Alicante · School search
The European School and King’s College Alicante have different eligibility rules, language choices and qualifications. Establish the admissions route before comparing fees.
European School Alicante in Playa de San Juan and King’s College Alicante on Glorieta del Reino Unido offer quite different routes.
The European School is part of the intergovernmental European Schools system and leads to the European Baccalaureate, not the IB. Its German, Spanish, French and English sections are assigned according to the child’s mother tongue or dominant language, not simply the family’s preferred teaching language.
Category I generally covers children of qualifying European-institution staff, including EUIPO families, and is tuition-exempt. Category II uses an employer agreement. Category III covers other families only where places are available. The published new Category III application window for 2026–27, 17 April–8 May 2026, is closed. Category I and II applications can be made during the year. Confirm the family’s category and the current procedure on the admissions page.
King’s is a private British day school from age two through Year 13. Its later options include the IB Diploma and A Levels. Choose it if a British curriculum is the priority, but confirm which Year 12 route and subjects are available for the intended cohort.
The European School publishes category-specific tuition and separate common expenses. Tuition exemption for Category I does not remove those common expenses. Meals and transport also need checking.
King’s 2026–27 table quotes three termly payments that include tuition, lunch, books, materials and technology. For an annual comparison, add all three stated payments and label the result as a calculation. Add registration and other separate charges. Some transport footnotes still referred to 2025–26, so obtain the current bus schedule.
Playa de San Juan and Glorieta del Reino Unido are different parts of the area. Test both from the home you are considering and ask about after-school transport. The European School says it does not arrange visits before admission, so do not build the shortlist around a promised tour.
Also consider local Spanish schools if your child can follow that curriculum. The Alicante hub, Spain guide and school profiles provide wider context.
Friendly orientation, not formal admissions advice. Always confirm dates with the school.
European School Alicante is a Type 1 European School in Playa de San Juan. Admission category and the child's dominant language determine how an application is handled. Category III entry depends on spare capacity, and its published 2026 application period has closed.
AlicanteA British day school from age 2 through Sixth Form. Confirm the IB or A-level route and budget from the three termly fees, with registration and transport considered separately.
Esplugues de LlobregatASB is a co-educational day school for ages 3–18 in Esplugues de Llobregat. Core teaching is in English, with Spanish and Catalan courses. Every graduate earns a US high-school diploma and can add an IB pathway.
BilbaoASB is a non-profit day school in Berango for ages 2–18. It offers the IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes in English. New Diploma entrants pay substantially more than continuing ASB pupils.
Start with the qualification your child would actually receive. Then check its subjects, language demands, and recognition in the countries where they may study next.
7 minStart with your child and the family's likely plans. Define the non-negotiables, verify the school's claims, compare three realistic options and visit with specific questions.
7 minTuition is only one line of the budget. Separate charges from advance payments, record what each figure includes, and ask the school to confirm your calculation in writing.
7 minA useful visit should help you picture your child’s school day and resolve the questions that matter to your family. Ask for concrete examples, then separate what you observed from what you were told.