Best English-Speaking Schools in Spain by City (2026 Guide)

Finding an English-language school is one of the first and most consequential decisions expat families face when moving to Spain. The good news: every major expat hub in Spain now has credible English-medium options. The less obvious news: the type, cost, and availability of those options vary dramatically from city to city.

This guide covers six cities where most English-speaking families settle. For each, we highlight the main types of English-medium education available, name a few notable schools, and link to the full filterable directory so you can compare on your own terms.

Why English-medium education matters for expat families

For families relocating with school-age children, language continuity is not just a comfort issue — it directly affects academic progress, social confidence, and university pathways. A child who is mid-way through GCSEs or AP coursework cannot easily switch to the Spanish national curriculum without losing time.

At the same time, choosing an English-only bubble carries its own tradeoffs. Children in fully English-medium schools may have fewer opportunities to build Spanish fluency, which matters for long-term integration and university options in Spain. The best approach for most families is a school where English is the primary teaching language but Spanish is taught seriously and used socially.

Madrid: the widest range of English options in Spain

Madrid has the largest and most diverse selection of English-language schools in the country. You will find British, American, and IB curriculum schools alongside a well-established bilingual public school program run by the Comunidad de Madrid.

International schools

Madrid's international school scene is mature, with options spread across the northern suburbs and satellite towns. Tuition typically ranges from around 8,000 to 25,000 euros per year depending on the school and grade level.

King's College (Soto de Vinuelas) follows the English National Curriculum through IGCSE and A-Levels, with the IB Diploma available in Sixth Form. Tuition runs roughly 9,500 to 22,000 euros. American School of Madrid offers a US college-prep curriculum with AP courses and the IB Diploma, serving students from over 50 countries, with fees from around 12,000 to 25,000 euros. British Council School is one of the oldest bilingual institutions in Spain, delivering a dual British-Spanish curriculum since 1940 — graduates sit both A-Levels and the Spanish Bachillerato, which keeps university doors open on both sides.

Madrid's bilingual public schools

The Comunidad de Madrid operates a bilingual program (Programa Bilingue) in hundreds of public primary and secondary schools. In these schools, subjects like science, geography, and art are taught in English by qualified teachers, often with native English-speaking auxiliares de conversacion (conversation assistants) in the classroom.

This program is free, well-structured, and a genuine option for families willing to navigate the public enrollment system. The catch: quality varies by school, the Spanish curriculum still dominates, and you need a local address (padron) to enroll. It is not a substitute for a fully English-medium international school, but it can work well for younger children who are building bilingual skills.

English schools in Madrid

Browse all English-language schools in Madrid, with tuition and curriculum filters.

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Barcelona: English options in a Catalan-dominant system

Barcelona is a trilingual city. The public school system teaches primarily in Catalan, with Spanish and some English. For families who need English as the main instructional language, the realistic options are international schools or a small number of private bilingual institutions.

International schools

Benjamin Franklin International School in the Eixample offers an American-style education with the IB Diploma. English is the primary language, though Spanish and Catalan are also taught. Tuition is roughly 10,500 to 22,000 euros. British School of Barcelona (BSB) has campuses in Castelldefels and Sitges south of the city, following the English National Curriculum through IGCSE with the IB Diploma for Sixth Form — fees range from about 9,800 to 21,000 euros. Kensington School in Pedralbes is a smaller, well-regarded British curriculum school with A-Levels and tuition from around 7,500 to 16,500 euros.

The Catalan language factor

In Barcelona's public and concertado schools, Catalan is the primary language of instruction. Children will learn both Catalan and Spanish, but English instruction is limited to a few hours per week. Some families see this as a tradeoff worth making for deeper cultural integration — others find it adds too much linguistic complexity on top of an international move.

English schools in Barcelona

Browse all English-language schools in Barcelona, with tuition and curriculum filters.

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Valencia: a growing English school scene

Valencia has emerged as one of Spain's most popular expat destinations, and its English-medium school offering has grown to match. The city now has a solid range of British and American curriculum schools, mostly located in the northern suburbs around Pucol and L'Eliana.

Notable schools

Caxton College in Pucol is one of Valencia's most established British schools, offering the English National Curriculum through A-Levels alongside a Spanish Bachillerato pathway. Tuition is approximately 6,500 to 12,500 euros — notably lower than equivalent schools in Madrid or Barcelona. American School of Valencia provides the only American-curriculum option in the region, with an IB Diploma capstone and around 50 nationalities represented. The British School of Valencia in L'Eliana delivers the English National Curriculum from nursery through A-Levels in a spacious suburban campus.

Valencian public system

Like Catalonia, the Valencian Community has its own co-official language (Valencian, closely related to Catalan). Public schools teach in a mix of Valencian, Spanish, and some English. The bilingual public programs here are less developed than Madrid's, though some public schools offer increasing hours of English instruction. For most expat families wanting full English-medium education, private international schools remain the clearest path.

English schools in Valencia

Browse all English-language schools in Valencia, with tuition and curriculum filters.

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Malaga and the Costa del Sol: strong British school presence

The Costa del Sol has one of the longest-established English-speaking expat communities in Spain, and its school infrastructure reflects that. Between Malaga city and Sotogrande, there are more British-curriculum schools per kilometer than almost anywhere else in the country. Fees also tend to be more competitive than in Madrid or Barcelona.

Notable schools

Aloha College Marbella in Nueva Andalucia has been operating since 1982 and offers British curriculum through IGCSE plus the IB Diploma. Tuition is roughly 7,500 to 16,000 euros. The British School of Malaga (BSM) is one of the few British-curriculum schools located in Malaga city itself (rather than further along the coast), with fees from around 5,500 to 13,000 euros and a reputation for strong pastoral care. English International College (EIC) in Marbella is part of the Nord Anglia Education network, giving students access to global collaborations with MIT and Juilliard.

A coast-shaped school map

Most English-medium schools along the Costa del Sol are spread between Benalmadena and Estepona, following the coastal highway. This means your housing choice effectively determines which schools are realistic. A family living in Malaga city center will have different options than one in Marbella or Sotogrande. Plan housing and school search together — not sequentially.

English schools in Malaga

Browse all English-language schools in Malaga and the Costa del Sol, with tuition and curriculum filters.

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Alicante and the Costa Blanca: British and international options

The Costa Blanca stretches from Denia in the north to Torrevieja in the south, and its English-medium school options are distributed accordingly. This region attracts a large number of British, Scandinavian, and northern European expats, and school provision reflects those communities.

Notable schools

King's College Alicante near Playa de San Juan follows the English National Curriculum through A-Levels, with tuition from approximately 5,500 to 13,500 euros. Elian's British School in La Nucia serves the northern Costa Blanca (Benidorm to Altea), with fees starting from around 4,200 euros — among the most affordable British-curriculum options in Spain. Laude Lady Elizabeth School near Javea offers both British curriculum and the IB Diploma on an expansive campus, with boarding available.

Geography matters here

The Costa Blanca is long. A school in La Nucia is a 90-minute drive from one in Orihuela Costa. Unlike Madrid or Barcelona, where schools cluster around a single metro area, here your precise location along the coast determines your realistic shortlist. If you are still deciding where to live, start with school locations and work backward to housing.

English schools in Alicante

Browse all English-language schools in Alicante and the Costa Blanca, with tuition and curriculum filters.

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Murcia: emerging English school options

Murcia is a newer entrant on the expat radar, but its English-medium school options are growing. The city and surrounding region now have several credible international schools, and costs are generally the lowest of the six cities covered here.

Notable schools

King's College Murcia in Torre Guil follows the English National Curriculum through A-Levels, with tuition from around 5,500 to 11,500 euros. El Limonar International School Murcia in El Palmar offers a British curriculum in a bilingual English-Spanish environment, with fees from approximately 4,800 to 10,500 euros. SEK International School Mar Menor near the coast in Los Alcazares is an IB World School offering the full International Baccalaureate continuum, with fees from around 6,000 to 13,000 euros.

Fewer options, but less competition

Murcia's smaller expat community means fewer schools to choose from, but it also means shorter waiting lists and more personal attention during enrollment. If you are considering Murcia for its lower cost of living, the education savings are real — expect to pay 30 to 50 percent less than equivalent schools in Madrid or Barcelona.

English schools in Murcia

Browse all English-language schools in Murcia, with tuition and curriculum filters.

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How to decide: factors beyond language

Finding an English-medium school is the first filter, but it should not be the only one. Here are the factors experienced expat families say mattered more than they expected:

Commute and daily logistics

A school with a 45-minute bus ride each way adds nearly 8 hours of travel to your child's week. In cities like Barcelona and along the Costa del Sol, school location should directly influence your housing search. Always do a test drive during school drop-off hours before committing.

Social integration

Fully English-medium international schools can become expat bubbles. If long-term integration matters to your family, consider schools where Spanish is used socially and where a meaningful share of students are Spanish nationals. Bilingual concertado schools and Madrid's bilingual public program can offer a better balance here.

University pathway

British-curriculum schools prepare students for IGCSE, A-Levels, and UCAS applications. American-curriculum schools orient toward AP, SAT, and US college admissions. IB schools are recognized broadly. If your child may attend university in Spain, confirm whether the school's qualification is recognized for Spanish university entrance (homologacion) — the British Council School in Madrid, for example, explicitly prepares students for both A-Levels and the Spanish Bachillerato.

Cost over time

International school fees compound over multiple children and years. A family with two children at a mid-range school paying 10,000 euros each is spending 20,000 euros per year — roughly 1,700 euros per month before transport, uniforms, and extras. Over a 10-year school career, that is 200,000 euros per child. Run the full calculation before signing up.

Your action plan

What to do this week

1. Decide which city or region fits your family — use our city comparison articles and school directories to narrow down.
2. Shortlist 3 to 5 schools per city using our directory filters for English-language instruction and your preferred curriculum (British, American, or IB).
3. Email your shortlisted schools to ask about availability for your child's year group and September 2026 entry deadlines.
4. Request fee schedules and ask specifically about registration fees, deposits, bus costs, lunch, and uniform — the headline tuition number is never the full cost.
5. Book school visits or virtual tours for your top 2 to 3 choices before making housing decisions.

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