How to Choose an International School in Brasilia: 2026 Family Guide

Quick answer: How should families choose an international school in Brasilia? Start with the curriculum and calendar you need, then check the commute from Lago Sul, Lago Norte or the Asa Sul and Asa Norte wings. Brasilia's main options are the American School of Brasilia, The British School of Brasilia, SIS Swiss International School and School of the Nations. Monthly fees run roughly BRL 4,500 to 14,000.

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

Knowing how to choose an international school in Brasilia starts with understanding the city itself. Brasilia is a planned capital, spread out, green and built around the car. Most families live in a few well-defined areas, most international schools sit close to them, and the choice usually comes down to curriculum, calendar and commute rather than to dozens of competing campuses. That makes the decision easier, as long as you ask the right questions early.

This guide explains the curricula on offer, the schools to visit first, what they cost in Brazilian reais and a simple method to compare them.

Why Brasilia is different

Brasilia was inaugurated as Brazil's capital on 21 April 1960, and its layout still follows Lúcio Costa's original plan. The central Plano Piloto is shaped like an aeroplane, with the residential wings of Asa Sul and Asa Norte, while Lago Sul and Lago Norte stretch along Lake Paranoá. Diplomats, civil servants, international organisations and many business families choose between these areas. Distances look short on the map, but crossing from Lago Norte to the southern end of Lago Sul at rush hour can take a long time.

The city's international community is dominated by embassies and multilateral agencies, which is why several schools follow a northern calendar from August to June. Brazilian schools, including many bilingual ones, run from February to December. Matching the calendar to your posting dates is often the first filter.

Curricula available in Brasilia

American curriculum: an English-medium programme with a US high school diploma, Advanced Placement or IB courses and a northern calendar.
British curriculum: the English National Curriculum with IGCSE and the IB Diploma, combined with Brazilian subjects.
Swiss bilingual model: English, Portuguese and German, with the IB and Brazilian qualifications.
International and bilingual schools: English-Portuguese programmes, some with the IB, often at more moderate fees.

International schools to visit in Brasilia

American School of Brasilia

The American School of Brasilia, known locally as EAB, is the city's reference school for American and many diplomatic families. It offers an English-medium American programme, the Brazilian curriculum and the IB Diploma, on a northern calendar.

The British School of Brasilia

The British School of Brasilia follows a British curriculum with Brazilian subjects, which lets students graduate with international qualifications and a Brazilian certificate. It suits British and European families and Brazilian families aiming for universities abroad.

SIS Swiss International School Brasilia

SIS Swiss International School Brasilia is part of a Swiss group of bilingual schools. English and Portuguese are used for teaching and German is added as a language, which makes it one of the few trilingual paths in the capital.

School of the Nations

School of the Nations is a long-standing English-medium school with a values-based approach and the IB Diploma in the final years. It attracts a very international mix of families at fees below the most expensive schools.

Brasilia International School

Brasilia International School offers a bilingual English-Portuguese programme and is worth adding to your list if you want a smaller school with an international outlook and moderate fees.

What international schools in Brasilia cost

Brazilian schools quote a monthly fee, usually paid in twelve instalments, while some American-style schools quote an annual fee in reais or US dollars. As a rough guide for 2026:

Bilingual and smaller international schools: roughly BRL 4,500 to 8,000 a month.
British and Swiss international schools: roughly BRL 6,000 to 11,000 a month.
American curriculum in the senior years: roughly BRL 10,000 to 14,000 a month or the annual equivalent.

Extras to include:

Annual enrolment fee, often equal to one monthly payment, plus application fees.
One-off entrance or capital fees at some schools.
Materials, uniforms, lunches and school transport.
IB or AP exam fees and school trips.

Embassies and international organisations often have agreements with specific schools, so check with your employer before you apply. Some schools also offer sibling discounts.

A simple method to choose

Filter by calendar and curriculum first. If you arrive in July, a school that starts in August lets your child begin at the natural point of the year. If you plan to return to your home system, choose the curriculum that makes that return easiest.

Then test the commute. Drive the route at school time from the house you are considering. In Brasilia a good school forty minutes away is often less practical than a good school ten minutes away.

Ask about Portuguese. Most international schools in Brazil teach Portuguese and Brazilian subjects. Ask how new students without Portuguese are supported and whether they can follow a lighter Brazilian programme in their first year.

Meet the community. Ask to speak to two current parents, ideally from a family in a situation like yours. They will tell you how the school handles transitions, homework, communication and the pace of a diplomatic posting.

Questions to ask on a school visit

How many students join and leave each year? High turnover is normal in a diplomatic city, but a school should explain how it keeps friendships and learning stable.
Which qualifications will my child finish with? Ask whether graduates leave with a Brazilian certificate, an IB Diploma, a US diploma or a combination, and which universities recent leavers entered.
How is Portuguese taught to beginners? Ask for the number of weekly lessons and the support offered in Brazilian subjects during the first year.
What does the fee include? Request a full list of charges for the whole year, including enrolment, materials and trips, so you can compare schools on the same basis.

Write the answers down after each visit and score every school on the same five points: curriculum, calendar, commute, language support and total cost. The comparison is usually clearer than families expect.

Compare the best schools in Brazil

To see parent reviews and compare Brasilia schools with others in the country, visit the ranking of the best schools in Brazil.

More guides to schools in Brasilia

Frequently asked questions

Which international school in Brasilia follows the August to June calendar?

The American School of Brasilia follows a northern calendar from August to June, which suits diplomatic and corporate families on northern hemisphere postings. Most Brazilian and bilingual schools run from February to December. Check each school's calendar before you apply, because it decides which grade your child joins.

Where do expat families live in Brasilia?

Most expat and diplomatic families live in Lago Sul, Lago Norte or the residential wings of Asa Sul and Asa Norte in the Plano Piloto. Choosing the school and the neighbourhood together is wise, because Brasilia is designed around the car and commutes across the lake can be long at peak times.

How much does an international school in Brasilia cost?

Expect roughly BRL 4,500 to 8,000 a month at bilingual and smaller international schools, and up to about BRL 14,000 a month in the senior years of the American curriculum. Add the enrolment fee, materials, uniforms, lunches, transport and exam fees when you compare schools.