Atlas American School of Malaga vs The American College in Spain

	A Atlas American School of Malaga Malaga, Spain	T The American College in Spain Malaga, Spain
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €500 - 16,350	Fees / year €6,250 - 16,600
Age range	Age range 3 - 18 years	Age range 15 - 18 years
Type	Type —	Type —
Curriculum	Curriculum American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP), IB (DP)	Curriculum American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP)
Pupils	Pupils 500	Pupils 100
Typical class size	Typical class size 16	Typical class size 12
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened —	Opened 2013
Bus service	Bus service Yes	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Estepona, Málaga, Spain. Calle Monda Nº2, Selwo Hills, 29680 Estepona. Selwo Hills area; sits on a municipal plot awarded through an administrative concession. Phone +34 952 938 155; admissions@atlas-asm.es.	Location Located in Marbella, Málaga Province, Andalusia, Spain. Address: CC La Alzambra, Urb. La Alzambra, 29660 Puerto Banús, Marbella. The campus has been operating in Marbella since 2013 as the first North American High School and University in Andalusia.
Stages	Stages Preschool (K1–K3, ages 3–6); Elementary School (1st–6th); Middle School (7th–8th); High School (9th–12th).	Stages High School and University (2+2 program) where students complete the first two years in Marbella and then transfer to a U.S. or other American university to finish their degree.
School type	School type Private international school offering the American curriculum.	School type Private international day school offering American-style High School and university programs; no boarding facilities.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix 40 nationalities create the international learning environment.
Additional learning support	Additional learning support Student Support Services including English as a Second Language and Spanish as a Second Language.	Additional learning support Personal academic advice is offered to all students.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation United States	Country affiliation United States
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details School bus service available.	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application and enrollment fees - Family Admission Fee: €2,000 (one-time, mandatory, non-refundable). - Annual Registration Fee: €500 per student (mandatory, non-refundable; charged mid-year for returning students). - Deposit: €1,000 per student (refundable once the student is correctly withdrawn or graduates and all financial obligations are settled). Tuition fees (installments and annual totals) - Preschool (K1 – K3) - 1st Installment (Sept–Dec): €3,420 - 2nd Installment (Jan–Mar): €2,565 - 3rd Installment (Apr–Jun): €2,565 - Annual total: €8,550 - Upfront payment (4% discount): €8,208. - Elementary School (Grades 1–6) - 1st Installment (Sept–Dec): €4,520 - 2nd Installment (Jan–Mar): €3,390 - 3rd Installment (Apr–Jun): €3,390 - Annual total: €11,300 - Upfront payment (4% discount): €10,848. - Middle School (Grades 7–8) - 1st Installment (Sept–Dec): €5,080 - 2nd Installment (Jan–Mar): €3,810 - 3rd Installment (Apr–Jun): €3,810 - Annual total: €12,700 - Upfront payment (4% discount): €12,192. - High School (Grades 9–11) - 1st Installment (Sept–Dec): €5,940 - 2nd Installment (Jan–Mar): €4,455 - 3rd Installment (Apr–Jun): €4,455 - Annual total: €14,850 - Upfront payment (4% discount): €14,256. - American High School Diploma (AHSD, Grade 12) - 1st Installment (Sept–Dec): €7,425 - 2nd Installment (Jan–Apr): €7,425 - Annual total: €14,850 - Upfront payment (4% discount): €14,256. - IB Programme - IB Year 1 (Grade 11) - 1st Installment (Sept–Dec): €6,540 - 2nd Installment (Jan–Mar): €4,905 - 3rd Installment (Apr–Jun): €4,905 - Annual total: €16,350 - Upfront payment (4% discount): €15,696. - IB Year 2 (Grade 12) - 1st Installment (Sept–Dec): €8,175 - 2nd Installment (Jan–Apr): €8,175 - Annual total: €16,350 - Upfront payment (4% discount): €15,696. Family discounts on tuition - 3rd child enrolled: 25% discount on tuition. - 4th child and additional children: 60% discount on tuition. - Discounts do not apply to corporate payments and are subject to review. What tuition fees include - Textbooks and basic school supplies for K1–G10, online licenses (where applicable), college counseling, transcripts, day field trips, laboratory supplies, and IB examinations (first sitting only). - Annual tuition insurance policy that covers continuity of studies in the event of the death of a parent/legal guardian (covers tuition only; does not cover lunch, bus service, registration fees, or other services). Fees and items not included (additional costs) - School uniform (not included). - Textbooks and online licenses for IB or Grades 11 and 12 (not included). - EAL (English as an Additional Language) or SAL (Spanish as an Additional Language) support: may incur an additional supplement of up to €300 per month if required. Enrollment in these programs is determined by the school. - IB certificates for American High School Diploma students: €600 per subject (one-time payment in Grade 12). - Fees for official-document recognition (Spanish diplomas, UNED registration) and AP exam costs: charged at cost. - After-school activities, extracurricular activities, and residential trips: separate costs and are billed separately (activities are paid on a semester basis). Students with outstanding payments will not be permitted to participate in school trips. Annual service fees (examples and installment breakdowns) - Bus service — One way: - Installments: €660 (1st), €495 (2nd), €495 (3rd). (G12: €660, €660 — two-installment structure where shown.) - Bus service — Round trip: - Installments: €800 (1st), €600 (2nd), €600 (3rd). (G12: €800, €800 — two-installment structure where shown.) - Lunch: - K1–G11: €580 (1st), €435 (2nd), €435 (3rd). - G12: €580, €580 (two-installment structure shown). - A daily menu is provided for Kindergarten through Grade 8; in Grades 9–12 lunch is optional and high-school cafeteria purchases are billed monthly on a high-school lunch card. Billing schedule and payment terms - Payment schedule for K1–G11: - 1st Installment due by September 1. - 2nd Installment due by December 1. - 3rd Installment due by March 1. - Payment schedule for Grade 12 (where two installments apply): - 1st Installment due by September 1. - 2nd Installment due by December 1. - The Annual Registration Fee is charged in March for the following school year. - Upfront payment discount: a 4% discount is applied to annual tuition paid upfront if received by June 30, 2026; the discount does not apply to lunch or transportation fees. Payments for upfront discount arrangements are handled through the school's Finance office (finance@atlas-asm.es). - Payment conditions and penalties: - Cash payments are not accepted. - All wire transfers must be received in a net amount; parents are liable for any bank charges. - A European bank account within the SEPA circuit is mandatory for direct-debit payments (tuition, lunch, etc.). - A €20 administrative penalty applies for bounced payments. - A €20 penalty applies to payments received after the specified due dates, plus an additional €20 per month for each month of delay. - Persistent late payment may result in interruption of schooling and the school reserves the right to cancel enrollment if non-payment persists. Withdrawal and refund policy - To withdraw a student, families must contact the Admissions Department (admissions@atlas-asm.es). - If a student withdraws during an installment period, no refund will be issued for the current installment. - Written notice must be provided at least one month prior to the next scheduled payment to avoid being charged for the subsequent installment. - The Deposit (€1,000 per student) is refundable once the student is correctly withdrawn or graduates and all financial obligations have been met. The Family Admission Fee and the Annual Registration Fee are non-refundable. Boarding - No boarding fees are listed; boarding is not indicated in the school's tuition and fees schedule. Fee payment options - Accepted mechanisms and requirements: - Wire transfer / bank transfer (payments must be received net). - SEPA direct-debit from a European bank account (mandatory for direct debit arrangements). - Cash payments are not accepted. - Credit-card payment is not specified in the fees schedule; parents should use bank transfer/SEPA or contact Finance for specific payment arrangements.	Fee details Application fees - Application fee: EUR 200 (one-time). Tuition fees by program and (per-term equivalents) - University Transfer Program (full-time): EUR 14,900 per academic year. Additional subject (if taken): EUR 2,320 per subject. Study materials (E‑Book/learning resources): EUR 1,200 per year. Testing fee (placement/preparation materials): EUR 400 (one‑time). Administration fee: EUR 500 per year. Application fee: EUR 200 (one‑time). - High School Program (full-time): EUR 13,200 per academic year. Extra subject: EUR 1,420 per subject. Study materials (E‑Book/learning resources): EUR 1,000 per year. Administration fee: EUR 500 per year. Transcript evaluation fee: EUR 150 (one‑time). The academic year is shown as 36 weeks and courses are organised by term; an equivalent per‑term figure (using a three‑term year as a standard reference) would be EUR 4,400 per term (annual tuition ÷ 3). - GED program (full-time): EUR 6,250 per course. Study material charge: EUR 400 per course. Administration fee: EUR 300 per year / per course (as published). - Academic English (full-time): EUR 8,150 per course (10–12 weeks; 18 hours/week). Study material: EUR 400 per course. Administration fee: EUR 300 per year / per course (as published). Additional and occasional fees - Study materials / learning resources: shown per program (University EUR 1,200 / year; High School EUR 1,000 / year; GED Academic material EUR 400 / course). - Administration fee: typically EUR 500 per year for University and High School; EUR 300 per year/per course for GED/Academic English (as published). - Testing / exam preparation fees: University testing fee EUR 400 (one‑time). Additional external exam costs (for example AP or GED external testing fees) are identified separately in course descriptions. - Transcript evaluation fee: EUR 150 (one‑time) for High School program. - SAT preparation course examples (optional): intensive summer SAT course price EUR 625 (includes materials); autumn/spring course price EUR 800 (includes materials). These are listed as separate course fees. Discounts and incentives - Sibling discount: 10% tuition discount for families with two or more children. - Early‑payment incentive: a 5% discount on total tuition is applied for payment of the entire academic year if paid before June 1. Billing schedule and payment terms - Admissions and reservation: following acceptance families receive payment instructions and are required to pay a deposit to guarantee a place; official acceptance letters and, where applicable, visa documents are issued after the deposit is paid. Invoices are issued together with the order/payment. Contract paperwork is completed and kept on file as part of the registration process. - Full‑year payment and term payment: the published fees are shown as annual amounts for each program; the school offers a full‑year payment option (with the early‑payment discount for payments made before June 1). Specific instalment or per‑term billing schedules and the exact timing of deposit/term payments are provided in the payment instructions issued upon acceptance. Boarding / accommodation fees - Boarding is not listed as a school‑run service. The college assists students who need accommodation by helping locate rental apartments, rooms with families (host families) or local hotels; those accommodation arrangements and any associated costs are arranged separately from tuition and are billed independently. No school boarding fee is published. Other costs parents should expect to budget for - Optional course extras (additional subjects): University EUR 2,320 per subject; High School EUR 1,420 per extra subject. - External exam fees (AP/GED/other) and possible travel/administration charges for external testing sessions. - Accommodation, local transport, meals, extracurricular trip costs and personal expenses for activities such as scheduled cultural or sporting trips (these are organised and billed separately). Refund information - The published General Conditions and admissions materials describe the invoicing and acceptance/payment process but do not present a detailed, itemised public refund schedule alongside the fee table. Payment instructions and contractual conditions accompanying acceptance detail the steps required to complete registration and invoicing; families are notified of the financial terms and receipt/invoice at the time of acceptance. Fee payment options - The school issues payment instructions upon acceptance and supplies the corresponding invoice. Specific accepted payment methods (for example bank transfer or card payment) are stated in those payment instructions and on the formal invoice that accompanies the acceptance. Contact details for administrative correspondence are published for payment and billing enquiries. If you need any of the specific fee lines restated in another format or converted into a different currency, the amounts above are the published figures in euros.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options —	Food options —
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership —
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details Atlas American School of Malaga follows the American academic curriculum and prepares students for university entrance in Spain or elsewhere. The program emphasizes both content knowledge and the development of skills, training students through reflection, inquiry, and communication. The curriculum provides access to Spanish and international universities. It is organized into four stages: Preschool (K1–K3, ages 3–6), Elementary School (1st–6th), Middle School (7th–8th), and High School (9th–12th). The school emphasizes collaborative inquiry and personalized learning to foster logical thinking, reading comprehension, public speaking, and other core competencies.	Curriculum details General Education at The American College in Spain is a core of common learning experiences that enables students to acquire and apply a broad foundation of knowledge, skills, and behaviors. The curriculum provides an overall learning across disciplines before students engage in their concentration, with literacy and communication skills reinforced throughout the program. General Education courses are taken during the first two years as prerequisites for higher-level coursework, and Keiser University's General Education courses are offered to fulfill transfer requirements. Core courses are required for graduation in each degree program. General Education Requirements for the Associate of Arts degree include coursework in Communication, Mathematics, Social/Behavioral Sciences, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and electives, plus the Speech Communication and a Computer Literacy requirement; the college is authorized to offer Keiser University's AA degree, with students able to transfer to Keiser or another American university to complete a bachelor's degree. ACS concentrates its principal studies in Humanities/Social Sciences (International Relations, Psychology, Political Science, Philosophy, History, English Language and Literature), Business (Business Administration, International Business, Economics, Accounting, Finance, Information Technology/Management), and Communication (Marketing, Public Relations, Journalism, Advertising).
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression Atlas American School of Malaga emphasizes university readiness and provides pathways to universities in Spain and abroad. Graduates have access to higher education institutions in both Spain and international locations. The program supports development of analytical, discourse, and communication skills to strengthen college applications. Graduates pursue higher education at universities around the world.	Higher education progression The American College in Spain maintains transfer agreements with a broad network of universities, enabling graduates to pursue higher education at partner institutions in the United States and beyond. Partner U.S. universities include Keiser University, Adelphi University, Arizona State University, Ball State University, College of Staten Island, Eastern Illinois University, Florida A&M University, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida International University, St. Bonaventure University, St. Thomas University, Troy University, Truman State University, SUNY Albany, University of Findlay, University of Kentucky, University of Missouri, University of North Alabama, University of South Florida, University of West Florida, Wayne State University, Western Governors University, Slippery Rock University, University of Cincinnati, Lynn University, California State University, IPAG Business School, Hult International Business School, St. Louis University Madrid, University of Gibraltar, Rennes School of Business, and others.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented Advanced coursework is available through Advanced Placement and Accelerated Options via Mizzou Academy (University of Missouri High School), including AP courses such as AP Calculus AB, AP Comparative Government and Politics, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP European History, AP Psychology, AP Statistics, and AP United States History.
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning —	Social & emotional learning —
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language —	English as an additional language —
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing —	Mental wellbeing —
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview —
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities —
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities —
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History —	History —
Community	Community —	Community —
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association —	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual —
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision —
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions Schedule a school tour to learn more about Atlas ASM. Complete the Online Application at atlas-asm.openapply.com/apply. After reviewing the student's academic history, an interview and placement test will be scheduled to assess academic capabilities. Final admission decisions are communicated by a formal admissions letter; admitted families receive a service provision agreement to sign by the indicated date and a bank deposit is required to finalize enrollment. Notification of admission: Upon notice of admission, you have 15 calendar days to confirm in writing your intention to enroll using the form included in the Notification of Admission; if not confirmed, the space is relinquished. Documents requested: school transcripts for the previous two years and the current year; applicant information; ID/passport copies; one letter of recommendation issued and sent from the admissions platform to the designated teacher, principal, or advisor. Non-native English speakers applying for grades 9–12 must provide results from the Duolingo English Test (DET) with a score of 120 or higher; the DET is computer-based and requires Google Chrome, a self-facing camera, and a microphone; results are available within 48 hours. Instructions to share DET scores appear at englishtest.duolingo.com/sharing. The admission process is conditional on the receipt of final grades for the current academic year. All G7–G11 students studying abroad must bring all original documents certified by the country of origin and with the Hague Apostille.	Admissions University Program admissions: 1. Submit the University Transfer Program application using the University Program Application Form; ensure all required documents are submitted to make the application valid; the academic department will review the submission and contact you to schedule an interview. 2. Provide required documents: Spanish High School Diploma or American High School Diploma or GED (minimum 2.0 GPA); International Baccalaureate (IB) with six subjects; International applicants provide TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo; SAT, ACT, or Wonderlic certificates are required; if you do not hold these qualifications, you may take them at ACS; a placement test may be given before registration to determine English and Mathematics levels, and if needed preparatory courses will be assigned; the Academic Department will interview all future students to determine compatibility with ACS's mission and programs and ACS tailors the pathway to help you access American university study; For Sports Program students, contact the registrar for more information. 3. Admission decisions are communicated by email or letter; if accepted, you will receive a payment instruction to guarantee your place; after payment, official acceptance letters may be issued to support visa processes. High School Program admissions: 1. Fill out the High School Program application; submit required documents; the department will contact you for the interview. 2. Pre-admission: provide original stamped copies of previous reports for evaluation by the United States; required documents: Registration Form; transcript evaluation fee €85; passport copy or DNI/NIE if Spanish. 3. Admission: after transcript evaluation, main registration can begin; all applicants must demonstrate a minimum level of English and Mathematics; a placement test will determine level; preparatory courses may be assigned; the Academic Department will interview all future students; 4. Acceptance: after the Admissions Department has made a decision, you will receive email or letter confirming acceptance; if accepted, you will receive a payment instruction to guarantee your place. 5. Admitted: after deposit is paid, official letters are issued to start visa process.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships >90% of ACS students go to the USA on scholarships.
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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