French International School of Bucharest vs Maria International School

	F French International School of Bucharest Bucharest, Romania	M Maria International School Bucharest, Romania
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RON 8,650 - 10,550	Fees / year RON 6,200 - 11,500
Age range	Age range 2 - 12 years	Age range 2 - 11 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum British Curriculum, French Curriculum	Curriculum British Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils —
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language French, English, Romanian	Instruction language English, Romanian
Opened	Opened 2019	Opened 2013
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Bulevardul Dacia Nr. 12, Sector 1, Bucharest, Romania.	Location The Maria International School of Bucharest is located in the heart of downtown Bucharest, at Strada Piața Amzei Nr.6, Sector 1, Bucharest, Romania. It is housed in a beautifully preserved villa. It is well connected by public transport, including many bus lines and the Romana Square metro.
Stages	Stages Serves pupils from prekindergarten (2 years old) to the final year of high school. A junior high school opened in September 2024; the middle school opens in September 2026; the high school opens in September 2028.	Stages Early Years and Primary.
School type	School type The EFI Bucarest is a French international school within the Odyssey Education group. It is a trilingual school (French, English and Romanian) and follows the French national curriculum as approved by the French Ministry of Education.	School type British international school.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix 14 nationalities represented.	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support MISB is an inclusive school.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation Affiliated with France; approved by the French Ministry of Education and follows the French national curriculum.	Country affiliation British/UK (British National Curriculum).
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure For kindergarten and primary, classes start at 8:30am and finish at 4:00pm; Wednesdays finish at 12:00pm. The schedule uses nine half-days per week: four full days (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) and one half-day (Wednesday). There are two breaks during the day, around 10:30–11:00am and 2:45–3:00pm, and the morning lessons finish around 11:50–12:00 with a 1.5-hour lunch break.	School day structure Typical MISB days run from 8:30 to 17:00. Breakfast is from 8:30 to 8:45, with core instruction in the morning and afternoon, a lunch break, and an after-school long programme with clubs until 5:00 pm.
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application / First registration fee - First registration fee (one-time, payable at enrolment): EUR 1,200. Reduced rate for enrolment before 30 March 2026: EUR 850. Payment of this fee must be made within two weeks following the admission notification in order to confirm enrolment. This first registration fee is non‑refundable. Tuition fees by school year (annual amounts for 2026–2027) - Kindergarten – TPS, PS (early years): EUR 8,650 per academic year. - Kindergarten – MS, GS (upper kindergarten): EUR 9,450 per academic year. - Primary (CP, CE1, CE2, CM1, CM2): EUR 10,550 per academic year. - Middle School (Grade 6 / 6ème): EUR 10,550 per academic year. - Passerelle Programme (separate short programme fee): EUR 1,950. Per-term figures (calculated from the annual fee; shown as per-term amounts if invoiced in three equal instalments) - TPS, PS: EUR 8,650 per year — approximately EUR 2,883 per term (annual ÷ 3). - MS, GS: EUR 9,450 per year — approximately EUR 3,150 per term (annual ÷ 3). - Primary (CP–CM2): EUR 10,550 per year — approximately EUR 3,517 per term (annual ÷ 3). - Middle School (6ème): EUR 10,550 per year — approximately EUR 3,517 per term (annual ÷ 3). - Passerelle Programme: EUR 1,950 total (programme fee). If split into three equal instalments, approx. EUR 650 per term. Billing schedule and payment terms - The first registration fee must be paid within two weeks following the admission notification to confirm the enrolment. Annual tuition fees are set for the academic year 2026–2027 and charged per pupil at the levels above. Families receive invoices from the school administration with the payment deadlines indicated on those invoices. Boarding fees - Boarding is not applicable. EFI Bucarest operates as a day school for the listed levels and does not list boarding or residential programmes with associated fees. Other costs and fees - Uniforms: A standardized school uniform is required; families must obtain the uniform items as stated in the school's uniform policy and supply lists. Specific uniform pricing is not listed with the tuition figures. - School supplies: Supply lists for each year (preschool and elementary) are provided; costs for supplies are additional to tuition and vary by level. - Catering (school meals): A school meal service is offered; meal charges and subscription options are handled separately from tuition and are additional to the amounts above. - Extra‑curricular activities / after‑school programmes / holiday camps: These services are available and typically carry separate fees; such activity fees are additional to tuition. Refund information (applicable items) - The first registration fee is explicitly non‑refundable. Fee payment options - Enrolment and administrative billing are managed through the school's admissions process and administrative office; invoices are issued by the school administration. For specific accepted payment methods (for example: bank transfer, card payment, direct debit) and the details required for remittance, contact the school's admissions or reception teams using the published contact details. Administrative contact for fee matters - EFI Bucarest reception: +40 (749) 098 867; contact@efibucarest.org. Admissions office: admissions@efibucarest.org. Use these contacts for billing queries and to obtain invoice and payment‑method details.	Fee details Registration and Reservation Fees - Registration fee: EUR 500. (Non-refundable; first time only). - Reservation fee (per year): Early Years EUR 500 / Reception EUR 500 / Primary EUR 1,000. (Non-deductible; payment required before April 1). Materials Fee - Materials fee (per year): Early Years EUR 200 / Reception EUR 300 / Primary EUR 500. (Non-deductible; payment required before April 1). Reservation and materials fees will not be deducted from the tuition fee. Tuition fees by year group (annual amounts and programme times) - Early Years (2–3 years): Short Programme EUR 5,500 / year (08:00–15:00); Long Programme EUR 6,500 / year (08:00–17:00). Monthly payment option is available for Early Years. - Reception (4 years): Short Programme EUR 6,000 / year (08:00–15:00); Long Programme EUR 7,000 / year (08:00–17:00). - Primary (Years 1–6): Short Programme EUR 9,000 / year (08:00–15:00); Long Programme EUR 10,000 / year (08:00–17:00). Per-payment installment examples (simple divisions based on available billing options — inferred) - Quarterly (three installments): divide the annual fee by 3. Example amounts: Early Years Short EUR 5,500 → EUR 1,833.33 per installment; Early Years Long EUR 6,500 → EUR 2,166.67; Reception Short EUR 6,000 → EUR 2,000; Reception Long EUR 7,000 → EUR 2,333.33; Primary Short EUR 9,000 → EUR 3,000; Primary Long EUR 10,000 → EUR 3,333.33. These are straightforward arithmetic divisions of the annual fee and illustrate the per-installment level when choosing quarterly billing. - Bi-annual (two installments): divide the annual fee by 2. Example amounts: Early Years Short EUR 5,500 → EUR 2,750; Primary Long EUR 10,000 → EUR 5,000 (illustrative). - Annual: full tuition paid in one payment equals the annual amounts shown above. Meals - Short Programme meal plan: EUR 900 / year + TVA (includes breakfast, one mid-morning snack, lunch). - Long Programme meal plan: EUR 1,000 / year + TVA (includes breakfast, one mid-morning snack, lunch and one afternoon snack). Meals are prepared on-site by the school chef; purchasing school lunch is optional. Additional costs and fees - Extra-curricular / after-school clubs: EUR 50–150 (varies by club/activity). - Field trip fees: EUR 50–150 (varies by destination). - Uniform fees: Not included in the tuition or educational resources fees; specific uniform costs are handled separately by the school office. Billing schedule, discounts and payment terms - Quarterly tuition: 0% discount per year. Quarterly payments must be paid by 1 September, 1 December and 1 March (dates shown for the 2026–2027 billing cycle). - Bi-annual tuition: 1% discount per year. Bi-annual payments must be paid by 1 September and 1 February (dates shown for the 2026–2027 billing cycle). - Annual tuition: 3% discount per year. Annual payment must be paid by 1 September (date shown for the 2026–2027 billing cycle). - Sibling discounts: Second child 3% discount per year; Third child 5% discount per year (with a cap that sibling discount for the third child cannot exceed 8% in cases of advance payment). - Ukrainian support: Ukrainian citizens are eligible for an additional 10% discount on month-to-month fees. - To secure a place, payment of registration fee, reservation fee and materials fee is required by April 1; if not paid by that deadline the child will be added to the waiting list. Reservation and materials fees will not be deducted from tuition. Refund information - Registration fee: explicitly stated as non-refundable. - Reservation fee and materials fee: stated as non-deductible and not offset against tuition; these fees are not deducted from the tuition charge. Fee payment options - Accepted methods: cash or bank transfer.
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 EFI Bucarest is a trilingual school (French, English and Romanian) approved by the French Ministry of Education and delivering education in accordance with the French national curriculum. French is the language of instruction; English and Romanian are taught from prekindergarten onwards, with English around 4.5 hours per week plus 1 hour of co-teaching and Romanian 2 hours per week. About 20% of the total curriculum is taught in English. The primary curriculum uses a common base structured into five areas: Languages, Methods and tools, Personal and citizen education, Natural and technical systems, Representations of the world and human activity. The Passerelle programme provides intensive French lessons (3 hours per week in small groups) for non- or low-French-speaking students to support immersion, and the Portal programme assists in their smooth integration into the curriculum. After kindergarten and primary, EFI Bucarest will open its junior high school in September 2024 and its high school in September 2028, enabling the French baccalaureate (international option) and language certifications that open doors to top universities worldwide.	Curriculum details Early Years follows the English National Curriculum and is based on seven areas of learning: Personal, Social, and Emotional Development; Physical Development; Communication and Language; Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding the World; Expressive Arts and Design. Primary follows the British National Curriculum, with core subjects including English, maths, and Romanian; phonics, reading and writing are also taught. In KS2, German language classes are offered.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression Pupils will study for the French baccalaureate (international option) and language certifications, which open doors to the best universities worldwide.	Higher education progression —
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented Value all forms of talent.	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 EFI Bucarest welcomes pupils of all nationalities. From the beginning of the school year in September 2026, the French International School of Bucharest will offer classes from Pre-Kindergarten (TPS) to Middle School Grade 6 (6ème). Recruitment is based on the results of the admission tests. Admission depends on the quality of the application, the test results and the availability of places. The admission process has three stages 1. Processing of application & admissions interview. Once you have submitted the online application and it has been processed by the admissions department, you will be invited to an admissions interview. 2. Reply to admission application. After the admission committee has come to a decision, your child's place will be confirmed by email and additional documents will be requested. 3. Payment of registration fees. After admission is confirmed, you will be asked to pay the first registration fee. The 1st registration fee is €1,150 and will not be refunded in the event of cancellation. Your child's final registration will be confirmed by email within 7 days following receipt of your payment. Registrations for the 2026-2027 school year are now open. The following documents must be uploaded when registering online: The completed online registration form; A copy of the child's passport or national identity card; Copies of passports or national identity cards of the parents/guardians; A copy of the family record book or any document proving the child's civil status; School evaluations for 24/25 and 25/26 school years for the children enrolled in the primary school.	Admissions 1. Enrollment requires submitting the application form and the following documents: a copy of the child's birth certificate; a copy of the parent's valid identification document; a copy of the most recent evaluation report from the child's previous school or kindergarten; a medical report; a vaccination record; Aviz de intrare în colectivitate (medical clearance for participation in group activities); and a recommendation letter from the child's previous school or kindergarten. 2. MISB has an induction procedure to help children adjust to school at their own pace. It is a gradual process that increases the time the child spends in school from one day to the next; families should maintain a consistent schedule and ensure on-time arrival to set a routine; child/parent communication is very important to support the transition. 3. English is the primary language used for teaching at MISB. Romanian language classes are offered for all levels and German is taught for KS2. For MiniPreschool and Preschool, teaching assistants speak Romanian, but it is used only for special circumstances; students are encouraged to speak English from Reception onwards. 4. To secure a place, pay the registration fee, reservation fee, and materials fee by April 1. If payments are not made by this deadline, you will be added to the waiting list. Reservation and materials fees are not deducted from tuition. Tuition and related fees vary by programme and include quarterly, bi-annual, and annual payment options; a sibling discount applies for the second and third child, and Ukraine-related discounts may apply.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist If payments are not made by the April 1 deadline for registration, reservation, and materials fees, applicants are added to the waiting list.
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