Best International Schools in Houston: 2026 Guide for Families

Quick answer: What are the best international schools in Houston? It depends on the family. The Awty International School offers French and Spanish immersion and the IB Diploma (2026-27 tuition $30,180 to $38,070). The British International School of Houston follows British and IB programmes ($15,540 to $39,500), and The Village School teaches an American curriculum with an IB option ($21,945 to $35,373).

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

Anyone searching for the best international schools in Houston will find that the answer changes with the child's age, the passport the family holds and where the next posting is likely to be. Houston is a large, spread-out city with a deep energy-sector expat community, and its international schools sit in very different corners of it. There is no single winner, so this guide explains who each school suits.

We looked at three schools that offer an international curriculum in the Houston area: The Awty International School, the British International School of Houston and The Village School. Fee figures come from each school's published 2026-27 schedule, and anything the schools say about themselves is attributed to them.

Houston as a base for international families

Houston is a car city, and the school you pick often decides where you live. The Awty International School is at 7455 Awty School Lane in the 77055 postcode, west of downtown. The Village School gives its address as 13051 Whittington Drive, Houston 77077, and says it is in the Energy Corridor. The British International School of Houston is at 2203 North Westgreen Boulevard in Katy, a suburb further west, so a family living inside the Loop faces a longer drive there than to the other two.

Both Nord Anglia schools say they run school bus services (the British school through a contracted coach company, the Village School for an additional fee), so check the routes for your neighbourhood before you sign a lease. Houston's traffic can turn a short distance into a long school run.

One legal point surprises many newcomers. The Texas Education Agency says it does not have oversight of private schools, and it points families to the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission (TEPSAC) for information. In practice, a private school's quality signal comes from the accrediting body it chooses, such as TAAPS (recognised by the agency in 1988, according to its own history) or ISAS, plus curriculum authorisations from bodies like the IB. Ask every school who accredits it and request evidence.

What "best" means for different families

A school can be excellent and still be wrong for your child. These are the questions that matter most in Houston.

Curriculum fit: American, British, French and IB programmes all exist locally. Pick the one that matches where your child will study next, not the one that sounds most international.
Language: only Awty offers full French immersion from early years, and its secondary programme leads to the French baccalauréat as well as the IB.
Location and commute: measure the drive at 7:30 am, not on a Sunday.
Stage and length of stay: a two-year posting and a ten-year stay call for different decisions, especially at IB Diploma age.
Cost and extras: tuition is only part of the bill, as the fees section below shows.

Three international schools in Houston

The Awty International School

Awty teaches children from PK3 to Grade 12 and says it has more than 1,800 students from more than 50 countries. Its early years programmes use French and Spanish immersion, and the school lists the French Ministry of Education among its authorisations alongside membership of the AEFE network. It has been authorised to offer the IB Diploma Programme since 1987, according to the school, and it is a candidate school for the IB Primary Years Programme, which carries no guarantee of authorisation.

Awty lists the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest among its accreditations and says it merged with the Mission Laïque Française in 1978. The practical effect is two tracks in the upper grades: an American-style programme leading to the IB Diploma, and a French-accredited programme leading to the baccalauréat.

Tip: if your child may move between Houston and a French-speaking country, Awty is the school where a mid-career transfer causes the least disruption. Families with no French background should ask how newcomers are supported after the early grades.

British International School of Houston

The British International School of Houston (BISH) is part of Nord Anglia Education and takes pupils from age 3 to 18. The school describes an Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum for ages 3 to 5, the International Primary Curriculum in primary, and the IB Diploma and IB Career-related Programme in the last two years of school. It says its community represents more than 80 nationalities, and that IGCSE and IB exam fees are included in tuition.

The school publishes IB Diploma outcomes on its own website, for example that about one in five students achieved 40 or more points. These are the school's own figures and the cohort size is not stated, so ask for the most recent full results table at an open day. The school's website lists an in-person open house on 17 November.

Tip: because tuition includes iPads for Years 1 to 9, exam fees and some activities, the headline price is closer to the real price than at some other schools, though technology for Years 10 to 13, meals, transport and uniforms are extra.

The Village School

The Village School says it was founded in 1966 and teaches an American curriculum to an international community, from Pre-K2 to Grade 12, with day and boarding students. High school students can graduate with the school's own diploma, the IB Diploma, an Entrepreneurship Diploma or a Pre-Medical Science Diploma, according to its FAQs. Spanish or French starts in elementary school, and high school adds Chinese and Russian.

It is accredited by two Texas private school bodies, TAAPS and TAPPS, which it lists on its website. It also runs a boarding programme, with five-day and seven-day options, which may suit families who live far from campus. For international students needing an F-1 visa, the school lists a $1,500 visa processing fee for I-20 documents.

Tip: this is the most American of the three. It fits families who expect to apply to US colleges and want choices at high school, not a single prescribed route.

Fees for 2026-27

Tuition in all three schools is quoted in US dollars. Education does not appear on the Texas Comptroller's list of 16 taxable service categories, so tuition itself does not appear to carry sales tax, but the Comptroller says schools must collect tax on taxable items sold to students, such as uniforms. Check with each school what applies to your invoice.

The Awty International School: $30,180 for PK3 to PK4, $31,240 for Kinder to Grade 5, $35,050 for Grades 6 to 8 and $38,070 for Grades 9 to 12.
British International School of Houston: from $15,540 for part-time nursery mornings or afternoons, $28,250 for full-time Early Years, about $29,975 to $32,950 in primary, and $33,750 to $39,500 from Year 7 to Year 13.
The Village School: $21,945 for Pre-K2, $30,108 for Kindergarten to Grade 4, $33,020 to $33,689 for Grades 5 to 8 and $35,373 for Grades 9 to 12.

Extras to budget for:

Application fees: $200 at Awty, $250 at BISH and $200 at the Village School.
One-time or enrolment fees: Awty charges a $1,500 new student fee, a $250 registration fee and a $1,250 capital building fee. BISH charges a $2,500 new student fee plus a $2,000 yearly deposit that is applied to the first tuition instalment. The Village School lists a $2,500 deposit applied to tuition, a $500 enrolment fee and a $1,250 building fee.
Curriculum and exams: Awty lists an IB fee of $1,100 and French baccalauréat exam fees. The Village School lists curriculum enhancement charges from $570 in Grade 4 to $2,800 in Grades 8, 10 and 11.
Uniforms and books: Awty puts uniforms at roughly $200 to $250 and books at roughly $450 to $1,100 by grade in secondary.
Trips and technology: Awty lists a $2,950 class trip in Grade 7, and the Village School charges a $425 technology fee from Grade 1.

Tuition rises most years, so use the 2026-27 schedule as a floor when you plan multi-year budgets. Payment plans exist at all three, and the Village School says finance charges apply to its instalment options.

Practical advice for shortlisting

Match the school to your exit route. A child heading to a US university can thrive at any of these schools, but one heading to France should be at Awty, and one expecting to continue British-style schooling in the UK or Gulf will find BISH the smoothest link.

Mind the admissions calendar. Awty's admissions calendar for 2027-28 entry lists a preliminary application deadline of 30 October 2026 for PK3 to Grade 5 and 20 November 2026 for Grade 6 to 12, completion of all requirements by 14 January 2027, decisions on 5 March 2027 and a reply date of 24 March 2027. BISH says it accepts applications throughout the year subject to availability, and the Village School lists requirements by age group, which include teacher recommendations and, from middle school, standardised test scores.

Visit twice. Go once during a school day and once at pick-up time. You will learn more about the commute and the community from the second visit than from any brochure.

Compare more schools

For a wider view of the city's options, see our ranking of the Best International Schools in Houston.

More guides to schools in Houston

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best international school in Houston?

There is no single best. The Awty International School suits families wanting French or Spanish immersion and the IB or French baccalauréat. The British International School of Houston fits British and IB pathways. The Village School offers an American curriculum with an IB option and boarding. Decide by curriculum, commute and the stage your child is at.

How much do international schools in Houston cost?

For 2026-27, published tuition runs from about $15,540 for part-time nursery at the British International School of Houston to $39,500 for Year 13. Awty charges $30,180 to $38,070, and The Village School $21,945 to $35,373. Add application, enrolment and building fees, which can total several thousand dollars in the first year.

Are private schools in Texas accredited by the state?

No. The Texas Education Agency says it does not have oversight of private schools and refers families to the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission (TEPSAC). Schools choose their own accreditors, such as TAAPS or TAPPS, and may add IB authorisation. Ask each school which body accredits it and request the certificate.