Best International Schools in Kotor: 2026 Guide for Families

Quick answer: what are the best international schools in Kotor? Three schools suit different families: Knightsbridge School International (IB, Tivat, day and boarding, published tuition from EUR 12,280 to 22,320 a year), Arcadia Academy (Cambridge, between Kotor and Tivat, fees on request) and UNITED KIDS INTERNATIONAL Montenegro, which is in Podgorica, not the bay.

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

Families searching for the best international schools in Kotor quickly find that the choice is small and that geography matters as much as curriculum. The Bay of Kotor has two English-medium international schools, one following the International Baccalaureate and one following Cambridge, and neither sits inside Kotor old town. A third school often listed under Kotor is actually in the capital.

That makes this a short list, and it means "best" depends on what you need: an IB pathway or a British one, a boarding option or a day school, a school ten minutes from your front door or one that is realistically a different city. Below we explain how each option works, what the published fees look like and what to ask before you commit.

Kotor and the bay: why families come and where the schools actually are

Kotor itself is a UNESCO-listed old town at the head of a deep, fjord-like bay, with a long tourist season. The families who choose international schooling here are usually remote workers, yacht and marina professionals, expatriates linked to property and hospitality, and returning families who want English-medium education for children who may move on again.

Tivat has an airport and the Porto Montenegro marina district. Knightsbridge School International (KSI) is at Seljanovo in Porto Montenegro, Tivat. Arcadia Academy lists its address as Ljesevici bb, Kotor, and a local relocation guide places it between Kotor and Tivat. If you live in Kotor town, Dobrota or Prcanj, expect a daily drive along the bay road; if you live in Tivat or on the Lustica peninsula, expect a shorter trip, but check the exact route on a map. The coast road gets slow in July and August, so test the commute in summer before you sign.

The third name, UNITED KIDS INTERNATIONAL Montenegro (UKIM), is in Tolosi, Podgorica. That is a different city and a different climate of daily life: it is a separate journey from the bay, so check the drive time yourself. It only works for families living in or relocating to the capital.

Which curricula are really available

International Baccalaureate: KSI offers the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes. The school says it is the only authorised IB World School in Montenegro with all three programmes.
Cambridge International: Arcadia Academy lists Cambridge Preschool, Primary, Secondary 1, Secondary 2 and A Levels, which means IGCSE and A Level routes for older students.
English-medium primary and middle school in Podgorica: UKIM offers preschool and primary to middle years. Sources describe its curriculum differently (some refer to IPC and IMYC, others to an IB primary authorisation), so ask the school directly which framework your child would follow.
Local Montenegrin schools: public schools teach in Montenegrin, with English as a subject. They are free for residents, but they are a different proposition from an international school.

The schools worth shortlisting

Knightsbridge School International

KSI is a day and boarding school for ages 3 to 18 in Porto Montenegro, Tivat. Its website gives an average class size of 14, a pupil to teacher ratio of 6 to 1 and more than 30 nationalities, which are the school's own figures. Its fee page shows a continuous IB route: Nursery, Reception, PYP, MYP and Diploma. Boarding is offered from age 11, either five or seven days a week.

Tip: the published tuition includes a hot lunch, uniform and sports kit, books and stationery and local trips, so compare it with other schools on a like for like basis rather than on the headline number alone. The school's website also quotes a 2021 evaluation by the Council of International Schools about its boarding house; ask for the latest report.

Arcadia Academy

Arcadia describes itself as a British Cambridge International School; its homepage says it caters for ages 3 to 19, while a local guide lists ages 3 to 18, so ask which applies. Its website references COBIS membership and Ministry of Education licensing; as the school's own statements, they are worth confirming at the Cambridge and COBIS directories. Outdoor learning and trips feature heavily in its news, including coasteering on a Year 9 to 11 trip.

Admissions are straightforward on paper: a school visit, an optional trial day, a placement test for children entering from age 7, and recent school reports. Tip: fees are not on the website, so ask for the full 2026-27 schedule in writing, including whether the school bus and Cambridge exam entries are billed separately.

UNITED KIDS INTERNATIONAL Montenegro

UKIM is an English-medium preschool, primary and middle school in Podgorica, which says it was founded in 2016 by a parent who wanted affordable English-language schooling in the capital. Local sources describe it as accredited by the Ministry of Education, though you should ask to see the licence.

Tip: include it only if you live or are moving to Podgorica. For a family based in Kotor, the commute makes it impractical unless you are considering relocating or want it as a price benchmark. Fees are not published online that we could verify.

What international schooling costs here

Only one of the three schools publishes a fee schedule. KSI's fee page, last updated in May 2026, lists annual tuition in euros, with no academic year stated on the page: EUR 12,280 for Nursery (ages 3 to 4), EUR 16,455 for Reception, EUR 17,960 for the Primary Years Programme, EUR 20,400 for the Middle Years Programme and EUR 22,320 for the Diploma Programme. The school says fees rise annually and that next year's fees are published by 30 April, so confirm the 2026-27 figures in writing. Dollar equivalents depend on the exchange rate on the day you pay.

Arcadia does not publish fees. A Porto Montenegro guide to international schools lists an annual fee of roughly EUR 6,850 to 13,150 depending on the type of tuition, but this is a third-party figure with no stated year, so treat it as a starting point only and ask the school for its own schedule.

Registration and capital levy: at KSI, a one-off EUR 800 registration fee and EUR 3,200 capital levy, both non-refundable.
Re-enrolment: KSI charges EUR 2,000 at the end of each year, deducted from the next year's tuition.
Boarding: at KSI, EUR 13,785 for five days or EUR 16,600 for seven days, on top of tuition, for ages 11 to 18.
Payment terms: KSI offers 7.5 percent off for paying upfront; monthly instalments add 4 percent to the total.
Exams and transport: ask Arcadia whether IGCSE and A Level entries and the school bus are included.
Mid-year entry: KSI prorates tuition by days remaining out of 180.

Practical advice for choosing

Read the contract terms before you pay anything. KSI's fee page says new students starting at the beginning of the year pay the registration fee and the first tuition instalment before starting, and that withdrawal needs one month's written notice, with fees payable to the end of the notice period. Ask Arcadia and UKIM for equivalent terms in writing, including what happens to deposits if your plans change.

Budget for the full first year, not only the annual tuition. At KSI the one-off registration and capital levy together come to EUR 4,000 on joining, and boarding is charged on top of tuition. If you plan to pay in instalments, remember that the school's own page says this adds 4 percent to the total price.

Start with the curriculum and the exit route. If you want a single continuous programme to university, KSI gives the IB from nursery to Diploma. If your family is British, or heading to a UK-style system, Cambridge at Arcadia is the more natural fit. Switching between the two mid-way is possible but needs planning around exam years.

Visit at the time of day you will actually travel. The bay road is quiet in winter and congested in summer. Drive it at 8 am on a weekday, and ask each school about transport, as a bus route from Kotor town may not exist for every year group.

Ask about stability. Small schools can change heads and teaching staff quickly. Ask how many teachers have stayed more than three years, what happens if a class is small, and how the school supports children who arrive with little English. Request fees and policies in writing, and check licensing and accreditations with the issuing bodies, not just the school website.

See the full ranking

To compare these schools alongside the wider Montenegro listings, see Schools in Kotor.

More guides to schools in Kotor

Frequently asked questions

Is there an IB school near Kotor?

Yes. Knightsbridge School International is in Porto Montenegro, Tivat, around the bay from Kotor, and offers the IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes, with a fee schedule that runs from Nursery to Diploma. The school says it is the only authorised IB World School in Montenegro with all three programmes, so confirm current status on the IB website.

How much do international schools in Kotor cost?

Only Knightsbridge publishes fees: annual tuition runs from EUR 12,280 for Nursery to EUR 22,320 for the Diploma Programme, plus a EUR 800 registration fee and EUR 3,200 capital levy. Arcadia Academy gives fees on request; a Porto Montenegro guide lists roughly EUR 6,850 to 13,150, with no year stated. The KSI page does not state a year either, so confirm 2026-27 figures directly.

Is Arcadia Academy a Cambridge school?

Arcadia Academy describes itself as a Cambridge International School and lists Cambridge Preschool, Primary, Secondary 1 and 2 and A Levels. It also says it is a COBIS member. Ask the school for its Cambridge centre details and check them with Cambridge International and COBIS before enrolling.