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

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

Families moving to Albania are often pleasantly surprised by rents and everyday living costs, then caught off guard by the school bill. International school fees in Tirana are modest by Western European standards, yet they are high relative to local salaries, and they usually become the single largest line in an expat household budget once two or more children are enrolled.

This guide is about money only: what a year at an English-medium school in and around Tirana roughly costs by stage, which extras appear on the invoice, how the lek and the euro interact, and how to plan a realistic budget before you sign. None of the schools below publishes a full fee schedule on its profile, so treat every figure as an indicative range and ask each admissions office for the current year's document.

Where the schools are and what that means for costs

Tirana has grown fast since the 1990s, and the international schools have followed space rather than the old centre. Only one of the four schools covered here sits in the middle of the city. The others are on the southern and south-eastern outskirts, where land allowed for larger campuses, sports pitches and room to expand.

That geography has a direct financial consequence. A family renting in Blloku or near the Grand Park will face a daily drive out towards Petrelë or Lundër, often on congested roads at peak times. Many families end up paying for a school bus seat, a second car or a driver, and some choose to rent closer to the school instead. When you compare schools, add the cost of getting there to the tuition figure: over a ten-month year, transport can add a meaningful percentage to the headline fee.

Housing also interacts with school choice. Villas and gated developments on the south-east side tend to suit families with children at the outskirt campuses, while apartments in the centre suit families at a city-centre school. A slightly higher rent that removes a long commute can be cheaper overall than a central flat plus a bus contract and lost time.

Curricula on offer and how they affect the price

The curriculum mix in Tirana is narrower than in larger capitals, which makes comparing costs simpler. Based on the school profiles, families can choose between:

• International Baccalaureate: the full IB Continuum (PYP, MYP and Diploma) at Albanian College Tirana and World Academy of Tirana, and the IB Diploma at Tirana International School. Diploma years usually carry exam registration fees on top of tuition.
• American-style programmes: Tirana International School runs a QSI programme with Advanced Placement courses and the AP Capstone Program, and Albanian College Tirana offers an American Programme from Grade 6 to Grade 12. AP exams are paid per subject.
• Montessori early years: International Montessori School of Albania teaches children from nine months to five years in English, with ratios of 1:4 to 1:8, which drives a relatively high cost per child for the age group.

Schools and what you are paying for

Tirana International School

Tirana International School (TIS) sits on a 5.5 hectare campus in Fshati Mullet, Komuna Petrelë, on the southern edge of the city. It was founded in 1991 by Quality Schools International and takes students from age 2 through Secondary IV, offering both an AP programme and the IB Diploma. English is the language of instruction, with Spanish and French as foreign languages. The profile also lists scholarships as a service.

On cost, TIS tends to sit at the upper end of the Tirana market, which is typical of QSI schools that often price in US dollars or euros. Ask early whether fees are quoted in dollars, euros or lek, because that single detail changes your currency risk. Families on corporate or embassy packages are common here, so check whether your employer pays the school directly.

World Academy of Tirana

World Academy of Tirana (WAT) is part of the Ariston Education group and is authorised for all three IB programmes, teaching ages 4 to 18 on a purpose-built campus in Lundër. The profile mentions more than 40 classrooms, four libraries, an indoor gym, a music hall and science labs, with almost 500 students and 38 nationalities. It also runs a Pre-Diploma year for students arriving from another curriculum.

The Pre-Diploma year is worth costing separately: a student who joins at 16 from a different system may spend three years rather than two in the upper school, which adds a full year of upper secondary fees. EAL support is offered to students who need it, so ask whether that support is included or billed as an extra.

Albanian College Tirana

Albanian College Tirana 1 (ACT1) is an all-through IB Continuum school in central Tirana, on Rruga Dritan Hoxha, with about 1,100 students and more than 100 teachers and teaching assistants. It offers the PYP from ages 3 to 10, then the MYP and DP, plus an alternative American Programme from Grade 6. English is the language of instruction, and Albanian is taught as the local language.

Because of its size and a large local enrolment, ACT1 generally sits below the outskirt schools on price, and its central location can remove the need for a school bus for families living in the city. That combination often makes it the lowest total cost option for a family with several children, even before any sibling discount.

International Montessori School of Albania

International Montessori School of Albania (IMSA), founded in 2007 and now part of the Ariston Education group, cares for around 100 children aged nine months to five years in a villa in the Mjull-Bathore area. It has sixteen Montessori-trained teachers and ratios of 1:4 for infants, 1:6 for toddlers and 1:8 in the Casa classes, with an in-house kitchen.

Ask whether lunch from the kitchen and the long rest period are part of the base fee, and whether there is a half-day option. Many children move on to its sister school, World Academy of Tirana, so ask about any priority or reduced registration fee for that transition.

What international schools in Tirana cost in 2026

The schools do not publish full fee lists on their profiles, so the ranges below are indicative annual tuition figures for the 2026 to 2027 year, built from typical pricing in the Tirana market. They are expressed in lek with rough euro equivalents at around 95 to 100 lek per euro:

• Infant and toddler Montessori (9 months to 3 years): roughly 600,000 to 1,000,000 lek (about €6,000 to €10,000) for full days.
• Preschool and kindergarten (3 to 5): roughly 700,000 to 1,300,000 lek (about €7,000 to €13,000).
• Primary (PYP or elementary): roughly 900,000 to 1,600,000 lek (about €9,000 to €16,000).
• Middle years (MYP or middle school): roughly 1,100,000 to 1,800,000 lek (about €11,000 to €18,000).
• IB Diploma or AP years: roughly 1,200,000 to 2,000,000 lek (about €12,000 to €20,000), before exam fees.

The currency point matters more than many families expect. Albania's currency is the lek (ALL), which floats freely (the Bank of Albania runs a free-floating exchange rate regime); many expat families earn in euros, so the EUR/ALL rate matters if a school invoices in lek. The lek has moved noticeably against the euro in recent years, so a fee fixed in lek can cost you more or fewer euros by the time the second instalment is due. If a school invoices in euros or dollars instead, the risk shifts to the school's own pricing decisions the following year.

Beyond tuition, expect some or all of these extras on the first invoice or during the year:

• Application and registration fees: a one-off, non-refundable charge, often a few hundred euros, sometimes more for a new family.
• Enrolment deposit or capital levy: some schools ask for a refundable deposit or a one-off development charge to secure a place.
• School bus: particularly relevant for Mullet and Lundër, often billed per term and priced by zone.
• Meals: lunch may be included at early years level and charged separately in primary and secondary.
• Uniforms and sports kit: bought through the school or a named supplier.
• Exam fees: IB Diploma registration and subject fees, and per-subject AP exam fees.
• Devices and trips: a laptop or tablet in the upper years, plus residential trips and some after-school clubs.

Practical advice on budgeting for school in Tirana

Ask for the full schedule in writing. Request the current fee document and ask three questions: in which currency fees are invoiced, whether payment is annual, per semester or per term, and what is refunded if you leave mid-year. Many schools offer a small discount for paying the whole year upfront, which can be worth taking if the fee is in lek and you expect the euro to weaken against it.

Model the total, not the tuition. Add registration, deposit, transport, lunch and exam fees for every child for every year you expect to stay. A school that looks 15 to 20 percent cheaper on tuition can come out level once a daily bus from the centre is added, and a central school can win on cost for a family that lives nearby. If you are moving with a company, confirm in your contract whether the education allowance covers one-off fees and transport, or only tuition.

Plan for the last two years. The Diploma and AP years are the most expensive, and exam fees arrive on top. If your child will join at 15 or 16 from another system, budget for a possible Pre-Diploma year at World Academy of Tirana. Also ask about sibling discounts and the scholarship options listed by Tirana International School, which can make a real difference for larger families.

Find the right school for your budget

Once you have a realistic cost range, compare profiles, curricula and locations side by side. Browse the International School Advisor school directory to see every school in Tirana and across Albania.

More guides to schools in Tirana

• How to choose an international school in Tirana
• Browse the International School Advisor school directory

Frequently asked questions

Are international school fees in Tirana paid in euros or lek?

It depends on the school. Some invoice in lek, others quote in euros or US dollars, and a few accept either. Ask before you apply, because a lek invoice exposes a euro earner to exchange-rate swings between instalments, while a euro invoice fixes your cost until the school sets next year's fees.

Do international schools in Tirana charge extra for the school bus?

Usually yes. Transport is normally billed separately, often per term and by zone. It matters most for Tirana International School in Mullet and World Academy of Tirana in Lundër, which sit outside the centre. Families living in Blloku or near the Grand Park should add a bus seat or a second car to the budget.

Is there a cheaper international school option in Tirana?

Albanian College Tirana, with around 1,100 students in central Tirana, generally sits below the outskirt schools on price, and its location can remove transport costs for city-centre families. It still offers the full IB Continuum in English plus an American Programme, so a lower fee does not mean fewer curriculum choices.