Sandefjord school search
Sandefjord offers two very different IB routes. Skagerak is an English-medium private day school from kindergarten through the Diploma. Sandefjord videregående is a county upper-secondary school with Pre-IB in Vg1 and a tuition-free IB Diploma in Vg2–Vg3.
The age of the child usually decides which Sandefjord option belongs on the shortlist. Skagerak International School can provide English-medium education from kindergarten onward. Sandefjord videregående skole is relevant only at upper-secondary age.
Both use International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes, but one is a private continuum and the other is a public two-year Diploma route after the first upper-secondary year.
Skagerak’s main campus is on Framnesveien in Sandefjord. It offers the IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes. The school describes itself as Norway’s only authorised full IB continuum.
Its separate Tønsberg site is on Baglergaten. The primary programme there is authorised, while the middle-years provision is described as an IB candidate programme. Confirm which campus holds the child’s year before comparing housing or transport.
Skagerak is a day school, not a boarding school. It is the practical fit when a child needs English before upper-secondary level, wants continuity across IB stages, and can meet the school’s admission and fee conditions.
The current public fee pages still use calendar-year figures. They show NOK 22,400 for January–April 2026 in both primary and middle school, followed by the same monthly pattern in autumn. Kindergarten is shown as NOK 1,200 per month for the charged months. High school publishes a state-supported contribution of NOK 14,865 for spring 2026.
The school says a new fee structure takes effect on 1 January 2027, but the replacement figures were not visible on the official pages reviewed on 4 September 2026. Ask for a written total covering the child’s exact start and the change of calendar year. High-school students classed as international may have to pay an unpublished tuition amount upfront, so eligibility for the supported rate is an essential budget question.
Sandefjord videregående is on Krokemoveien. Pre-IB is a version of Vg1, the first year of Norwegian upper-secondary education, with some teaching in English. The full IB Diploma is taught in English during Vg2 and Vg3.
A pupil can apply to the Diploma after Vg1 studiespesialisering, Pre-IB or an equivalent first upper-secondary year abroad. A pupil coming from a different study-preparatory programme may have to complete missing subjects separately.
The county’s live IB page states that there are no fees for the IB Diploma programme. This is therefore the stronger financial fit for an older pupil who can enter at the correct stage and does not need an English-medium school before Vg1.
Applications go through Vigo. The ordinary annual deadline is 1 March; priority or individual-treatment cases use 1 February. A Diploma applicant also sends the subject-choice material requested by the school. The 2026 main round is over, so a family seeking a place during the current year should contact the county intake office rather than assume a late vacancy.
Choose Skagerak if the child needs English throughout primary or lower secondary, or wants one school across several IB programmes. Choose Sandefjord vgs if the child is ready for Vg1 or the two Diploma years and a public Norwegian route is acceptable.
At Skagerak, English is the school language from the earlier stages. At Sandefjord vgs, the Diploma is English-medium, but the wider school and the admission system are Norwegian. A pupil entering Pre-IB should ask exactly which subjects are taught in English.
Also compare the next likely move. The IB Diploma can travel well, but a younger child who may remain in Norway should build enough Norwegian for education and social life outside the international classroom.
The Norway guide explains the national stages. The language guide helps assess an English route against local integration.
The Sandefjord city hub keeps both profiles together.
Friendly orientation, not formal admissions advice. Always confirm dates with the school.
Sandefjord vgs offers Pre-IB in Vg1 and an English-medium IB Diploma in Vg2–Vg3. Check county eligibility, subject compatibility and the application timetable before planning a transfer.
SandefjordSkagerak offers an English-medium IB route in Vestfold, but families must distinguish the Sandefjord and Tønsberg campuses. Its 2026 fee pages publish instalments rather than a clear academic-year total, and the site gives conflicting descriptions of the Tønsberg programmes’ IB status.
BergenA public upper-secondary school in central Bergen offering English-taught Pre-IB and IB Diploma routes. The pupil and parent or guardian must live in Vestland. Direct MYP entry has exact grade, project and two-year conditions.
TrondheimBirralee provides an English-medium route from Year 1 to IGCSE in central Trondheim. It receives state support and publishes modest monthly fees, but pupils must move elsewhere for upper secondary school and the IB Diploma.
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.