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Best 10 International Schools in São Paulo

International Education in São Paulo

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Brazil’s largest city, and one of the world’s most populous, is the concrete jungle of Sao Paulo. It’s a financial hub, it has a great reputation as a foodie and architectural destination, it has a thriving art scene and a buzzing nightlife. It may not be the prettiest place on the planet, but it most definitely has a lot to offer.

That’s one reason why ‘Sampa’, as it’s known to locals, has a population of 22 million in its greater metropolitan area. It’s also why a huge proportion of those ‘Paulistanos’ are expats.

In fact, the expat community in Sao Paulo is so large and growing so fast, it has created a number of issues in the city. Finding appropriate housing is a challenge, and finding a good international school is even more difficult due to the extremely high demand.

Sao Paulo has the widest variety of international schools in Brazil. And just like its multicultural population, there’s an eclectic array of curricula to choose from. International, French, Brazilian, British, American, Canadian, Swiss... You name it, Sao Paulo has it.

The downside? Waiting lists. They’re a common feature for international schools all over the world, but in Sao Paulo, they can be alarmingly long. It’s never too early to start the application process. After all, the last thing you want is for your first choice of school to be out of reach just because your child’s name is too far down the list.

Another warts-and-all point to consider about international schools in Sao Paulo is travel time. Traffic is notoriously bad in Sao Paulo; the city is just too big to get around easily. Unfortunately, that means travelling to a different neighbourhood to attend school is not recommended.

Like it or not, location will be an important aspect of your school search. International schools are usually located in the affluent areas of Sao Paulo, but that means housing in those neighbourhoods won’t come cheap.

It’s not the end of the world if there’s a commute between school and home, because many international schools in Sao Paulo do offer bus services. Just bear in mind that due to the traffic, they may begin quite early in the morning.

If you’d rather avoid the chaos, consider going outside the city proper to areas like Santana de Parnaiba and its surroundings. Away from the hustle and bustle and up in the hills, there are a few select international schools that might just be what you’re looking for.

Wherever your school is located, it will most likely provide for full primary and secondary education, from ages 2 or 3 right up to 18. As with other major cities, Sao Paulo’s international schools have very high standards of education. Multiple languages including Portugese and English are offered across the board, native speaking teachers are common, and extra curricular activities are part and parcel of the deal.

Below, we have compiled the top 10 international schools in São Paulo according to our users. However, there are another 20 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 São Paulo based on your requirements.

Recommended Schools

The British College of Brazil

The British College of Brazil is ambitious for all. Our students are confident ethical leaders who make a positive difference to our global society.
Curriculum
IB, British
Language of instruction
English
Ages
2 to 18
Yearly fees - 2023/2024
from: R$ 88,000
to: R$ 120,800
Reviews
(1 review)

Avenues São Paulo

We are a 16-grade school with a unique vision, providing a truly global, transformative education as part of the Avenues The World School ecosystem.
Curriculum
International
Language of instruction
English
Ages
1 to 18
Yearly fees - 2023/2024
from: R$ 109,300
to: R$ 185,850

Best 10 International Schools in São Paulo

Out of a total of 30 International Schools in São Paulo.

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

Avenues São Paulo

We are a 16-grade school with a unique vision, providing a truly global, transformative education as part of the Avenues The World School ecosystem.
Curriculum
International
Language of instruction
English
Ages
1 to 18
Yearly fees - 2023/2024
from: R$ 109,300
to: R$ 185,850

The British College of Brazil

The British College of Brazil is ambitious for all. Our students are confident ethical leaders who make a positive difference to our global society.
Curriculum
IB, British
Language of instruction
English
Ages
2 to 18
Yearly fees - 2023/2024
from: R$ 88,000
to: R$ 120,800
Reviews
(1 review)

St. Nicholas School Pinheiros

St Nicholas School serves the families of the city seeking a personal and purposeful learning experience: a unique learning adventure following the programmes of the International Baccalaureate.
Curriculum
IB, British
Language of instruction
English
Ages
2 to 18
This school does not make their fees public.

Tip Toe Discovery School

Family and nurturing environment, lots of green areas, multicultural background students.
Curriculum
American, British, Montessori
Language of instruction
English
Ages
2 to 18
This school does not make their fees public.
Curriculum
IB, American
Language of instruction
English
Ages
3 to 18
This school does not make their fees public.

St. Nicholas School Alphaville

We are an inclusive and friendly school, with an emphasis on the community. We believe in partnership with the families, and provide a range of community events and information sessions.
Curriculum
IB
Language of instruction
English
Ages
2 to 16
This school does not make their fees public.

St. Francis College

Excellence , caring, friendly, an inclusive school.
Curriculum
IB, British
Language of instruction
English
Ages
2 to 18
This school does not make their fees public.

Maple Bear Canadian School

Canadian methodology
Curriculum
Canadian, Brazilian
Languages of instruction
English, Portuguese
Ages
3 to 11
This school does not make their fees public.

GIS – The International School of São Paulo

We are an IB World School and we offer a modern, challenging and international educational programme according to the standards set by the International Baccalaureate (IB)*. Our language of instruction is English, and we have international teachers in our faculty. Brazilian culture and the Portuguese language are also valued through Portuguese classes and typically Brazilian activities and celebrations. Our academic year follows the northern hemisphere calendar (beginning in August and ending in July).

As we are a new international school, opened in 2019, we currently have up to Year 1 ( 6-year olds), but the school has plans to expand. We are opening new grades as our students grow, and in August 2023 we will offer up to Year 2 (7-8 year olds).
Our mission is to provide expatriate and local families with an international education that is broad, balanced and challenging.
Curriculum
IB, Reggio Emilia Approach
Language of instruction
English
Ages
2 to 11
This school does not make their fees public.

Beacon School

Beacon is an IB Continuum School with an international program. We develop curious students with critical thinking skills, striving to create a more ethical and peaceful society for the 21st century.
Beacon School offers an international education program. As an IB Continuum School, we develop students who are intellectually curious, who have critical thinking skills and committed attitudes, and who will strive to create a more ethical and peaceful society for the 21st century.
Our mission at Beacon School is to offer a bilingual and international education that is open to the world, and at the same time, values its Brazilian roots. With a caring, enthusiastic, and respecting environment, Beacon provides an academically challenging inquiry based education, aiming to foster responsible citizens who believe in diversity as an opportunity to enrich and broaden their own development, as well as that of our society.
Accredited by the International Baccalaureate Organization as an IB Continuum School, Beacon School currently has over 1300 students from Early Childhood Education to High School.
We are very proud of Beacon's commitment to academic excellence and our comprehensive program grounded in solid principles.
Curriculum
IB, Brazilian
Languages of instruction
English, Portuguese
Ages
2 to 18
This school does not make their fees public.

Find the Best International School in São Paulo FOR YOU!

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