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International schools in Greece, Pt. 2 (updated): Bilingual (Greek-English), German, French and Italian schools

(Editor’s note: This is Pt.2 of a two-part series on international schools in Greece. You can see Pt. 1 here. Also, most international schools in Greece have pandemic precautions and rules posted on their websites, and most are currently holding in-person classes.)

The following is a list of reputable international schools in Greece which have a language of instruction other than in English or are bilingual (Greek-English). For fully English-speaking international schools in Greece, please see Pt. 1 of this series.

(Author’s note: Middle schools and high schools in Greece have gone online since this was posted on 12 November. Elementary schools are still conducting classes in person though officials have implied that they will be closing down as well.)

ATHENS AND PIREAUS

Deutsche Schule Athen (German-speaking)

This historic school is located in Marousi (a bustling northern suburb of Athens) and it was founded in 1896, serving both as a school and as a social hub for Germans, Swiss, Austrians and other members of the international community in Athens.

Prospective students need to have a reasonable level of German in order to follow the German curriculum at the preschool and elementary-school levels. At the middle and high-school levels, students can choose between following the track leading to the attainment of the German high school diploma (Abitur) or the Greek high school diploma (Apolytirio). In the former, lessons are held almost exclusively in German and in the latter, they are held in both Greek ad German.

The school has outstanding extracurricular activities such as Model United Nations, choir, drama, dancing, music, swimming, chess, debate club and more.

These COVID-19 measures apply through 30 November.

You can see the tuition and fee schedules here.

Lycée Franco-Hellénique Eugène Delacroix (LFHED, French-speaking)

Located in the lovely, leafy suburb of Aghia Paraskevi is LFHED. In ecole maternelle (nursery and kindergarten) as well as ecole elementaire (elementary school), students follow the French National Curriculum. At the elementary level, students are also taught Greek language and culture and non-French speakers are integrated with personalized language support.

At the secondary level, students can choose to be part of the Greek or French section, depending on their language needs and future plans.

You can see info about tuition and enrollment here.

You can apply here.

Scuola Italiana di Atene (Italian-speaking)

Serving many mixed Greek-Italian families, Albanian families as well as Italians who are temporarily living in Athens, this school is owned by the Italian government and caters to elementary as well as secondary schoolchildren. Established in 1956, the school is located in central Athens and more information can be found (in Italian) here.

You can register here.

International School of Piraeus (ISP, Bilingual Greek-English Primary School)

This school offers students ages 3-to-12 the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme which begins in nursery and ends with primary school. Its holistic and inquiry-based approach incorporates the latest technologies and emphasizes creativity and individual responsibility.

The school takes pride in hosting philanthropic events as well as teaching children how to make a positive difference in their community. Children from 3-to-7 delight in their weekly outdoor classroom experiences. During this time students get to make connections between science, math and nature, bond with their peers and take part in physical activities under the bright Greek sun.

ISP is located in the port city of Piraeus and is also easily accessible to those living in the southern suburbs of Athens.

Here’s information on admissions.

Contact school officials by email at: [email protected]

THESSALONIKI

Deutsche Schule Thessaloniki (DST, German-speaking)

Respect, tolerance, creativity and responsibility are just some of the values that the German School of Thessaloniki emphasizes. German is the main language of instruction at the elementary school level, whereas in
secondary school, students choose a track that is primarily taught in German or another which is primarily taught in Greek (with a strong focus on the German language).

Students who successfully complete their studies at this school can go on to either Greek or German university. Meaningful student exchanges and school trips (both domestic and to German destinations) are one of many points of pride of the German School of Thessaloniki.

Students can also choose from a wide array of extracurricular activities at DST including photography, math, orchestra, art, ECDL certification and volunteering to work with special- needs students.

An education at DST goes beyond the classroom in many ways.

You can see the fee schedules and tuition rates here in German.

You can contact them by email: [email protected]

L’école Française de Thessalonique

This is one of the oldest international schools in Greece, dating back to 1906. It offers all levels from maternelle (preschool) through terminale, the final year of lycée (senior high school). L’école Française offers classes in French and Greek. As of 2017 the school has about 125 students ranging from 2 to 18 years and hailing from France, Italy, Greece and other countries, according to Wikipedia.

From the school website:

In close cooperation with institutions of Thessaloniki and Northern Greece, with Greek-French Associations and cultural institutions, the French Institute of Thessaloniki contributes to the promotion of the Greek-French dialogue and promotes the universal values ​​of French such as respect and acceptance of diversity, , multiculturalism, multilingualism.

The school offers classes in four main areas:

• French language learning and certification center
• Area of ​​culture and intercultural dialogue
• Set of services available to teachers, pupils and students:
-educational cooperation for the teaching of the French language
-scientific and university cooperation
• Multimedia library

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About the author:

A Pittsburgher by birth, Christina T. Hudson is also half Greek and has – so far – spent most of her life in Athens, the chaotic but captivating capital city of Greece. She studied Language and Literature at Moravian College and has worked as a teacher, an editor, a writer and a photographer.

You can see more of her work here at A Pixel for Your Thoughts.

You can see more of her posts here.

See more about Greece in Dispatches’ archive here. See our Athens archive here


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A Pittsburgher by birth, Christina T. Hudson is also half Greek and has – so far – spent most of her life in Athens, the chaotic but captivating capital city of Greece.

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