International School of Bucharest vs Olga Gudynn International School
International School of Bucharest and Olga Gudynn International School are both in Bucharest, about 14 km apart. Both schools offer Cambridge IGCSE and IB programmes. International School of Bucharest also offers British and Cambridge (Secondary), and Olga Gudynn International School also offers Bespoke and Cambridge (Primary). Published annual fees are RON 9,847 - 17,663 at International School of Bucharest and RON 11,280 - 19,560 at Olga Gudynn International School, which puts Olga Gudynn International School roughly 12% higher. Both take pupils from 2 to 18. Olga Gudynn International School is the larger school, with around 900 pupils to International School of Bucharest's 500.
Educational group offering three pathways: Romanian National Curriculum (with bilingual English instruction), Cambridge Curriculum, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
More than 25 nationalities represented.
Additional learning support
Additional learning support
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Additional learning support
Ongoing student support provided by school counsellors and teachers; emphasis on a warm, inclusive community and the holistic development of each learner.
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
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Country affiliation
Romania
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
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Religious affiliation
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School day structure
School day structure
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School day structure
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Bus service details
Bus service details
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Bus service details
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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
Application / registration fees
- Application / registration fee: The school's published admission pages require payment of the fees set out in the Educational Contract and the Financial Agreement; no fixed standalone application or registration fee amount is published on the school's fee pages.
Tuition fees — Nursery (preschool)
- Published monthly rates: - Standard programme (08:00–13:00): EUR 940 per month. - Extended programme (08:00–17:00): EUR 1,020 per month. - Breakdown (monthly): - Educational programme component (standard): EUR 550 per month. - School administrative component (standard): EUR 390 per month; extended administrative component: EUR 470 per month. - Simple calculations from the published monthly figures (for convenience): - Nursery standard: EUR 940 × 12 = EUR 11,280 per year; per term (example calculation using a 3-term year: EUR 940 × 4) = EUR 3,760 per term.
Tuition fees — Primary and Lower Secondary (School)
- Primary published monthly rates: - Primary (Bucharest campus): EUR 1,180 per month (this is presented as the total monthly primary fee for Bucharest). - Primary (Voluntari / Pipera): EUR 1,350 per month (total monthly primary fee for Voluntari). - Primary breakdown (monthly): - Standard educational programme: EUR 620 per month. - School administrative fee (Bucharest): EUR 560 per month (meals, clubs, activities); School administrative fee (Voluntari): EUR 730 per month. - Secondary published monthly rates and breakdown: - Secondary (lower secondary / gymnasium) total: EUR 1,480 per month. - Secondary educational programme: EUR 720 per month. - Secondary school administrative fee (Voluntari): EUR 760 per month. - Simple calculations from the published monthly figures (for convenience): - Primary (Bucharest): EUR 1,180 × 12 = EUR 14,160 per year; per term (example, 3-term year): EUR 1,180 × 4 = EUR 4,720 per term. - Primary (Voluntari): EUR 1,350 × 12 = EUR 16,200 per year; per term (×4) = EUR 5,400 per term. - Secondary (Voluntari): EUR 1,480 × 12 = EUR 17,760 per year; per term (×4) = EUR 5,920 per term.
Tuition fees — High School (Bilingual High School / upper secondary)
- Published monthly rate (standard programme): EUR 1,630 per month. - Breakdown (monthly): - Educational programme component: EUR 800 per month. - School administrative component: EUR 830 per month (meals, study groups, exam preparation, clubs). - Additional charges noted: Students who choose the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) will incur additional fees for IB exams, textbooks, educational platform subscriptions and materials specific to chosen subjects; those additional IB-related charges are communicated to parents in advance. - Simple calculations from the published monthly figure (for convenience): - High School: EUR 1,630 × 12 = EUR 19,560 per year; per term (example, 3-term year): EUR 1,630 × 4 = EUR 6,520 per term.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Billing schedule and specific payment terms are set out in the Educational Contract and the Financial Agreement signed at enrollment; the school's admission information states that payment of the fees mentioned in those contracts is required but does not publish a fixed public billing calendar or installment schedule on the fee pages.
Boarding fees
- Boarding: No boarding (residential) programme or boarding fees are published for the listed campuses; the school's published information describes day schedules, meal provisions and parent pick-up times rather than overnight accommodation.
Other costs and fees
- School uniform: Uniform is compulsory for all levels and must be purchased from the school reception; published uniform pages describe required items but do not publish item prices. - Extra / out-of-school costs: Extra-curricular clubs, optional activities, field trips, camps and events organized outside the school are optional and are not included in the published tuition/administrative fees; such activities are charged separately. - IB-specific costs at upper-secondary: Additional charges for IB exam registrations, subject-specific resources and platform subscriptions apply to students choosing the IB Diploma and are stated as separate items.
Refunds and fee adjustments
- Refund policy and specific rules for fee adjustments or cancellations are not published as standalone policy text on the public fee pages; the admission information indicates that the fees and the financial terms are specified in the Educational Contract and Financial Agreement signed at enrollment.
Fee payment options (methods)
- Payment methods such as bank transfer, credit card or other means are not listed on the public tuition or admission pages; the school's admission and terms pages indicate that payment is handled under the Educational Contract / Financial Agreement but do not publish an exhaustive list of accepted payment channels. For campus contact details (phone / email) for payment or billing queries, see the school contact listings.
Summary (key figures at a glance, published monthly amounts)
(Each of the figures above is taken from the school's published tuition pages; contractually binding details — including the payment schedule, any enrollment or registration charges stated in the Educational Contract or Financial Agreement, refund terms and the school's accepted payment methods — are specified in the Educational Contract and the Financial/administrative documents provided at registration.)
Diving deeper
Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements
Boarding arrangements
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Boarding arrangements
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Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
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Uniform requirement
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Food options
Food options
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Food options
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House system
House system
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House system
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Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
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Governance and ownership
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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
The school offers three internationally recognised curricula: the Romanian National Curriculum, the Cambridge International Curriculum, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP). The Cambridge curriculum is organized into Cambridge Primary (Years 1–6), Cambridge Lower Secondary (Years 7–9), Cambridge IGCSE (Years 10–11), and Cambridge International AS & A Levels (Years 12–13). The Romanian National Curriculum provides a solid academic education aligned with the Ministry of Education and Research requirements, preparing students for the Romanian Baccalaureate and further university studies. The IB Diploma Programme is a rigorous, balanced programme for Years 12 and 13, with Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, and Creativity, Activity, Service components, fostering critical thinking and global-mindedness.
Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
7:1
Student teacher ratio
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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
Great academic results: students win medals in national Olympiads and receive awards in art, debate, and robotics, with top performances in national exams and the Baccalaureate. These results help students gain admission to prestigious universities in Romania and abroad.
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
OGIS graduates are admitted to prestigious universities in Romania and abroad. They pursue studies in fields such as Engineering, Medicine, Law, Arts, Business, Hospitality, Digital Marketing, Technology, and Artificial Intelligence.
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
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Academic calendar
Academic calendar
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Academic calendar
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Wellbeing & support
Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning
Social & emotional learning
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Social & emotional learning
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Special educational needs (SEN)
Special educational needs (SEN)
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Special educational needs (SEN)
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English as an additional language
English as an additional language
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English as an additional language
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Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
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Mental wellbeing
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Safeguarding
Safeguarding
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Safeguarding
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Safeguarding policy
Safeguarding policy
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Safeguarding policy
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Facilities
Facilities
Facilities overview
Facilities overview
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Facilities overview
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Sports facilities
Sports facilities
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Sports facilities
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Academic facilities
Academic facilities
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Academic facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
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Parent experience
Parent experience
History
History
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History
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Community
Community
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Community
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Parent teacher association
Parent teacher association
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Parent teacher association
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Extra-curricular
Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual
Academic & intellectual
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Academic & intellectual
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Arts & creative
Arts & creative
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Arts & creative
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Cultural & language
Cultural & language
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Cultural & language
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Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
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Social & hobbies
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Community & service
Community & service
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Community & service
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Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
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Leadership & professional
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
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Language provision
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Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
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Bilingual teaching
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Immersion programs
Immersion programs
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Immersion programs
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Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
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Awards
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Accreditations
Accreditations
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Accreditations
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Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
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Admissions
Step 1. The student and both parents/legal representatives participate in an interview with the school. The interview is part of the registration procedure. It is one of the listed steps in the admission process. The interview initiates the enrollment sequence as described in the admission materials. Step 2. A recommendation from the previously attended school is required. The recommendation provides information about the student's prior performance and conduct as part of the application. It is one of the steps in Olga Gudynn's admissions process. The recommendation is considered in evaluating the applicant. Step 3. The student presents the gradebook and a personal portfolio, including diplomas, prizes, recommendations, etc. The school reviews these materials as part of the admissions evaluation. The portfolio highlights academic and extracurricular achievements that support the application. The documents accompany the application during registration. Step 4. Admissions evaluation includes written tests in mathematics, Romanian, and English. The tests assess the applicant's knowledge in these subjects. The results contribute to the enrollment decision. The written tests are part of the formal evaluation of the applicant. Step 5. The head of the educational unit approves the registration application. Approval is required before enrollment can proceed. The approval follows the evaluation and document review. The head's approval completes the formal enrollment decision. Step 6. After approval, signing and submitting the documents to the secretariat of the institution is required in due time. The registration documents include: Application for registration, Educational contract, Financial agreement, Copy of the child's birth certificate, Copies of the parents' identity cards, Medical record, and Two photos. Enrollment also requires payment of the fees mentioned in the Educational contract and the Financial agreement. Enrollment is subject to the prior approval of the enrollment request by the head of the school after completing the internal evaluation protocol regarding school progress and the student's behavior.
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.