Best International Schools in Alcobendas: 2026 Guide for Families
Quick answer: What are the best international schools in Alcobendas? It depends on the curriculum you need. Liceo Europeo offers IB and American pathways from about EUR 11,840 a year in primary. Scandinavian School's International Section teaches Cambridge in English from about EUR 9,257. Brewster La Moraleja is a newer American campus. All three sit in La Moraleja.
Last reviewed: October 2026 by Emma from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.
Families searching for the best international schools in Alcobendas usually find a short list rather than a long one. The three schools we list for the municipality are in the La Moraleja area, they teach in different systems (IB and American, Cambridge, American), and they differ a lot in age, size and price. "Best" therefore depends less on a league table than on what your child will do after Year 11 and which language they will study in.
This guide compares them on the points that tend to decide the choice: curriculum, language of instruction, commute, class size and what the published 2026-27 fee schedules actually say. It also flags what we could not confirm, so you know what to ask on a visit.
Alcobendas and La Moraleja: where the schools are and how families get there
Alcobendas is a municipality on the northern edge of Madrid, reached by the A-1 motorway. La Moraleja is a residential area inside the municipality, and the three schools below share the 28109 postcode: Camino del Sur, Camino Ancho and Paseo del Conde de los Gaitanes. No school in this guide is in a neighbouring town. One caution: Brewster also runs a campus in Chamberí, in Madrid city, so check which campus a quote refers to.
Families tend to live in La Moraleja itself, in El Encinar de los Reyes (also part of Alcobendas) or in Madrid city, and the school bus then decides how workable the day is. The commute is the practical test. Liceo Europeo publishes its bus routes, and one of them starts collecting pupils in central Madrid streets such as Menéndez Pelayo and Príncipe de Vergara at 7:35 and is still picking up on Avenida de Pío XII at 8:24. Scandinavian School prices separate bus options for Madrid and for La Moraleja. Expect peak-hour traffic on the A-1 and plan a test run at 8:00 before you sign anything.
Which curricula are on offer
International Baccalaureate: Liceo Europeo says it is authorised for the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes. Brewster says the IB Diploma will start at La Moraleja, with a date to confirm.
American curriculum: Liceo Europeo teaches an American programme in early years (accredited by Middle States, according to the school) and an American School for Grades 9 to 12. Brewster teaches an American programme with Advanced Placement (AP) and the American High School Diploma.
Cambridge (British): Scandinavian School's International Section follows Cambridge Primary Checkpoints, IGCSE and A Levels, in English.
Spanish national system: Liceo Europeo offers the national Bachillerato, and Scandinavian School teaches Spanish language, literature and culture to the Spanish curriculum alongside Cambridge, so students can also gain the Spanish ESO diploma, the school says.
The schools
Liceo Europeo
Liceo Europeo takes children from age one to 18 on a single campus on Camino Sur. It is the broadest option of the three: early years in English on an American programme, IB in primary and middle years, then a choice at 16 between the national Bachillerato, the IB Diploma or the American School. The school says it has taught since 1982 and has around 1,200 pupils, though we could not confirm either figure on its own website, so ask for current numbers. Secondary pupils study in a multilingual programme with lessons and exams in Chinese, French and German, and the school reports that they sit CAE, DELF B2 and HSK exams.
One detail matters for non-Spanish speakers. The school states that the IB pathway uses Spanish as the language of instruction. Families who want a fully English route after Year 8 should look at the American School (Grades 9 to 12), which the school describes as full English immersion with Spanish as a second language. Admissions are open all year: you book a visit, meet the stage director in an interview that is not an entrance test, and then complete enrolment online.
Scandinavian School, International Section
This is the British section of the Scandinavian School in Camino Ancho. The school, which also has a Swedish section, says it was founded in 1944 and is run by a non-profit association of parents. It describes itself as a small school with about 400 students, taking children from 18 months to Sixth Form. The International Section teaches in English and follows Cambridge: Checkpoints at the end of Year 6 and Year 9, IGCSE at the end of Year 11, then AS and A Levels in Years 12 and 13. The school says it is accredited by the Spanish Ministry of Education.
The school is small and says that a good level of English is required for Primary; a pupil who falls short can join with an English Support Programme. If you want British qualifications and smaller year groups, this is the most direct match. Be aware that its website now also calls the school the International Swedish School, so you may see both names. Places are confirmed in waves, with current families first in February and the waiting list from mid-March, according to its admissions page.
Brewster La Moraleja
Brewster is one school with two Madrid campuses, Chamberí and La Moraleja, and it is part of the Brewster Academy tradition in New Hampshire, which the school says dates to 1820. The Madrid school opened in 2023, and the La Moraleja campus opened in September 2025, so it is the youngest campus in this guide and its upper years are still being built. The school's FAQ gave Grades K1 to 11 for the first year there. It reports class sizes of 15 to 18 and teaching in English by native speakers, with Spanish classes required from Kindergarten 3.
Think about the final years carefully. If your child is in Grade 9 or 10 now, ask exactly when La Moraleja will offer Grade 12 and the IB Diploma, and whether the school expects pupils to finish at the Chamberí pre-university site. The school's admissions page promises a decision within two weeks of a complete application.
What the schools cost
Only two of the three publish a fee table we could read. Liceo Europeo's 2026-27 schedule gives annual tuition (September to June): about EUR 8,010 for full-day Pre-K 1 and 2, EUR 11,840 for primary, EUR 12,440 for the last year of primary and first two years of ESO, EUR 13,510 for the upper secondary years, EUR 14,560 for national Bachillerato, EUR 16,740 for the IB Diploma and EUR 20,640 to EUR 20,980 for the American School. Lunch is included and enrolment is EUR 630.
Scandinavian School's International Section lists, for 2026-27, EUR 7,614 for preschool, EUR 9,257 for Years 1 to 3, EUR 9,429 for Years 4 to 6, EUR 9,951 for Years 7 to 9, EUR 10,850 for Years 10 and 11 and EUR 12,111 for the Sixth Form. Brewster does not show a fee table on the pages we could open, so ask admissions for the current schedule. In rough dollar terms, the Liceo and Scandinavian figures run from about USD 8,500 to USD 25,000 a year; check the exchange rate on the day you pay.
Registration and deposits: Scandinavian School charges a EUR 360 application fee, a EUR 500 non-refundable enrolment fee per family, and a refundable EUR 500 deposit per student. Liceo Europeo charges a EUR 630 enrolment fee.
Lunch: included at Liceo Europeo. At Scandinavian School it is EUR 1,068 to EUR 1,237 a year depending on stage.
Transport: Liceo Europeo lists EUR 164 a month for a full route. Scandinavian School lists EUR 2,055 a year for the Madrid bus both ways and EUR 1,424 for the La Moraleja route.
Materials and trips: Scandinavian School adds EUR 200 to EUR 300 for materials and EUR 85 for excursions. Liceo Europeo adds insurance (EUR 48 a year), materials and digital resources.
Afternoon activities: not included in Brewster's monthly fee, according to its FAQ.
On VAT, Spanish law (Ley 37/1992, article 20.Uno.9) exempts school education provided by authorised private entities, and the exemption extends to services directly related to it. The same text excludes sales of goods for payment, so look at each invoice line rather than assuming that every extra is exempt.
How to decide
Start with the exit qualification. If you expect a move to a UK university, the Cambridge route at Scandinavian School leads directly to A Levels. If the destination is the United States, the American pathways at Liceo Europeo and Brewster fit. If it may be a Spanish university, Liceo Europeo's national Bachillerato and Scandinavian School's Spanish ESO are the clearest routes. Cambridge International says leading universities worldwide accept the IGCSE, but always confirm entry requirements with the target university.
Check the language timetable, not the label. Ask each school how many hours are in English, Spanish and a third language, and in which years the balance changes. At Liceo Europeo the answer differs between the American strand and the IB strand.
Visit at drop-off time. Drive the route you would really use, and ask a recently arrived family how long the first term took. Visit twice if you can, once in a normal week. Then ask for the three-year fee path and what is billed on top of tuition.
See how Spain's schools compare
For a wider comparison of international schools across the country, see Best 47 International Schools in Spain | Ischooladvisor Ranking 2026.
More guides to schools in Alcobendas
Frequently asked questions
Which international schools are in Alcobendas?
Our directory lists three in La Moraleja, Alcobendas: Liceo Europeo (IB, American and Spanish pathways), the International Section of Scandinavian School (Cambridge, in English) and Brewster La Moraleja, an American campus opened in September 2025. Brewster also has a second campus in Chamberí, in Madrid city.
How much does an international school cost in Alcobendas?
Published 2026-27 tuition runs from about EUR 7,600 for preschool at Scandinavian School to EUR 20,980 for the last two years of Liceo Europeo's American School. Primary is roughly EUR 9,300 to EUR 11,840 a year. Lunch, buses, enrolment and materials are extra, except lunch at Liceo Europeo, which is included.
Can my child study in English only in Alcobendas?
Mostly yes, with limits. Scandinavian School's International Section teaches in English and Brewster teaches in English with required Spanish from Kindergarten 3. Liceo Europeo's American School is described as full English immersion, but its IB pathway is taught in Spanish. Ask each school for the hours per language.
