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

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

Moving to Mallorca with children usually starts with a property search and ends, a few weeks later, with the realisation that the school decision should have come first. Knowing how to choose an international school in Mallorca is less about comparing glossy brochures and more about matching a small number of real options to your child's age, your likely length of stay and the part of the island you will live in. The choice is narrower than in Madrid or Barcelona, which makes each factor carry more weight.

This guide sets out a practical decision framework for the island, then looks at the three schools ISA currently lists in Mallorca: two campuses of Baleares International College and CIDE in Palma. We are honest about the limits of that shortlist. There are other private and state schools on the island, but we only describe schools whose profiles we hold, and we explain who each of the three is likely to suit.

Living in Mallorca with children: geography, areas and commutes

Families come to Mallorca for very different reasons. Some relocate for work in tourism, yachting, aviation or property; others are remote workers or entrepreneurs who chose the island for its climate, its direct flights to most of Europe and the fact that Palma feels like a proper city rather than a resort. A growing group are Spanish or mixed nationality families who want an English-medium education without leaving the Balearics. Each group has a different time horizon, and that matters when you compare schools.

Most international families settle in a fairly compact arc around the Bay of Palma. Palma itself, with neighbourhoods such as Santa Catalina, Son Armadams, Bonanova and Génova to the west of the centre, gives you city services and short school runs. Further west, the municipality of Calvià covers Portals Nous, Bendinat, Costa d'en Blanes, Santa Ponsa and Palmanova, popular with British, German and Scandinavian families. Sant Agustí sits between the two, a coastal village on the western edge of Palma, while Sa Porrassa is inland in Calvià, close to the Ma-1 motorway.

Commutes look short on a map, but traffic on the Ma-20 ring road and the Ma-1 towards Andratx can be heavy between 8 and 9 in the morning, and summer brings extra congestion from visitors. A drive from central Palma to Sa Porrassa is roughly 20 to 30 minutes in normal traffic; from the north of the island (Pollença, Alcúdia) or the east coast it can be well over an hour each way. Families living in Sóller, Inca or the Llevant should test the school run at the real time of day before signing a lease.

Curricula available in Mallorca

Among the schools ISA lists on the island, the curriculum options are:

• English Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): used in Nursery and Reception at Baleares International College Sant Agustí, for children aged 3 to 5, with play-based learning across seven areas.
• English National Curriculum: followed at Sant Agustí from Year 1 to Year 6 and at Sa Porrassa from Primary through to Sixth Form, adapted to an international pupil body.
• IGCSE and A Level: the externally assessed qualifications taken at Sa Porrassa at the end of Year 11 and Year 13, with an optional Extended Project Qualification in Sixth Form.
• Spanish and Balearic system: CIDE organises its teaching in the local stages, from the second cycle of Educació Infantil through Primària and ESO to Batxillerat, plus vocational training.

None of the three profiles lists the International Baccalaureate or an American curriculum, so families who need those programmes should factor that into their decision early.

A decision framework for Mallorca families

Before visiting schools, it helps to answer six questions honestly. Together they usually narrow the field to one or two options.

Curriculum fit and next move. If you expect to move on to the UK or to another British international school, the English National Curriculum keeps transitions simple. If you are settling permanently and want your child to enter Spanish universities through the local route, a Spanish-system school such as CIDE becomes more relevant, although A Levels are also accepted for Spanish university entry through the recognised access procedures.

Age and continuity. Sant Agustí stops at age 11, so a child joining in Reception will need a second school for secondary. Sa Porrassa runs from 5 to 18. CIDE covers Infantil to Batxillerat. Counting how many transitions each route implies is a quick test.

Language. At both Baleares International College campuses, lessons are taught in English, with Spanish and Catalan on the timetable. CIDE lists English as an instructional language on its profile but follows the local system, where Catalan and Spanish play a central role. Think about how your child's Spanish will develop, and whether Catalan matters for the long term.

Class sizes and pastoral care. Sant Agustí states a commitment to reduced group sizes and low teacher to child ratios; Sa Porrassa refers to small classes, personal mentoring and a House System. CIDE is large, with 2,003 pupils and five class groups per year in Infantil, Primària and ESO, which suits children who enjoy a big, busy school.

Length of stay. For a two or three year posting, a British school with a predictable curriculum is usually the safer bet. For families staying ten years or more, integration and local language become more important.

Budget. Private British schools on the island carry full tuition; a local-system school is usually far cheaper. More on this below.

The three schools ISA lists in Mallorca

Baleares International College Sant Agustí

This campus, on Carrer de Marià de Villangómez in Sant Agustí, on the western outskirts of Palma, is dedicated to Early Years and Primary for children aged 3 to 11. It was founded in 1957 and describes itself as Mallorca's only international British school dedicated exclusively to those stages, and as the first school on the island accredited by both COBIS and NABSS. Nursery and Reception follow the EYFS framework; Years 1 to 6 follow the English National Curriculum, with Spanish and Catalan throughout and German or French as an option from Year 3. In 2026 the school joined the Ariston Education network.

Who it fits: families living in Palma or Calvià with young children who want a small, primary-only setting. The tip: ask early about the route into secondary at age 11, because you will need a plan for Year 7 from the start.

Baleares International College Sa Porrassa

Set at Camí Cala Figuera in Sa Porrassa, Calvià, this campus teaches pupils aged 5 to 18 through the English National Curriculum. Key Stage 3 covers Years 7 to 9, Key Stage 4 leads to IGCSE at the end of Year 11, and Sixth Form students normally take three or four A Level or career-based courses, with the option of an Extended Project Qualification. The school recommends at least five IGCSE passes at grade C or 5, including Mathematics and English, for A Level entry. All lessons are in English, with Spanish taught at a high level and French, German and Catalan on offer. It is part of Baleares International College, now within the Ariston Education group.

Who it fits: families who want one school from Primary to university entrance, and those living in the south-west. The tip: if your teenager joins in Year 10 or later, ask how IGCSE subject choices are handled for mid-course arrivals.

CIDE - Centro Internacional de Educación

CIDE is a cooperative school on Carrer de l'Arner in Palma, with 2,003 pupils and 227 staff, running five class groups per year in Infantil, Primària and ESO and continuing to Batxillerat and vocational training. Its profile lists a transport service with three morning and two afternoon routes, a nurse on site for most of the day, an in-house canteen, and early care from 7.30. Extracurricular options include German, English drama, robotics, chess and a long list of sports.

Who it fits: families committed to Mallorca for the long term who want their children fully integrated into local schooling. The tip: check how much of the timetable is taught in English at each stage, as it follows the local system rather than a British one.

Fees and what drives the cost

None of the three schools publishes fees on its ISA profile, so the figures below are indicative. At British-curriculum schools in Mallorca, families should expect roughly €7,000 to €10,000 a year in the early years, roughly €9,000 to €13,000 in Primary and roughly €12,000 to €17,000 in Secondary and Sixth Form. Local-system schools such as CIDE generally cost a fraction of that; ask the school directly for its current charges.

Budget for extras on top of tuition:

• A one-off registration or enrolment fee, often several hundred euros.
• A refundable or non-refundable deposit to hold the place.
• Uniform and sports kit.
• School transport, especially from outside Palma and Calvià.
• Lunches, usually charged per term.
• IGCSE and A Level exam entry fees in Years 11 to 13.
• Trips, residentials and after-school clubs.
• A laptop or tablet where the school requires one.

One legal point shapes both budget and planning: Catalan is co-official with Spanish in the Balearic Islands under the Statute of Autonomy, and Spanish schooling is compulsory from 6 to 16, with pupils grouped by calendar year of birth. That grouping rule means a child born in the autumn can land in a different year group than you expect when switching between systems, so check placement before you pay a deposit.

Practical advice for choosing a school in Mallorca

Visit in term time, at drop-off. Mallorca changes between July and September. A visit during a normal school morning shows you the traffic, the parking situation and how the school feels when it is full. Ask to sit in on a lesson in your child's year group if possible.

Map the whole school journey. With only one through-school on the British route among the schools we list, families with a child under 11 should plan the move from Primary to Secondary now, not in Year 6. Ask each school which secondary schools their leavers typically join, and whether places are guaranteed.

Think about language early. Even in an English-medium school, Spanish and Catalan are part of daily life in Mallorca. If you expect to stay, consider how your child will reach real fluency in Spanish and whether some Catalan will help with friendships, clubs and later study on the island.

See how schools in the Balearic Islands compare

For a wider view of schools across Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza, see our ranking of the Best international schools in the Balearic Islands, which you can use alongside this framework to build your shortlist.

More guides to schools in Mallorca

• International school admissions in Mallorca
• International school fees in Mallorca
• Best international schools in the Balearic Islands

Frequently asked questions

Are there international schools in Mallorca for secondary students?

Yes. Baleares International College Sa Porrassa in Calvià teaches pupils up to age 18, with IGCSE at the end of Year 11 and A Levels in Sixth Form. Sant Agustí stops at age 11, so families starting there need a separate plan for secondary. CIDE in Palma continues to Batxillerat within the local Spanish and Balearic system.

Do children need to speak Spanish or Catalan to join a school in Mallorca?

Not at the British schools, where lessons are taught in English and Spanish and Catalan are taught as subjects. Local-system schools are different, because Catalan and Spanish are the main working languages. Children joining a local-system school after age 8 or 9 usually need extra language support for their first year or two.

Which area of Mallorca is best for families using international schools?

Most families live around the Bay of Palma, in Palma neighbourhoods such as Santa Catalina, Bonanova or Son Armadams, or in Calvià areas such as Portals Nous, Bendinat and Santa Ponsa. These keep the school run to roughly 15 to 30 minutes. Living in the north or east of the island can mean an hour or more each way.