International School Fees in Boston: 2026 Cost Guide for Expat Families

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

Moving to Boston for a hospital post, a university contract or a biotech role usually comes with a generous salary on paper, and then the school bill arrives. International school fees in Boston sit in the same bracket as the city's long-established independent day schools, which means a family with two children can easily commit more than 80,000 USD a year before anyone has bought a uniform or paid for a bus pass. This guide sets out what you are likely to pay, stage by stage, and what tends to be added on top.

We focus on three schools in the International School Advisor directory that serve internationally mobile families in and around the city: one British-rooted school in Jamaica Plain, one city-centre college-preparatory school that also takes boarders, and one French-English bilingual school across the river in Cambridge. None of them publishes a single all-in price on its profile, so the figures below are ranges based on typical Boston independent school pricing. Treat them as a planning tool, then ask each admissions office for the current fee schedule.

Boston for expat families: where the schools are and what the commute costs

Most international families arrive for medicine, higher education, research or the life sciences cluster around Kendall Square and the Longwood Medical Area. Many stay two to four years on a contract, others settle for good, and that difference matters for budgeting because some fees are charged once on entry while others rise every year.

The schools covered here are spread out. British International School of Boston is on Pond Street in Jamaica Plain, in the south-west of the city near Jamaica Pond, which suits families living in Jamaica Plain, Roslindale, West Roxbury or Brookline. The Newman School is on Marlborough Street in Back Bay, a short walk from the Green Line and Copley, so it works for families in the South End, Beacon Hill, Fenway or anyone relying on the T. International School of Boston sits on Matignon Road in Cambridge, near the Somerville and Arlington borders, which is convenient for families in North Cambridge, Somerville, Belmont and Arlington.

Commuting is a real cost in Boston. A drive that looks like fifteen minutes on a map can take forty in the morning, crossing the Charles River bridges is often the bottleneck, and parking in Back Bay is expensive. Before you sign a lease, work out the school run at 7.30am on a weekday and price in either a school bus, an MBTA pass or a second car. For many families that line in the budget ends up larger than the meal plan.

Curricula available

• International Baccalaureate (IB): listed on the profiles of all three schools. For most families this means the IB Diploma in the last two years of high school.
• French Baccalaureate: offered at International School of Boston as an alternative diploma route alongside the IB.
• American high school diploma: International School of Boston states that its graduates earn an American high school diploma together with either the IB or the French Baccalaureate. The Newman School describes itself as a college-preparatory school, the standard route into US universities.
• Bilingual French-English programme: International School of Boston teaches in both French and English from Preschool (age 2) through to graduation.

Three international schools in Boston and how they compare on cost

British International School of Boston

British International School of Boston, often shortened to BISB, is at 416 Pond Street in Jamaica Plain and is a member of the Nord Anglia group. Its profile lists stages from Nursery through High School, English as the language of instruction and the IB as its international programme, with facilities including a maker space, laboratory, music room and sports hall. The school also refers to access to its "Global Campus", the group's shared online programme.

Cost tip: because BISB covers the full age range, families with children several years apart can keep everyone at one address, which saves on transport. Ask whether there is a sibling discount and how fees step up between the early years, the middle school and the IB years, since the jump is usually largest in the final two grades.

The Newman School

The Newman School is at 247 Marlborough Street in Back Bay. Its profile describes it as a private college-preparatory school and states that it is the only boarding school in the city, with a motto of "Heart Speaks to Heart" and a programme that uses the cultural life of central Boston. English is the language of instruction and the IB is listed among its programmes.

Cost tip: Newman is the option to look at if one parent will be travelling or relocating later than the rest of the family, because boarding can bridge the gap. Boarding fees are far higher than day fees, so ask for both figures and check whether weekend supervision, laundry and holiday arrangements are included or charged separately.

International School of Boston

International School of Boston (ISB) is at 45 Matignon Road in Cambridge, across the Charles from Boston itself. Its profile describes a K-12 French-English bilingual school serving students from Preschool at age 2 through Grade 12, with graduates choosing between the IB and the French Baccalaureate. It lists school transport, a library and sports hall, a Garderie (after-school care) programme and a bilingual summer camp for ages 3 to 10.

Cost tip: if your family is French or plans to return to France, the French Baccalaureate route keeps that door open, and French nationals can ask whether any support is available through the French education network abroad. Garderie and summer camp are useful for working parents but are usually billed on top of tuition, so add them to your budget early.

International school fees in Boston by stage, and the extras to budget for

None of the three profiles publishes a price, so the ranges below are rough guides based on typical Boston independent school pricing for the 2026 to 2027 school year. All figures are in US dollars; for euro-based families, 1 USD has recently been worth a little under 1 EUR, so the euro figures are roughly 10 to 15 per cent lower.

• Preschool and pre-kindergarten (ages 2 to 5): roughly 25,000 to 40,000 USD a year, depending on whether the place is half-day or full-day.
• Kindergarten and elementary (roughly ages 5 to 11): roughly 30,000 to 45,000 USD a year.
• Middle school (roughly ages 11 to 14): roughly 35,000 to 50,000 USD a year.
• High school and IB years (roughly ages 14 to 18): roughly 40,000 to 55,000 USD a year for day students.
• Boarding at The Newman School: roughly 70,000 USD a year or more, all in.

Extras that commonly appear on Boston invoices:

• Application fee: usually roughly 50 to 150 USD per child, non-refundable.
• Enrolment deposit: often 10 per cent of tuition or a fixed sum of a few thousand dollars, paid when you sign the contract and credited against the first instalment.
• New-student or capital fee: some schools charge a one-off fee on entry; ask whether it is refundable if you leave early.
• Tuition refund insurance: many US schools offer or require it, typically a few per cent of tuition, so that you are not liable for the full year if you withdraw.
• Meals: lunch programmes can add roughly 1,500 to 3,000 USD a year.
• Transport: school buses, where offered, are often charged per route; otherwise budget for MBTA passes or parking.
• Exams: IB Diploma registration and subject fees are charged in the final year.
• Devices and trips: a laptop or tablet for the upper years, plus residential trips and sports kit.
• Before and after-school care: such as ISB's Garderie, usually billed separately.

One US-specific tool deserves attention. Since 2018 federal 529 savings plans can pay up to 10,000 USD a year of K-12 tuition per student (Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 2017); the 2025 federal budget law (signed July 2025) raised that limit to 20,000 USD a year from 2026. Growth inside a 529 plan is free of federal tax when spent on qualifying education, so a family resident in the US for tax purposes can route part of each year's tuition through a plan. Check the state tax rules and your home-country position with an adviser before relying on it, since a 529 may be treated differently outside the US.

How to budget for school fees in Boston

Ask for the full fee schedule, not just tuition. When you contact a school, request the complete list of charges for your child's grade, including deposit, new-student fees, meals, transport, trips and exam fees. Then ask how much tuition has risen over the last few years. Boston independent schools commonly raise fees by roughly 3 to 6 per cent a year, so a child starting in kindergarten will cost noticeably more by the time they reach the IB years.

Read the enrolment contract and payment plan carefully. US schools usually ask you to sign an annual enrolment contract in spring for the following September. Most offer a choice of one, two or ten instalments, sometimes through a third-party payment platform with a small fee. Find out the date after which you owe the full year even if you leave, which matters if your posting could end early, and whether the school offers tuition refund insurance.

Talk to your employer and think about currency. Relocation packages from hospitals, universities and pharmaceutical companies sometimes include an education allowance, but it may be capped per child or taxed as income. If your salary or savings are in euros, pounds or another currency, a weaker home currency can add thousands to the bill, so consider paying in advance or holding a dollar account. Need-based financial aid exists at many Boston independent schools, but deadlines often fall in January or February, so ask early.

Compare international schools in Massachusetts

If you want to look beyond these three schools, including options in the suburbs where housing can be cheaper, see the Best international schools in Massachusetts ranking on International School Advisor, then contact each school directly for its 2026 to 2027 fee schedule.

More guides to schools in Boston

• Best international schools in Massachusetts

Frequently asked questions

Are international schools in Boston more expensive than other private schools?

Not usually. International schools in Boston price themselves close to the city's established independent day schools, so day fees of roughly 30,000 to 55,000 USD a year are typical across the sector. The bigger differences come from extras such as boarding, transport, meals and IB exam fees, and from how much tuition rises each year.

Can I use a 529 plan to pay international school fees in Boston?

Yes, if the school qualifies as an elementary or secondary school and you are using the plan under US tax rules. The federal limit for K-12 tuition was 10,000 USD per student a year and rises to 20,000 USD from 2026. Families who are not US tax residents should take advice, because a 529 may be taxed differently abroad.

Do Boston international schools offer financial aid or sibling discounts?

Many Boston independent schools offer need-based financial aid, assessed on family income and assets, with applications often due in January or February for the following September. Sibling discounts are less common in the US than in Europe but some schools offer them. Ask each admissions office directly and request the aid timeline in writing.