Best International Schools in Stavanger: 2026 Guide for Families

Quick answer: What are the best international schools in Stavanger? The choice is short: the International School of Stavanger (ages 2 to 18, IGCSE and IB Diploma, NOK 277,680 a year for most families) and the two BISS schools, Gausel and Sentrum (IB PYP and MYP to age 16, NOK 44,800 a year in 2026).

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

For an English-medium education in Stavanger there are two names to know. When families weigh up the best international schools in Stavanger, they are choosing between the International School of Stavanger (ISS) at Hafrsfjord and the British International Schools of Stavanger (BISS), which runs a preschool and two schools at Gausel and in the city centre. Nothing else in the city teaches in English across the school years, so it saves time to start from that pair.

The good news is that the two organisations are very different, so the choice tends to make itself once you know your child's age, how long you expect to stay and who is paying the fees. The third option, a free Norwegian public school, is also a serious one in Stavanger, especially for younger children and longer stays. This guide explains all three.

Why international families come to Stavanger, and where they live

Stavanger's international schools exist because of the North Sea. ISS was founded in 1966, and its own history says it was set up for the families of the oil pioneers leading North Sea exploration. The British School of Stavanger followed in 1977, also to educate the children of the first North Sea oil workers. Energy still drives demand today: oil and gas operators, the supply chain at Forus, and newer energy businesses bring engineers and managers to the region on fixed-term postings.

The region is compact but spread over several municipalities. Forus, the business area between Stavanger, Sandnes and Sola, is where many employers sit. ISS is at Treskeveien 3 in Hafrsfjord, in the west of the city towards Sola and the airport. BISS Gausel is in the Gausel area in the south-east, close to Forus and to Gausel railway station, with its primary years on Gauselbakken and its MYP section on Forusbeen. BISS Sentrum is at Tanke Svilands gate 73 in the centre, but BISS says it will move to the Gauselbakken site from the 2027-28 school year, which matters if you are choosing housing now.

Commutes are short by international standards, but transport differs. ISS runs its own school buses. BISS says it has no school bus service and that all its schools are reachable by public bus, with the Gausel campus near the train station.

Curricula available in Stavanger

IGCSE and IB Diploma: ISS teaches its own cross-cultural curriculum up to Grade 8, IGCSE in Grades 9 and 10 and the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11 and 12. Of the schools in this guide, it is the one that continues to age 18.
IB Primary Years and Middle Years Programmes: BISS Gausel and BISS Sentrum are IB World Schools offering the PYP and MYP for ages 6 to 16.
Norwegian national curriculum: the free public system, ten years of compulsory schooling from age six, followed by upper secondary school.

The international schools in Stavanger

International School of Stavanger (ISS)

ISS is a non-profit school governed by a board of trustees, with capacity for 550 students from Toddlers to Grade 12. It says students come from nearly 50 countries, with 18% holding Norwegian citizenship, 19% US and 10% UK (dual citizens included), and it reports a 1:9 teacher to student ratio. It is accredited by NEASC and CIS, and the school states it was the third international school in the world accredited by CIS, in 1974. It has offered the IB Diploma for over 20 years and is authorised by the Norwegian state under the Education Act.

Language support is broad: English as an Additional Language, Norwegian as a first or foreign language, French and Spanish, and after-school first-language programmes in Dutch, German and Italian. It makes most sense for company-sponsored families, for teenagers who need IGCSE and an IB Diploma, and for families who expect another international move. Students can join throughout the year.

British International School of Stavanger (BISS Gausel)

BISS today describes itself as a community of three schools, BISS Preschool, BISS Gausel and BISS Sentrum, with more than 700 students and 120 staff from over 60 nationalities, for children aged 18 months to 16. BISS Gausel teaches the IB PYP for ages 6 to 11 at Gauselbakken 107 and the MYP for ages 12 to 16 at Forusbeen 35, a short distance away. Its history page records MYP authorisation in 2010 and IB World School status in 2016. Despite the name, it no longer follows the English National Curriculum.

BISS says its school fees are set by its governing boards based on rates from the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training (Udir), which is why they are far lower than at ISS; BISS Sentrum is recorded as having opened as a friskole, a state-approved independent school. Families paying their own fees, parents of younger children and those planning to stay several years tend to look here first. The catch is the age limit: there is no provision after 16, so families need a plan for the last two years of school.

BISS Sentrum

BISS Sentrum opened as a friskole in 2019, moved and grew in 2021 and became an IB World School in 2022, offering the same PYP and MYP pathway as Gausel to ages 16. It charges the same fee as Gausel. For families living in central Stavanger it means a walk or a short bus ride to school, but bear in mind the planned move to Gauselbakken from 2027-28; a city-centre flat chosen for this school may mean a longer commute from that date.

BISS admissions are handled by a central office, places are limited, and the group says it cannot currently host individual visits before an offer is made. Year groups follow birth year: for 2026-27, children born in 2020 enter PYP1 and those born in 2014 enter MYP1.

Fees in Stavanger: why ISS costs about six times as much as BISS

For a family paying privately, the gap is larger than any difference in campus or curriculum. In US dollar terms, ISS's main rate is roughly USD 25,000 to 28,000 a year depending on the exchange rate, while BISS is roughly USD 4,000 to 4,500.

ISS Category 1 (2026-27): NOK 277,680 a year from Kindergarten (Year 1) to Grade 12. This rate applies to company-sponsored families and to any family paying privately unless granted Category 2.
ISS Category 2 (limited places): NOK 138,900 a year from Kindergarten to Grade 9 and NOK 257,100 from Grade 10 to 12, for unsponsored families with limited means. Applications open in April, with decisions in May.
ISS Early Years: NOK 1,200 a month, tied to the national maximum fee and adjusted each January, plus NOK 75 a month for snacks.
BISS Gausel and BISS Sentrum (calendar year 2026): NOK 44,800 a year, invoiced as NOK 4,073 a month over 11 months.
BISS Preschool: NOK 1,200 a month for a five-day place, plus NOK 150 a month for snacks.

Extras and terms to note:

Application and registration: NOK 5,000 application fee and NOK 25,000 registration fee at ISS (both non-refundable); NOK 1,000 for ISS Early Years and BISS Preschool applications.
Acceptance fee: at BISS, one month's fee on acceptance, deducted from the first invoice.
Withdrawal: BISS charges three months' fees as notice; ISS sponsored families joining after 31 December pay 75% of the year's tuition, and 50% after 15 March.
Billing: ISS invoices sponsored families annually from May and private families quarterly (1 August, 1 October, 1 January, 1 March).
Not included: uniforms at BISS, IB exam fees for ISS Grade 12 students, and transport.

There is one valuable state subsidy for older students. According to Lånekassen, the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund, students at an international school can receive a grant covering up to 85 per cent of tuition, capped at NOK 117,641 per year, with application deadlines of 15 November for the full year and 15 March for the spring semester. ISS says the grant is open to its Grade 10 to 12 students whose fees are paid by their parents without company sponsorship.

Three decisions to make before you apply

Do not dismiss the Norwegian public school. According to Udir, ten years of compulsory schooling is a right and a duty in Norway, and more than 60,000 six-year-olds start school every autumn. Public schools are free, and Udir's figures for 2021-22 show only 4.6 per cent of pupils in private schools. For a child under ten and a stay of several years, a local school with Norwegian language support can be an excellent choice, and younger children often pick up Norwegian faster than their parents.

Plan the 16 to 18 gap early. If your child starts at BISS at 11, you will face another decision at 16. ISS's IB Diploma is the obvious English-medium continuation, but entry to Grade 11 is not automatic, so register interest early and ask how ISS assesses applicants coming from the MYP.

Read your employment contract before you apply. Whether a company pays your fees decides which ISS category you fall into and whether a Lånekassen grant is available. Ask HR for written confirmation, because ISS will move a Category 2 family to Category 1 if sponsorship appears later.

See the wider picture

For schools elsewhere in the country, compare our list of the best international schools in Norway and use it to check whether a posting elsewhere would change your options.

More guides to schools in Stavanger

Frequently asked questions

How much does the International School of Stavanger cost?

For 2026-27, ISS charges NOK 277,680 a year from Kindergarten to Grade 12 for sponsored and most private families, plus a NOK 5,000 application fee and a NOK 25,000 registration fee. A limited number of unsponsored families with limited means can apply in April for the reduced Category 2 rate of NOK 138,900 up to Grade 9.

Why are BISS fees so much lower than ISS fees?

BISS Gausel and BISS Sentrum charge NOK 44,800 a year in 2026 because their fees are set from rates published by Udir, the Norwegian education directorate, as state-approved independent schools. ISS sets its own fees through its board. The trade-off is that BISS only teaches up to age 16.

Can families get help with international school fees in Norway?

Yes, for upper secondary students. Lånekassen, the state educational loan fund, offers a grant for students at international schools covering up to 85 per cent of tuition, capped at NOK 117,641 a year. At ISS it applies to Grade 10 to 12 students paid for by parents without company sponsorship; the deadline is 15 November.