Brussels American School vs The International School of Brussels

	B Brussels American School Brussels, Belgium	T The International School of Brussels Brussels, Belgium
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €28,499 - 31,519	Fees / year €22,590 - 49,715
Age range	Age range 4 - 18 years	Age range 2 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP)	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Advanced Placement (AP), American Curriculum, BTEC Qualification
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils —
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2024	Opened 1951
Bus service	Bus service Yes	Bus service Yes
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location —	Location Kattenberg 19, B-1170 Brussels, Belgium. It is in Watermael-Boitsfort, the south‑east quadrant of Brussels. The 40‑acre campus sits within the Forêt de Soignes and offers extensive outdoor learning facilities; it is easily reachable by car, bus, train and tram.
Stages	Stages —	Stages Early Childhood Centre (Preschool – Grade 2); Elementary School (Grade 3–6); Middle School (Grade 7–9); High School (Grade 10–12).
School type	School type —	School type Private not-for-profit international day school.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix 60+ nationalities represented.
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support Inclusion & Challenge services provide personalised support for diverse learning needs across all age groups.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation —	Country affiliation Belgium
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details The ISB Bus Service operates with more than 30 buses serving most parts of the city and surrounding areas. It is available to students from Kindergarten to Grade 12, with BatOnRoute real‑time tracking and bus monitors. Late Bus Service is available for Middle and High School students; bus fees for 2025‑26: Return 3,140 Euro; One way 2,385 Euro.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fees - For children of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) sponsors (active-duty military and DoD civilian employees) there is no application or tuition charge to attend Brussels Elementary High School (formerly Brussels American School). - Non-DoD applicants (civilians, local hires, third-country nationals, Department of State dependents where applicable) are required to pay tuition and any locally required association fees; local one-time application or association levies are charged in some DoDEA communities but are not charged for DoD-dependent enrollment. Tuition fees by year group (policy and how rates are set for SY 2025/26) - DoDEA operates two published tuition rate categories: Federally connected (applies to certain federal agency-sponsored students) and Non‑Federally connected. Brussels EHS follows the DoDEA overseas (OCONUS) tuition rate structure; specific annual tuition amounts are set centrally by DoDEA HQ and published in the OCONUS tuition-rate memorandum for each school year. For the 2025/26 school year DoDEA released OCONUS tuition-rate guidance that defines the applicable rates by grade band. Brussels EHS charges non-DoD students according to those DoDEA-published rates. - DoDEA organizes tuition in grade bands (example grade bands used across DoDEA overseas schools): Pre-K / Full‑Day Kindergarten – Grade 6; Grades 7–8 (middle); Grades 9–12 (high school). The final published dollar amounts for each band are issued in the DoDEA OCONUS tuition-rate memorandum for the applicable school year; Brussels EHS applies the banded amounts to non-DoD students. - Per-term detail: DoDEA tuition for overseas schools is invoiced in two billing packages per school year (see "Billing schedule" below); the tuition invoice shows the exact annual amount and the invoice-period portion due. Because DoDEA sets annual rates centrally, the school's invoice (from DoDEA/DoDDS Resource Management) shows the precise per-invoice amounts for each billing package rather than a fixed equal “per-term” public split. Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition for DoDEA overseas schools is billed in two billing packages each school year: the first invoice covers the initial period (August through 30 September, which is funded from the prior U.S. fiscal year) and the second invoice covers 1 October through the end of the school year. Payment for each invoice is due within 30 days of the invoice date. Brussels EHS follows this DoDEA invoicing structure for tuition invoices. - Failure to pay invoiced tuition on time constitutes a debt to the U.S. Government and may affect enrollment status until the debt is resolved under DoDEA billing policies. Boarding fees (if applicable) - Brussels Elementary High School is a DoDEA day school; it does not operate boarding/dormitory facilities and therefore does not charge boarding fees. Students attend as day students. Other costs and fees (typical items at DoDEA overseas schools that parents should expect) - School meals: meal program charges or paid cafeteria accounts may apply. Meal and school-supplies costs are charged separately from DoDEA tuition where applicable. - Course- or program-specific fees: certain courses, extracurricular activities, extended‑day programs, field trips, competitive athletics travel, instrumental music or private lessons, or optional programs may carry separate fees. - Examination fees: certain external exam fees (for example, AP or other external testing fees where applicable) may be billed in addition to tuition. - Uniforms and school clothing: DoDEA schools typically do not require a uniform in the same way private international schools do; any school spirit wear or optional uniform items are parent‑purchased and are an additional cost if offered. Parents should budget separately for school clothing, supplies, and optional spirit items. - Local association levies or building levies: some overseas DoDEA sites work with a local school association (association fees or building-levy charges) for non-DoD services or dormitory management in locations where such local arrangements exist; these local charges are distinct from DoDEA tuition and vary by community. Brussels does not operate a dormitory; any local association fees would be specific and announced locally if applicable. Refund information - DoDEA refund practice for tuition invoices follows quarter/grading‑period rules used across DoDEA overseas schools: refunds are adjudicated by the DoDDS Resource Management Office and, in many DoDEA overseas communities, no prorated refund is authorized for a grading period once a student has attended any portion of that grading period. Refunds and the process to request them are handled through DoDEA/DoDDS billing channels. Brussels EHS uses DoDEA refund procedures for tuition adjustments. Fee payment options - Accepted payment channels for DoDEA overseas tuition invoices include major credit cards via the Pay.gov portal (credit-card payment), electronic funds transfer (EFT), and U.S. dollar bank drafts; payment instructions and the exact payment portal are provided on the DoDEA/DoDDS tuition invoice. Brussels EHS follows the DoDEA invoicing/payment process and accepts the DoDEA payment channels listed on the invoice. - The DoDEA policy states that Pay.gov issues the online receipt and banks issue EFT receipts; those receipts serve as proof of payment. The school does not re-issue Pay.gov/EFT receipts; parents must keep the issued Pay.gov/bank receipt. Summary statements required for an external database (concise, factual) - Tuition for children of U.S. military and DoD civilian sponsors is not charged at Brussels Elementary High School; eligible DoD-dependent students attend tuition free. - Non-DoD students are charged tuition. DoDEA HQ sets annual OCONUS tuition rates by grade band and publishes a tuition-rate memorandum for each school year (the latest available published guidance covered the 2025/26 school year); Brussels applies those centrally published rates for any non‑DoD students. Brussels invoices follow DoDEA's two-billing‑package schedule; payment is due within 30 days of each invoice and accepted channels include Pay.gov (credit card), EFT, and bank draft. Refunds and other billing adjustments follow DoDEA/DoDDS Resource Management procedures.	Fee details Application fee - Application fee (all grades): EUR 2,000. Tuition fees (annual) — by year group - Preschool (ages 2.5–3): EUR 22,590. - Pre‑Kindergarten (4 years old): EUR 25,030. - Kindergarten (5 years old): EUR 37,760. - Grades 1–2 (ages 6–7): EUR 40,670. - Grades 3–6 (ages 8–11): EUR 41,400. - Grades 7–9 (ages 12–14): EUR 46,825. - Grades 10–12 (ages 15–18): EUR 49,715. - Intensive Learning Support (for ILS students): EUR 25,155 plus the relevant grade‑level tuition. Per‑term (how fees are presented and typical payment structure) - Fees are published and invoiced on an annual basis; the school issues invoices annually in May for the following school year. Because fees are set and invoiced annually, there is no official per‑term charge published. Families may choose the school's instalment plan, which spreads the annual tuition into monthly payments; the instalment plan divides tuition into up to 10 monthly payments (July–April). For simple budgeting, an approximate per‑term figure can be obtained by dividing the annual tuition by the number of academic terms you choose to use for your own budgeting (the school does not publish an official per‑term schedule). Billing schedule and payment terms - Invoices for the following school year are issued annually in May. - Invoices for students joining during the school year are issued before the enrolment date. - Invoices are payable within 30 days of the invoice date or prior to the student's start date. - The parent (or legal guardian) is always responsible for payment of school fees regardless of any employer arrangements. Payment methods and terms - All fees are due and payable in EUR. Payments can be made by bank transfer to The International School of Brussels at BNP Paribas Fortis. - Bank transfer details (for payments by bank transfer): SWIFT: GEBABEBB; IBAN: BE71 2100 5790 1069. - Consolidated monthly invoices (for items such as lunch, athletics, music, ISB Plus) can be paid by bank transfer or by direct debit (SEPA mandate). - There is no published option on the fee page for credit‑card payment; available options shown are bank transfer and SEPA direct debit. Instalment / payment plan - A family instalment scheme is available to individuals (not open to companies paying tuition). - Typical administrative fee: EUR 200 per family, annually. - The instalment calculation uses the cost of tuition plus an interest rate of 1% above the current EUR Central Bank rate and may be divided into up to 10 monthly instalments (July–April). - The instalment scheme applies only to tuition fees (does not include bus fees or other related costs). Bus fees - Return trip (annual): EUR 3,140. - One‑way only (annual): EUR 2,385. - Bus fees are charged annually; there is no reimbursement of bus fees due to an inability to use the service. - The school offers a separate payment plan for families who would otherwise find it difficult to pay the annual bus fee. Other costs and optional charges - Cafeteria: daily lunch is paid through student lunch accounts; a lost lunch card carrying fee of EUR 10 will be billed if a card is lost. - Co‑curricular activities and ISB Plus: costs for clubs, activities and ISB Plus are optional and billed through the consolidated monthly invoice. - Musical instrument rental: EUR 210 per year (rental from the school). - Athletics fees: billed per season/per sport; typical player fees noted are EUR 270 for JV/Varsity teams and EUR 170 for U14 teams (additional travel costs for tournaments billed separately). - International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme: students taking the IB will be billed for IB exam and administrative fees and any external examination expenses requested by the student. - Other potential costs (examples): school trips, seasonal team travel, specialty courses, therapy or additional student support services — these are billed as they occur via the consolidated invoice. Refunds, adjustments and pro‑ration - Students who leave early: for students who have paid the full tuition (and bus, where applicable) and who leave before the last day of January, 25% of the tuition (and bus) fee will be reimbursed by the school. If a student leaves after the last day of January, there is no reimbursement of fees already paid. - Students who enrol late: the school publishes monthly pro‑rata amounts by level (the published schedule shows the reduced amounts for each month if a student starts after the academic year begins). The published pro‑rata schedule is used to calculate fees for late enrolment and for partial months; students starting within a month will be asked to pay for the full month. Boarding - Boarding is not provided as a standard full‑time option; the International School of Brussels operates as a day school for its student population. (Overnight/boarding arrangements may be referenced only in limited, event‑specific contexts such as camps where temporary overnight accommodation is arranged.)
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 —	Curriculum details ISB uses English as the main language of instruction. French is offered from age 2.5, with a French bilingual programme from Grade 5; additional language options include Dutch, Spanish, and Japanese. The Home Language Programme integrates languages spoken at home into the curriculum. The curriculum is flexible and inquiry-based, with personalised learning pathways across ECC to High School.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio 7:1
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results IB Diploma results for 2025 show 160 graduates, 141 IB Exams taken, 118 Diploma candidates, 27% of IB Courses with accommodations, an average IBDP score of 35, a 100% pass rate, 49% bilingual diplomas, and an average Course score of 5.5. AP results show 84 students (Grades 9–12) completed 136 exams in 13 subjects, with an average AP score of 3.84, 90% of exams scoring 3 or higher, 103 students taking AP Exams, 19 AP subjects taught, and 44% achieving a perfect score of 5. BTEC results show a 100% pass rate with 2 pathways offered and 33 students taking BTEC, with 27 students working towards external BTEC qualifications.
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression ISB offers five graduation pathways, including IB Diploma, AP, BTEC, US Diploma, and another pathway. Universities worldwide offered ISB students places in 2024-25, demonstrating strong progression to higher education globally.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented The Inclusion & Challenge Department provides High-Ability Programmes for advanced learners.
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 —	Admissions 1. Submit the ISB admissions application with the required application fee. The application form must be accompanied by the application fee, and applications will not be processed until the full application fee is paid. If the application is withdrawn, 50% of the fee is refunded; if a Financial Aid application is denied or the family does not accept the offer and withdraws, 75% is refunded; if a completed application is placed in a waiting pool for 60 days and the family cancels, a full refund is available. 2. After the completed application is received, an admission decision is typically issued within 7 to 10 working days. A decision may be delayed if additional information is needed or during school-holiday periods. 3. Students can join ISB at any point during the school year, typically before 1 May. A suitable start date is determined in collaboration with the family and approved by the Head of School. IB Diploma students cannot begin after the beginning of October if their courses are not transferable to ISB. 4. Grade-level placement is based on the prior educational experience and the student's age. In some cases, a placement test may be given to accurately place a student. 5. The ISB Bus Service is the most popular transport for commuting to and from school. Some students may use public transportation, ride a bike, or be dropped off and picked up by their parents. 6. ISB runs waiting lists when necessary. When classes are full, a waiting pool for the affected class is opened, and the Admissions Team explains how waiting pools are managed. 7. ISB offers a limited number of financial aid opportunities each year based on eligibility criteria. ISB also provides an English Language Development Programme at all levels to support non-English-speaking students. 8. ISB has an Inclusion and Challenge Programme to meet learning needs and ensure appropriate placement. 9. The school day hours vary by section: ECC Preschool 08:40–15:30 (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri) and 08:40–12:30 (Wed); ECC Pre-Kindergarten 08:40–15:30 (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri) and 08:40–12:30 (Wed); ECC Kindergarten–Grade 2 08:40–15:35; Elementary School 08:40–15:35; Middle School 08:35–15:40; High School 08:35–15:40.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships ISB offers a Financial Aid Programme to assist families experiencing temporary financial hardship; the aid is primarily designed for existing families and is available for a maximum of two consecutive years. Applications for Financial Aid must be submitted with the regular ISB application and supporting materials, and are considered up to March 31 until the budget is exhausted. ISB also offers a Scholarship Programme for merit-based scholarships open to students of all nationalities; these scholarships are offered for two consecutive years for Grades 7–12 and are designed to provide access to ISB for students not currently in the ISB community; scholarship criteria include English skills, high achievement in English, alignment with ISB's values and mission, overall academic achievement, and demonstrated talents. All scholarship applicants must complete the Scholarship Programme Form and attach supporting materials. Applications for the next school year should be received by March 31. The Scholarship Committee includes the School Director, the Director of Advancement, the Director of Finance and Operations, the Finance Manager, and an Academic Panel. For further questions about scholarships, contact the Admissions Office.
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist Yes, ISB runs waiting lists when classes are full. A waiting pool is opened for the affected class, and the Admissions Team explains how waiting pools are managed. Waiting lists help accommodate students when space becomes available.
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