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

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

Families searching for an international school in Toronto often expect something like a classic IB or British campus. The reality is different. Toronto's private sector is large, but most of it is built around the Ontario curriculum and the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), with a few Montessori and sport-focused options alongside. That is not a weakness, but it changes how you choose.

This guide uses six filters: what kind of school it really is, whether it is inspected, which stage your child is at, how far you will travel, what the full cost looks like in Canadian dollars, and how quickly you can get a place. The schools below come from the ISA directory and each one was checked against its own website and official Ontario and federal sources.

Toronto in practice: where schools sit and how far you will travel

Toronto is a sprawling city, and the commute decides daily life more than the brochure does. The schools in this guide are spread across the north and west of the city. Blyth Academy Downsview Park sits inside Downsview Park in North York, close to the Downsview Park subway station, while Blyth Academy Lawrence Park serves the Yonge and Lawrence corridor in midtown. Toronto Prep School is at Davisville Avenue and, according to the school, steps from Davisville station. The Clover School runs a Midtown campus at 3180 Bathurst Street and a High Park campus in the west end.

The subway helps if you live along Line 1, but a family in the west end and a school in North York can still mean a long trip each way. Visit at the time your child would actually travel, not on a quiet weekday morning.

Families moving from abroad should also think about timing. For primary or secondary school, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada advises applying to a primary or secondary school at least six months ahead, and the letter of acceptance must come from a designated learning institution. If your child will be a minor on a study permit, ask the school early whether it can issue that letter.

What curricula you will actually find

Be honest with yourself about what the label means. Among these six directory entries, the choices are:

• Ontario curriculum and OSSD: taught at Blyth Academy campuses and Toronto Prep School for Grades 7 to 12, and the route to Ontario universities.
• Montessori with the Ontario curriculum as a baseline: The Clover School, for children from 18 months to 12 years, according to the school.
• Sport-integrated Ontario programmes: Blyth Academy Downsview Park, with hockey and soccer built into the timetable.
• Live virtual classes: Blyth Academy Orbit, for Grades 9 to 12, delivered online with the same Ontario courses.

None of these is a full IB continuum. Toronto Prep School displays an IB logo on its website without explaining it, so ask the admissions office exactly what that refers to before you assume anything about an IB programme.

Schools to compare

Blyth Academy Lawrence Park

This is a Grades 7 to 12 campus with about 100 students and an average class size of 12, according to Blyth Academy. It follows the Ontario curriculum towards the OSSD. The school says 99% of its students go on to university, which is a marketing figure worth asking about: which universities, and how many applicants. The campus page lists a Ministry inspection in February 2025 with a three-year pass, the longest term, and a school identification number (BSID) you can check. The school lists full-time tuition starting at CAD 28,000 a year. Tip: ask how the four-term year works for a student arriving mid-year, because Blyth allows term-by-term entry.

Blyth Academy Downsview Park

The Downsview Park campus teaches Grades 4 to 12 to about 100 students, with an average class of 12. The school says about 85% of its students are athletes: the programme includes one hour of sport-specific training each morning and one hour of dryland training in the afternoon, with access to rinks and indoor fields in the park. The campus also lists a three-year Ministry pass from February 2025. This is a specialist choice, and it only makes sense if your child trains seriously. Tuition is provided on request rather than published on the page, so ask for the 2026-27 figure in writing. Blyth also runs an online campus, Orbit, for Grades 9 to 12; it lists 2026-27 full-year tuition of CAD 24,200 for domestic students and CAD 29,500 for international students.

Toronto Prep School

Toronto Prep School is a private, co-educational school for Grades 7 to 12 at 250 Davisville Avenue. According to its website, classes are capped at 16 students, the typical size is 8 to 14, teaching starts at 10 am, and every student receives a MacBook. It says there is no SSAT or entrance test and that it gives a decision within three days of your interview. The school also says an elementary school for JK/SK to Grade 6 is planned for September 2027. Fees are published as a downloadable schedule rather than on a web page, so request the 2026-27 document. Tip: because the site does not state inspection details, check the school's status on the Ministry list or ask for its BSID.

The Clover School High Park

The Clover School is a Montessori school that, according to its website, has been running for around three decades. The High Park campus takes children from toddler age to 12 and uses two buildings, on Clendenan Avenue and Annette Street. The school says it is accredited by the Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators and joined Globeducate for 2025-26. Remember that Ontario does not inspect private elementary schools, so for a Montessori school the accreditation, teacher training and what you see in the classroom matter more than a Ministry report.

The Clover School Midtown

The Midtown campus on Bathurst Street covers the same age range, with a garden, a chef's kitchen and extended care. Ask for the Midtown 2026-27 tuition schedule in writing, as the schedule we checked is the High Park one, and choose between the campuses on commute and building. Admission is first come, first served, siblings and children from other Montessori schools have priority, and applications go on a waiting list in order of date.

Fees in Canadian dollars

All figures below are in Canadian dollars and are for 2026-27 unless stated. Exchange rates move, so families paying from abroad should budget with a margin.

At Blyth Academy, the Lawrence Park campus lists full-time tuition from CAD 28,000 a year, and the online Orbit campus lists CAD 24,200 for domestic students and CAD 29,500 for international students. The application fee is CAD 1,250 for domestic applicants and CAD 250 for international ones, and a CAD 3,000 deposit applies to the instalment plan, which adds a 10% convenience fee. At The Clover School, full-day programmes cost between CAD 27,907 and CAD 28,980 depending on the payment option, including a CAD 3,000 registration fee, plus a one-time CAD 500 application fee. Sibling pricing is lower. Toronto Prep School publishes its schedule as a download, so request it.

The tax point: Ontario private schools are independent, and the Ministry of Education inspects those that grant the OSSD. Private school tuition is generally exempt from HST. The Canada Revenue Agency says the exemption depends on the school meeting the province's standards of instruction, and that some items, such as textbooks sold separately or equipment, can still be taxable. Ask the school which charges carry HST.

Budget for these extras:

• Application and registration fees, which are generally non-refundable.
• Deposits and instalment-plan charges.
• Extended care: The Clover School lists CAD 368 a month for morning and afternoon care.
• Hot lunch: The Clover School lists CAD 860 per semester for primary and elementary students.
• Activity fees: from CAD 155 to CAD 850 a year at The Clover School, depending on stage.
• Devices, uniforms, trips and sport costs, which vary by school.

Practical advice for choosing

Check inspection first. The Ontario government says it does not fund, regulate, license or accredit private schools, and not every private school can grant the OSSD. It inspects private high schools that seek to grant OSSD credits, and does not inspect private elementary schools. Ask every school: are you inspected, can you issue the OSSD, and what is your BSID?

Match the school to the stage. A Montessori programme suits a child under 12 and a family that wants a hands-on approach. A small Grades 7 to 12 school suits a teenager who needs structure and personal attention. A sport-integrated campus suits an athlete. A virtual campus suits a student with a demanding training or travel schedule.

Ask about ownership and continuity. Blyth Academy, The Clover School and Toronto Prep School all say they belong to the Globeducate group. That can bring shared resources, but it does not make the schools identical, so judge each campus on its own staff and results.

Visit and ask for numbers in writing. Request the current fee schedule, the withdrawal and refund terms, the payment calendar, and how many students leave between grades. The Clover School's schedule, for example, sets out refund percentages by withdrawal date, and those terms matter if plans change.

Compare more schools

To see how these options sit beside others across the country, read our Best International Schools in Canada ranking.

More guides to schools in Toronto

• International school fees in Toronto
• International school admissions in Toronto
• Best International Schools in Canada

Frequently asked questions

Are there international schools in Toronto?

Toronto has many private schools, but few follow a classic international curriculum. Most teach the Ontario curriculum towards the OSSD, such as Blyth Academy and Toronto Prep School, or offer Montessori, as The Clover School does. Ask each school what its programme is, whether it is inspected, and which universities its graduates attend.

How much does a private school in Toronto cost?

For 2026-27, Blyth Academy lists full-time tuition from CAD 28,000 at Lawrence Park and CAD 24,200 for domestic students at its online Orbit campus. The Clover School lists CAD 27,907 to CAD 28,980 for full-day programmes, including a CAD 3,000 registration fee. Add application fees, extended care, lunch and activities.

Is private school tuition taxed in Ontario?

Private school tuition is generally exempt from HST, but the Canada Revenue Agency says the exemption depends on the school meeting the province's standards of instruction. Textbooks sold separately and equipment can still be taxable. Ask each school for a breakdown showing which charges include HST before you pay a deposit.