Bilingual Schools in Kotor: A 2026 Guide for Expat Families

Quick answer: Are there bilingual schools in Kotor? Not in the strict sense. The Bay of Kotor has English-medium international schools, Arcadia Academy (Cambridge) and Knightsbridge School International (IB), both on the Tivat side. KSI publishes EUR 12,280 to 22,320 a year; Arcadia is quoted at up to EUR 6,850. Dual-language options are in Podgorica.

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

Families searching for bilingual schools in Kotor usually expect a dual-language campus where half the day is in English and half in Montenegrin or Russian. That model does not really exist in the Bay of Kotor. What exists is a very small group of private, English-medium international schools, a state system that teaches in Montenegrin, and a few kindergartens along the coast that mix languages. This guide separates those categories so you can judge what "bilingual" will mean for your child.

Kotor is a tiny market, and it is better to say so plainly. Only two international schools sit within reach of the old town, both closer to Tivat than to Kotor itself, and a third school that appears in directories under Kotor is in the capital. Below you will find what each school publishes, what the language reality is, and which alternatives are worth a call.

Kotor and the Bay: where the schools actually are

The Bay of Kotor is a long, fjord-like inlet, and the school map follows the road around it. Kotor old town and Dobrota sit at the inner end of the bay. Tivat, on the outer side, has the airport and the Porto Montenegro marina development, and this is where both international schools operate. Budva, a short drive further along the coast, has its own British-curriculum school and an IB school offering the Diploma.

Commuting matters more than in most expat cities. A family living in Kotor or Dobrota faces a drive around the bay to reach Tivat, which can be slow in summer when tourist traffic builds. Ask each school whether it runs transport and from which towns, because the published information does not make this clear.

Montenegro uses the euro, so fees are not exposed to currency swings for families earning in euros. The country sits outside the EU, which affects residence permits and paperwork more than school choice, and it is worth checking enrolment documents with the school early.

What "bilingual" can mean in Kotor

There are three realistic readings of the word here, and only the first two are available locally.

English-medium international school: lessons in English, with children from many language backgrounds. Children grow up bilingual because they speak another language at home or pick one up outside school. This is the model at both Tivat schools.
Local state school in Montenegrin: full immersion. Public schools mainly teach in Montenegrin, which one relocation guide describes as challenging for non-native families. It works best for younger children and for families settling long term.
Dual-language programme: two languages used as languages of instruction. According to a Porto Novi guide for foreign families, the bilingual options it lists are in Podgorica, including a state-licensed bilingual programme at Maša and an English and Montenegrin kindergarten called Maštolend.

Language groups also matter. Russian-speaking and Serbian-speaking families are common on this coast, and Montenegrin, Serbian, Bosnian and Croatian are close enough that a child from one background picks up the local language quickly. Russian is less supported: the Porto Novi guide mentions a kindergarten in Budva, Moj svijet, running a programme in English and Russian, but we did not find a school-age equivalent. If Russian literacy matters to you, plan for tutoring or weekend lessons.

Curricula that are really offered near Kotor

IB (Primary Years, Middle Years, Diploma): offered at Knightsbridge School International in Tivat. The school describes itself as the only authorised IB World School in Montenegro, which is its own claim; a second IB school, Adriatic College in Budva, is listed as authorised for the Diploma by one school directory, so check the IB register before relying on either statement.
Cambridge (British): Arcadia Academy prepares pupils for Cambridge examinations in English.
British curriculum with Pearson Edexcel: Dukley Academy in Budva uses the British curriculum and is described as an approved Edexcel centre.
Montenegrin national curriculum: available in state schools, taught in Montenegrin.

The schools

Knightsbridge School International

Knightsbridge School International (KSI) is a co-educational day and boarding school at Seljanovo, Porto Montenegro, Tivat, taking pupils from age 3 to 18. English Wikipedia dates its founding to 2010. The school says it offers all three IB programmes, with an average class size of 14, a student to teacher ratio of 6 to 1 and more than 30 nationalities. It also refers to a 2021 evaluation by the Council of International Schools.

The language policy is English-medium. The school's pages do not describe a Montenegrin or Russian programme in detail, so ask directly how many hours of host-language lessons are timetabled and from which year. Boarding is available for ages 11 to 18, which makes KSI the only option among these schools for families who want a boarding place.

Arcadia Academy

Arcadia Academy is a British-curriculum school near Tivat airport, at Ljesevici, in a green area reached by a private road. The school describes itself as a Cambridge international school for children aged 3 to 18; one directory lists the school-age range as 5 to 18, so confirm the youngest entry age. Instruction is in English, and secondary pupils work towards Cambridge IGCSE examinations according to a school directory.

A Montenegro relocation guide puts annual tuition at up to EUR 6,850, which makes Arcadia the lower-cost of the two Tivat schools. The school publishes no language programme either, so the same question applies: how much Montenegrin or Russian is taught, and is it optional?

United Kids International Montenegro

United Kids International Montenegro (UKIM) appears in directories under Kotor, but its address is Kotorska 3 in Podgorica, the capital, roughly 90 km from the Bay by road. It was founded in 2016 and offers preschool and elementary and middle school education in English to local and expatriate children, in a multi-level classroom model. A relocation guide describes a Montessori-style setting using the International Primary Curriculum, while another listing says the school is an IB World School with PYP and MYP; the two descriptions conflict, so verify the curriculum with the school.

It is relevant to this guide only if you are weighing a move to Podgorica, where the bilingual choice is wider. For a family based in Kotor, it is not a daily option.

Fees: what bilingual-minded families should budget

Knightsbridge School International publishes a tuition page. For the current schedule it lists annual tuition of EUR 12,280 for Nursery (ages 3 to 4), EUR 16,455 for Reception, EUR 17,960 for the IB Primary Years Programme, EUR 20,400 for the Middle Years Programme and EUR 22,320 for the Diploma Programme. The school says tuition includes a snack, hot lunch, uniform and sports kit, books, stationery and local field trips. Boarding is charged separately: EUR 16,600 for seven days a week and EUR 13,785 for five days.

Extras at KSI are one-time or recurring charges to plan for:

Registration fee: EUR 800, one-time and non-refundable.
Capital levy: EUR 3,200, one-time and non-refundable.
Re-enrolment fee: EUR 2,000 each year, deducted from that year's tuition.
Payment terms: a 7.5% discount for paying in full before the year starts, or an initial 25% followed by ten monthly payments with a 4% increase in the total.

The school says fees can change each year and that next year's fees are published by 30 April. An older relocation guide quotes KSI tuition from EUR 7,440 for half-day kindergarten to EUR 17,220 for the Diploma, so published fees have clearly moved; use the school's current page. For Arcadia, the only figure we found is "up to EUR 6,850" a year from that guide, with no breakdown by stage, so ask for a current schedule and the list of extras.

Practical advice for choosing

Start with the home language, not the label. If your child already speaks Russian, Serbian or another language at home, an English-medium school gives you two strong languages without extra effort. If neither parent speaks English fluently, consider how you will support homework and school communication.

Ask three concrete questions. How many timetabled hours of Montenegrin are there per week, and is it taught as a first or foreign language? Is there any mother-tongue support, for example for Russian? What English level must a new child have at entry, and is there support for beginners? Schools answer these quickly, and the answers tell you more than a brochure.

Visit both Tivat schools and test the commute. Drive the route at school-run time, ideally outside the summer peak and again in it, before signing a contract. Ask about the cancellation terms, since KSI states a one-month notice period and fees payable to the end of it.

Keep the local option open. For children under about seven who will stay in Montenegro for years, a state primary school or a kindergarten with an English programme can be a sound start. Primary education is compulsory from age six, so check enrolment dates with the local municipality.

See the shortlist

If you want to compare the international options side by side, see ▷ Best 2 International Schools in Kotor, Montenegro.

More guides to schools in Kotor

Frequently asked questions

Is there a truly bilingual school in Kotor?

Not that we could find. The Bay of Kotor has English-medium international schools near Tivat, Arcadia Academy and Knightsbridge School International, plus state schools that teach in Montenegrin. A Porto Novi guide lists dual-language options only in Podgorica, such as Maša and Maštolend, roughly 90 km from the Bay.

Can my child learn Montenegrin at an international school near Kotor?

The schools' public pages do not describe their host-language lessons, so ask for the weekly hours and whether Montenegrin is offered as a first or foreign language. State schools teach in Montenegrin, so a switch there means full immersion, which suits younger children best.

How much does an international school near Kotor cost?

Knightsbridge School International publishes annual tuition of EUR 12,280 for Nursery up to EUR 22,320 for the IB Diploma, plus a EUR 800 registration fee and a EUR 3,200 capital levy. A relocation guide puts Arcadia Academy at up to EUR 6,850 a year; confirm both with the schools.