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

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

The Bay of Kotor attracts remote workers, yacht industry families, hospitality managers and retirees with children, and almost all of them ask the same thing within a week of arriving: how to choose an international school in Kotor when the options are few and spread along a winding coast road. The good news is that the decision is simpler than in a big capital. The harder news is that the wrong choice can mean an hour in the car twice a day in summer traffic.

This guide sets out a decision framework built for the bay: curriculum fit, location and commute, language, class sizes, how long you plan to stay and fees. It then looks at each school on our directory for the area and who it suits best. For a detailed breakdown of tuition and extras, read our separate Kotor fees guide.

Living around the Bay of Kotor: geography, areas and commutes

Kotor itself is a small walled town at the deepest corner of the bay, and the Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. That status brings cruise ships, heritage rules on building and seasonal congestion around the Old Town. Families tend to live in Dobrota, Prčanj and Muo just outside the walls, in Tivat and Porto Montenegro on the flatter stretch to the south-west, on the Grbalj plain and the Luštica peninsula, or further out in Herceg Novi at the mouth of the bay and Budva on the open coast.

Both schools serving the bay sit on the Tivat side rather than in Kotor town. From Kotor to Tivat is usually 15 to 25 minutes by car outside the season, but the coast road and the stretch past the airport can slow to a crawl in July and August. From Budva the drive is roughly 25 to 35 minutes. From Herceg Novi you either drive round the bay or take the Kamenari to Lepetane ferry, which makes a 40 to 60 minute trip on a good day. There is no rail, and public buses are not practical for a school run, so in practice every family drives or uses a school bus where one exists. Choosing a home close to your school matters more here than almost anywhere else in the region.

Curricula available to families in the bay

• International Baccalaureate: Knightsbridge School International describes itself as an IB World School and teaches in English from age 3 to 18.
• Cambridge International (British curriculum): Arcadia Academy provides a Cambridge primary and secondary education in English for children aged 3 to 18.
• English-medium multi-level classrooms: United Kids International Montenegro offers preschool, elementary and middle school in English, with IB listed among its programmes, but it is based in Podgorica rather than on the coast.
• Montenegrin state schools: taught in Montenegrin, free for residents, and a sensible option for younger children in families settling long term.

A decision framework for Kotor

Curriculum fit. If you expect to move on to another country within two or three years, choose the curriculum that travels best for your next destination. The IB is widely recognised in Europe and beyond, while Cambridge IGCSE and A Level suit families heading to the UK or to systems that already know British qualifications. Switching between the two is easiest at the end of primary and hardest during the last two years of secondary.

Location, class sizes and length of stay. Small enrolments are normal here, which means small classes and close attention but also mixed-age groupings in some years and a narrower choice of subjects at the top of the school. Ask how many pupils are in your child's year, not just the school average. If you are staying long term, it is also worth asking how the school supports Montenegrin language learning so your child can join local life.

The schools and who each one fits

Knightsbridge School International

KSI Montenegro is an international day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 3 to 18, located at Seljanovo in Porto Montenegro, Tivat. It is modelled on Knightsbridge School in London, teaches in English and is the IB World School option for the bay, belonging to a wider network of schools that share an ethos and a code of conduct. The community is mixed in nationality and language. It fits families who want the IB pathway through to the end of secondary and who live in Tivat, Kotor or Budva. Tip: the boarding option can help families based in Herceg Novi or further afield during the senior years, so ask what weekly boarding looks like.

Arcadia Academy

Arcadia Academy is a Cambridge international school in English for children aged 3 to 18, at Lješevići near Tivat airport. The profile describes a campus of around 5,000 square metres in a green zone with no urban development around it, reached by a private road, and a programme that balances academics with sport, outdoor and social activities. It fits families who want a British-style route to IGCSE and A Level and who live in Tivat, on the Grbalj plain, on Luštica or towards Budva. Tip: because the site is reached by a private road outside the town, ask about transport and pick-up arrangements before signing a lease in Kotor Old Town or Dobrota.

United Kids International Montenegro

UKIM is based in Podgorica, the capital, roughly 90 minutes to two hours inland by road, and is included here for families weighing the coast against the capital. It offers preschool and elementary and middle school education in English to local and expatriate children, using multi-level classrooms, and was founded in 2016 by a parent who wanted affordable English-medium education in the capital. It fits families who are deciding between the coast and Podgorica, or whose work is based in the capital. Tip: it is not a daily option from the bay, so only shortlist it if you are open to living in Podgorica.

Fees and what drives them

Montenegro uses the euro (unilaterally, since 2002) although it is not an EU member, so families paid in euros have no currency exposure on tuition. None of the three profiles publishes fees, so treat these as rough ranges: early years roughly EUR 7,000 to 11,000 a year, primary roughly EUR 9,000 to 15,000, and secondary, IGCSE, A Level or IB Diploma years roughly EUR 12,000 to 20,000 or more. Boarding at KSI adds a substantial amount on top. UKIM was set up specifically to be more affordable and is likely to sit at the lower end.

• Registration or application fee: usually one-off and non-refundable.
• Deposit: often required to secure a place, refundable on leaving with proper notice.
• Development or capital levy: charged by some schools once or annually.
• Uniforms: budget for summer and winter sets plus sports kit.
• Transport: school buses along the coast are priced by distance, and some routes may not exist.
• Meals: lunch may be included or billed termly.
• Exams: IGCSE, A Level and IB Diploma registration fees are paid per subject or per candidate.
• Devices and trips: laptops in upper years, residential trips and sports fixtures abroad.

Practical advice before you commit

Visit outside the summer. The bay in August is not the bay in November. Drive the school run at 7.30 in the morning on a weekday, ideally during the season if you will be here then, and time the trip from the home you are considering. A flat that looks close on the map can be a slow drive past Kotor Old Town when cruise ships are in.

Ask about continuity to 18. Both coastal schools describe themselves as covering ages 3 to 18, but small senior year groups can mean limited subject choice. If your child is 13 or older, ask for the list of IB Diploma or A Level subjects actually running this year and how the school handles a subject with only one or two students.

Match the school to your length of stay. For a one or two year stay, pick the curriculum closest to your home system and the shortest commute. For a longer move, weigh the language programme and social integration more heavily, and look at how each school connects with local clubs, sailing and sport around the bay.

Compare the schools in Kotor

Once you have a sense of which curriculum and which side of the bay suit your family, compare the schools side by side in our ranking of the Best international schools in Kotor, which lists their stages, languages and programmes in one place.

More guides to schools in Kotor

• International school fees in Kotor
• Best international schools in Kotor

Frequently asked questions

Is there an international school in Kotor Old Town?

No. The two coastal international schools are on the Tivat side of the bay: Knightsbridge School International in Porto Montenegro and Arcadia Academy near Tivat airport. From Kotor the drive is usually 15 to 25 minutes, but it can take much longer in July and August when cruise ships and tourist traffic fill the coast road.

Should we choose IB or Cambridge in Montenegro?

It depends on where you go next. Knightsbridge School International follows the IB, which is recognised widely across Europe, while Arcadia Academy follows Cambridge, leading to IGCSE and A Level, a natural fit for families heading to the UK. Switching is easiest at the end of primary and hardest in the final two years of secondary.

Can we live in Herceg Novi and send children to school in Tivat?

Yes, but plan for a long day. You either drive round the bay or take the Kamenari to Lepetane ferry, so the trip is often 40 to 60 minutes each way and longer in summer queues. Some older pupils use boarding at Knightsbridge School International, so ask about weekly boarding if the commute becomes tiring.