Greece's capital Athens is not a city that needs to sell itself. The Acropolis handles that. But what surprises most expat families landing in the Greek capital is how deep and established the international school market runs here — deeper, in many cases, than cities with twice the expat population and ten times the hype. ACS Athens opened its doors in 1945, three years before the Marshall Plan. Athens College dates to 1925. The Deutsche Schule Athen has been teaching since 1896, when Greece was still a monarchy and the modern Olympic Games had just been revived down the road.
This is a city where international education is not a recent accommodation for a transient workforce. It is woven into the fabric of a capital that has hosted diplomats, military families, shipping dynasties, and EU professionals for the better part of a century. The result: 23 international schools offering IB, British, American, French, German, Italian, and Greek curricula — a breadth of choice that rivals cities three times Athens' cost of living.
And that cost of living is the other thing nobody warns you about. Athens is an EU capital with world-class culture, a reliable metro system, beaches within a 30-minute tram ride, and school fees that would make a Dubai or Singapore parent weep with envy. The catch? There isn't really one — unless you count the bureaucratic pace of Greek administration, which you will learn to navigate with patience, humour, and a generous supply of the word "avrio" (tomorrow).
Here is what you need to know.
Explore all 23 Athens international schools on Scholae to filter by curriculum, fee range, and age group.
The Curriculum Landscape: IB Dominance with British Depth and European Heritage
Athens' 23 international schools span 19 curricular programmes, but the market has a clear centre of gravity: the International Baccalaureate. Roughly half the schools in Athens offer some form of IB programme, and several deliver the full PYP-MYP-Diploma continuum. British curriculum schools form a strong second tier, and the European government-supported schools — French, German, Italian — add options that are genuinely distinctive and, in some cases, astonishingly affordable.
International Baccalaureate
The IB is the backbone of Athens' international school market, with schools ranging from purpose-built IB institutions to Greek private schools that have added IB tracks alongside the national curriculum.
St. Catherine's British School is the standout performer. Founded in 1956 in Kifissia, it enrolls 1,275 students from 50 nationalities with class sizes of 22. The 2025 IB Diploma average was 37.3 points across 84 candidates — well above the global average of 30.5 and in the company of elite IB schools worldwide. BSO accredited and UK Government inspected. If IB results are your primary filter, this is the conversation starter.
ACS Athens (American Community Schools), founded in 1945 in Halandri, is the American flagship — 1,200 students from 60+ nationalities, IB and AP dual track, class sizes of 17-20. Originally established to serve the American community in post-war Athens, ACS has evolved into one of the city's most genuinely international schools. The Optimal Learning Program for dyslexia and ADD/ADHD is a level of specialist provision most Athens schools do not offer. Rolling admissions with entrance testing; application fee EUR 100.
International School of Athens (ISA), also in Kifissia, is the only school in Athens offering all three IB programmes — PYP, MYP, and Diploma — as a unified IB World School. With 660 students and class sizes of just 13, ISA delivers an intimacy the larger schools cannot. Scholarships available.
Athens College, founded in 1925 in Psychico, is the grand institution — 4,751 students across two campuses, IB PYP and MYP, and an alumni network that reads like a who's who of Greek public life: prime ministers, shipping magnates, cultural figures. Two hundred clubs and activities, bilingual English-Greek instruction, and pathways to both Greek university entry (via Panhellenic Exams) and international applications. Not an "international school" in the transient-expat sense, but for families settling permanently, the institutional depth is unmatched.
Pierce — The American College of Greece, Athens College's sister institution in Aghia Paraskevi, enrolls 2,400 students with IB and Greek curricula. The facilities are staggering: three libraries, five theatres, two makerspaces, two fablabs, two heated pools, two 400-metre tracks, and a working farm. Part of the oldest American-based educational institution in Europe, with 70+ extracurricular programmes and class sizes of 21.
Other strong IB options include Costeas-Geitonas School (CGS) in Pallini — full IB continuum, 1,460 students, impressive sports facilities — Doukas School in Marousi (founded 1919, IB plus A-Levels and BTEC, 1,700 students), and Platon School in Glyka Nera (IB PYP and MYP, bilingual English-Greek since 1969).
British Curriculum
The British schools share a common profile: BSO-accredited, UK Government inspected, IGCSEs and A-Levels, and a genuinely international student body.
Campion School, founded in 1970 in Pallini, is the diplomat's school — 691 students, class sizes of 20, BSO accredited, British and IB curricula. Over half a century of educating embassy families and international-organisation children. Campion understands the rhythms of international life: mid-year arrivals, sudden departures, children who have attended four schools in three countries.
Byron College — The British International School, also in Pallini (founded 1986), enrolls 535 students from 50 nationalities. What distinguishes Byron is the breadth of support: EAL programme, SENCo, educational psychologist, teaching assistants, and an "Able & Ambitious Programme" for gifted students. For families arriving with children who have additional learning needs, Byron's infrastructure is purpose-built for that challenge.
St. Lawrence College sits on a striking 20-acre campus in Koropi, southern Athens — Olympic-size heated pool, indoor gymnasium, football pitch, and courts for everything. BSO accredited, 50 nationalities, French, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese offered. The Koropi location is the trade-off: 25-35 minutes from central Athens. But for southern-suburb families, the campus scale is a genuine differentiator.
Verita International School, founded in 2019 in Glyfada, is the exciting newcomer. Already 450 students from 58 nationalities, 80% international — the highest ratio in Athens. Class sizes capped at 16-20 with teaching assistants in every room. Social-emotional learning department, SEN department, on-site psychologist. No uniform. A-Levels launching for 2025-2026.
French, German, and Italian
Athens' European government-supported schools are gems that many expat families overlook.
Lycee Franco-Hellenique Eugene Delacroix in Aghia Paraskevi serves 47 nationalities with the French Baccalaureate curriculum. Instruction in French and Greek, with English as an additional language. The 2024 French Baccalaureate pass rate was 100% — against an AEFE network average of 96.7%. As with French government-supported schools worldwide, fees are subsidised and dramatically lower than private international school equivalents. If your family has any connection to French language or education, this school offers elite academics at a fraction of what British or IB schools charge.
Deutsche Schule Athen, founded in 1896 in Marousi, is one of the oldest German schools abroad. German curriculum through Abitur, instruction in German and Greek, with English and French available. The school serves "Greeks, Germans, Austrians and Swiss living in Athens, bi-cultural families, and everyone who has a special interest in the German language and culture." The Abitur is universally recognised for university admission across Europe, and the school's 130-year history gives it an institutional weight that few schools in any curriculum can match.
Scuola Statale Italiana di Atene completes the European trio. Italian state curriculum, instruction in Italian, ages 3-18. Located centrally in Athens near Pedion tou Areos park. Like the French and German schools, it serves its national community while welcoming families who want an Italian-language education — and Italian state schools abroad typically offer subsidised or very low fees.
Fees: European Value
Athens' international school fees are among the most reasonable of any EU capital — significantly lower than London, Paris, or Dublin, and roughly comparable to Madrid or Lisbon. The city has never experienced the speculative fee inflation that hits purpose-built expat hubs like Dubai or Singapore.
Budget Tier: EUR 3,000-9,000/year (USD 3,300-9,800)
The European government-supported schools — Lycee Franco-Hellenique, Deutsche Schule Athen, and Scuola Statale Italiana — anchor the affordable end with subsidised fees that can run as low as EUR 1,000-4,000 per year depending on nationality and programme. DES Schools in Koropi publishes transparent IB fees: EUR 7,000-9,000 for Early Years, EUR 8,500-10,500 for Primary, and EUR 11,000-14,000 for Middle School (USD 7,600-15,200 across the range). For a family with multiple children, the savings compared to London or Dubai are transformative — we are talking tens of thousands of euros per year.
Mid-Range: EUR 9,000-15,000/year (USD 9,800-16,400)
Most established British and IB schools in Athens fall into this bracket. Byron College, Campion School, St. Lawrence College, and Verita International School typically price in this range. You are getting BSO accreditation, class sizes of 18-25, genuine international diversity, and proper support services. The same level of school in London would cost GBP 20,000-35,000.
Premium: EUR 15,000-22,000/year (USD 16,400-24,000)
ACS Athens, St. Catherine's British School, and the International School of Athens represent the top of the Athens market. These are schools with decades of track record, IB results that compete globally (St. Catherine's 37.3 average is world-class), purpose-built campuses, and comprehensive admissions processes. Even at the top, Athens' premium tier would be solidly mid-range in Dubai, Singapore, or Hong Kong.
The Greek School Advantage
Athens College, Pierce, Costeas-Geitonas, Doukas, and Platon operate as Greek private schools with IB tracks. Their fee structures tend to be lower than fully international schools because they serve a primarily Greek market and benefit from larger enrolments. For families planning to stay in Greece long-term — and especially those wanting their children to integrate into Greek society — these schools offer IB credentials at Greek private school prices, plus the invaluable social network that comes from attending school alongside the children of Greek professionals.
Hidden Costs
Factor in school bus transport (EUR 1,000-3,000/year — essential if your school is in Pallini while you live in Kifissia), uniforms for British schools, exam registration fees for IGCSE, A-Levels, and IB, and extracurricular activities. Athens' public transport is cheap and improving, but it does not solve the school-run problem in a metropolitan area this sprawling. Budget an additional 10-15% above published tuition.
Neighbourhoods: Where Schools Cluster
Athens' international schools follow the geography of the city's expat settlement patterns — the prosperous northern suburbs, the eastern corridor toward the airport, and the southern coastal strip.
Kifissia (North)
Athens' most established affluent suburb — tree-lined avenues, neoclassical mansions, village-within-a-city atmosphere. St. Catherine's and ISA are both here. Metro Line 1 connects to central Athens in 35 minutes. Rents: EUR 1,200-2,500/month.
Psychico / Filothei (North-Central)
Old-money Athens. Embassies, ambassadorial residences, and Athens College with its sprawling campus. Quieter and more residential than Kifissia, with easy access to the Attiki Odos motorway.
Halandri / Aghia Paraskevi (Northeast)
The practical northern suburbs. ACS Athens in Halandri; Pierce and Lycee Franco-Hellenique in Aghia Paraskevi. Metro-connected, well-served with restaurants and parks, more affordable than Kifissia. Rents: EUR 800-1,800/month.
Marousi (North)
Commercial hub near the Olympic Athletic Centre. Home to Deutsche Schule Athen and Doukas School. Good transport links, modern apartments.
Pallini / Glyka Nera (East)
Eastern corridor toward the airport. Byron College, Campion, and Costeas-Geitonas cluster here. More affordable than northern suburbs (EUR 700-1,400/month), and the airport proximity suits families with a travelling parent.
Glyfada / Southern Suburbs (South)
The Athenian Riviera — beach living, marina culture, tram to Syntagma Square. Verita International School in Glyfada; St. Lawrence College further south in Koropi. This is where digital nomads and coastal-lifestyle families concentrate. Rents: EUR 1,000-2,200/month.
Admissions: What to Know
Timing
Greece follows a September-to-June academic year. Main admissions run January through April, though most international schools accept rolling admissions year-round. Waiting lists are shorter than Dubai or Singapore, and mid-year entry is common — but top schools like St. Catherine's and ACS Athens fill popular year groups early. Apply by February for September if you want your first choice.
Entrance Assessments
Nearly every school requires some evaluation. Young children (ages 2-5) do a play-based assessment or classroom observation. From age 6, expect written assessments in English and Mathematics. ACS Athens requires maths and English proficiency testing for Grades 5-12. Byron College uses standardised age score tests. Costeas-Geitonas requires entrance exams with interviews and written components.
The Greek Language Question
Athens' language dynamic is straightforward for international families. Greek is everywhere — playground, shops, metro — and most international schools teach it as a second language. Some (Athens College, Pierce, Costeas-Geitonas, Doukas) use Greek as a co-language of instruction. For short postings, your child does not need Greek to thrive. For longer stays, acquiring it opens social doors that stay closed to monolingual English speakers. Children absorb it faster than adults expect.
Visas and Residency
EU/EEA citizens enroll freely. Non-EU families need a Greek visa or residence permit. Greece's Golden Visa (property investment EUR 250,000-500,000) and Digital Nomad Visa (remote workers earning EUR 3,500+/month) are both popular routes. Budget extra time for Greek bureaucracy.
Making the Decision
Visit three schools, not ten. Narrow by curriculum first, then geography. If IB results matter most, start with St. Catherine's and ISA. If you want the American tradition, ACS Athens is the only serious choice. If you want British without IB, Byron College and Campion are the established options. If value matters and you speak French, the Lycee Franco-Hellenique is in a class of its own. And if you are committing to Greece permanently, Athens College and Pierce offer something no international school can: the key to Greek society itself.
Visit during a normal school day. Watch the children at break time — in Athens, the energy will be louder and more physical than you expect. Listen for the language mix: are children switching between English and Greek naturally? The playground tells you more than any brochure.
One last thought. Athens teaches your children things no curriculum covers. They will learn that democracy was invented here — literally, at the Agora visible from some school windows. They will learn that ancient history is not something in a textbook but something under their feet, surfacing every time the metro digs a new tunnel. They will learn Greek words that have no English equivalent — "philotimo," a concept of honour and generosity that defines how Greeks relate to one another — and they will be better people for it.
Kali tychi. You have chosen well.
Explore all 23 Athens schools on Scholae to filter by curriculum, fees, and age group. Use the compare tool to put your shortlist side by side.
