The international schools worth moving around the world for

Wealth has never been more mobile and with this increased global mobility comes a heightened demand for international schools. Research from the Independent Schools Council underlines the point: today, 7.7 million pupils are enrolled at international schools, a 15 per cent rise in student numbers since 2020. 

“International schools are a key element in location decisions as they often offer International Baccalaureate (IB), British A-levels or American AP courses, all widely accepted by leading universities,” says Kelcie Sellers, Associate Director, Savills World Research. “These schools offer consistent curricula, [which is] often in English, essential for mobile families looking to minimise academic disruption.”

In an increasingly connected world, an international outlook is also critically important, says George Hartley, Head Master at Brighton College Madrid:  “One of the greatest strengths of an international school is the diversity of its community. The young people in our schools today will go on to study, work and collaborate across continents, so education should prepare them not only for the world as it is today, but for the world they are likely to inhabit in the future.”

Brighton College, established in Sussex in 1845, has expanded globally since 2011, now with an international network spanning Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and UAE. Europe is its next focus, with schools opening in Madrid and Rome from September  2027 and Lisbon promised for 2028.

In Portugal, advantageous tax policies, an affordable cost of living and the trend for remote working have seen the number of foreign residents there more than double in the past four years, according to government data. They’re representative of a new,  affluent and globally mobile group, who are free to make their own decisions on where to live rather than have an employer relocate them.

“Parents today are making a much broader decision than simply choosing a school. They’re often choosing a city, a community and a lifestyle for their family,” says Chitra Stern, Founder of United Lisbon International School. “Factors such as safety, quality of life, healthcare, transport links, proximity to an international audience and cultural opportunities all contribute to the family’s overall experience – one reason why Lisbon has become increasingly attractive in recent years.”

What should parents consider when choosing an international school? A healthy balance between international and local students is often a positive indicator,” says Stern. “And consider how well a school supports children with different linguistic backgrounds. 

Curriculum and university pathways are another key starting point, says Stern. Does the school offer the educational pathway that best suits the child, International Baccalaureate (IB), British or American for example, what does pastoral care look like and what extracurricular opportunities are on offer across sport, music, performing arts and community engagement?

Ultimately she advises to visit the school wherever possible. “Speaking with teachers, students and other families often provides the clearest insight into whether a school feels like the right fit both for the child and wider family.”

International families using the services of New York schools’ consultant Robin Aronow share a similar checklist. “They want to know about academic rigour, the social community, extracurricular activities, the colleges students ultimately attend and overall, the pros and cons of each school in the city for their child,” says Aronow. “Location may be crucial for some. I would say that some families I work with will only relocate once they have found a satisfactory school. For many, finding the right schooling really is the most important thing on their minds.”

For those considering where to live with schools in mind, here are some of the strongest options today:

Madrid, Spain

Madrid’s rapidly expanding international population has a correspondingly lengthy list of British curriculum schools to choose from. Top options include St George Madrid, International School of Madrid and Hastings School Madrid, all with pupils aged 2 to 18. 

Joining them in 2027 will be Brighton College Madrid, to offer a British education ending in the IB Diploma Programme to 850 children aged 3 to 18. 

“Brighton College Madrid will offer the very best of British education while embracing the richness of Spanish culture, creating a school that is both internationally minded and proudly rooted in Spain,” says Head Master George Hartley. Currently, around one in three pupils from Brighton College UK receive an offer from Oxford or Cambridge annually, with places regularly secured at Imperial College London, UCL, Stanford, Harvard, Princeton and leading Asian and European universities. 

Lisbon, Portugal

Several of Lisbon’s longer established international schools are closer to Cascais, including St Julian’s School in Carcavelos (rated a Top Ten Private School in Europe by Spear’s Education Index 2026) which follows the English curriculum up to GCSEs at 16 and then the IB. IPS Cascais British International School in Bicesse opens its newly built secondary school campus this autumn, and will prepare pupils for iGCSEs and A levels. 

In Parque das Nações, Lisbon’s most modern district, United Lisbon International School is the anchor of the Edu-Hub, a 50,000 square metre development with space for tech companies and start-ups. The school has 660 students representing over 50 nationalities, with students heading to a lengthy list of elite university destinations including Oxford, UCL, Brown and Duke, since opening in 2020. Its founder, Chitra Stern describes the Edu-Hub as a “collaborative campus promoting a real-world approach to lifelong learning, driven by digital transformation and innovative partnerships, an ecosystem for education and technology working side by side”.

Rome, Italy

Rome has a true global reach. Italy’s first British International School, St George’s, was established in 1958 and now operates in 28-acres of the most cosmopolitan city in Italy with 895 students aged 3 to 18 from over 110 nationalities. American Overseas School of Rome takes children aged 3 to 18 and offers IB and AP programmes, with a 92% at IB in 2026, and a 30:70 ratio of Italian to International students. Marymount International School is a private Catholic school in the north of Rome, offering IB and AP programmes, with pupils aged 2 to 18.

“The British style education we offer is more holistic than many continental systems with value placed not only on academics but also on sports, creative arts and community involvement, for example. I believe that provides a more immersive experience for students,” says the CEO and Principal at St George’s, Alex Crossman. “Currently around 45% of our students go on to UK universities and around 15% to predominantly Ivy League universities in the US.” 

New York, USA

“Securing a place at New York schools is extremely competitive, especially outside of the usual entry years of nursery, kindergarten, 6th and 9th grade,” notes Robin Aronow, Founder of School Search NYC. She helps place children from nursery up to 12th grade in private and public schools, advising international families on school selection, admissions processes and test preparation. “When choosing schools, parents must consider what each offers in terms of academics, social environment, languages taught and support offered. Factor in location too. Do you want to be on the Upper East or West Sides, Downtown, Brooklyn and so on.”

The British International School of New York in Manhattan’s Kips Bay, offers British and IB curricula to 312 pupils aged 3-18, in a small-by-design, intentionally international community known for highly personalized learning. “When a family relocates internationally, finding the right school is about more than finding the right curriculum. Children are navigating a new city, a new home and often a new culture all at once. Ideally, a school should become their first real sense of belonging, a place where they are known, welcomed and quickly feel that they have a community around them. When children feel that sense of belonging, they have the confidence to embrace everything their new home has to offer” says Janaquin Clark, Head of School, British International School of New York.

American International Schools include BASIS Independent in Brooklyn (with a 99% pass rate at AP in 2026) and Manhattan’s United Nations International School (UNIS) with over 1,400 pupils. “The city has a wide range of schools, from international to mainstream, traditional to progressive,” Aronow adds. “Parents who are realistic usually find one they are very pleased with.” 

Sydney, Australia

The Good Schools Guide warns that despite Sydney’s wide choice of international schools, many appear to prefer students expecting to stay for the longer term. Early planning is advisable, they say, as many of Sydney’s private schools are single sex with places for boys “considerably rarer.”

Top IB Schools include St Andrews Cathedral School, Redlands, Newington College, Westbourne College and Pymble Ladies’ College. Pymble, a non-selective school in 50 acres of the North Shore, takes children from 3 to 18. “It’s a big school with a big heart” says Principal Dr Kate Hadwen, pointing to notable achievements that include being the first school in the southern hemisphere to introduce studies in biotechnology and data science and the only independent school in Australia to be an Olympic Pathway School in recognition of its elite sports development programme.

Abu Dhabi, UAE

 Prestigious British public schools like Cranleigh, Repton and Brighton all have campuses in the Emirati capital, taking boys and girls aged 3 to 18. Cranleigh is the longest established, opening 13 years ago and now with 2,600 pupils on its two Saadiyat Island campuses. Students achieved 80% A to B grades at A level in 2025/6 and went on to universities like Cambridge, Brown and Columbia.

The British School Al Khubairat, a co-educational school for 3 to 18 year old pupils, has been established in Abu Dhabi for over 50 years and claims the largest subject choice of any local school. Its academic reputation is strong: 58% of students received A*/A grades at A Level and 66% at GCSE. “We provide an authentic, world-class British education in the heart of Abu Dhabi,” says Headmaster Mark Leppard MBE. “Our name reflects our commitment to both Arabic and English cultures and, as a not-for-profit organisation, everything we do is centred on what’s best for our students and community.”

KELCIE SELLERS, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, SAVILLS WORLD RESEARCH
kelcie.sellers@savills.com