Ellipse Montessori Academy vs ICS Paris International School

	E Ellipse Montessori Academy Paris, France	I ICS Paris International School Paris, France
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €13,800 - 28,000	Fees / year €19,550 - 31,260
Age range	Age range 2 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum Montessori Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, IB (DP), French Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Cambridge IGCSE, Pearson Edexcel IGCSE
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils 500
Typical class size	Typical class size 15	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language French, English	Instruction language English, French
Opened	Opened 2017	Opened —
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service Yes
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Located at 3 rue Amélie, 75007 Paris. The school is in the heart of Paris. The campus is spacious, calm, bright and secure, with a terrace, courtyard and library.	Location 23 rue de Cronstadt, 75015 Paris, France. Located on a single campus in the heart of Paris. The nearest Metro is Line 12, Convention.
Stages	Stages Ages 2 to 3: Infant Community; 3 to 6: Children's House; 6 to 11: Elementary; 11 to 15: Middle School; 15 to 18: International High School	Stages Nursery - Grade 12; IB Continuum (PYP, MYP, DP).
School type	School type Bilingual Montessori school in Paris serving ages 2 to 18; instruction in French and English; program aligned with the French national education system and beyond.	School type Private, co-educational international school. IB World School offering PYP, MYP and DP on a single campus in the heart of Paris.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix Students come from over 70 countries.
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support Learning support embraces learner diversity and offers mild to moderate academic support. The program is supervised by a Student Support Coordinator and includes an ILP; supports learners from Primary Years Programme to IB Diploma Programme. It provides two levels of academic support: Pairing Support and Individual Support.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation France	Country affiliation France
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details Door-to-door shuttle service with 7-seat vans. Morning pick-up 7:20–8:20; Monday–Friday afternoon pick-up around 4:15 with drop-off 4:30–5:30; Wednesday around 1:15; extracurricular pick-ups around 5:15; fees depend on distance (under 10 km 7560€, 10–14 km 8220€, over 17 km 9050€). Areas covered expand with demand.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application & Registration Fees - New enrolments (non-refundable application fees): - Ages 2–6: EUR 500. - Ages 6–11: EUR 700. - Middle School (11–15 years) application fee: EUR 700. - High School (15–17 years) application fee: EUR 700. - Re-registrations (non-refundable application fees): - Ages 2–6: EUR 250. - Ages 6–11: EUR 500. - Middle School re-registration (11–15 years): EUR 500. - High School re-registration (15–17 years): EUR 700. - Deposit to guarantee a place: a deposit equal to two months' tuition is required and is deducted from tuition; deposit amounts vary by level (shown on the school's fee schedule as ranging approximately from EUR 2,300 to EUR 5,600 depending on level). Tuition fees (annual amounts by year group / class) — academic year 2025–2026 - Pre-K / Nursery (Class 2–3 years, morning schedule): EUR 11,500 per year. (Schedule: Monday–Friday 08:30–12:30; Wednesday until 11:50.) - Pre-K / Nursery (Class 2–3 years or 3–6 years, full day): EUR 13,800 per year. (Schedule: Monday–Friday 08:30–15:45; Wednesday until 11:50.) - Elementary (Class 6–11 years): EUR 16,200 per year. (Schedule: Monday–Friday 08:30–16:00; Wednesday until 11:40.) - Middle School (Class 11–15 years): EUR 20,500 per year. (Schedule: Monday–Friday 08:30–17:00; Wednesday until 12:00.) - International High School: - Grade 10 (Seconde): EUR 24,000 per year. - IB Diploma Years (DP1 / DP2 — 1re and Terminale): EUR 28,000 per year. - Summary listing of annual tuition by grade (condensed): - Ages 2–5 (nursery / kindergarten full day): EUR 13,800. - Grades 1–5 (elementary 6–11 years): EUR 16,200. - Grades 6–9 (middle school 11–15 years): EUR 20,500. - Grade 10: EUR 24,000. - Grades 11–12 (IB years): EUR 28,000. Additional compulsory or commonly charged fees - Organic school catering (100% organic caterer): EUR 1,460 per year (option shown as catering). - Lunch box option (where a medical certificate is required): EUR 450 per year. - Ellipse Outfit Pack (uniform/pack): EUR 150 (charged in Middle School and High School listings). - Career Coaching (3ème / 3rd grade in middle school): EUR 600. - Development Fee for IB programme (one-time / programme development): EUR 5,000 (listed under High School). - Computer deposit (High School): EUR 400. - External diploma/examination fees are additional to tuition (Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge diplomas, IB diploma fees and other diploma fees). Family discounts and concessions - A family discount is applied for families with two or more children: the discount is deducted from the tuition fees for the youngest child. Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition and additional charges are presented as annual amounts; the school requires a deposit equal to two months' tuition to guarantee a place; that deposit is deducted from the tuition balance. Application/registration fees are non-refundable. - The school's public fee information does not publish a detailed term-by-term invoice schedule or the standard instalment options in the fee text provided. Boarding fees - No boarding or residential education is listed; all schedules and fees are for day programmes. Other costs or optional charges - Extracurricular programmes, holiday courses and some extracurricular activities are offered and may carry separate registration or participation charges (these appear as separate items in the school's extracurricular/holiday programme communications). Refund information - Application / registration fees are explicitly stated as non-refundable. - No separate general tuition refund policy or detailed refund schedule for mid-year withdrawal is published in the school's publicly listed fee page; specific refund conditions beyond the non-refundable application fee are not specified in the publicly displayed fee text. Fee payment options - The school's publicly available fee page lists amounts, deposits and non-refundable application fees but does not publish the specific accepted payment methods (for example: card, bank transfer, direct debit) in the fee text. Contact the school to confirm accepted payment methods and instalment arrangements. Notes - All figures above are those published for the 2025–2026 academic year and are expressed in euros (EUR).	Fee details Application fees - Application fee (new students): EUR 750 per child; this fee is non-refundable. Enrolment / Registration / Deposits - Enrolment package for new students (total): - Registration fee (payable on admission): EUR 2,800 per child (non-refundable). - Deposit: EUR 4,000 per child (refundable when the child leaves the school provided there are no outstanding charges). - School Development Fund (new students): EUR 3,750 (obligatory for new students). Re-enrolling students: School Development Fund EUR 1,000. Annual tuition fees (2025/2026) — by year group and per-term breakdown - Nursery / Pre-K / Kindergarten: Annual tuition EUR 20,595. Per term (three-term schedule): EUR 6,865. - Grade 1 – Grade 5: Annual tuition EUR 23,940. Per term: EUR 7,980. - Grade 6 – Grade 8: Annual tuition EUR 27,840. Per term: EUR 9,280. - Grade 9 – Grade 12: Annual tuition EUR 31,260. Per term: EUR 10,420. (Note: tuition for mid-year starters is prorated by month of arrival on a 'pro rata temporis' basis; the school charges in full for the month of arrival.) Billing schedule and payment terms - Invoicing: invoices are issued on a 10-month basis; students are enrolled for the full school year (10 months). - Typical instalment schedule (when paying in instalments): three instalments debited on 10 July, 10 September and 10 December. One-off payment option is also available. - Mid-year admissions: annual tuition fees are prorated by month of arrival; other new-student fees (application, registration, deposit, school development fund) are due in full. - Late payment / rejected direct-debit charges: rejected SEPA withdrawals incur bank charges (an invoiced fee per rejected withdrawal) and a convenience fee applies when paying by direct-debit in instalments. Boarding - ICS Paris is a day school and does not offer boarding facilities. Families must arrange their own accommodation. Other mandatory and optional costs - Lunch supervision (mandatory for Nursery to Grade 5 for students bringing a packed lunch): EUR 1,677 per year (invoiced with tuition). - Hot Lunch (optional catered canteen service): EUR 2,865 per child per year (primary); lunch supervision for students who take hot lunch is included in this cost. - Door-to-door shuttle (optional, annual prices): - up to 10 km: EUR 7,560 per year. - 10–14 km: EUR 8,220 per year. - up to 17 km (subject to approval): EUR 9,050 per year. - Learning support (where required): Group lessons and individual lessons are chargeable — for 2025/26 example figures appear in the fee schedule (group / individual). - Technology / device fees: - iPad deposit (Grades 5–8): EUR 400 (refundable on return in good condition). - Laptop (Grades 9–10): EUR 700 (cost inclusive of insurance; device provided/purchased via the school). - Uniforms: uniforms are mandatory from Nursery through Grade 12; families purchase the required uniform items via the school's uniform arrangements and will be invoiced for those items. Discounts and sibling policy - A 25% discount is offered for the third enrolled child; this discount applies to tuition fees only and is not combinable with employer/company full or partial fee coverage. Refunds and cancellation terms (key points) - Application fees and registration fees are non-refundable. - The deposit (EUR 4,000) is refundable when the child leaves the school, provided there are no outstanding charges on the family account. - The first-trimester tuition payment (or initial down payment) is treated as an initial down payment at enrolment and may be non-refundable except under specific short-notice cancellation conditions described in the school's terms (for example, a narrow timeframe for refund if cancellation occurs within a defined period after admission). Families who cancel after the stated short-notice window forfeit amounts paid at enrolment. - Re-enrolment downpayment for the following year: EUR 4,500 (deducted from the following year's invoice); special circumstances for refund are limited and defined in the terms of payment. Methods of payment and practical notes - Accepted methods for school tuition and major invoices: direct debit (SEPA) — one instalment or three instalments — and bank transfer. SEPA direct debits should be arranged from a French bank account when possible but SEPA from eligible European countries is accepted. A convenience fee (when using direct-debit in instalments) and charges for rejected debits apply. - Accepted methods for certain other invoices (extracurricular activities, holiday camps, trips, registration and re-registration fees): cheque, credit card or debit card (American Express is not accepted for card payments in these cases). Summary - Annual tuition for 2025/2026 ranges by age group from EUR 20,595 (Early years) up to EUR 31,260 (Grades 9–12). Per-term amounts (three-term billing) are the annual figure divided by three as given above. Mandatory up-front items for new students include the Application Fee (EUR 750), Registration Fee (EUR 2,800), Deposit (EUR 4,000) and the School Development Fund for new students (EUR 3,750). Optional services such as hot lunch, shuttle and learning support are charged in addition to tuition. Payment options include SEPA direct debit and bank transfer, with card/cheque accepted for selected activity invoices; the school's terms specify invoicing, proration for mid-year starts, refund rules, and penalties for late/non-payment.
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 From age 2 to 18, Ellipse Montessori Academy in Paris provides a bilingual Montessori program in French and English. The Primary program (2–11) is Montessori-based and bilingual. For ages 11–15, the Collège Alternatif Bilingue offers the Diplôme National du Brevet (DNB) and Cambridge Certification. For ages 15–18, the Lycée International Bilingue offers Cambridge IGCSE and the International Baccalaureate. Educators are AMI-certified and French- or English-speaking, and the bilingual program is aligned with the national education system and beyond.	Curriculum details International Baccalaureate (IB) Curriculum for 3–19 year-olds taught in English. ICS Paris is an IB World School offering a continuum from Early Education through the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP). Educational stages include Early Education (Preschool), Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), Pre-IB/IGCSE, and IBDP. Accreditation includes IB Diploma Programme (accreditation since 2003), IBMYP (accreditation since 2023), and IBPYP (accreditation since 2023). The IB Learner Profile is central, aiming to develop inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, and reflective learners. The curriculum is complemented by a wide range of activities outside the classroom, including student councils, Model United Nations, Eco-Schools, and Globeducate opportunities.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results IB Diploma results show strong performance with top scores typically in the early 40s and DP averages in the low- to mid-30s. In 2025, the top DP score was 41/45 with an average DP score of 32.7 (global average 30.58). In 2024 the top DP score was 44/45 with an average of 33.8, and 2023 top 42/45 with an average of 32.0. IGCSE results are published annually; in 2025, 30 students sat for IGCSE exams.
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression 40% of University Destinations are ranked among the Top 100 Universities in the World (Times Higher Education ranking, 2022). Graduates have attended institutions including Yale University, McGill University, Imperial College London, Oxford University, Sorbonne University, ESSEC, HEC Paris, London School of Economics, University of Toronto, and others.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	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 Nursery and Elementary admission process: 1. Pre-enroll online. 2. Participate in a pedagogical information meeting. 3. Make an appointment with the child and their parents (Child follow-up booklet to be sent before the day of the appointment). 4. Immersing the child in the classroom atmosphere (from age 5). Middle School and Lycée admission process: 1. Pre-enroll online. 2. Participate in a pedagogical information meeting. 3. Make an appointment with the child and their parents (Child follow-up booklet to be sent before the day of the appointment). 4. Letter of motivation from the family and child. 5. Letters of recommendation from 2 teachers. 6. Immersing the child in the classroom atmosphere (from age 5).	Admissions Step 1: Submit Online Application Form. Begin the process by filling out the online application form. ICS Paris has a rolling admissions policy, accepting students throughout the year depending on space, and it is recommended to start the process in November for the following September, or at least two months before joining during the school year. Prepare documents: a student photo, a copy of the student's government-issued ID, and official grades/report cards from the last three years; English test results are required for Grade 9 and above; language certificates if applicable. An application fee of 750€ is paid online to complete the Online Application Form. Step 2: Submit Supporting Documents. After your form and the application fee are received, the application is presented to the Admissions Committee and the decision typically takes 2–3 weeks, depending on any additional documents requested. The admissions team may request further academic documents or an interview. Step 3: Acceptance. If accepted, an official letter of acceptance is sent via email. Step 4: Confirm the Enrolment. A DocuSign link is sent to complete enrollment documents, including the terms of payment, a medical form, a school trip form, and an image authorization form. If education is funded directly, the registration fee and deposit are due to hold the place.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships No scholarships or financial aid are offered; discounts are available for families with at least three children enrolled.
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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