International School Admissions in Zagreb: 2026 Guide for Expat Families

Quick answer: how do international school admissions work in Zagreb? Zagreb has five international schools and admissions are rolling, with applications accepted year-round and most places for September confirmed between February and June. Expect a short assessment or class visit rather than a competitive exam, a registration fee of EUR 100 to 500 and a one-off enrolment fee of EUR 1,000 to 5,000. Annual tuition runs roughly EUR 6,000 to 25,000.

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

International school admissions in Zagreb are less of a race than in the big expatriate capitals, but the small size of the market creates its own challenges. Croatia's capital has a compact international community built around embassies, EU institutions, multinational regional offices and a growing technology sector, and the international schools that serve it are small, with one or two classes per year group. That means a school can be relaxed about admissions in one year group and full in the next. This guide explains how the 2026-27 cycle works, what to prepare, and what admission costs in euros.

Why Zagreb admissions feel different

Zagreb's international schools are all located in the northern and western residential districts, in and around Pantovcak, Sestine, Gornji Grad and the Medvednica foothills, where most diplomatic and expatriate families live. Distances are short by European standards and many families walk or drive ten minutes to school, so location is rarely the deciding factor it is in larger cities. Curriculum and community matter more.

Croatia adopted the euro on 1 January 2023, so fees are now set and paid in euros rather than kuna, which simplifies budgeting for families arriving from elsewhere in the EU. The school year runs from early September to mid or late June. Under Croatian rules children begin compulsory primary school in the September after they turn six if their birthday falls before 1 April; international schools generally follow their own curriculum cut-offs, usually 31 August, so parents of children born between April and August should check the entry year carefully.

Curricula available in Zagreb

International Baccalaureate (IB): the full continuum from PYP to Diploma at the largest international school, and the IB Diploma at others.
British curriculum: Early Years Foundation Stage through IGCSEs at two British schools, one of which continues to the IB Diploma.
American curriculum: US-style programme with Advanced Placement or IB pathways in the high school years.
French curriculum: the French national programme from maternelle to lycee, homologated by the French Ministry of Education.

International schools in Zagreb: admissions in practice

American International School of Zagreb

AISZ, founded in 1966 and located in a purpose-built campus in the west of the city, is the largest international school in Croatia and offers the full IB continuum in English from age three to Grade 12. Admissions are rolling, with priority for children of diplomatic and corporate families. The process involves previous school reports, an English proficiency check for non-native speakers and a class visit for younger children. It is the school most likely to have a waitlist in the popular early years and middle school grades.

British International School of Zagreb

BISZ teaches the English National Curriculum from early years through IGCSEs and offers the IB Diploma in the sixth form. Admissions run year-round, with a school tour, a review of reports and an informal assessment in English and mathematics for older children. Class sizes are small and the school welcomes mid-year joiners where space exists, which makes it a practical option for families arriving outside the September intake.

Bright Horizons International British School of Zagreb

Bright Horizons follows the Cambridge International curriculum from early years to IGCSE and has grown from a nursery into a full primary and lower secondary school. Admissions are straightforward, with a registration form, a meeting with the head and a trial day for the child. Fees are lower than at AISZ, which makes it popular with Croatian families seeking an English-medium education as well as with expatriates.

L'Ecole Francaise Internationale de Zagreb

The French school in Zagreb follows the French national curriculum from maternelle through college and lycee, and is part of the AEFE network. Admissions prioritise French nationals and francophone families, but the school admits non-French speakers at maternelle and early primary level with language support. Fees are the lowest of the international schools in the city because of French state support.

American Academy in Zagreb

American Academy in Zagreb is a smaller school offering an American-style programme in English, with an emphasis on small classes and individual attention. Admissions are rolling and informal, based on a family meeting, previous reports and a classroom visit. It suits families who want an English-medium school with a close community feel rather than a large campus.

Timeline, documents and admission fees in Zagreb

A typical 2026-27 admissions cycle in Zagreb looks like this:

October 2025 onward: applications open; a registration fee of EUR 100 to 500 is paid online.
January to March: priority window for re-enrolment and siblings; new families are placed as spaces are confirmed.
February to June: assessments, class visits and offers on a rolling basis; acceptance requires an enrolment fee and, at some schools, a deposit within two to four weeks.
July to September: late applications from newly posted families; mid-year admissions accepted throughout the year where space exists.

Documents you will need: the child's passport or EU identity card, the last two years of school reports in English or with a certified translation, a recommendation or transfer form from the current school for children entering secondary, immunisation records, passport photographs and, for non-EU families, proof of the parents' residence permit or the application for one. Croatia requires a vaccination record for school enrolment, and international schools ask for it at registration.

What you will pay at admission and in the first year, in indicative 2026 figures:

Registration fee: EUR 100 to 500, non-refundable.
Enrolment or capital fee: a one-off payment of roughly EUR 1,000 to 5,000 at the larger schools; some smaller schools charge none.
Deposit: where charged, roughly EUR 1,000 to 2,500, refundable on departure with notice.
Annual tuition: roughly EUR 6,000 to 12,000 at the French school and smaller schools, EUR 10,000 to 18,000 at the British schools, and EUR 15,000 to 25,000 at AISZ depending on grade.
Lunches, buses and trips: EUR 1,000 to 2,500 a year combined; buses are optional and used mainly by families living outside the northern districts.

A hard fact that matters for budgeting: since Croatia's euro adoption in 2023, every international school in Zagreb invoices in euros, and none charges VAT on tuition because educational services are exempt under Croatian law. That makes fee comparison across schools unusually transparent.

Practical tips for admissions in Zagreb

Contact the school as soon as a posting is confirmed. In a market this small, one class of 18 can be full while the year above has six free places. An early email to the admissions office tells you immediately whether your child's year group is a problem and saves weeks of planning around the wrong school.

Ask about Croatian language provision. All the international schools teach Croatian as an additional language, but the number of hours varies widely. Families who expect to stay several years benefit from a school with a serious Croatian programme, because everyday life in Zagreb outside the international bubble happens in Croatian.

Do not rule out the French school on language grounds alone. Young children with no French are admitted to maternelle and adapt quickly, and the fee difference against the English-medium schools is substantial. For families who may later move to France, Belgium or Switzerland it is also a natural bridge.

Compare Zagreb schools side by side

Use the ranking of the best international schools in Croatia on International School Advisor to compare Zagreb schools by curriculum, size, reviews and published fees before you apply.

More guides to schools in Zagreb

Frequently asked questions about admissions in Zagreb

When should I apply to an international school in Zagreb?

As soon as your move is confirmed. Zagreb's international schools accept applications year-round and most September places are settled between February and June, but individual year groups fill unpredictably because each school has only one or two classes per grade. Mid-year admissions are common and usually possible where a seat exists.

Do Zagreb international schools have entrance exams?

Not competitive ones. Most schools review previous reports, arrange a class visit or trial day for younger children and run an informal assessment of English and mathematics for older students to place them correctly. Non-native English speakers are assessed for language support needs rather than rejected, except in the final IB Diploma years.

How much does admission to an international school in Zagreb cost?

Expect a registration fee of EUR 100 to 500 and, at the larger schools, a one-off enrolment fee of EUR 1,000 to 5,000. Annual tuition then ranges from roughly EUR 6,000 at the French school to EUR 25,000 at the top grades of the American International School, with lunches, trips and optional buses adding EUR 1,000 to 2,500 a year.