Bilingual Schools in Pune: A 2026 Guide for Expat Families

Quick answer: Are there bilingual schools in Pune for expat families? Not in the European dual-language sense. Pune's international and private schools teach in English and add Hindi, Marathi or a foreign language. Indus International School Pune offers the full IB continuum, while CBSE and ICSE schools such as GIIS Balewadi and St. Mary's typically cost roughly INR 1 lakh to 3.5 lakh a year.

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

Parents searching for bilingual schools in Pune usually mean one of two things: a school where their child can learn in English while picking up the local language, or a school that teaches seriously in two languages from the start. Pune offers plenty of the first and almost none of the second. Nearly every private school in the city teaches in English, and almost all of them add one or two Indian languages to the timetable, which makes Indian schooling multilingual by design even when it is not labelled bilingual.

For expat families this is good news, with a caveat. Your child will learn in English, but language requirements in Maharashtra are stricter than many newcomers expect, and the choice of board (IB, CBSE or ICSE) determines how much Hindi and Marathi your child will study and when. This guide sets out the rules, the main school types and four schools worth a visit, with honest notes on fees and commuting.

Living in Pune: neighbourhoods, schools and commuting

Pune, around three hours by road from Mumbai, draws international families through its IT parks, automotive and engineering plants and research institutes. Many expats work in Hinjewadi to the west, Kharadi and Viman Nagar to the east, or the Magarpatta and Hadapsar business districts, and many settle in Baner, Balewadi, Aundh, Kalyani Nagar or Koregaon Park.

The schools on our shortlist are spread across the city. GIIS Balewadi sits near the Balewadi sports complex in the north west, convenient for Baner and Hinjewadi. St. Mary's is in the Cantonment, close to Camp and the older central areas. Indus International School is in Bhukum, on the south western edge beyond Kothrud, and GIIS Charholi is in Pride World City to the north, closer to the airport side of the city.

Traffic is the decisive factor. A 15 kilometre trip can take an hour at peak times, especially during the monsoon. Most families either live within a short drive of the chosen school or rely on school buses, so check the bus routes and pick up times against your likely address before you sign a lease.

Curricula and how languages work in Pune schools

It helps to separate three models. The first is the international IB school, where English is the language of instruction and a second language is studied as a subject, often with a choice between Hindi, a foreign language and, in Maharashtra, Marathi. The second is the Indian board school (CBSE or ICSE), also English-medium, where Hindi or another Indian language is a compulsory second language for many years and a third language is required in middle school. The third is the regional-medium school, teaching mainly in Marathi, which is rarely practical for a newly arrived expat child.

Two rules shape all of this. Maharashtra's Compulsory Teaching and Learning of Marathi Language in Schools Act, 2020 makes Marathi a compulsory subject in all schools in the state, including those following CBSE, ICSE and international boards, phased in from 2020-21. India's NEP 2020 recommends the home or regional language as medium of instruction until at least Grade 5. In practice, the private schools on our list remain English-medium, but every child should expect some Marathi.

The programmes available across our shortlist are:

International Baccalaureate: the full continuum (PYP, MYP, Diploma Programme and the Career-related Programme) at Indus International School Pune.
CBSE: the national Central Board curriculum at both GIIS campuses, taught in English.
ICSE and ISC: the CISCE curriculum at St. Mary's School, with ISC in the Junior College for Grades XI and XII.
Montessori early years: the Global Montessori Programme for ages 2.5 to 5 at GIIS Balewadi.

Schools to consider in Pune

Indus International School Pune

Indus opened on 21 August 2008 with 40 students and belongs to the Indus network of IB World Schools, alongside campuses in Bangalore and Hyderabad. It is located in Bhukum, teaches in English and offers all four IB programmes, from the PYP at age 3 through to the Diploma and the Career-related Programme. It runs both day and boarding places, and its profile lists music, art, swimming and a sports hall. Tip: of the four, this is the most portable option for a family that may move country again; ask exactly which language B options exist in the MYP and Diploma, and how the school meets the Marathi requirement for international students.

Global Indian International School Pune, Balewadi

The GIIS Balewadi SMART Campus is on the Nande Balewadi Road near the Balewadi sports complex. It follows the Global Montessori Programme for ages 2.5 to 5 and then the CBSE curriculum to Grade 12, with English as the medium of instruction. Its profile lists school transport, an in-house kitchen, a nurse and an educational psychologist, plus activities from judo and chess to dance. Tip: a CBSE school suits families who expect to stay in India or move between Indian cities; ask which second and third languages are offered and from which grade.

St. Mary's School, Pune

St. Mary's is a long-established private day school on General Bhagat Marg in the Cantonment, founded more than 150 years ago. It runs a Girls' Section from Nursery to Class 10, a Boys' Section opened in 1992 with a single class per year group, and a co-educational Junior College for the ISC. English is the medium of communication and instruction, and Hindi is the compulsory second language in ICSE Standards IX and X. Tip: places in the Boys' Section are limited by its single class per year, so enquire well ahead; an expat child with no Hindi will need support before the ICSE years.

Global Indian International School Pune, Charholi

GIIS Charholi is a newer CBSE campus at Pride World City in Charholi, with 4.7 acres of play spaces and Pre Primary, Primary and Secondary levels. It is part of the Global Schools Group network, which its profile describes as 64 campuses across 11 countries, and the school highlights transfers between network campuses. Teaching is in English. Tip: if your employer may move you between Indian cities or to Singapore or the Gulf, ask how transfers between network schools work in practice.

School fees in Pune

None of these profiles publishes a fee schedule, so the figures below are rough, indicative bands for 2026:

CBSE and ICSE private schools: roughly INR 1 lakh to 3.5 lakh a year (about USD 1,200 to 4,000), with the early years at the lower end. IB day places: roughly INR 5 lakh to 10 lakh a year (about USD 6,000 to 12,000), rising through the Diploma years. IB boarding: roughly INR 10 lakh to 15 lakh or more a year, depending on the stage and room type.

The Marathi rule has no direct price tag, but extra tutoring for a child who arrives with no Hindi or Marathi is a common hidden cost. Expect to budget for these extras as well:

Registration or application fee and an admission fee, often non-refundable.
Refundable security deposit, sometimes called a caution deposit.
Annual or development charges billed separately from tuition.
School bus, priced by distance.
Meals, uniforms, books and stationery.
Board exam fees for CBSE, ICSE, ISC or IB Diploma entries.
Laptop or tablet, trips and private language tutoring.

Practical advice on languages for expat families

Ask how the school applies the Marathi Act to your child. The requirement covers all boards, but delivery varies: some schools teach a simplified course to newcomers, others start everyone at grade level. Ask to see the Marathi syllabus for your child's year and whether exemptions or support exist for children who join late.

Pick the board before the language. The board decides the language load. A CBSE or ICSE school will typically expect a second Indian language for years and a third language in middle school, while the IB gives more flexibility to choose a foreign language. For a short posting, that difference can matter more than any bilingual label.

Plan the home language separately. No school on this list teaches in French, German, Japanese or Korean. If keeping your child's mother tongue strong is a priority, look at weekend language schools or tutors from day one and check whether the school allows a self-taught or school-supported mother tongue option in the IB Diploma.

See the wider ranking

To compare Pune schools with options in Mumbai and across the state, see our ranking of the best international schools in Maharashtra.

More guides to schools in Pune

Frequently asked questions

Is Marathi compulsory in international schools in Pune?

Yes. Maharashtra's Compulsory Teaching and Learning of Marathi Language in Schools Act, 2020 makes Marathi a compulsory subject in every school in the state, including CBSE, ICSE and international boards, phased in from 2020-21. Schools differ in how they teach it to newcomers, so ask for the syllabus and any support for children who arrive with no Marathi.

Do Pune schools teach in English?

Private CBSE, ICSE and IB schools in Pune teach in English. GIIS Balewadi and GIIS Charholi use English as the medium of instruction for CBSE, St. Mary's describes English as the language of instruction across ICSE and ISC, and Indus International School teaches the IB in English. Indian languages such as Hindi and Marathi are taught as subjects alongside.

Which board is best for an expat child in Pune, IB or CBSE?

For a family likely to move country again, the IB at a school such as Indus International School Pune is usually the more portable choice and gives more flexibility in second languages. CBSE or ICSE suits families staying in India longer, but expect years of compulsory Hindi or another Indian language plus a third language in middle school.