International School of Bucharest vs Maria International School

	I International School of Bucharest Bucharest, Romania	M Maria International School Bucharest, Romania
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RON 9,847 - 17,663	Fees / year RON 6,200 - 11,500
Age range	Age range 2 - 18 years	Age range 2 - 11 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum British Curriculum, Cambridge (Secondary), Cambridge IGCSE, IB (DP)	Curriculum British Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils 500	Pupils —
Typical class size	Typical class size 20	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English, Romanian
Opened	Opened 1996	Opened 2013
Bus service	Bus service Yes	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location —	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 —	Stages Early Years and Primary.
School type	School type —	School type British international school.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support MISB is an inclusive school.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation —	Country affiliation British/UK (British National Curriculum).
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	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 fees - Registration (one-time): EUR 1,000. This fee is non‑refundable. Tuition fees by year group (annual; published for 2025/2026) - Early Years (ages 2–5): EUR 9,847 per year. Early‑bird reduced rates: EUR 8,599 if paid by 20 February; EUR 9,200 if paid by 20 April. - Primary School (Key Stage 1–2, Years 1–6): EUR 15,879 per year. Early‑bird reduced rates: EUR 14,258 if paid by 20 February; EUR 15,119 if paid by 20 April. - Secondary (Key Stage 3, Years 7–9): EUR 16,685 per year. Early‑bird reduced rates: EUR 15,081 if paid by 20 February; EUR 15,879 if paid by 20 April. - Secondary (Key Stage 4/5, Years 10–13): EUR 17,663 per year. Early‑bird reduced rates: EUR 15,974 if paid by 20 February; EUR 16,809 if paid by 20 April. Per‑term illustration (inference) - The school publishes annual tuition amounts. If those annual figures are divided evenly across a conventional three‑term school year, the per‑term amounts would be approximately: - Early Years: EUR 3,282 per term (EUR 9,847 ÷ 3). (Early‑bird examples: EUR 2,867 and EUR 3,067 per term.) - Primary: EUR 5,293 per term (EUR 15,879 ÷ 3). (Early‑bird examples: EUR 4,753 and EUR 5,040 per term.) - KS3: EUR 5,562 per term (EUR 16,685 ÷ 3). (Early‑bird examples: EUR 5,027 and EUR 5,293 per term.) - KS4/5: EUR 5,888 per term (EUR 17,663 ÷ 3). (Early‑bird examples: EUR 5,325 and EUR 5,603 per term.) - Note: these per‑term figures are calculated by dividing the published annual tuition by three to provide a term‑level illustration; they are not an official ISB billing schedule. The school's published materials state there are flexible payment options and early‑bird deadlines but do not publish a fixed public instalment calendar in the 2025/2026 fee materials. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school publishes annual tuition rates and explicit early‑bird discount deadlines (20 February and 20 April for the 2025/2026 schedule). Flexible payment options are available through the school's Finance Department; specific invoice/instalment dates and detailed public billing calendars are not listed in the published 2025/2026 fee materials. The registration fee is charged once at enrolment and is non‑refundable. Sibling discounts are offered: 5% for a second sibling and 10% for three or more siblings. Boarding fees - Not applicable. International School of Bucharest operates as a day school (no boarding programme). Other costs and typical additional fees - ESL / SEN support fee: an additional EUR 2,000 per year applies for students placed in ESL programmes or enrolled in the school's special needs programme. - Charges that may be additional to tuition include: uniform costs, external examination fees, certain extracurricular activities, residential trips, lunch, and transport (lunch and transport are optional services and are not included in the tuition). Refund information - The registration fee is explicitly non‑refundable. The published 2025/2026 fee materials do not include a publicly detailed tuition refund schedule for mid‑year withdrawal or the exact pro‑rata refund mechanics; no specific tuition refund percentages or deadlines were published in the fee documents located for 2025/2026. Fee payment options - Bank transfer is documented as an accepted payment route in the school's enrolment materials. The published fee information states that flexible payment options are available via the Finance Department; specific public lists of accepted card types or alternate payment channels were not included in the 2025/2026 fee documents located. Families typically receive invoice and bank details from the school Finance Office when completing enrolment. Summary of key points - Annual tuition for 2025/2026 (published): Early Years EUR 9,847; Primary EUR 15,879; KS3 EUR 16,685; KS4/5 EUR 17,663. Early‑bird discounts reduce those annual figures if payment is completed by the stated early‑bird deadlines. Registration fee: EUR 1,000, non‑refundable. ESL/SEN supplement: EUR 2,000 per year. Boarding is not offered. Flexible payment arrangements are available through the Finance Department; detailed instalment dates are not published in the publicly available 2025/2026 fee materials.	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 The Primary School follows the English National Curriculum for children aged 2–11, delivered in a child‑centred, challenging and well‑balanced programme. In Key Stage 3, English, Mathematics and Science follow the Cambridge Secondary Lower Curriculum, with the National Curriculum for England used as the framework for History, Geography, ICT, Music, Art, Drama, PSHE and Physical Education. Modern Foreign Languages include Spanish and French, with Romanian studied as a First or Foreign Language and Turkish taught as a First Language. In Key Stage 4, most courses lead to Cambridge IGCSE qualifications. In Key Stage 5, all students follow the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. ISB is an IB World School offering the IB Diploma Programme. The language of instruction is English.	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 7:1	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results Cambridge IGCSE examinations are offered to students in Years 10–11, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is offered in Years 12–13. In 2025, ISB reported Romania's strongest IB results.	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression ISB's Career Counseling Service guides students toward universities worldwide. In Year 9, students receive career guidance through MyFirstChoices; in Year 11, through MyCareerChoices to plan IB options; in Year 12, through MyUniChoices to create a university shortlist. ISB also runs on‑campus and online university fairs and offers internship opportunities to support progression to higher education.	Higher education progression —
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented Gifted and talented students have access to visual arts courses as well as music and a variety of instrumentals.	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 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 The school offers a Scholarship Programme providing full or partial scholarships to eligible students who cannot meet the expense of ISB education. Following acceptance into the programme, a contract is signed between the school and the parents and the ISB admission procedure is completed. The Programme is overseen by the Director, Head of Primary School/Secondary School, Finance Manager, PTA members and the Admissions and Communications Manager.	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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