Sweden · Danderyd
BISS is an English-medium day school for ages 3–18. It uses two Danderyd campuses and leads from British and international curricula to IGCSE and the IB Diploma. Families need to establish admissions eligibility, support capacity and the effect of Swedish subsidy rules on their bill.
British International School of Stockholm (BISS) is a co-educational, English-medium day school for ages 3–18. It is operated by the non-profit Stiftelsen Borgen 2 and was founded in 1980.
The school has two sites in Danderyd. Nursery through Year 6 attend Altorp in Djursholm. Years 7–13 attend Ekeby in Danderyd. The move to Ekeby therefore occurs at Year 7.
BISS suits families seeking a British-oriented route through Cambridge IGCSE, followed by the IB Diploma. It does not offer A levels or a Swedish national secondary qualification.
Foundation combines Nursery and Reception for ages 3–5. It follows the UK Early Years Foundation Stage and adds specialist teaching in Swedish, music, physical education, computing and library skills.
Primary covers Years 1–6, broadly ages 5–11. English and mathematics use Cambridge Primary. The International Primary Curriculum connects areas including history, geography, design, technology and innovation.
Years 7–9 follow an international curriculum aligned with the British system. Subjects include English, mathematics, science, humanities, computing, arts, physical education, Swedish, and either French or Spanish.
Years 10–11 lead to Cambridge IGCSE, the International General Certificate of Secondary Education. These are subject qualifications normally completed around age 16. English Language, English Literature, mathematics, Coordinated Science, Swedish and physical education form the published core. Pupils select four further subjects from option blocks that can change annually.
The school says pupils usually study eight or nine IGCSE subjects plus Swedish. Its secondary page also says pupils prepare for Swedish national tests. Confirm how those results support any intended move to a Swedish gymnasium.
Years 12–13 offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, a two-year pre-university programme. Most pupils pursue the full Diploma, while some take individual IB courses. Individual course results are not the full Diploma. The current IB record confirms Diploma authorisation since 13 June 2019, English instruction and day-only provision.
BISS publishes its current IB subject menu, but availability can depend on demand and timetabling. Ask the school to confirm the subjects available for the intended entry year, particularly combinations at Higher Level, the more demanding study level.
The Council of British International Schools (COBIS) directory lists BISS as an Accredited Member. The school also identifies itself as a registered Cambridge centre authorised to deliver IGCSE.
The live admissions page accepts applications throughout the year when space exists. It describes no general entrance examination. The file requires recent reports, identification and any relevant learning-support assessments.
A placement, language or learning-needs conversation may follow. The school then decides whether it has a suitable place and can meet the pupil’s needs. An offer states the year group, fees and start date.
The currently linked admissions policy is still labelled 2025–26. It says applicants must meet at least one of four categories used for international schools under Swedish law:
The policy gives waiting-list priority in this order:
Application date breaks a tie within the same priority group.
Treat that ordering as provisional for a new application. The policy states that its next review is due in September 2026, and BISS has not yet posted a replacement.
Placement normally follows the pupil’s age on 31 August. The Director may approve a rare exception after reviewing previous-school or educational-psychology evidence.
Late entry needs careful academic checking. A Year 11 arrival may be unable to complete every IGCSE subject because courses begin in Year 10.
The 2025–26 policy also sets academic conditions for Year 12. It names five IGCSE passes at A*–C, including English, mathematics and a science. External applicants need at least 100 on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4) for the full Diploma route.
Applicants below that score may take individual IB courses in stronger subjects, with study levels agreed with the Diploma coordinator. Confirm the current thresholds and intended qualification before applying.
English is the principal teaching language. The FAQ says younger entrants can receive English as an Additional Language support for as long as needed. IGCSE and IB applicants must already have sufficient English.
The school may recommend additional language tuition outside BISS, paid by the family. Ask whether that recommendation is optional or a condition of continued enrolment.
Swedish is taught across the school. In the IGCSE years, BISS describes First Language, Additional Language and New Language routes. The first two follow Swedish curricula, according to the secondary page.
That provision does not turn IGCSE and IB into Swedish national qualifications. Families considering a later Swedish transfer should obtain written advice from the destination school or admissions authority.
The inclusion team works in classrooms, small groups and individual sessions. The school describes its normal capacity as mild to moderate needs within a mainstream setting.
More complex needs receive only limited provision. BISS accepts a small number of pupils needing support throughout the day, case by case, with the cost paid by parents.
Disclose educational, behavioural, emotional, physical and language needs before admission. Withholding relevant information can cause the school to review enrolment or withdraw a place. Request a written support plan and complete price before accepting.
The current fee grid applies to pupils with a Swedish personal number who are registered with their local municipality. The figures already take expected municipal subsidy into account, but the family still pays BISS directly.
| Year group | Annual tuition |
|---|---|
| Foundation | SEK 179,000 |
| Years 1–4 | SEK 132,000 |
| Year 5 | SEK 134,000 |
| Year 6 | SEK 139,500 |
| Years 7–8 | SEK 144,000 |
| Year 9 | SEK 154,000 |
| Years 10–11 | SEK 172,000 |
| Years 12–13 | SEK 180,000 |
The Year 1 row gives SEK 179,000 when the pupil is not subsidy-eligible. The payment terms also say Foundation pupils and some younger Year 1 pupils are charged a fee that includes the subsidy shortfall.
If any other pupil lacks a personal number or the subsidy is refused, the family pays an additional shortfall. BISS does not publish that amount by year group. Obtain a written gross quotation before accepting.
The school also says Years 12–13 funding depends on approval and municipal discretion. It identifies non-EU diplomatic families as generally ineligible for this subsidy.
One-time charges are SEK 3,000 per application, capped at SEK 9,000 per family, and SEK 60,000 enrolment for each first or second child. The enrolment fee falls to SEK 50,000 from the third child.
The application fee is non-refundable. A new, subsidy-eligible Year 7 pupil therefore has a calculated first-year total of SEK 207,000 before separately charged items.
Tuition normally covers school activities and services unless the school identifies an extra. The payment terms name after-school care, extracurricular activities and residential trips as possible extras, but publish no current prices.
The third child receives a 5% tuition discount and the fourth or later child 10%. It applies to younger siblings only while at least three children attend simultaneously.
The fee page opens with an older SEK 127,050–178,500 range. Its FAQ also shows the previous SEK 2,500 application fee and SEK 7,500 family cap. The dated 2026–27 grid and payment terms support the figures used above.
Paid sums securing the next term are final. The refund policy gives no refund, reduction or transfer because of delayed entry, absence or withdrawal. It sets no separate published notice window, so request a dated exit calculation.
BISS has no boarding or school bus. After-school care exists, but its current hours, age coverage, capacity and price are not published on the reviewed page. Extracurricular activities may also cost extra.
There is no general uniform, although pupils need the BISS physical-education kit. Ask separately about meals, devices, local travel, trips and daily start and finish times.
A personal number is not required to submit the school application. It is, however, central to the published subsidy-based price. Registration duties sit with the parent or guardian.
A school place is not itself permission for the family to live in Sweden. A non-EU or non-EEA pupil can use upper-secondary study as a permit basis only for IB or an organised international exchange. The Migration Agency requires final full-time admission and payment of applicable tuition.
Permit applicants must also meet passport, financial-maintenance and applicable health-insurance requirements. Under-18 applicants need guardian consent and details of privately arranged accommodation. Other rules apply to EU/EEA and Swiss citizens and certain long-term residents. Because BISS is day-only, families must arrange lawful residence, housing and adult supervision independently.
BISS is a coherent option for families wanting English-medium education from early years through IGCSE and the IB Diploma. The curriculum route is portable, but it is not the Swedish national pathway.
The financial offer should show tuition, subsidy assumptions, any gross shortfall, extras and the amount immediately due. Also request the current admissions policy and the withdrawal calculation that would apply if the family’s move ends early.
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.
ISSR offers municipal IB education in English. Grades 0–9 require a temporary family work contract; Grades 10–12 also admit local applicants. The school is temporarily in Johanneshov through June 2028.
StockholmKungsholmen offers Swedish university-preparatory programmes, including three taught in English. New applicants are not applying for IB. Swedish-language and Stockholm-region registration requirements still apply.
Stora EssingenLFSL is a natural Stockholm choice for a child who needs continuity with the French system. The important decisions concern language readiness, the senior qualification, and municipal funding. A Swedish personal identity number does not by itself secure the lower fee.
StockholmSIS offers English-medium IB education on two central campuses. Admission requires an international connection. Published parent fees remain payable alongside municipal funding, and a funding shortfall costs extra.
Stockholm has private and municipal international routes, but eligibility is programme-specific. A personnummer alone does not guarantee subsidised fees.
7 minStart 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.