Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley - Elementary School Campus vs Lycée Français de San Francisco - Ashbury Campus

	E Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley - Elementary School Campus San Francisco, United States	L Lycée Français de San Francisco - Ashbury Campus San Francisco, United States
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year $38,150 - 43,200	Fees / year $28,000 - 58,900
Age range	Age range 2 - 11 years	Age range 2 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum American Curriculum, French Curriculum	Curriculum IB (MYP), IB (DP), American Curriculum, Bespoke Curriculum, French Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils —
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size 18
Instruction language	Instruction language French, English	Instruction language French, English
Opened	Opened 1977	Opened 1967
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service Yes
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Two Berkeley campuses: Elementary School Campus at 1009 Heinz Ave., Berkeley, CA 94710 and Middle School Campus at 901 Grayson Street, Berkeley, CA 94710. The school serves preschool through 8th grade. Both campuses are located in Berkeley, California.	Location The Lycée Français de San Francisco operates on three campuses: Ashbury Campus in San Francisco (755 Ashbury Street, 94117) for Preschool through Grade 5; Ortega Campus in San Francisco (1201 Ortega Street, 94122) for Middle School through High School. The Sausalito Campus in Marin County (610 Coloma Street, 94965) serves Preschool through Grade 5.
Stages	Stages Preschool & Kindergarten; Lower School; Middle School. An Accelerated French Program (AFP) offers late-entry points in Lower School (G1 and G2) and in Middle School (G6).	Stages Ashbury and Sausalito campuses offer Preschool through Grade 5. Ortega Campus houses Middle School (Gr 6–8) and High School (Gr 9–12).
School type	School type Private bilingual day school	School type Private international school offering PreK–12 bilingual education with two tracks: French Track and International Track powered by IB.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix More than 60 nationalities represented in the school community.	Pupil nationality mix More than 50 nationalities are represented across campuses; more than 30 languages are spoken.
Additional learning support	Additional learning support Lower School offers French as a Foreign Language (French as a Second Language) for students who need it; bilingual teachers support each student linguistically and academically.	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation American International Section (Section Internationale Américaine) integrated into EB's primary program.	Country affiliation France; AEFE member
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure Preschool/Kindergarten: 8:15 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.; Elementary (1st–5th): 8:25 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.; Middle (6th–8th): 8:15 a.m. – 3:35 p.m. Extended Day care runs 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details Transportation operates across three campuses with routes between Marin County and the Ortega Campus, between Cupertino (South Bay) and the Ortega Campus, and between the Ortega Campus and the Ashbury Campus in the morning for K–5. Starting in 2026–2027, a free shuttle will connect San Francisco to the Sausalito preschool/primary campus, with pickup locations published in Spring 2026.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fees - Non-refundable application fee: USD 75 due when submitting the application form. Enrollment deposit / reservation fee - A non-refundable enrollment/reservation deposit equal to 10% of the annual tuition is required to finalize enrollment; this deposit is due within 10 days of acceptance. The 10% deposit is applied toward the annual tuition balance. Tuition fees by school year (annual amounts for 2026–2027) - Preschool & Kindergarten (annual): USD 38,150. - Grades 1–5 (annual): USD 39,015. - Grades 6–8 (annual; includes Middle School Accelerated French Program): USD 43,200. Installment / per-payment detail (options available for the annual tuition above) - Option 1 — One payment: - One payment due in June. - Early-payment discount: USD 100 off the annual tuition (school pays the Blackbaud annual fee for this option). - Example: Preschool/K: USD 38,150 − USD 100 = USD 38,050 (one-time June payment). - Option 2 — Two equal payments: - Two equal payments due in June and September (payer may choose the 5th or the 20th of the month). - A Blackbaud Tuition Management annual administrative fee of USD 50 applies. - Example: Preschool/K: USD 38,150 ÷ 2 = USD 19,075 per payment (plus the USD 50 Blackbaud fee for the plan). - Option 3 — Four equal payments: - Four equal payments due in June, July, August and September. - A Blackbaud Tuition Management annual administrative fee of USD 50 applies. - Example: Preschool/K: USD 38,150 ÷ 4 = USD 9,537.50 per payment (plus the USD 50 Blackbaud fee for the plan). - Option 4 — Twelve equal monthly payments: - Twelve equal monthly payments between June and May of the following year. - A 5% per annum interest charge applies to this plan (reduced to 1.50% per annum for families receiving Tuition Assistance or Bourses Scolaires). - A Blackbaud Tuition Management annual administrative fee of USD 50 applies. - Example (base monthly before interest): Preschool/K: USD 38,150 ÷ 12 ≈ USD 3,179.17 per month (the actual monthly amount will be slightly higher when the 5% annual interest is applied). Additional program and grade-specific fees - Lower School Accelerated French Program (G1–G3): additional annual program fee of USD 2,860. Required and optional fees and typical other costs - One-time enrollment fee (Preschool and Lower School only): USD 1,950 (required at enrollment). - Tuition refund insurance: 1.4% of tuition (mandatory for a family's first year at the school, optional thereafter). - Extended Day Package (optional; unlimited morning and afternoon care during school days for the year): USD 2,250. - Extended Day drop-in rate (optional): USD 14.04 per hour. - School Breaks Package (optional; day camps during Fall, Winter and Spring breaks for the school year): USD 1,250. - Hot lunch (optional; price per meal): USD 6.75 to USD 7.25 (subject to change). - Optional overnight field trips (Grades 5, 7 and 8): approximately USD 2,650. - Required overnight field trips (Grades 3, 4 and 6): ranges from USD 695 to USD 1,370. - After-school activities: costs vary by activity. - Note on uniform: no separate uniform fee is listed among the school's required or optional fees. Billing schedule and payment terms - Enrollment: accepted families must return a signed enrollment agreement and pay the 10% non-refundable deposit within 10 days of acceptance to secure the student's place. - Balance payment: after the deposit, families choose one of the four payment options described above (one, two, four, or twelve payments); specific due months are June (one-payment option) or the months listed for the multi-payment options. Two-payment plan pay dates may be either the 5th or the 20th of the designated month. The four-payment schedule runs June–September; the twelve-payment schedule runs June–May. - Administrative fees and interest: Option 1 carries no Blackbaud fee (school covers it) and a USD 100 early-payment discount; Options 2–4 incur a USD 50 Blackbaud annual fee; the 12-month plan incurs a 5% per annum interest charge (1.50% for families receiving financial aid). Boarding - Boarding fees: Not applicable. Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley is a preschool through grade 8 bilingual day school and does not operate a boarding program. Refund information - The enrollment/reservation deposit (10% of annual tuition) is non-refundable. - Tuition refund insurance is offered (1.4% of tuition) and is mandatory for families in their first year at the school; this insurance is the mechanism the school lists for managing tuition refunds. Fee payment options and accepted payment method - The school's tuition and fee payment system is Blackbaud Tuition Management. Blackbaud Tuition Management accepts credit card payments; administrative fees for using Blackbaud vary depending on the payment plan selected.	Fee details Application & Enrollment Fees - One-time Entrance Fee (new students): USD 2,500 per child — required at the time of enrollment; non-refundable and not deductible from tuition. - Tuition Deposit: 3.5% of the total annual tuition — required with the signed Enrollment Agreement to secure a child's space; this deposit is non-refundable. - Financial Aid Application Fee (when applying for school financial aid via the Clarity portal): USD 60 required at submission. Tuition — Annual and Per-Term (2026–2027) All amounts shown are annual tuition rates by campus and grade band. Per-term and per-month illustrations below follow the school's offered payment schedules (two equal installments or ten monthly installments). All amounts are in USD. - SAUSALITO (Marin) Campus — Preschool through Grade 5: - La Petite École (Part time): USD 28,000 per year. (Two-installment amount: USD 14,000 per installment; 10-month plan: USD 2,800 per month.) - La Petite École through Kindergarten: USD 38,100 per year. (Two-installment amount: USD 19,050 per installment; 10-month plan: USD 3,810 per month.) - Grades 1–5: USD 38,100 per year. (Two-installment amount: USD 19,050 per installment; 10-month plan: USD 3,810 per month.) - ASHBURY (San Francisco) Campus — Preschool through Grade 5: - La Petite École (Part time): USD 32,450 per year. (Two-installment amount: USD 16,225 per installment; 10-month plan: USD 3,245 per month.) - La Petite École through Kindergarten: USD 44,100 per year. (Two-installment amount: USD 22,050 per installment; 10-month plan: USD 4,410 per month.) - Grades 1–5: USD 44,100 per year. (Two-installment amount: USD 22,050 per installment; 10-month plan: USD 4,410 per month.) - ORTEGA (San Francisco) Campus — Middle & High School: - Middle School (Grades): USD 45,500 per year. (Two-installment amount: USD 22,750 per installment; 10-month plan: USD 4,550 per month.) - High School: USD 58,900 per year. (Two-installment amount: USD 29,450 per installment; 10-month plan: USD 5,890 per month.) These annual tuition amounts include the core program elements described below. What Tuition Includes - Daily school lunches (the Lycée Cantine) are included in tuition. - Global Learning educational trips for Grades 1 through Grade 12 are included in tuition. - Before- and after-school care for Preschool students (including Kindergarten), with extension to Grades 1–5 on the Sausalito campus, is included in tuition. Other (Optional) Fees and Additional Costs - School transportation (optional): USD 4,680 per year (annual flat rate). Note: transportation between San Francisco and the Sausalito campus is complimentary. - Camps and Study Hall: optional services with separate fees. A bundled price for Preschool through Kindergarten families is available at USD 5,500 (this bundle covers registration to all camps — school year and summer). Specific study hall and individual camp fees are charged separately when families register. - After-school activities: fees for extracurricular programs, clubs, and some specialty offerings are charged in addition to tuition. - Incidental/exam or materials fees: certain exam fees, specialized course fees, or optional materials may be charged separately where applicable; these are not listed as included in base tuition. Billing Schedule & Payment Terms - Payment options (families choose one): - Pay in full by June 01 (pre-payment discount applies — see next item). - Two equal installments due on June 01 and November 01 (each installment = 50% of annual tuition). - Ten monthly installments starting June 01 (each installment = annual tuition ÷ 10). - All payment plans must be paid in full by the date specified for enrollment for the 2026–2027 year. The school's published schedule states that all payment plans must be paid in full by March 2026 at the latest for enrollment in 2026–2027. Automatic payment plan registration is mandatory at enrollment unless tuition and fees are prepaid in full by an employer. Families may pay by automatic bank withdrawal or by credit card; a processing fee will be added for credit-card payments. - Pre-payment discount: - USD 1,500 discount for families who prepay 100% of tuition before June 01. - USD 600 discount for families who prepay in two parts (timing as defined by the billing schedule). - Discounts do not apply to families receiving scholarships, tuition paid by companies, or staff receiving tuition remission. Boarding Fees - Boarding is not applicable. The Lycée is a day school operating multiple campuses (Ashbury, Sausalito, Ortega) and does not publish boarding or residential program fees. Refund Information - The USD 2,500 entrance fee and the tuition deposit (3.5% of annual tuition) are explicitly stated as non-refundable. - A general mid-year tuition refund schedule for withdrawals (for example, prorated refunds based on withdrawal date) is not published on the school's tuition pages; families should confirm the withdrawal and refund terms directly with the school's billing office or in the Enrollment Agreement. Fee Payment Methods - Automatic bank withdrawal (ACH/automatic debit) is accepted for installment plans. - Credit card payments are accepted; a credit-card processing fee will be added to card transactions. Notes for Billing and Planning - Entrance fee and tuition deposit are due at enrollment and are non-refundable. Budget for optional charges such as transportation (USD 4,680), camp bundles (USD 5,500 for eligible Preschool-K families), study hall, after-school activities, and any course-specific or exam fees when planning total annual cost. - The Financial Aid application requires a USD 60 submission fee and has published deadlines for returning and new families; families should account for that when applying for aid.
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 The school offers a bilingual English-French curriculum from Preschool through 8th grade, with language development at the core of instruction in both languages. A co-teaching model supports students at their language and academic levels, with French as a Second Language support and learning specialists, and Etude after-school homework help. In Lower School, the balance of instruction shifts from French immersion to bilingual: Grades 1–2 are 80–20, Grade 3 65–35, and Grades 4–5 50–50. Vers le Pacifique begins in Preschool and Kindergarten and continues through Grade 2; Grades 3–5 focus on conflict resolution and identity. Middle School maintains bilingual and biliterate instruction across language arts, science, history, and math, with students choosing a third language (Spanish or Mandarin) and continuing content in both languages. The science program aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards and the French program; math blends Singapore Math and Eureka Math in a bilingual setting, and field trips, arts, and service learning are integrated.	Curriculum details The International Track is based on the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Spanning Grades 6 through 10, the Middle Years Programme emphasizes interdisciplinary learning, critical thinking, and real-world applications. It is organized around eight IB subject groups: language and literature, language acquisition, individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical and health education, and design. Language & Literature uses the California State Standards to develop reading, writing, and global perspectives. The Diploma Programme begins in Grades 11-12, with six subject groups and a DP core including Creativity, Activity, Service; the Extended Essay; and Theory of Knowledge. The DP leads to both the IB Diploma and the US High School diploma.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio Average class size is 17 students. The school maintains a low student-to-teacher ratio.	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results High School placement: 95% of students applying to private high schools get their top choice.	Exam results French Baccalaureate results are outstanding.
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression 85% of our Seniors chose to continue their educational journey in North America; 19% enrolled in Canadian universities; 15% will go to Europe, including 3.5% to France.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented Accelerated French Programs are available at Lower School and Middle School for motivated, high-achieving students, providing small class sizes and advanced bilingual learning.	Gifted and talented —
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 Online application starts on the Veracross portal. Create an account on the School Admin platform and submit the online application. A 150 application fee is charged at application. Grade placement follows the French‑US equivalence: LPE = PreK2; PS = PreK3; MS = PreK4; GS = K; CP = 1st; CE1 = 2nd; CE2 = 3rd; CM1 = 4th; CM2 = 5th; 6e = 6th; 5e = 7th; 4e = 8th; 3e = 9th; 2nde = 10th; 1re = 11th; Terminale = 12th. The admission journey includes applying online, meeting with the Admissions team, and Admissions decisions and notifications. For families living abroad, applications are mostly considered on rolling admissions. Admissions main dates for 2026–2027 include March 5, April 2, May 7, and June 4 (Ortega Campus). First notifications are sent by email in early March; after these dates, applications are reviewed regularly and notifications follow. Upon acceptance, families have one week to enroll by signing the enrollment contract electronically and paying the non‑refundable enrollment fees. Tuition information for 2025–2026 will be posted in early February. High School admissions include virtual meetings with an Admissions associate to discuss goals; these meetings can be scheduled at convenient times and are optional for sibling applicants. The American International Section (AIS) runs from Grade 1 through Grade 12; AIS students follow the core syllabus with courses taught in English; in Middle School, Language and Literature and History‑Geography are taught in English, with additional English‑language coursework. The Lycée Français de San Francisco operates on three campuses: Ashbury (San Francisco), Sausalito, and Ortega; the school maintains a non‑discrimination policy for admissions and programs.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships Full High School Scholarship program offers scholarships to new students entering Grades 9–12; up to two Full Scholarships may be awarded per class year; the full value is estimated at over $235,000 for four years and covers the full academic program, academic and student support resources, instructional materials and in‑class technology, the Global Learning Program, and daily lunches. Bay Area residency is required; Scholarships are based on demonstrated financial need and academic potential. How to Apply: Step 1 indicate interest; Step 2 complete the standard financial aid application via Clarity by January 2, 2026; Step 3 complete the standard application for admission by January 23, 2026; Fee waivers are available for scholarship applicants earning below the county's low income cap. The Seona Herail Scholarship is a four‑year merit scholarship granting 25% of tuition per year for high school students (Grades 9–12), renewable if eligible, awarded on the recommendation of a pedagogical committee. AEFE French Government Financial Aid covers all or part of tuition; second AEFE round deadline is February 20, 2026; Outside financial aid programs exist. In 2024–25 about 24% of students received financial aid, and over 83% of aid is funded by Lycée.
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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