Best International Schools in Seville: 2026 Guide for Expat Families

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

Seville is not Madrid or Barcelona, and its international school scene reflects that: fewer schools, smaller campuses and far lower fees, but also a more Spanish experience for the children who attend. The city's expat population has grown with the aerospace cluster around Airbus, the technology park on La Cartuja and a steady inflow of remote workers and retirees drawn by the climate. This guide to the best international schools in Seville compares the six English-medium and bilingual options on the ISA platform, explains where they are and what they cost in 2026, and gives a practical method for shortlisting.

Seville's geography for school-hunting families

Most of the international schools are not in the historic centre. They sit in the Aljarafe, the belt of residential towns west of the Guadalquivir river: Bollullos de la Mitación, Mairena del Aljarafe, Bormujos, Tomares and Espartinas, with International School Andalucía further out in Sanlúcar la Mayor. These towns are where many expatriate and professional Spanish families live, in houses with gardens and pools, 15 to 30 minutes from the centre by car. The exceptions are San Francisco de Paula, in the heart of the old city, and St Mary's, on Avenida de Jerez in the south near Heliópolis and Bellavista. Families who want apartment life in Triana, Los Remedios or Nervión should budget for a school bus or a daily drive against the commuter flow.

Climate matters here more than in any other Spanish city. Seville regularly records temperatures above 40 degrees in June and September, so check how each campus handles heat: covered play areas, air-conditioned classrooms and adjusted timetables in the hottest weeks are worth asking about.

Curricula available in Seville

• International Baccalaureate: the PYP, MYP and Diploma continuum at Colegio Internacional de Sevilla San Francisco de Paula.
• British: the English National Curriculum through Cambridge IGCSE and A Levels at CBS and St Mary's, and a British programme combined with Spanish accreditation at International School Andalucía.
• Bilingual Spanish-English: Europa International School and the Spanish tracks at the British schools, leading to the Spanish Bachillerato and selectividad.
• Waldorf: an international Waldorf primary in Mairena del Aljarafe for families seeking an alternative pedagogy.

The best international schools in Seville in 2026

Colegio Internacional de Sevilla San Francisco de Paula

Founded in 1886 and located on Calle Alcázares in the old city, San Francisco de Paula is the only school in Seville authorised for all three IB programmes, and one of the most academically ambitious schools in Andalusia. Instruction is largely in Spanish with a strong English component and a third language, so it suits families who want children to become fully bilingual rather than to study in an anglophone bubble. Demand from Sevillian professional families is high and waiting lists in the early years are common.

CBS, The British School of Seville

CBS teaches the English National Curriculum from nursery to A Levels on a purpose-built campus in Bollullos de la Mitación, in the western Aljarafe. It is the closest thing Seville has to a classic British international school, with British-trained teachers, external Cambridge examinations and a mixed community of expatriate and Spanish families. Spanish language and culture are taught to the level required for Spanish university access.

St Mary's School

St Mary's is a long-established British school on Avenida de Jerez in the south of the city, which makes it the most accessible British option for families living in Seville proper rather than the suburbs. It follows the English curriculum through IGCSE and into the sixth form and has a reputation for a warm, family-scale atmosphere and strong pastoral care.

International School Andalucía

Set on a large rural campus in Sanlúcar la Mayor, International School Andalucía combines the British curriculum with the Spanish official programme, so students can leave with IGCSEs and A Levels or with the Spanish Bachillerato. The site is 25 to 35 minutes from central Seville and the school runs an extensive bus network across the Aljarafe. Class sizes are small and the outdoor space is unmatched in the city.

Europa International School

Europa International School offers a bilingual Spanish-English education under the Spanish system in the Aljarafe, with Cambridge English qualifications and French as a third language. It is the most affordable of the schools listed here and works well for families planning to stay in Spain long term, or for Spanish-speaking arrivals who want strong English without leaving the national curriculum.

What the best schools in Seville cost in 2026

Seville is one of the least expensive cities in Western Europe for international schooling. Indicative annual tuition: San Francisco de Paula roughly EUR 7,500 to 10,000; International School Andalucía roughly EUR 7,000 to 10,500; CBS roughly EUR 6,500 to 9,500; St Mary's roughly EUR 5,500 to 8,500; Europa International School roughly EUR 4,500 to 7,000. Fees are usually quoted per month over ten months and billed by direct debit. Expect these extras:

• Enrolment fee (matrícula): EUR 500 to 1,500 per year or as a one-off, depending on the school.
• Lunch: EUR 1,200 to 1,800 a year; most schools expect children to eat in.
• School bus: EUR 1,200 to 2,000 a year, essential for the Aljarafe campuses.
• Uniforms: EUR 300 to 600 for a full set including sports kit.
• External exam fees: IGCSE, A Level and IB Diploma entries billed at cost in exam years.
• Extracurricular activities and trips: EUR 500 to 1,500 a year.

One structural advantage is worth stating plainly: private education services in Spain are exempt from VAT under the Spanish VAT law, so the fee you are quoted is the fee you pay. Families arriving from the United Kingdom, where 20 percent VAT has applied to private school fees since January 2025, will notice the difference immediately.

Practical advice for choosing a school in Seville

Decide how Spanish you want the experience to be. The British schools keep English as the working language with Spanish taught seriously; San Francisco de Paula and Europa work the other way round. For a two-year posting, the British route is easier; for a permanent move, a bilingual or IB route leaves children at home in both systems.

Think about the university exit. Spanish universities admit through the Bachillerato and the PAU exam, or through recognised equivalents such as A Levels and the IB with an accreditation process via UNED. Ask each school how many of its leavers go to Spanish, British and other universities, and how it supports each path.

Visit in September or June if you can. The Andalusian school year runs from around 10 September to around 22 June, and those are also the hottest school weeks. Seeing how a campus copes with heat, and how children move between buildings, tells you a great deal.

See how Seville schools rank

Once you have a shortlist, compare it against the independent ranking of the best schools in Seville, which draws on verified profiles, reviews and fee data for every international and bilingual school in the province.

More guides to schools in Seville

• Bilingual Schools in Seville: A 2026 Guide for Families
• Best Schools in Seville: the ISA ranking

Frequently asked questions

Which international school in Seville offers the IB Diploma?

Colegio Internacional de Sevilla San Francisco de Paula is the school in Seville authorised for the IB Diploma Programme, and it also runs the Primary Years and Middle Years Programmes, making it the only full IB continuum in the city. The British schools offer Cambridge IGCSE and A Levels instead, which are equally accepted by Spanish and international universities.

How much do international schools in Seville cost compared with Madrid?

Seville's international schools charge roughly EUR 4,500 to 10,500 a year, typically 30 to 50 percent less than comparable schools in Madrid or Barcelona, where the top tier exceeds EUR 20,000. Lower housing costs in the Aljarafe reinforce the saving, and Spanish school fees carry no VAT, so quoted prices are final.

Do children need Spanish to attend an international school in Seville?

Not at the British schools, where English is the language of instruction and Spanish is taught as a subject with beginner groups for newcomers. San Francisco de Paula and Europa International School teach mainly in Spanish, so they suit children who already speak it or are young enough to acquire it within a year, usually under the age of eight.