Schools in Ixelles: the commune, the commute and EEB3

Ixelles (Elsene in Dutch) is one of the 19 communes of the Brussels-Capital Region, just south-east of the city centre. Choose it for its urban, international character and good transport; do not choose it on the assumption that a nearby school will take your child.

What kind of place Ixelles is

The commune covers about 6.3 km² and had 89,162 residents on 1 January 2026, according to the Brussels statistics institute IBSA. Just over half of residents (50.5%) are not Belgian nationals, and 37.1% hold another EU nationality. An internationally mobile family will not be unusual here.

Its layout matters for the school run. Avenue Louise and the Bois de la Cambre, which belong to the City of Brussels, split Ixelles in two. The larger eastern part runs from Porte de Namur down to Boondael and the university district. The smaller western triangle, around Châtelain and Avenue Brugmann, sits next to Saint-Gilles, Forest and Uccle. A flat in the western triangle and a school in the east can be further apart than the commune name suggests.

Getting to Boulevard du Triomphe

European School Brussels III is at Boulevard du Triomphe 135, in the eastern, university side of the commune. The closest metro is line 5: STIB’s station sheet for Delta lists metro 5 with connecting buses 71 and 72. Line 5 runs towards Herrmann-Debroux and Auderghem in one direction and through the centre to Anderlecht in the other.

The parents’ association runs a door-to-door bus service. Its transport office says it carries around 2,400 pupils a year and covers almost every Brussels commune; routes and timetables are not published online. Ask for the stop nearest your intended address before signing a lease. Plan any other journey on the STIB route planner at real school times.

The local Belgian options

School is compulsory in Belgium from age 5. In Brussels, families can choose between two publicly funded systems with different rules.

• French-speaking schools belong to the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles. Entry to the first year of secondary goes through a regulated registration period using a single form, the FUI; the official registration site sets the dates each year. Schools support newcomers who are still learning French; some run DASPA reception classes for eligible recent arrivals.
• Dutch-speaking schools belong to the Flemish Community. Brussels applications go through a central online registration system, with priority groups tied to Dutch: in primary, for example, children with at least one parent who speaks Dutch well; see inschrijveninbrussel.be.

Choose a local school if you expect to stay in Belgium and want your child to grow up in French or Dutch. Look elsewhere if you need continuity with an English-language or European curriculum during a short posting.

Where EEB3 fits

EEB3 is an official European School leading to the European Baccalaureate. It suits families who are eligible for the European Schools system, especially those whose child’s language section is allocated to Ixelles. Places are allocated centrally, so an Ixelles address is not an admissions criterion. Read the European School admissions guide for categories and allocation, and the EEB3 profile for sections, dates and fees.

Alternatives nearby

If EEB3 is not available, the Brussels school guide compares the city’s other options. European School Brussels I has sites in Uccle and Berkendael, close to western Ixelles. The fee-paying International School of Brussels is in neighbouring Watermael-Boitsfort. The Lycée français Jean-Monnet in Uccle follows the French national curriculum. The British School of Brussels is in Tervuren, outside the region.

Our view: rent in Ixelles because the commune suits your family’s life, then fit the school to the child’s language and expected length of stay. The Ixelles school list and Belgium guide give the wider picture.

Friendly orientation, not formal admissions advice. Always confirm dates with the school.