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Best 10 International Schools in San Francisco Bay Area

International Education in San Francisco Bay Area

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It’s no secret that San Francisco and the Bay Area is one of the most sought after expat hotspots of the world. The weather is fabulous, the lifestyle is even better, and those Silicon Valley salaries are eye-watering.

If you’re planning on making the Golden City your new expat home, with kids in tow, then you’ll need to know a thing or two about international schools in the San Francisco - Bay Area.

California in general, but the San Francisco/Bay Area especially, is an inclusive and liberal place. No approach to education is off limits here. From home-schooling to special needs education to experimental tutoring, everything is covered and anything is possible.

As for international schools, there are plenty to choose from. In comparison to other cities in the U.S like New York, international schools in San Francisco and the Bay Area tend to be more diverse and teach a wider range of curricula. As per usual the International Baccalaureate dominates, but everything from Chinese to German can be found.

Many of San Francisco’s international schools are also bilingual. Lessons are taught in English, and also offered in the usual language of the curriculum (i.e. the French curriculum will be taught through French).

International schools tend to be more popular with the expat population of San Francisco - Bay Area rather than the local population, for the usual reasons. It’s easier to achieve a consistent education for expat children, they can interact with kids from similar backgrounds, and they can pick up where they left off in another country should you decide to move on.

International schools in the San Francisco - Bay Area offer high standards of education and excellent facilities but they come with high fees and high competition for places.

Speaking of fees - don’t expect any international school in San Francisco or the Bay Area to be cheap. Yearly fees for all of them cost tens of thousands of dollars, with the most expensive inching towards $50k per year. Considering the sky-high salaries on offer in the region however, it’s in line with cost of living.

Haight-Ashbury, Mission and Richmond are the neighbourhoods to look out for when it comes to international schools in San Francisco. In the wider Bay Area, Santa Clara county has a choice of schools worth looking at - particularly in Palo Alto, Mountain View and San Jose. On the other side of the Bay, Berkeley and Emeryville are home to a selection of sought-after bilingual schools.

Below, we have compiled the top 10 international schools in San Francisco Bay Area according to our users. However, there are another 10 schools to choose from in the city. You can find the best international school for your child by personalising your results. Just fill in your search criteria, and we will calculate a personal score for every international school in San Francisco Bay Area based on your requirements.

Recommended Schools

Shu Ren International School

An IB World School that inspires a love of learning through an inquiry-based, Mandarin immersion program that prepares students ages 2-12 with the heart and mind to thrive in an evolving global society.
Curriculum
IB
Languages of instruction
English, Chinese
Ages
2 to 12
Yearly fees - 2023/2024
from: $26,950
to: $29,250

Best 10 International Schools in San Francisco Bay Area

Out of a total of 20 International Schools in San Francisco Bay Area.

Based on the aggregated preferences of our users in the last 30 days.

East Bay German International School

East Bay German International School is a dual-language immersion school offering Early Childhood, Elementary Middle School, and High School programs. EBGIS' integrated curriculum combines bilingual German and English instruction with project-based learning and a cross-cultural experience. EBGIS offers exceptional academics, a diverse international perspective, and a vibrant community of students, parents, and teachers. Our international high school program is now open to all students in grades 9 through 12, regardless of German language ability. The East Bay International High School (EBIHS) at EBGIS offers multiple language tracks with advanced language and literature courses in German, French, and Spanish, while all other instruction takes place in English.
In grades 9 and 10, students receive our outstanding college-preparatory curriculum, including AP courses, essay writing, and content that prepares students for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. All students in grades 11 and 12 undertake the full IB program, culminating in the prestigious IB Diploma.
Curriculum
IB, German
Languages of instruction
English, German
Ages
2 to 18
Yearly fees - 2024/2025
from: $26,300
to: $33,300

Shu Ren International School

An IB World School that inspires a love of learning through an inquiry-based, Mandarin immersion program that prepares students ages 2-12 with the heart and mind to thrive in an evolving global society.
Curriculum
IB
Languages of instruction
English, Chinese
Ages
2 to 12
Yearly fees - 2023/2024
from: $26,950
to: $29,250

La Scuola International School

La Scuola International School is the only Reggio Emilia inspired, International Baccalaureate and Italian language immersion school in the world. Its mission is to inspire brave learners to shape the future. That’s why, every day, it’s the students at La Scuola who ask the provocative questions and lead their learning across languages, across cultures, and across subjects.
Curriculum
IB, Reggio Emilia Approach
Languages of instruction
English, Italian
Ages
2 to 14
Yearly fees - 2023/2024
from: $41,300
to: $41,150

Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley

Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley nurtures creative, multilingual learners, equipped to confidently embrace the delights and challenges of an interconnected world. We are a force for good in the world, preparing our graduates to positively impact their diverse communities, and the local and international spaces in which we all belong.
Curriculum
American, French
Languages of instruction
English, French
Ages
2 to 14
Yearly fees - 2023/2024
from: $33,665
to: $38,405

The Quarry Lane School

The Quarry Lane School, a private, secular day school, provides an academically rigorous and supportive educational environment for students entering preschool through high school.
As an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, QLS has embraced the IB philosophy and curriculum along with the program standards and practices. This program provides students with the option to participate in an academically rigorous global education.
Curriculum
IB
Language of instruction
English
Ages
2 to 18
Yearly fees - 2023/2024
from: $21,034
to: $47,454

Silicon Valley International School

Silicon Valley International School is an independent Chinese/English, German/English and French/English language immersion day school located in Palo Alto, California.
Curriculum
IB
Languages of instruction
English, Chinese, French, German
Ages
3 to 18
Yearly fees - 2023/2024
from: $35,680
to: $43,490

Lycée Français de San Francisco

Lycée Français de San Francisco, LFSF is an independent international school, and a leading French immersion school in the San Francisco Bay Area.
LFSF provides a unique educational program accredited by the French Ministry of Education that allows our Preschool through High School students build confidence and adaptability in an ever-changing world.
Curriculum
American, French
Languages of instruction
English, French
Ages
2 to 18
Yearly fees - 2023/2024
from: $32,000
to: $41,500

Lexington Elementary School

Authorized in 2007, Lexington Elementary School is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School offering the Primary Years Program (PYP). Lexington was the ninth elementary school in the state of California and the first (non-private or charter school) in Northern California to be authorized as a Primary Years Program World School. Incorporating California Common Core State Standards with Los Gatos Union School District (LGUSD) adopted curriculum, teachers at Lexington School provide a challenging program of inquiry, which is transdisciplinary and concept-based to TK-5 students. Lexington serves students and their families who live in the foothills above Los Gatos, and those who transfer from other LGUSD schools. The school is part of a district that consists of four elementary schools and one middle school. Lexington launched the district’s Transitional Kindergarten program in fall 2022.
Lexington Elementary is a leader in preparing globally aware students for the 21st century. During their years at Lexington, students develop a curiosity about, knowledge of and a sense of responsibility toward other people, cultures and ideas. Students learn to apply acquired skills and knowledge to real-world issues and problems. As a result of their inquiries, Lexington students are empowered to take thoughtful and appropriate action that extends their learning.
Parents in our community provide tremendous volunteer and financial support through the Home and School Club and the Los Gatos Education Foundation. Their assistance permits the school to offer a wide array of programs and support staff. For example, all TK-5 students receive instruction in Spanish as an additional language from Lexington’s credentialed bilingual teacher. Credentialed music teachers provide music instruction, and a physical education specialist provides physical education instruction to students in grades 1-5. All students at Lexington use technology in their classrooms in the form of laptops or iPads, engaging in creative learning experiences that help prepare them to be ethical members of our globally connected society. Visual arts lessons are provided through a credentialed art teacher and LGUSD art docents.
Lexington recognizes and celebrates students who pursue home languages and additional languages. We began our Pathways to Multilingualism program in 2021 which was supported by a School Board Resolution. Fifth graders have the opportunity to receive a Pathway to Multiliteracy Award at promotion, which we hope will inspire them to continue world language studies, including the Seal of Biliteracy offered in many high schools. Lexington offers various multilingual opportunities and experiences during the school year to increase awareness of the importance of understanding more than one language and to further develop global citizens.
Lexington is leading the charge in the integration of Environmental Literacy. The mission of our LexEcology initiative and the student-driven LexEcology Green Team “is to inspire and empower the Lexington community to be lifelong environmental stewards and cultivate opportunities to educate while engaging students in the natural world.” The LexEcology Team has spearheaded many clean campus initiatives. They maintain the vegetable gardens, the worm compost bin, and run the trash sorting and trash-free lunch program. They were integral to eliminating plastic straws from Los Gatos Union School District cafeterias. State Senator Jim Beall visited Lexington on November 21, 2019 to honor our students for the action they took by writing letters to the California legislature urging them to vote yes on bills requiring manufacturers and retailers to greatly reduce their use of single use packaging and products.
With the help of many parent volunteers, the Lexington Life Lab has become a reality. In addition to the outdoor classrooms in place, a pollinator garden, a native species garden, critter cameras, a weather station, a bat box, and an arbor have been added. During the 2020-21 school year, a greenhouse and a water catchment system were built. District-funded solar panels were installed on the school’s roof in fall 2022. A Life Lab curriculum, complete with lessons and activities, is integrated into PYP units of inquiry.
Lexington, originally built in 1859, is the oldest school in the district and has an interesting and rich history. It was once the only school between Santa Cruz and San Jose. Since then the school has moved locations twice. Most recently, the school was completely rebuilt and opened its new doors in the fall of 2014. Lexington is truly a unique and wonderful world school. Please browse our website to get a better understanding of what makes our International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program World School so special.
Curriculum
IB
Language of instruction
English
Ages
3 to 11
This school does not make their fees public.

German International School of Silicon Valley

The German International School of Silicon Valley is a private bilingual immersion school with an educational program serving children of all nationalities from Preschool through the 12th grade in the San Francisco Bay Area (Mountain View and San Francisco). GISSV is the only elementary and secondary school in the Western United States that meets the strict accreditation requirements of the German government and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), thus enabling entry into the best European and American colleges and universities.
Curriculum
American, German
Languages of instruction
English, German
Ages
3 to 18
Yearly fees - 2023/2024
from: $26,575
to: $30,525

San Francisco Pacific Academy

San Francisco Pacific Academy introduces students to the cultural heritage through a rigorous bilingual curriculum with a strong emphasis in math and languages.
Our school is fully accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges ( ACS WASC), the organization serving as the accrediting body for the western United States.
Curriculum
American, Russian
Languages of instruction
English, Russian
Ages
5 to 14
This school does not make their fees public.

Find the Best International School in San Francisco Bay Area FOR YOU!

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