Spain · Esplugues de Llobregat
ASB 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.
The American School of Barcelona (ASB) is an independent, non-profit, co-educational day school. Its single campus is at c/ Jaume Balmes 7, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat.
The school serves PK3 through Grade 12, usually ages 3–18. Early Childhood covers PK3, PK4 and K5. Elementary is Grades 1–5, Middle School Grades 6–8, and High School Grades 9–12.
ASB is a practical fit for families seeking an English-medium American education with Spanish and Catalan study. Its senior options include the IB Diploma and the newer IB Career-related Programme.
It is not a boarding school. A pupil must live in the Barcelona area with at least one parent or legal guardian.
ASB’s 2025–26 profile describes the school as accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. It does not publish the current MSA accreditation expiry date.
The same profile says the school is authorized by the Spanish and Catalan education ministries. The Generalitat’s foreign-studies directory lists ASB as a private, daytime North American-system school under centre code 08041738.
The IB’s own directory confirms two separate authorizations. The Diploma Programme was authorized on 15 November 2006, and the Career-related Programme on 3 July 2025.
ASB says it has taught the Diploma Programme since 2009 and introduced the Career-related Programme in September 2025. Authorization and first teaching are different dates.
Core academic subjects are taught in English. ASB says its standards include the Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards.
Spanish and Catalan are part of the curriculum, but ASB does not describe every subject as trilingual. In Grades 9–10, Spanish can include language plus Spanish geography or history.
Catalan pupils can take Catalan language and literature. Newer learners can use Catalan Language Learning or language-and-culture courses, depending on grade and placement.
Spanish is available from Grade 1 at beginner, intermediate, advanced and native levels. French becomes an elective from Grade 9.
IB pupils may also have access to a school-supported self-taught Language A course. Course availability and any extra supervision cost should be confirmed for the intended year.
Every graduate completes the US high-school diploma. The 2025–26 profile requires 22 full-year course credits across High School, rather than 22 credits each year.
| Diploma requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| English | 4 |
| Social Studies | 3 |
| Mathematics | 3 |
| World Language | 3 |
| Science | 3 |
| Physical Education | 2 |
| Electives | 3 |
| Community Service | 1 |
Grades 11–12 can add the full IB Diploma Programme. This requires six subjects plus Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and Creativity, Activity and Service.
A pupil may instead take individual Diploma Programme courses and receive subject results. Those certificates are not the full IB Diploma.
The IB Career-related Programme (IBCP) combines at least two Diploma Programme courses, the IBCP core and a career-related study. Successful pupils also receive ASB’s US diploma.
The live IBCP page lists pathways involving BTEC, Savannah College of Art and Design, Arizona State University and international sports management. Some components are delivered online.
The older 2025–26 profile describes only the Pearson BTEC business pathway. A 2027 applicant should confirm which pathways will actually run and what each provider awards.
ASB’s current qualification pages do not list a Spanish Bachillerato as a school-awarded diploma. Families targeting Spanish universities should obtain written advice on homologation and university access.
ASB accepts applications throughout the year. As of 4 September 2026, it has not published a separate 2027–28 admissions calendar or a vacancy table by grade.
Its current FAQ gives 31 January as the recommended complete-file date for September admission. It says decisions follow in mid-to-late February, after vacancies are known.
The FAQ does not label that date specifically as the 2027 deadline. A family seeking September 2027 should confirm it before treating it as a fixed cycle deadline.
Two admissions events are already dated. The virtual Open House is 10 December 2026, 14:30–15:30. The campus Open House is 30 January 2027, 11:00–12:30.
At other times, a complete application is reviewed on a rolling basis. ASB says notification usually takes about two weeks, although assessment or missing evidence can extend that period.
Mid-year entry is possible only where a place exists. An applicant transferring into the IB Diploma is considered exceptionally and must have compatible subjects.
That IB transfer pupil must be able to join by 15 October. ASB does not attach a year to this recurring cut-off, so confirm it for the proposed entry cycle.
The online application requires academic records and teacher references. Standardised test results may also be required, depending on the grade.
ASB assesses English and mathematics in person or online. It decides the exact assessment after reviewing the completed file.
Early Childhood assessment covers fine and gross motor development, cognitive skills, English, social development and emotional maturity. When an in-person meeting is impossible, ASB requests a short video.
A file is complete only after all documents, assessments and the €250 non-refundable application fee have been received. That fee remains valid for up to two academic years.
PK3 applicants must be toilet trained and able to feed themselves before starting. The current 2026–27 grade chart links PK3 to age three and birth year 2023.
ASB has not published a 2027–28 age chart. Families near a cut-off should request the next chart rather than advancing the 2026–27 birth years themselves.
ASB is selective. It considers academic history, social maturity, English proficiency, motivation, teacher references and admissions assessments.
Grade 11 applicants must have passing grades in every Grade 9 and Grade 10 subject. The school can decline an otherwise suitable applicant when it cannot meet the pupil’s support needs.
Among equally qualified applicants, ASB gives priority consideration without a stated order to:
These factors do not guarantee admission. The Admissions Committee makes the final decision.
A qualified applicant enters the waiting pool when the grade is full. The pool is not ranked and does not operate first-come, first-served.
When a waiting-pool place becomes available, the committee reassesses the pool against the class. The selected family has three business days to accept and pay the matriculation fee.
The general offer process allows one week for the matriculation fee and four weeks for the capital levy. Both must be paid before the first day if that arrives sooner.
A waiting-pool position lasts one year and gives no priority in the next cycle. The family must reapply, although the application fee remains valid for two academic years.
ASB gives preference to native and advanced English speakers. If space permits, it can consider beginner English in PK3 through Grade 2.
Applicants to Grade 3 and above are expected to have advanced English, particularly in reading and writing. The school publishes no test score defining “advanced.”
ASB does not describe a full English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme, its staffing or its fees. Families should ask what support is available during lessons before applying.
Little or no Spanish does not prevent admission. ASB offers Spanish-learning levels from Grade 1 and separate native-level language, literature and history courses.
No equivalent public entry threshold is given for Catalan. The curriculum lists Catalan Language Learning and language-and-culture options for some grades.
Elementary and Middle School offer limited help for mild learning disabilities. Provision can include early-literacy support and short-term targeted academic intervention.
High School support is also limited. The FAQ gives organisational strategies and extra assessment time as examples.
Applicants must be able to access the regular curriculum with limited support. ASB says it cannot admit pupils needing extensive curriculum modification or constant one-to-one support.
Families should submit current individual plans, school reports and medical or psychological evaluations before applying. Admission depends on the Student Support Team’s judgement and current resources.
The public pages give no support-staff numbers, service frequency, assessment cost or separate fee. A family should request a written plan and complete cost before accepting.
ASB publishes no current physical-access audit. Its accessibility statement addresses the website, not ramps, lifts, accessible toilets, evacuation or transport.
A pupil with mobility, sensory or medical needs should arrange an individual campus review. It should include every relevant classroom, specialist area, bus and emergency procedure.
ASB publishes different rates according to who pays. The family rate applies when the family pays, while the corporate rate applies when an employer pays on its behalf.
| Division | Family tuition | Corporate tuition |
|---|---|---|
| PK3 half-day | €9,404 | €11,630 |
| PK3, PK4 and K5 full-day | €14,114 | €17,447 |
| Grades 1–5 | €19,407 | €23,327 |
| Grades 6–8 | €22,237 | €26,766 |
| Grades 9–12 | €27,062 | €32,534 |
These are the latest published annual tuition figures, for 2026–27. ASB has not published 2027–28 rates.
| 2026–27 charge | Family rate | Corporate rate | Published treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application | €250 | €250 | One-time; non-refundable |
| New-student matriculation | €975 | €1,170 | Due within one week; non-refundable |
| Capital levy, PK3–K5 | €3,000 | €3,450 | One-time; non-refundable |
| Capital levy, Grades 1–12 | €6,000 | €6,900 | One-time; non-refundable |
| Re-enrolment | €975 | €1,170 | Annual for returning pupils; non-refundable |
The detailed PDF calls the new-student matriculation fee one-time. The summary webpage calls it annual, but the same PDF separately defines the annual re-enrolment fee.
The capital levy is due within four weeks of acceptance, or before the first day when sooner. It is not credited against tuition.
The fee PDF says the Early Childhood capital levy is due on that timetable. The Little Lynx page instead says every PK3 pupil pays €1,000 annually over three years.
PK3 families should resolve that conflict in writing. They should also confirm whether the instalment treatment applies to the corporate rate.
Using the detailed PDF’s upfront figures, the first-year totals before optional services are:
| Division | Family total | Corporate total |
|---|---|---|
| PK3 half-day | €13,629 | €16,500 |
| PK3–K5 full-day | €18,339 | €22,317 |
| Grades 1–5 | €26,632 | €31,647 |
| Grades 6–8 | €29,462 | €35,086 |
| Grades 9–12 | €34,287 | €40,854 |
Each total combines application, new-student matriculation, capital levy and tuition. It excludes meals, transport, activities, trips and any additional course or support charge.
Families can prepay the full year by direct debit or bank transfer. The 2026–27 schedule offered a 3% tuition discount for payment by 28 February 2026.
That deadline has passed, and no 2027–28 equivalent is published. For 2026–27, first-semester payment was due 1 July 2026 and second-semester payment is due 1 January 2027.
Monthly tuition uses 12 direct debits from July through June. It requires an account supporting Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) direct debits. For 2026–27, a pupil admitted after 1 July 2026 is billed in ten instalments from September.
A newly arriving family without a SEPA account can have up to two months after acceptance to provide one. Otherwise, only full-year or semester prepayment is available.
ASB accepts neither cash, credit cards nor cryptocurrency. It permits an optional advance deposit for extra expenses, but publishes no refund or reconciliation terms for that balance.
The third simultaneously enrolled child receives 10% off tuition and the capital levy. Each additional child receives 20% off both charges.
The capital discount does not apply in Early Childhood. Children of ASB graduates receive an application-fee waiver and a €2,000 capital-levy discount in Grades 1–12.
For securing a 2026–27 place, the PDF set 20 January 2026 as the standard re-enrolment deadline. An uncertain family could request a hold from 28 February through 31 May 2026.
That extended hold cost €2,000 per pupil instead of the standard re-enrolment amount. The fee was non-refundable. ASB has not published the equivalent 2027–28 dates or amount.
ASB says tuition and fees for the whole year become due after enrolment, whichever payment schedule the family chooses. Every change must be notified in writing with the planned departure date.
For a mid-year departure, the family must give three months’ written notice. Tuition for those three months remains payable.
For a change affecting 2026–27 before it began, written notice by 1 June 2026 produced a full refund of prepaid tuition and lunch. Later notice triggers a three-month tuition penalty.
The new-student matriculation fee, capital levy, application fee and re-enrolment fee are non-refundable. The public schedule gives no late-payment interest or collection charge.
Under the 2026–27 schedule, a new one-semester pupil accepted by 30 June 2026 still owes full-year tuition. Later acceptance produces a proportional charge.
A pupil accepted for the start of the year also owes full tuition if arrival is delayed. A genuine mid-year entrant must arrange full payment or monthly instalments before the first day.
The policy wording combines full-year liability with a three-month notice rule. A family planning an early departure should request a written calculation before enrolling.
The only public scholarship is Little Lynx, for pupils entering PK3 in 2026–27. It reduces tuition by 15% to 35%, according to financial need.
Applicants must be long-term Spanish tax residents, either Spanish nationals or NIE holders. The page gives preference for English, Spanish and Catalan fluency and for children of alumni.
The award is reviewed automatically each year through Grade 6. Before Grade 7, the family must submit updated financial information and the amount can change.
The scholarship page says awards are rolling and current ASB families can apply. It does not publish a 2027–28 application cycle.
Its checklist includes the €250 application fee, while the general fee policy waives that fee for alumni children. An eligible alumni family should confirm which rule applies.
ASB publishes no general financial-aid programme for other entry grades. Families should not assume the PK3 award can be transferred to a sibling or a later entrant.
The 2026–27 fee PDF labels optional prices as subject to change.
| Optional annual service | Published price |
|---|---|
| Lunch | €1,700 |
| Barcelona bus, return | €2,035 |
| Barcelona bus, one-way | €1,485 |
| Sant Cugat bus, return | €2,145 |
| Sant Cugat bus, one-way | €1,540 |
| Sitges or Castelldefels bus, return | €2,365 |
| Sitges or Castelldefels bus, one-way | €1,760 |
ASB’s campus page says seven routes cover Barcelona, Castelldefels, Sitges and Sant Cugat. A monitor travels on each bus, and pupils of all ages may use the service.
The services page also names Gavà. Families should ask whether the intended address is currently served and whether the route is billed under the Barcelona or coastal band.
Lunch is prepared on campus. The public fee schedule gives no ad-hoc meal rate or cancellation terms beyond the next-year 1 June refund rule.
After-school activities and optional trips cost extra, but current prices are not published. Pamoja online IB courses can also carry an additional fee.
No public schedule identifies separate IB examination or IBCP provider charges. A Grade 11 family should request a pathway-specific budget before choosing courses.
ASB has no boarding facilities. Its FAQ requires every pupil to live in the Barcelona area with at least one parent or legal guardian and discourages student housing.
An admission offer is not Spanish immigration permission. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens staying longer than three months generally register as residents within three months of entering Spain.
ASB does not publish visa sponsorship, guardianship or accommodation services. A relocating family should obtain official immigration advice before accepting and should ask what school documents ASB can issue.
Use the Barcelona school search guide and the broader Spain admissions guide to compare routes and locations.
Official pages and documents we read. If a figure matters to your budget or your application, open the link and confirm it is still current.
Friendly orientation, not an application. Dates, fees, and programme details move. Confirm everything with the school.
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