ICS Côte d'Azur vs International School of Nice

	I ICS Côte d'Azur Cote D Azur, France	I International School of Nice Cote D Azur, France
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €12,480 - 16,692	Fees / year €15,225 - 26,607
Age range	Age range 2 - 11 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), French Curriculum, British Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Cambridge IGCSE
Pupils	Pupils 400	Pupils 480
Typical class size	Typical class size 12	Typical class size 18
Instruction language	Instruction language French, English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2006	Opened 1987
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service Yes
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location 245 Route des Lucioles, 06560 Valbonne, France. Valbonne is a town on the Côte d'Azur.	Location ISN Nice is a private, co-educational day school on the Côte d'Azur in Nice, France. The campus is on the western edge of the city, five minutes from Nice Côte d'Azur Airport, with easy access to the A8 motorway. The address is 15 Avenue Claude Debussy, 06200 Nice.
Stages	Stages Early Years and Primary School. Early Years follows the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) in French and English for children aged 3 to 5; Primary School integrates the national curricula for France and England in grades 1–6.	Stages ISN Nice provides a full English-language international education for ages 3-18, from preschool through Grade 12. The school is organized into Primary School, Middle School and High School, with High School following the IGCSE and IB Diploma Programme.
School type	School type Co-educational day school.	School type Private, co-educational day school; IB World School; English-language instruction; non-sectarian. Globeducate network affiliation.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix 35+ nationalities.	Pupil nationality mix ISN Nice has around 65 nationalities represented and more than 40 home languages spoken by the student body.
Additional learning support	Additional learning support FLE (Français langue étrangère) and EAL (English as An Additional Language) for students from PY3 to PY6.	Additional learning support REACH Centre provides one-to-one support and Individual Education Plans for diagnosed learning needs (ages 3-18). EAL (English as an Additional Language) support is available to help students acquire English.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation France and England (integration of the French and English national curricula).	Country affiliation —
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation Non-sectarian
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure Hours of tuition are 08:30–15:40 for Primary, and 08:30–15:50 for Middle and High School, Monday to Friday. Lower School Lunch 11:00–12:00; Middle School Lunch 12:20–13:00; High School Lunch 13:00–14:00.
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details ISN Nice offers six school bus routes across the Côte d'Azur, including Cannes, Monaco Fontvieille, Monaco Grimaldi, Nice, Valbonne and Vence.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application, Registration and One‑off Fees - Application fee: EUR 690 for the first child; EUR 540 for each subsequent child. - Registration fee (charged once at acceptance): EUR 1,650 for the first child; EUR 1,000 for the second child; EUR 500 for the third child; EUR 0 for the fourth child. KG1 students are exempt from the registration fee. - Excellence Fund (one‑off at enrolment): EUR 800 per child. - Application, registration and Excellence Fund payments are non‑refundable. Annual Tuition Fees by Year Group (full‑time attendance) - KG1 (Petite Section, age 3–4): EUR 12,480 per year. Per semester (two semesters per academic year): EUR 6,240. - KG2 (Moyenne Section, age 4–5): EUR 12,480 per year. Per semester: EUR 6,240. - PY1 (Grande Section, age 5–6): EUR 14,004 per year. Per semester: EUR 7,002. - PY2 (CP, age 6–7): EUR 16,692 per year. Per semester: EUR 8,346. - PY3 (CE1, age 7–8): EUR 16,692 per year. Per semester: EUR 8,346. - PY4 (CE2, age 8–9): EUR 16,692 per year. Per semester: EUR 8,346. - PY5 (CM1, age 9–10): EUR 16,692 per year. Per semester: EUR 8,346. - PY6 (CM2, age 10–11): EUR 16,692 per year. Per semester: EUR 8,346. - Tuition fee amounts are for full‑time enrolment; part‑time places are not offered. Semester dates run September 1 – January 31 (first semester) and February 1 – June 28 (second semester). Billing Schedule and Payment Terms - Families may choose to pay tuition in one, two, three, six or nine instalments. Exact instalment dates and the payment schedule are provided at the time of enrolment. Example for two instalments (2025/2026): invoice on receipt and a second instalment due 15 December 2025. - Invoices are payable in euros. For bank transfers from foreign banks, transfer charges are payable by the payer. - Payment methods accepted: bank transfer (preferred), SEPA direct debit from a French bank account, and cheques for specific items only (extracurricular activities, holiday courses, travel, registration fees). - Late payment consequences: late interest at the legal rate plus two percentage points, an automatic late‑payment penalty of 10% of the unpaid invoice, collection charges (example fees: third reminder €25, bailiff command €450), and potential exclusion of the pupil for sustained non‑payment. Fees for returned direct debit or cheque are charged (example: EUR 100). - Re‑enrolment: a re‑enrolment down payment is required to secure a place for the following year; failure to pay re‑enrolment charges by the deadline may result in loss of the place. Certain re‑enrolment deposits are non‑refundable after the stated deadline. Boarding - Boarding is not applicable. ICS Côte d'Azur is a co‑educational day school for Early Years and Primary students. Other Costs and Optional Charges - Canteen (mandatory through PY6): annual charge for the canteen (4 meals per week): EUR 1,269. Canteen charges are billed separately and are generally non‑refundable if the student is absent; the canteen is compulsory up to PY6. - Uniforms: uniform is mandatory from KG1 to PY6; uniforms are supplied via the school's parent portal / e‑shop and are billed separately. Uniform costs are not included in tuition. - Extracurricular activities, after‑school care, certain school supplies, some day and overnight trips (including “classes vertes”), class photos and certain books are charged separately and billed as extra items. Optional services are charged pro rata when applicable. - Language support and special programmes: EAL (English as an Additional Language) and FLE (Français Langue Étrangère) for PY3–PY6 and the STEP UP programme for students with an Individual Learning Plan are charged in addition to tuition. Typical rates are expressed as percentages of annual tuition: Level 1 support typically 15% of annual tuition; Level 2 typically 7.5% of annual tuition. Combined EAL and FLE support can be charged at higher percentage rates (examples: 20% / 10% depending on level). These charges are applied after assessment and are billed from the first payment. Refunds, Cancellation and Mid‑Year Leaving - Application fees, registration fees and the Excellence Fund are not refundable. - A non‑refundable deposit (first term) is required to confirm enrolment; in limited circumstances a deposit may be refunded if cancellation is notified within specific short timeframes (for new admissions, refund may be possible if the school is informed by registered letter within 15 calendar days of the admission date). After those deadlines, amounts paid at enrolment are generally not refundable. - For students leaving during the school year, tuition is charged pro rata for entrants, but any term or quarter started is due for students leaving mid‑year (full months/quarters may be charged). Canteen fees are not refundable for absences while canteen is compulsory up to PY6. Summary of Common Payment Options - Bank transfer in EUR (international transfers: payer pays bank charges). - SEPA direct debit (from French bank accounts). - Cheques only accepted for extracurricular activities, holiday courses, travel and registration fees.	Fee details Application and registration fees - Application (dossier) fee for new registrations: EUR 690 for the first child; EUR 540 for the second, third and fourth child. - Non‑refundable Excellence Fund (one‑off at enrolment): EUR 2,000. - Non‑refundable admission/registration fees for new entrants: EUR 3,200 for Child 1; EUR 1,500 for Child 2; EUR 500 for Child 3; Child 4: EUR 0. Total initially payable for one new child (application + excellence fund + admission fees) is shown as EUR 5,890 (lower totals for subsequent children are published). Tuition fees by school year (annual and per semester) - Young Explorers (pre‑K / Kindergarten): Annual tuition EUR 11,400. Per semester (school year = 2 semesters): EUR 5,700. Down payment to guarantee place: EUR 4,500 (deducted from the annual fee). - Grade 1–5: Annual tuition EUR 14,700. Per semester: EUR 7,350. Down payment: EUR 4,500 (deducted from the annual fee). - Grade 6–8: Annual tuition EUR 18,315. Per semester: EUR 9,157.50. Down payment: EUR 4,500 (deducted from the annual fee). - Grade 9–10 (IGCSE years): Annual tuition EUR 21,060. Per semester: EUR 10,530. Down payment: EUR 4,500 (deducted from the annual fee). - Grade 11–12 (IB Diploma years): Annual tuition EUR 23,550 for Grade 11 and EUR 24,885 for Grade 12. Per semester: EUR 11,775 (Grade 11) and EUR 12,442.50 (Grade 12). Down payment: EUR 4,500 (deducted from the annual fee). Other compulsory or commonly billed costs - Canteen (school meals), billed in addition to tuition (annual): Young Explorers EUR 1,348; Pre‑K/K EUR 1,481; Grade 1–5 EUR 1,784; Grade 6–8 EUR 1,911; Grade 9–11 EUR 1,911; Grade 12 EUR 1,722. Canteen fees are non‑refundable in the event of absence. - Bus/transport: Bus service is an extra, billed in addition to tuition; full‑time/half‑time pricing is set and communicated at the start of the academic year. - EAL (English as an Additional Language) support (price per semester): Grade 1–5 from EUR 3,092 per semester; Grade 6–8 from EUR 3,387 per semester; Grade 9–10 from EUR 3,771 per semester. - REACH (individual support): Annual prices vary by need; published from EUR 1,900 per year (case‑by‑case). - IGCSE/IB external examination fees: charged per exam; indicative range for IGCSE examinations EUR 90–100 per exam (final price notified in April). External IB examination charges apply where relevant. - Private music lessons: EUR 33 per 30‑minute lesson (price quoted per semester where applicable). World language extra classes: annual prices from EUR 1,000. After‑school activity prices are published each year and billed per semester. - PTA annual subscription: EUR 130. Uniforms are mandatory from Young Explorers through Grade 10; uniform costs are charged separately. Badge/voucher and incidental canteen items: e.g., canteen badge replacement EUR 15; voucher of 5 meals EUR 75. Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition is quoted on an annual basis; the school year is made up of two semesters (Semester 1: September–January; Semester 2: February–June). Any semester begun must be paid for in full. Families enrolling mid‑year are charged on a prorata basis, with full month charged for the month of arrival. - Required initial payments at enrolment (new students): application fee, registration/admission fee, Excellence Fund contribution and an initial down payment on tuition of EUR 4,500. For re‑enrolment, a down payment of EUR 4,500 is requested (to be paid by March 1st for the following academic year unless opting out by the published deadline). - Payment timing: the first payment is the down payment on enrolment or re‑enrolment; a second payment is due at the end of August; the remaining balance is payable according to the payment option selected. The school allows payment in 1 or 2 instalments by bank transfer, and via direct debit (SEPA) in 3, 6 or 9 instalments (direct debit is preferred from a French bank account but SEPA from listed countries is accepted). All bank charges are at the payer's expense. Late payment and debt recovery - Late payment interest and penalties: interest is charged at the legal rate plus two percentage points and a late‑payment penalty of 10% of the unpaid invoice is applied automatically for missed deadlines. Debt‑recovery administrative charges are applied in stages (several reminder letters free; later reminders and formal actions carry fees—for example, reminder letters and final recovery charges up to the specified amounts; a bailiff command can incur higher costs). Fees for returned direct debits or unpaid cheques are charged. Non‑payment may result in exclusion from classes and the immediate payability of all outstanding sums. Refunds, cancellations and early departure - Application fees, registration/admission fees and the Excellence Fund are non‑refundable. The EUR 4,500 down payment may be refunded if the family cancels by registered letter within 15 days of the student's admission date; beyond 15 days amounts paid at enrolment are generally not refunded. In special circumstances (for example, the school proposes an educational arrangement or directs a student to education not provided at ISN, or for Grade 5 and Grade 8 students who obtain a place in a French state collège/lycée under the rules described), the school will refund sums already paid as set out in the financial terms. - Early departures by parents require 90 days' (3 months) written notice by registered letter; any semester during which the child attends must be paid in full. Amounts paid will not be refunded in the normal course. Expulsion for breach of obligations does not entitle the family to a refund of fees already paid. Boarding - Boarding is not applicable: ISN operates as a private day international school; no boarding fee schedule is published. Fee payment options and practical notes - Accepted methods of payment: cash (subject to legal limits), bank transfer (typically in one or two instalments; all bank charges at payer's expense), SEPA direct debit (from eligible European/associated countries) arranged for payment in 3, 6 or 9 instalments, and credit card payments (Visa, Mastercard). Families who choose direct debit must provide bank details and, where required, a Relevé d'Identité Bancaire or SEPA form. Charges for rejected debits apply. - Sibling discounts: a 10% reduction on tuition is applied from the third child enrolled (subject to conditions) and a 20% reduction from the fourth child enrolled (subject to conditions). (Values and terms above reflect the published fee schedule and the school's financial terms for the current academic year.)
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 ICS Côte d'Azur delivers the IB Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) in English and French for Early Years and Primary. Early Years (ages 3-5) follow the IB PYP in French and English. Primary School (grades 1-6) integrates the national curricula for France and England while following the bilingual IB PYP. STEAM and Innovation initiatives focus on problem solving, creativity and critical thinking. A culture of care provides a warm, welcoming environment for students from early years through primary. ICS Côte d'Azur is a member of the Globeducate network.	Curriculum details ISN Nice offers an IB-based curriculum for ages 3–18. The lower school follows the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP); the middle school uses the ISN Middle School Programme and prepares students for IGCSE and the IB Diploma Programme (IB DP); the high school follows the IGCSE curriculum and the IB Diploma Programme (IB DP). ISN Nice has been an IB World School since 1990. English is the language of instruction and all students study French with five weekly French sessions.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio 12:1	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results In 2025, 100% of graduates who applied to university received offers. The average IB Diploma score was 32 out of 45, and the highest score achieved was 40 out of 45. The IB Certificate and High School Diploma both posted a 100% pass rate in 2025.
Higher education progression	Higher education progression Post-primary education can be pursued in French schools offering the national curriculum, or in international schools in France and across the world with instruction in French, English, or both languages. Many ICS Côte d'Azur students join Globeducate sister schools on the French Riviera, notably Mougins British International School and The International School of Nice. The IB Continuum after the Primary Years Programme (PYP) includes the Middle Years Programme (MYP) for ages 11-16, the Diploma Programme (DP) for ages 16-19, and the Career-related Programme (CP) for ages 16-19.	Higher education progression ISN alumni have gone on to pursue higher education at top colleges and universities all over the world.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented The REACH Centre provides individualized educational support for students aged 3–18 with diagnosed learning needs, including giftedness.
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 ICS Côte d'Azur has a rolling admissions policy: applications are welcome at any time of year and a new student can join mid-semester if a place is available. The school is currently accepting in-year applications for 2025-2026; contact to check which grades have availability. Admissions process: 1. Fill out the enquiry form to arrange a phone call or visit with the bilingual primary school. 2. A first visit to the school and a meeting are conducted with the Admissions Manager. 3. Submit the online application form with required documents and pay the application fees; the application is not processed until payment is completed on the last page of the form (you can save and return to it later). 4. After submission and payment, the child's file is reviewed by the Head of School; the child will be invited to spend a taster morning at ICS Côte d'Azur to assess French and English, or an online meeting if the taster day cannot be attended. 5. The school communicates its decision to accept or decline the applicant. 6. The family confirms enrolment, pays enrolment fees, signs the registration form and Financial Terms. 7. Onboarding with the family follows after joining. For required documents, see Requirements.	Admissions 1. Start online application for in-year admissions (2025-2026) or begin the process for 2026-2027. Applications can be submitted at any time. If a school place is available, a new student may join mid‑semester. The curriculum is taught in English to serve the international community on the Côte d'Azur. 2. Prepare the documents required to apply online, as listed in Requirements. Gather the documents in advance to avoid delays. The admissions team can answer questions as needed. 3. Understand grade placement: ISN Nice follows the American system for labeling class levels. Preschool through high school; students join the grade corresponding to their age as of 1 September; a grade equivalency chart is available. 4. Admission decisions are based on: the availability of a place at the appropriate grade level; ISN's ability to meet the student's needs; the student's ability to fulfil ISN programme requirements. ISN Nice operates a small community with class sizes up to 23 and maintains a waiting list. 5. Ready to discover our school further or apply? See How to Apply to book an in-person/virtual open morning or a personalised tour; the documents required are listed in Requirements. You can also contact the admissions team via the provided numbers.
Scholarships	Scholarships No scholarships or financial aid are offered.	Scholarships We do not currently offer scholarships or financial aid programmes.
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist ISN Nice operates a waiting list. School places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis due to the small class sizes; early applications are encouraged.
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