Choosing an international school in Rome

Start a Rome shortlist with the child’s age and intended qualification. St. Stephen’s is a high school only. St George’s, American Overseas School of Rome and Lycée Chateaubriand also teach younger children.

Four different educational routes

St. Stephen’s, on the Aventine, takes Grades 9–12 and offers day and boarding places. Its American high-school programme leads to a school diploma, with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma in the final years. It is the relevant starting point among these four when a teenager needs boarding; it cannot accommodate a younger sibling’s primary education.

St George’s follows a British curriculum through IGCSE examinations. Its Sixth Form offers the IB Diploma or A Levels; A Levels were reintroduced for 2025–26. Compare the available subjects before choosing between the broad IB programme and more specialised A-Level study.

AOSR offers an American education from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12. Older pupils can pursue Advanced Placement (AP) courses or the IB Diploma alongside the school’s American diploma requirements. AP is a set of individual advanced courses and examinations, not a separate school-leaving diploma.

Chateaubriand follows the French curriculum from maternelle to terminale. It leads to the French baccalauréat, with an EsaBac route combining French and Italian qualifications. This is a useful option for French-curriculum continuity, not an English-medium IB alternative.

Map the child’s actual campus

St. Stephen’s is on Via Aventina. St George’s has its main campus at La Storta and a separate junior school near the Vatican. AOSR is on Via Cassia 811, north of central Rome.

Chateaubriand uses Strohl-Fern, near Villa Borghese, and the Patrizi/Malpighi sites near Porta Pia. Ask which site serves each sibling now and after the next school-stage transition.

A journey to the Vatican-side junior school does not establish whether La Storta will work later. Check a weekday journey to the relevant campus and ask for the current transport route.

Eligibility and the first-year budget

Chateaubriand’s admissions conditions require parents to reside in Italy during term. Applicants from outside the recognised French system take a placement assessment. Italian is taught to all pupils; it is not an optional substitute for French-language readiness.

The fee structures also differ. St George’s distinguishes parent-paid and employer-paid fees and includes lunch in annual tuition. AOSR lists a family capital assessment. St. Stephen’s separates day and boarding charges, while Chateaubriand bills tuition and compulsory lunch separately through troisième.

Ask for the applicable 2026–27 fee schedule and identify recurring tuition, first-entry charges and refundable deposits separately. For a long-term Italian plan, compare these options with the local routes explained in the Italy overview.

The Rome city page links the four full profiles.

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