Other
I'm writing to share our recent experience with the American School of Barcelona's admissions process in February 2025, hoping it might be helpful for families considering their educational options in Barcelona.
We submitted applications for our children to ASB, paying the required €250 application fee per child. What followed was a frustrating series of administrative issues:
- Documents we submitted were repeatedly reported as missing
- Our older son's application appeared to never have been properly reviewed
- Communication was limited to their online platform despite the substantial application fees
We arranged travel from London specifically for the scheduled interviews, including flights, hotel accommodations, and time off from work and school. However, the afternoon before our appointment (when we were already in Barcelona!) we received an email stating that one of our children had been rejected (without explanation) and effectively ending the process.
When I enquired about our scheduled interview, explaining our travel arrangements, the head of admissions replied that he had "completely forgotten" about our meeting because they had just returned from a five-day break.
This experience raises huge red flags about the school's organizational culture and communication practices. If this is how prospective families are treated during the admissions process, how are current families' concerns addressed?
I know that the wrong school could be disatrous for a family living abroad so thought I'd share.
↳ Reply from American School of Barcelona 
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re truly sorry to hear that your experience with our admissions process did not meet your expectations. While we are not able to offer places to all applicants, we understand how important a transparent and respectful process is, especially for families relocating internationally.
We take this feedback seriously and are reviewing the situation in detail, including the communication and scheduling issues you mentioned. Our goal is always to offer a process that reflects the professionalism and care we strive to uphold across all areas of our school.
We appreciate your honesty and will use this as an opportunity to improve how we support prospective families during what we know is an important and often stressful decision-making journey.
2 other reviews for American School of Barcelona - (Reviews aren't verified )
Parent
We have loved our experience with ASB, where our daughter spent Grades 4 & 5.
The admissions process was smooth and easy, and we were completely sold after the school tour when we got to meet the students and see how happy and fun their classes were.
The teachers have been incredible, going above and beyond to help our daughter settle into both the community and the curriculum. We love that while it is an American school, they offer a fantastic Spanish language program; our child has made incredible progress learning Spanish over the last two years.
Communication with parents is excellent, and we always feel well informed. We especially appreciate how proactive the administration eg: keeping parents informed on their AI policies as the technology emerged. Whenever any issues arise, the school handles them quickly, follows up, and provides thorough feedback.
Beyond the classr... read full review
Parent
We have been at the school for five years and are super happy with the professionalism, enthusiasm and care of the teachers and administrators. Our children love both Sports and Performing Arts and the school offers many opportunities for our children to be involved in. The school has a great community and opportunities for parents to connect.
