We’ve said this before, and we’ll say it again: one of the bigger challenges for English-speaking expat families – even for well-paid corporate nomads – is finding satisfactory, English-language international schools.
Such schools cater to expat students, with curricula tied to the host nation in question, or an international education organization such as Edexcel, Cambridge International Examinations, and International Baccalaureate; if you’re curious about the International Baccalaureate program, by the by, Dispatches Europe has a primer for your convenience.
Wherever you’re headed, do not wait to get there before starting the application process with your preferred international school, which can be lengthy. Also, across Europe, there currently is more demand than supply, with many international schools at capacity.
Vienna (Wien auf Deutsch) is Austria’s largest city and the nation’s capital, where nearly one-third of the country’s population – 2.6 million – reside in the metro area alone. The city is also the second-largest home to German speakers in the world, though it once was at the top until the start of the 20th century; Berlin currently holds the crown.
The “City of Music” and “City of Dreams,” Vienna shaped the world through its musical legacy – Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms et al – and its contribution to psychology Sigmund Freud lived most of his life there.
Vienna is also one of the wealthiest locales within the European Union, with a gross regional product of €47,200 per capita as of 2013. This no doubt helped by multi-nationals such as Hewlett Packard, Baxalta Siemens; its famed wine cultivation and production; and the thousands of industry-oriented and start-up businesses coming online annually. So, it has a significant number of international schools to choose from … here’s Pt. 1 of Dispatches’ guide.
Amadeus International School Vienna: Located 40 minutes away from Vienna International Airport, Amadeus International School Vienna “offers a unique blend of rigorous academics, innovative music and arts education, and a culturally diverse and multilingual experience enhanced by optional boarding in superior facilities.”
Amadeus is a fully authorized International Baccalaureate continuum school, and one of a handful of schools forming the Nobel Education Network, providing plenty of opportunities for cross-cultural exchanges with other member schools.
And as befitting its namesake, the school integrates music and art into every aspect of learning.
- Fees (2017-18 academic year): €250 non-refundable application fee; €3,000 one-time non-refundable enrollment fee; €2,500 one-time non-refundable capital fee (for first two children); €1,500 one-time refundable deposit; €11,200 – €25,500 annual tuition fee, depending on grade level; full schedule of fees here
- Requirements: Complete and submit application with fee and required documentation; full information here
- Application Deadline: Ongoing
- Contact: [email protected]
- Website: www.amadeus-vienna.com
The American International School · Vienna: Since 1959, The American International School · Vienna has offered its students an inclusive learning environment, with the aim of challenging all “to strive for personal excellence through exploration of their passions… while practicing commitment, leadership, and meaningful self-reflection.”
Nearly 800 pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 students from more than 50 nations attend AIS annually, pursuing either the IB Diploma, the Austrian Matura or the American high school diploma.
About 200 students enroll into AIS per year, with most students leaving after four years.
- Fees (2017-18 academic year): €200 non-refundable application fee; €400 one-time non-refundable enrollment fee; €1,000 non-refundable reservation fee; €5,100 non-refundable capital assessment fee for new students, €850 non-refundable fee for returning students; €11,081 – €20,267 annual tuition fee, depending on grade level; full schedule of fees here
- Requirements: Complete and submit online application form with signed statement of understanding and required documentation; full information here
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Application Deadline: Ongoing for elementary and middle school students;
31 July or 30 November for high school students, depending on planned semester of entry - Contact: [email protected]
- Website: www.ais.at
Danube International School Vienna: About 535 students between 3 and 18 years of age from 60 countries attend Danube International School Vienna, located alongside Vienna’s famed Prater Park.
The IB World school offers students “a high quality international education” centered around them, with the aim of guiding each one towards independent learning and global leadership.
Danube has always been an IB school since its founding in 1992, and is only one of two such schools in Vienna to offer the full IB programme range.
- Fees (2017-18 academic year): €220 non-refundable application fee; €4,100 non-refundable enrollment fee; €950 non-refundable capital assessment fee; €365 one-time refundable security deposit; €12,502 – €23,206 annual tuition fee, depending on grade level; full schedule of fees here
- Requirements: Complete and submit application with fee and required documentation; full information here
- Application Deadline: Ongoing
- Contact: [email protected]
- Website: www.danubeschool.com
International Christian School of Vienna: Those seeking a faith-based education for their little ones can do no wrong in considering International Christian School of Vienna.
ICSV offers its 50-nation student body of 230-plus a “Christ-centered” U.S.-styled curriculum, with both American high school and IB diplomas available to those who graduate.
Parents can expect their children to thrive intellectually and emotionally in the school’s caring environment, one accredited by both the Association of Christian Schools International, and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
- Fees (2017-18 academic year): €250 non-refundable application fee (new students only); €750 non-refundable registration fee (new students only); €12,950 – €16,154 annual tuition fee, depending on grade level; full schedule of fees here
- Requirements: Complete and submit application with fee and required documentation; undergo age- and grade-appropriate testing to determine placement; full information here
- Application Deadline: N/A; contact school for information
- Contact: [email protected]
- Website: www.icsv.at
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