Benjamin Franklin International School vs St. Peter's School Barcelona
Benjamin Franklin International School and St. Peter's School Barcelona are both in Barcelona, about 3 km apart. Both schools offer IB programmes, and Benjamin Franklin International School also offers American. Published annual fees are €14,050 - 22,820 at Benjamin Franklin International School and €11,250 - 22,250 at St. Peter's School Barcelona, which puts Benjamin Franklin International School roughly 10% higher. Benjamin Franklin International School takes pupils from 3 to 18, and St. Peter's School Barcelona from 1 to 18. The two are similar in size, at around 720 and 600 pupils. Typical class sizes are 17 at Benjamin Franklin International School and 7 at St. Peter's School Barcelona.
BFIS Barcelona is located in Barcelona, Spain, at Martorell i Peña, 9, 08017 Barcelona. The school serves Nursery through Grade 12. It provides a comprehensive American curriculum complemented by the IB MYP and the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP). Over 63 nationalities are represented at BFIS.
Location
The school is located at Eduard Toldrà, 18, 08034 Barcelona, Spain. It is in the city of Barcelona. A safe and dependable bus service operates in partnership with Alianza Travi, with stops across Barcelona city, Sant Cugat and Castelldefels. The service is available from 2 years old, with supervisors on board.
Stages
Stages
Nursery through Grade 12 (PK-12)
Stages
Nursery; Primary Years Program; Middle Years Program; Diploma Program.
School type
School type
non-profit International American school in Barcelona
School type
The school is an international IB Continuum school. It offers the IB programs in English across Nursery to Diploma.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
Over 63 nationalities represented.
Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
A learning support team helps students with mild to moderate learning differences. BML Specialists provide targeted English language instruction for bilingual/multilingual learners.
Additional learning support
The Wellbeing Department provides psycho-pedagogical support to pupils, tailoring individual plans and coordinating with teachers and families. It supports emotional well-being, mental health and academic progress. Language Reception offers targeted language support for students who do not have a good knowledge of Spanish, Catalan or English in their first year, helping them join the regular groups.
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
Spain
Country affiliation
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Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
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Religious affiliation
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School day structure
School day structure
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School day structure
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Bus service details
Bus service details
Three private bus routes serve Primary and Secondary students: Route 1 Puerto Olímpico – Gràcia – Sarrià; Route 2 Plaça Universitat – Les Corts – Sarrià; Route 3 Sant Cugat – Sarrià.
Bus service details
The School Bus service is run by Alianza Travi and covers the city of Barcelona, Sant Cugat, and Castelldefels. The service is offered from 2 years old onwards, with supervisors on board. Alianza Travi will examine itineraries before the start of each school year to create the finest service for families.
Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Application & Enrollment Fees
- Application fee (all grades): EUR 250 (non-refundable). - Matriculation (re-enrollment) fee (individual billing): EUR 1,100 for first child; EUR 1,000 for each additional child (each year; non-refundable). - Matriculation fee (corporate billing): EUR 1,300 for first child; EUR 1,200 for each additional child (each year; non-refundable). - Entrance fee (one-time, new students): Individual billing: EUR 6,000 (non-refundable). For Nursery entrants this Entrance Fee may be paid over two years (50% + 50%). Corporate billing: EUR 6,700 (non-refundable). Entrance Fee payment may be split 50% with Matriculation on acceptance and remaining 50% before the start of the school year.
Tuition Fees — Annual and Per-Term (by year group)
Note: Annual tuition rates are published below. Per-term amounts shown are calculated by dividing the published annual tuition by three (the school calendar for 2026–2027 indicates an academic year running from September to June with the school year arranged across three main parts); per-term figures are rounded to the nearest euro.
- Individual billing — Annual / Per term: - Early Childhood (Nursery and Pre-K): Annual EUR 12,950 → Per term EUR 4,317. - Elementary School (Kinder–Grade 5): Annual EUR 17,000 → Per term EUR 5,667. - Middle School (Grades 6–8): Annual EUR 18,240 → Per term EUR 6,080. - High School (Grades 9–12): Annual EUR 21,720 → Per term EUR 7,240.
- Corporate billing — Annual / Per term: - Early Childhood (Nursery and Pre-K): Annual EUR 16,400 → Per term EUR 5,467. - Elementary School (Kinder–Grade 5): Annual EUR 20,000 → Per term EUR 6,667. - Middle School (Grades 6–8): Annual EUR 21,350 → Per term EUR 7,117. - High School (Grades 9–12): Annual EUR 25,430 → Per term EUR 8,477.
Optional Services and Other Fees
- Lunch (optional): Full-year payment EUR 1,780; monthly payment EUR 188; single lunch ticket EUR 12. (These lunch amounts are listed on the fees information as the previous-year figures and the school indicates 2026–27 prices are to be confirmed.) - School bus (optional): Sample route pricing listed (2025–26 amounts shown; 2026–27 prices TBC): - Routes 1 & 2 Barcelona (round trip): EUR 2,200; one way EUR 1,350. - Route 3 Sant Cugat (round trip): EUR 2,650; one way EUR 1,600. - One-way ticket Barcelona: EUR 8.80; Sant Cugat: EUR 15.50. - IBDP diploma/course/subject fees: Billed directly to families of students enrolled in the IB Diploma Programme. Additional charges for field trips, optional parties, extra-curricular activities, tutoring, and special programs are billed as appropriate. - Tuition insurance (optional): An AXA-offered tuition insurance program is available for an annual premium; premium depends on number and ages of students covered. - Uniform: No school uniform is required.
Billing Schedule & Payment Terms
- Pre-payment required: Matriculation fees (annual) and Entrance Fees (one-time) must be prepaid for enrollment and re-enrollment; these fees are non-refundable. - Payment frequency: Tuition, lunch, and bus fees may be paid either annually (single payment) or monthly. Monthly payments are due on the 5th of each month. - Late payment handling: The school issues a written notice 30 calendar days after a missed due date; interest/service charges are applied beginning 60 days after the due date and every 30 days thereafter (service charge determined by Banco de España). The school may suspend the student for unpaid fees and may refer uncollected debt to legal counsel. Final confirmation of a space for the following year is subject to settlement of all outstanding financial obligations.
Refunds, Penalties & Discounts
- Non-refundable fees: Application fee, Matriculation fee, and Entrance fee are non-refundable. - Early departure penalty: Any change of enrollment/length of stay must be communicated in writing before June 1 for the next school year. Changes communicated after May 31 incur an Early Departure Penalty equal to three months' tuition. Matriculation and Entrance Fees remain non-refundable regardless of departure notification. - Discounts: - Early annual tuition payment: 1.5% discount on tuition when paid in full annually. - Sibling discounts on tuition: third child receives 10% reduction; fourth child and thereafter receive 20% reduction. - Entrance fee discounts: 50% for the fourth child and thereafter; 50% for children of BFIS graduates. Application fee discount: BFIS graduate's children receive 100% waiving of the application fee.
Boarding
- Boarding: BFIS does not operate boarding facilities; students must reside full-time with at least one parent or legal guardian while enrolled.
Accepted Payment Methods & Practical Notes
- Payment methods for Entrance Fee and first-time Matriculation Fee: online by credit or debit card, or by wire transfer. All other fees (including re-enrollment Matriculation Fee) require direct debit (SEPA). A SEPA direct-debit form is used for recurring payments. - Currency: All published fees are quoted in euros (EUR).
(End of fee overview.)
Fee details
Enrollment fees
- EUR 4,500.00 — Enrolment Fee (Standard; non-refundable, one-time). - EUR 7,500.00 — Enrolment Fee (Adaptation; non-refundable, one-time; applied when the school requires an adaptation programme for language or other needs).
Annual registration fees and tuition by year group (main academic fees for the 2026/27 school year)
- Foundation F1 – F2: - Annual Registration Fee: EUR 1,800.00. - Tuition Fee (annual): EUR 9,450.00 (split into 8 monthly instalments of EUR 1,181.25 each). - Total Annual School Fee (Registration + Tuition): EUR 11,250.00.
- Foundation F3 – F5: - Annual Registration Fee: EUR 2,320.00. - Tuition Fee (annual): EUR 12,180.00 (split into 8 monthly instalments of EUR 1,522.50 each). - Total Annual School Fee (Registration + Tuition): EUR 14,500.00.
- Primary Years Y1 – Y5: - Annual Registration Fee: EUR 3,080.00. - Tuition Fee (annual): EUR 16,170.00 (split into 8 monthly instalments of EUR 2,021.25 each). - Total Annual School Fee (Registration + Tuition): EUR 19,250.00.
- Middle Years Y6 – Y9: - Annual Registration Fee: EUR 3,400.00. - Tuition Fee (annual): EUR 17,850.00 (split into 8 monthly instalments of EUR 2,231.25 each). - Total Annual School Fee (Registration + Tuition): EUR 21,250.00.
- PreU / Diploma Y10 – Y12: - Annual Registration Fee: EUR 3,560.00. - Tuition Fee (annual): EUR 18,690.00 (split into 8 monthly instalments of EUR 2,336.25 each). - Total Annual School Fee (Registration + Tuition): EUR 22,250.00.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Initial payment upon acceptance (newly admitted students): payment includes the Enrolment Fee (Standard or Adaptation as applicable) plus 16% of the annual School Fee. - From the second year onwards the annual fee is scheduled as follows: - February (of the previous academic year): 6% of the annual fee. - May (of the previous academic year): 10% of the annual fee. - September to April: the remaining balance is split into 8 monthly instalments (the published tuition figures are presented as an 8-month split). - Tuition is presented as an annual amount and also shown split into 8 monthly instalments; there are no per-term figures published (the school uses the instalment schedule above for invoicing).
Boarding fees
- Boarding is not listed among the school's services or fee items. School services published include day-school services such as school bus and dining room; no boarding provision or boarding fees are published.
Other costs and fees (billed separately or handled by external providers)
- Daily meals (lunch and a snack), standard classroom stationery and day trips (non-overnight) are included in the published school fees. - The following are explicitly billed separately or provided by external suppliers and are not included in the annual tuition total: - Overnight travel and annual residential trips. - School uniform (handled by external provider). - Transport services (school bus may be an extra service with its own charge). - Official examination fees (e.g., Cambridge ESOL, DELF, and final IBDP examination fees). - Learning resources and equipment: laptops (required from Year 3 onwards), reading books from Middle Years onwards, and Diploma Programme books. - Official school photos and occasional extra materials for special STEM projects.
Refund information
- The Enrolment Fee is stated as non-refundable and payable once in a lifetime. - No separate public refund policy for tuition or registration payments is published on the fees page; detailed refund terms for tuition instalments or withdrawals are not listed on the publicly published fee schedule.
Fee payment options
- The publicly published fee information and schedule do not specify accepted payment methods (e.g., bank transfer, credit card, direct debit) or the exact billing/invoice payment channels on the fee page.
Diving deeper
Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements
Boarding arrangements
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Boarding arrangements
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Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
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Uniform requirement
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Food options
Food options
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Food options
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House system
House system
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House system
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Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
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Governance and ownership
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Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
BFIS provides a comprehensive American curriculum from Nursery to Grade 12, complemented by the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) for Grades 6–10 and the Diploma Programme (IBDP) for Grades 11–12. The IBDP is a two-year program for Grades 11–12 that emphasizes critical thinking, interdisciplinary learning, and intercultural understanding. Students in the IBDP select six courses from Groups 1–6, with at least three at Higher Level, and complete the DP Core (Creativity, Activity and Service; Theory of Knowledge; Extended Essay). BFIS offers college counseling to support local and international university applications. In 2025, IBDP results show 58 total graduates, 57 diploma candidates, a 98% pass rate, and an average score of 35 (highest 45). BFIS is IB-accredited and located in Barcelona (Martorell i Peña, 9, 08017 Barcelona).
Curriculum details
St PETER'S offers the International Baccalaureate Continuum in English from ages 1 to 18, including Pre-IB (ages 1–3), Primary Years Programme (PYP, 3–11), Middle Years Programme (MYP, 11–16), and Diploma Programme (DP, 16–18). The DP is structured around six subject groups and three core components, including Theory of Knowledge, and the Continuum is taught through inquiry-based and concept-based learning with a multilingual approach (English as the main language of instruction; Spanish and Catalan integrated; French also included). In Spain, the IB Diploma is officially recognized by the Ministry of Education as a pathway to university access, and the school provides guidance on converting IB results for Spanish universities when required. The IB Continuum is designed as a coherent pathway from age 1 to 18, beginning with Pre-IB and flowing into PYP, MYP, and DP. The school is the only authorized Barcelona school to offer the IB Continuum in English across all stages.
Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
Class size is 20–22 students.
Student teacher ratio
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Exam results
Exam results
2025 IBDP results: 58 total graduates; 57 diploma candidates; 98% pass rate; 81% world pass rate; average DP score 35; highest score 45.
Exam results
In the most recent IB Diploma examination session, the average score was 35.3 points out of 45, the highest score was 44 out of 45, and the pass rate was 100%. Additionally, 75% of students achieved two or more points from the Core components, and 28% were awarded a bilingual diploma; the cohort consisted of 40 students.
Higher education progression
Higher education progression
University acceptances for 2025 include institutions across the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Ireland, and beyond, with examples such as American University, Boston University, Columbia University, Georgetown University, Loyola Marymount University, Northeastern University, Tufts University, University of Pennsylvania, University of San Diego, Villanova University, Virginia Tech, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, University of Sussex, Imperial College London, University College London, IE University, ESADE, Universidad de Barcelona, Leiden University, Maastricht University, and many others.
Higher education progression
Graduates are admitted to leading universities in Spain and internationally, including Universitat de Barcelona, ESADE Business School, IE University, IQS, La Salle, and, internationally, McGill University, University of Toronto, University of York, King's College London, and other top institutions as listed in the school's university acceptances documentation.
Gifted and talented
Gifted and talented
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Gifted and talented
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Academic calendar
Academic calendar
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Academic calendar
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Wellbeing & support
Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning
Social & emotional learning
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Social & emotional learning
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Special educational needs (SEN)
Special educational needs (SEN)
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Special educational needs (SEN)
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English as an additional language
English as an additional language
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English as an additional language
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Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
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Mental wellbeing
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Safeguarding
Safeguarding
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Safeguarding
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Safeguarding policy
Safeguarding policy
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Safeguarding policy
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Facilities
Facilities
Facilities overview
Facilities overview
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Facilities overview
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Sports facilities
Sports facilities
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Sports facilities
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Academic facilities
Academic facilities
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Academic facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
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Parent experience
Parent experience
History
History
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History
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Community
Community
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Community
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Parent teacher association
Parent teacher association
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Parent teacher association
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Extra-curricular
Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual
Academic & intellectual
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Academic & intellectual
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Arts & creative
Arts & creative
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Arts & creative
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Cultural & language
Cultural & language
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Cultural & language
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Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
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Social & hobbies
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Community & service
Community & service
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Community & service
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Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
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Leadership & professional
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
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Language provision
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Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
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Bilingual teaching
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Immersion programs
Immersion programs
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Immersion programs
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Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
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Awards
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Accreditations
Accreditations
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Accreditations
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Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
BFIS has a flexible, rolling admissions process for students aged 3–17 (Early Childhood–IBDP), year-round; siblings are accommodated. The four-step process is: 1. Online Application; 2) Assessments; 3) Review of Application; 4) Enrollment. Step 1: Applications are submitted through OpenApply; a non-refundable 250 Euro fee applies; documents must be original copies with English translations in PDF. Step 1 documents depend on grade; typical items include the Application Form, Health Form, Vaccination Records, Student Passport, Parents' Passports, Student Photo, School Report Cards, and Teacher Questionnaires. Step 2: Assessments vary by grade: Early Childhood includes an in-person observation (30–40 minutes) or video samples; Elementary can include in-person observation or video/work samples; Middle/High requires MAP Math and English and a writing sample; ESL considerations may apply. Assessments do not guarantee a place. Step 3: Admissions decisions are communicated within two weeks after completion of Step 1–2; outcomes include Qualified - Acceptance (space offered on a rolling basis) and Qualified - Waiting List (space offered when available; waitlist positions change). Step 4: Enrollment occurs when space is available; enrollment paperwork includes Enrollment Contracts, SEPA Direct Debit, updated Vaccination/Immunization Records, Doctor Health Form, Parent Health Form, Data Protection Consent, and guardian documentation as required; documents must be PDFs. BFIS may require a legal guardian residing in Spain and related documents (powers of attorney, BFIS Legal Guardian Form).
Admissions
The school has a policy of continuous enrolment, accepting applications and enrolling students throughout the year depending on available seats and the applicant profile. In February and March, the school holds in-person and virtual Open Days. For September admissions, apply by February. The three phases of the admissions procedure are: 1. Personal Interview with the family, where the admissions team interviews the family and student candidate to explain the school philosophy and programs (virtual interviews are available if the family is abroad). 2. Candidate Assessment, based on a personal interview with the candidate, an academic transcript from the previous school and references from the previous school; when necessary, the candidate undertakes an entrance test; learning difficulties or other specific needs should be communicated at the start of the application; fulfilment of these points is required for acceptance. 3. Acceptance and Enrolment, where accepted students complete additional documentation and pay tuition and other payments; if there is no place after acceptance, the admissions team will work to resolve the situation; preference is given to families already at the school and to students with strong references. For inquiries, contact +34 93 204 36 12.
Scholarships
Scholarships
No scholarships or financial aid are offered at BFIS currently.
Scholarships
Maria Rosa Culell Scholarship provides scholarships to students who wish to enrol in the IB Diploma Program and complete their baccalaureate at St PETER'S SCHOOL each year. These grants are merit-based and support students with excellent academic and non-academic achievements to ensure access to the two-year IB Diploma Program at St PETER'S SCHOOL. The application period for scholarships begins in November and ends in February.
Waitlist
Waitlist
BFIS uses a waiting list when a grade is full. A prioritization sequence determines which qualified students on the waitlist are offered space, and a candidate's position on the waitlist changes as others are added. When a place becomes available, the Admissions Office contacts the family by email.