International Schools for Nomad Families: A Directory by City

Looking for an international school while you travel or live abroad? This directory lists 84 international schools in 15 places popular with nomad families: six in Southeast Asia (Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Saigon, Da Nang and Hoi An, Bali and Penang) and nine in Europe (the Algarve, Lisbon, Barcelona, Málaga, Valencia, Budapest, Prague, Tallinn and Split).

In September 2026 we checked every school’s curriculum and age range against the school’s own information, and every IB claim against the official IB directory. You’ll also find what international school really costs, which visas children need, and the questions to ask before you enrol.

Our Story: Where International School Fits for Us

When we lived in Utrecht, the first thing I researched for Louie was international school. I loved the idea of him sitting in a class full of kids from all over the world, a bit like our own family. 🌍

Then we hit the rules. Dutch international schools are partly funded by the government, so Dutch law decides who can enrol. Because Marty is Dutch, Louie is too, and he didn’t meet the criteria.

So we chose a bilingual school instead, teaching in Dutch and English, though mostly in Dutch. It was full of families from different countries, and we loved it. Louie got the mix of cultures we’d hoped for, just through a different door.

Today we’re travelling through Vietnam, and Louie has never been to school outside the Netherlands. He works through his Dutch school books with Marty, and the rest of his learning happens on the road. We share how that looks day to day in our guide to homeschooling while travelling, and why we deregistered from the Dutch system in our unschooling guide.

We do talk about schools in other countries, though. When Louie heard he’d have to wear a school uniform in Australia, he thought it was the weirdest thing ever. 😄

Honestly, international school isn’t in our budget while we travel. Fees vary a lot between cities. Penang is one of the more affordable places we researched, while tuition at Bangkok’s top schools can pass €30,000 a year for one child.

Leo is 2 and hasn’t been to daycare or preschool. We follow attachment parenting, so for now he’s with us. We’ll look at preschool once he turns 3, and I’ll share how that goes.

That’s what works for our family right now. Yours might look completely different, and that’s the point of this directory.

A Note for Families with Dutch Nationality

Dutch international schools are state-subsidised, so Dutch law sets strict admission criteria. A child with Dutch nationality can generally only enrol if they’ve lived and attended school abroad for at least two years because a parent was working abroad, or if a parent will soon be posted abroad for at least two years.

This is why Louie couldn’t attend. If your child holds Dutch nationality, check the criteria with the school before you get your heart set on one. Bilingual schools can be a great alternative.

If you’re abroad with Dutch children, the Dutch government points families to NTC schools (Dutch language and culture lessons) and distance learning to keep their Dutch going, supported by the NOB foundation.

When Does International School Make Sense for a Travelling Family?

At a kids’ café in Da Nang, we got chatting with a dad whose children went to an international school there. The main reason, he told us, was simple: his kids enjoyed having some space from each other.

That stuck with me. Full-time family life on the road is wonderful, and it’s also intense. We’re honest about that side of it in our guide to becoming a digital nomad family.

For other families, school isn’t about education philosophy at all. It’s about work. If both parents have demanding remote jobs, a school day can be what makes the whole lifestyle possible.

International school can be a good fit when:

• You’re staying long enough to settle. A full term or school year gives your child time to make friends and gives you value for the enrolment fees.
• Your kids want classmates and structure. Some children thrive on routine, teams and a daily social life.
• Your teen needs recognised qualifications. IGCSE, A Levels, the IB Diploma or AP courses can matter for university.
• You both need working hours. A school day creates predictable time to work.

It may not suit you when:

• You move every few weeks or months. Deposits and one-off fees are hard to justify for a short stay.
• Your budget is tight. Tuition is only part of the cost, as our real cost section below explains.
• You value flexibility. School calendars and attendance rules shape where and when you can travel.

What to Look for in an International School

A school’s website shows you the best version of itself. While researching this directory, we found out-of-date school pages, aggregator sites with wrong age ranges, and schools listed with sixth forms they don’t have. These are the things we’d check before committing, and the questions we’d ask.

The Curriculum, and Where It Leads

International schools usually follow one of a few systems: the IB (International Baccalaureate), British (IGCSE and A Levels), American (often with AP courses), Australian, or a school’s own curriculum. Think about where your child is likely to study next. Moving between schools is easier on a curriculum that’s taught widely, and university plans may favour one system over another.

Ask: “If we move to another country in a year, how easily could my child continue this curriculum?”

Accreditation and Authorisation

For IB schools, check the school’s status yourself in the official IB school directory. It’s free and shows which programmes are authorised and since when. A “candidate school” is still working towards authorisation and can’t yet award IB qualifications.

Accreditation from bodies like CIS (Council of International Schools) or WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) means the school has been independently reviewed. In some countries, international schools also need a local licence. In Indonesia, for example, look for “SPK” status.

The Age Range, and the Final Two Years

Not every school goes all the way to 18. Several schools in this directory finish at age 14 or 16, so a teenager would need to move again for A Levels or the IB Diploma.

Some schools also limit entry into the final years. One Bali school doesn’t admit new students into Grade 12 at all. Another only accepts IB Diploma students with a strong enough English background. If you have an older child, our guide to worldschooling with teenagers covers other options for these years.

Ask: “Are there any year levels you don’t admit into?”

Admissions Timing

Most schools in the region run from August to June. A few Australian-curriculum schools follow a January to December year instead, which can make moving between them and Australia easier.

Only a handful of the schools we checked say on their own websites that they accept applications year-round or mid-year. Others have fixed intakes or waiting lists in popular year groups.

Ask: “Do you have space in my child’s year group now, and can they start mid-year?”

Visas for Your Child

Being allowed into a country doesn’t automatically mean your child can go to school there. In Malaysia, for example, foreign students need a Student Pass. Check the rules with the country’s immigration authority, and ask the school what support it gives. Our visas section below covers the countries in this directory.

Ask: “What visa or permit will my child need, and do you help with the application?”

The Full Cost

Tuition is only part of the bill. Many schools charge an application fee, a registration or enrolment fee, and a refundable deposit or development fund. At some top schools, these one-off costs add up to thousands of euros before the first term starts.

Ask: “Can you send me a complete fee schedule, including every one-off fee and your refund policy?”

English and Learning Support

If your child is still learning English, or has additional learning needs, check support availability early. Several schools we researched say places in these programmes are limited, even when there’s room in the year group.

Ask: “Is there a place in your English or learning support programme for my child?”

Language

Most international schools teach in English, and many also teach the local language. If keeping your home language going matters to you, IB schools can be worth a closer look. The IB directory lists which mother-tongue literature courses each school is currently running. In our research, ten schools were running Dutch at Diploma level.

An IB school isn’t always taught in English, either. The IB directory shows the language of instruction for each programme, and some schools in Spain teach their IB programmes in English and Spanish, or partly in Catalan. Several “British” schools in Spain also switch to the Spanish secondary system for part of the timetable.

Location and the Daily Commute

In big cities, the school often decides where you live. Some large schools sit well outside the centre, so living near the school can mean a very different lifestyle from the one you pictured. A school close to public transport can make life much easier without a car.

School Culture and Activities

For us, this would be the deciding factor. Two schools can teach the same curriculum and feel completely different once you walk through the gate.

Culture is how a school feels day to day. Is it relaxed or highly competitive? Does it focus on exam results, or on creativity and wellbeing too? How connected is it to the country it’s in? Does it teach the local language, celebrate local festivals and get kids out into the community?

Some schools have a faith-based ethos, some are non-profit, and they range from very small to very large. None of these is better or worse on its own. It’s about what suits your child.

Activities are where a lot of friendships happen, especially for kids joining mid-year. Most international schools run after-school programmes, which might include:

• Sport: football, swimming, basketball and inter-school competitions
• Arts and music: band, choir, drama and visual arts
• Outdoor education: camps, hiking and overnight trips
• Service learning: community projects in the local area
• Clubs: robotics, debating, Model United Nations and more

For Louie, football would be top of the list. ⚽ Knowing a school has a team he could join would matter as much to him as anything in the prospectus.

Ask:

• “Can my child join activities and teams if they start mid-year?”
• “Do after-school activities and trips cost extra?”
• “How do you connect students with the local culture and community?”
• “What’s the mix of nationalities, and how do new students settle in?”

Tip: if you can visit, go during the school day and watch how kids interact at break time. It tells you more about a school’s culture than any website. 🌏

How to Check a School Yourself

• Start with the school’s own website, then confirm anything important by email.
• Check IB status in the official IB directory.
• Get the fee schedule in writing, including refund terms.
• Talk to current parents. Local expat or parent Facebook groups are a good place to find them.
• Visit if you can, and ask about a trial day.

The Real Cost of International School

Tuition is the number every school puts front and centre. For a family planning a year abroad, though, the one-off fees can make or break the budget, and they’re often buried in a PDF.

The Fees on Top of Tuition

These are the fees we kept finding while researching this directory. Not every school charges all of them, and names vary.

A Real Example: Chiang Mai

This is the published 2026/27 fee schedule for Nakornpayap International School (NIS), one of the more affordable schools in our Chiang Mai list.

One-off fees for a new student:

• Application fee: THB 5,000, non-refundable
• Registration fee: THB 80,000, non-refundable, or THB 66,000 if paid before 31 July 2026
• Book deposit: THB 10,000, refundable
• Damage deposit: THB 20,000, refundable

Tuition per year: THB 304,500 for the early childhood years, rising to THB 521,800 for high school.

For a child Louie’s age (Grade 4), the first year looks like this:

These figures don’t include uniforms, transport, lunches or activities.

About THB 30,000 of those one-off fees is a refundable deposit, so the real non-refundable cost of starting is closer to THB 85,000 (around €2,250). At larger Bangkok schools, one-off fees can run much higher, so always ask for the full schedule.

Details That Change the Numbers

• Timing matters. NIS charges a lower registration fee for early payment. Other schools have similar early-bird deadlines.
• Siblings can save you money. NIS waives the registration fee from the third child onwards. Ask any school about family discounts.
• Read the notice period. Some schools require a full semester’s notice before you withdraw, or you lose your deposit. That’s a big risk for a family that might move on sooner than planned.
• Ask how refunds work. When is the deposit paid back, in which currency, and to which account? For a travelling family, a refund into a local bank account you’ve since closed is a real headache.

Ask: “If we leave after one semester, what exactly do we get back, and when?”

Euro figures on this page are approximate, converted at European Central Bank reference rates on 25 September 2026 (Vietnamese dong via the US dollar), and on 18 September 2026 for the Hungarian forint and Czech koruna. Schools charge in local currency, so check current fees and rates.

Visas: Can Your Child Go to School on Your Visa?

This is the question we see families get wrong most often. Being allowed into a country doesn’t mean your child is allowed to go to school there. Visa exemptions and tourist visas are usually for tourism only.

In most countries, there are two routes for a school-age child:

1. A student visa or pass for your child, usually arranged with the school’s help.
2. A dependant permit, if a parent holds a long-term visa that lets them bring children.

These are the rules in the countries in our directory so far. Immigration rules change often, so always confirm with the official source before you book flights or pay school fees. For homeschooling rules, see our worldschooling legal guide by country.

Thailand

Thailand’s student visa is the Non-Immigrant ED visa. According to Thai embassy guidance, it’s for students of educational institutions approved by Thai authorities. It’s a single-entry visa valid for 90 days from issue, and extending your stay after that is up to the immigration officer.

For school-age students, you’ll usually need an official letter from Thailand’s Ministry of Education approving the enrolment, plus a letter from the school. Some Thai embassies ask families of international and private school students to contact them in advance.

Parents can come too: parents of students under 20 who are enrolled full time can apply for a Non-Immigrant O visa to accompany them. Our Thailand visa guide for families covers the wider picture.

Check: the Royal Thai Embassy in your country, and Thailand’s official eVisa site.

Vietnam

Vietnam’s immigration law gives students their own visa: the DH visa, for people who come to study.

There’s also a dependant visa, TT, for spouses and under-18 children of foreigners holding certain long-term visas, such as work, investor and student visas. The e-visa most nomad families use isn’t on that list, so it doesn’t give your child a dependant route.

Check: with your chosen school first, since they can tell you which visa they’ll support. Then confirm with Vietnam’s Immigration Department or your nearest Vietnamese embassy.

Indonesia (Bali)

Indonesia has a dedicated visa for primary and secondary school students: the E30A. The Immigration Directorate lists the government fees as IDR 6,000,000 for a one-year stay (about €290) or IDR 8,500,000 for two years (about €420). A sponsor applies online through the official eVisa site.

The e-Visa on Arrival that most visitors use isn’t valid for purposes other than tourism, government visits, business meetings, buying goods or transit.

If a parent holds Indonesia’s E33G remote worker permit, visa agents report that dependant permits for children became available from December 2025. We haven’t been able to confirm this with an official source yet, so check it with Indonesian Immigration before relying on it.

Check: the Directorate General of Immigration and the official eVisa site.

Malaysia (Penang)

Malaysia is the clearest of the four. Its Immigration Department says every foreigner who wants to study at any level in Malaysia must apply for a Student Pass. For international schools, the school, a parent or a legal guardian can apply, with a supporting letter from the Ministry of Education.

The main exception: children under 18 who hold a Dependant Pass don’t need a Student Pass. Immigration endorses their passport to allow them to study instead. Dependant Passes usually come through a parent’s Employment Pass.

Parents can’t come along on a child’s Student Pass. Only Master’s and PhD students can bring dependants, so you’ll need your own visa to stay. Ask your chosen school how other families handle this.

Check: the Immigration Department of Malaysia.

Europe: EU Families

EU citizens can live in any EU country, but staying longer than three months comes with paperwork. It’s the same for families like ours, where Marty’s Dutch passport gives us EU rights.

• Portugal: EU citizens staying more than three months must request a registration certificate at the Câmara Municipal (town hall) where they live, within 30 days after those three months. Family members who aren’t EU citizens (like Vanessa, who’s Australian) apply for a residence card through AIMA, Portugal’s immigration agency.
• Spain: EU citizens planning to live in Spain longer than three months must register in person within three months of arriving, at the Oficina de Extranjería or police station for their province. To qualify, you need enough resources for yourself and your family not to become a burden on Spain’s welfare system.
• Hungary: EU citizens staying longer than 90 days must notify their residence online through Enter Hungary by the 93rd day after entry, and receive a registration certificate. Family members who aren’t EU citizens can apply for a residence card.
• Czechia: EU citizens staying longer than 30 days must report their stay to the Foreign Police within 30 days of arriving, unless their accommodation provider does it for them. A registration certificate for stays over three months is optional. Family members who aren’t EU citizens must apply for a temporary residence permit within three months.
• Estonia: EU citizens staying longer than three months register their place of residence with the local government within three months, then apply for an ID card. Family members follow the same steps.
• Croatia: EU citizens staying longer than three months must register their temporary residence at the local police station within eight days after those three months.

Registering also means school becomes compulsory. Once you’re resident, the country’s schooling rules apply to your kids. In Portugal, compulsory schooling runs from age 6 to 18. In Spain, it’s 6 to 16. That’s worth knowing if you’re planning to worldschool or homeschool while based there.

Non-EU families can stay up to 90 days in any 180 in the Schengen area as visitors. For longer stays, you’ll need a national long-stay visa, such as Portugal’s D8 or Spain’s digital nomad visa. Check the current requirements with the official consulate.

Check: Portugal’s official registration certificate page and AIMA, and Spain’s Policía Nacional; Enter Hungary; the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board; and Croatia’s gov.hr.

For more on long-stay options for families, see our Visas for Families hub.

The Directory: International Schools by City

This directory covers 15 bases popular with nomad families across Southeast Asia and Europe. Each city starts with a short overview of where the schools are and what they cost, followed by the schools themselves. Use the filters to narrow the list by city, curriculum, mid-year entry or age range.

We only list what we could check against a school’s own information, and every IB status comes from the official IB directory. We don’t list per-school prices, because fees change every year. Always confirm details directly with the school before you plan around it.

Looking for community rather than formal school? Our Worldschooling Hubs Directory lists hundreds of learning hubs, co-ops and communities for travelling families.

For Dutch Families: Keeping Dutch Going Abroad

Most Dutch families abroad use an NTC school (Nederlandse Taal en Cultuur) alongside their child’s regular school. These are part-time Dutch language and culture classes, often held after school or on a weekday afternoon, not full-time schools.

The Dutch Inspectorate of Education inspects NTC schools abroad and publishes its reports, which is a useful way to check a school’s quality before you sign up. The NOB foundation supports Dutch education abroad on the government’s behalf, and can help you find an NTC school near your new base.

For older students, some IB schools also teach Dutch at Diploma level. In this directory, that includes St Dominic’s in Lisbon, BFIS in Barcelona, AISB in Budapest, PBIS in Prague and Split International School, as well as NIST, ISB, ISHCMC, GMIS and CCS in Asia.

What About Bansko?

We also looked at Bansko, Bulgaria. It’s a popular base for digital nomads, but it has no international school: the nearest are in Sofia, around 160 km away. Families there usually homeschool or use an online school. Our Bansko guide covers life in the town.

International Schools FAQs

Can my child go to an international school on a tourist visa?

Usually not. Visa exemptions and tourist visas are generally for tourism only, and most countries need a student visa or pass for school-age children, or a dependant permit through a parent’s long-term visa. In Malaysia, for example, every foreigner studying at any level needs a Student Pass. See our visas section above for the rules country by country.

How much does international school cost in Southeast Asia?

It varies a lot by city and school. At Nakornpayap International School in Chiang Mai, first-year costs for a Grade 4 child come to about €14,150 including one-off fees. At Bangkok’s top schools, tuition alone can pass €30,000 a year. Penang is one of the more affordable cities we researched. Always ask for the full fee schedule, including every one-off fee.

Are there affordable international schools, or are they all expensive?

There’s a much bigger range than most people expect. Bangkok’s top schools can charge more than €30,000 a year, but there are more affordable options too. In Chiang Mai, one school in our directory publishes tuition from about €8,000 to €13,700 a year, and Penang is generally cheaper still. In Europe, school guides list tuition of about €7,200 to €9,800 a year at the schools we checked in Valencia, and Tallinn European School publishes fees of €4,610 to €6,600 a year. Lower-cost schools are often smaller, newer or bilingual, and some stop at age 14 or 16. So check the age range, accreditation and one-off fees, not just the tuition.

Can my child start an international school mid-year?

Some schools say so on their own websites. In our directory, these include ISHCMC in Saigon, APU in Da Nang, Bali Island School, AIS Bali, and Dalat in Penang, which has a January intake. Other schools may have space too, but don’t assume. Ask about current availability in your child’s year group.

What’s the difference between IB, British and American curricula?

The IB (International Baccalaureate) has four programmes from age 3 to 19 and focuses on inquiry-based learning. The British curriculum leads to IGCSEs at around 16, then A Levels. The American curriculum usually leads to a high school diploma, often with AP (Advanced Placement) courses. Many schools mix systems, so check what each school teaches at each age.

What does “IB candidate school” mean?

A candidate school is working towards IB authorisation but isn’t authorised yet. It can’t award IB qualifications, and candidacy doesn’t guarantee authorisation. You can check any school’s status for free in the official IB school directory.

Can my child keep studying our home language at an international school?

Many IB schools teach mother-tongue literature at Diploma level, and the IB directory lists which languages each school is currently running. When we researched this directory, ten schools had students taking Dutch at Diploma level: NIST and ISB in Bangkok, ISHCMC in Saigon, GMIS and Canggu Community School in Bali, St Dominic’s in Lisbon, BFIS in Barcelona, AISB in Budapest, PBIS in Prague and Split International School. Courses depend on who’s enrolled each year, so ask the school.

Can Dutch children attend international schools in the Netherlands?

Only in specific cases. Dutch international schools are state-subsidised, so Dutch law sets the admission rules. A child with Dutch nationality generally qualifies only if they’ve lived and gone to school abroad for at least two years because a parent was employed abroad, or if a parent will soon be posted abroad for at least two years. Bilingual schools can be a good alternative, as we found in Utrecht.

Is international school worth it for a short stay?

It can be hard to justify. One-off fees like registration and development funds are often non-refundable, and some schools need a full semester’s notice before you withdraw. For stays of a few months, many families choose homeschooling, worldschooling or an online school instead. See our online homeschool programmes guide.

Are there international schools teaching the Australian curriculum?

Yes, but fewer than the names suggest. In our directory, the Australian Independent School in Bali teaches the Australian Curriculum up to Year 10, then the IB Diploma or its own diploma. The Australian International School in Saigon, despite its name, teaches Cambridge and IB programmes.

Do international schools accept children who don’t speak English?

Many do, and offer English as an Additional Language (EAL) support. Places in these programmes are often limited, though, even when the year group has room. Some schools also require a strong English background for the final two years. Ask about support places before you apply.

Do EU families need a visa for their kids to go to school in Europe?

No. EU citizens can live in any EU country, but longer stays mean registering as a resident, and each country has its own deadline and office. Our visas section covers Portugal, Spain, Hungary, Czechia, Estonia and Croatia. Once you’re resident, compulsory schooling applies to your kids (for example, ages 6 to 18 in Portugal and 6 to 16 in Spain). Non-EU family members of an EU citizen need their own residence card.

How can I check an international school is legitimate?

Start with the school’s own website, and confirm important details by email. Check IB status in the IB directory, look for accreditation from bodies like CIS or WASC, and check local licensing where it applies, such as SPK status in Indonesia. Talking to current parents is one of the best checks of all.

Our Takeaways

International school is one option, not a milestone every travelling family needs to reach. For some families, it gives kids friendships and structure, and gives parents time to work. For others, like us right now, the budget and the freedom to move point in a different direction.

There’s no right answer here. Every family should do what works best for them, and that can change as your kids grow. We might be the family touring schools in Chiang Mai one day. 😊

If a school in this directory catches your eye, contact them directly. Ask about mid-year entry, current availability in your child’s year group, and every fee on top of tuition. Then decide what fits your family, your budget and your plans.

Still weighing up your options? Our education and childcare guide compares every approach, and how to start worldschooling walks through the first steps if school isn’t the right fit for now.