Ecuador?

In most cases, yes. Ecuador belongs to the Hague Apostille Convention, so report cards, transfer letters and birth certificates issued abroad should carry an apostille and, if not in Spanish, a certified translation. The Ministry of Education uses these documents to recognise prior study and place your child in the correct grade.

Can my child start at a Quito school before our visa is approved?

Many schools will accept an application and even hold a place while residence paperwork is in progress, but final registration with the Ministry of Education usually needs a valid passport and a visa or cédula. Tell admissions your timeline early; they often know which documents can follow later and which cannot.