ISF International School Frankfurt Rhein-Main vs The European School - RheinMain
ISF International School Frankfurt Rhein-Main and The European School - RheinMain are both in Frankfurt, about 22 km apart. Both schools offer IB and Bespoke programmes, and ISF International School Frankfurt Rhein-Main also offers Cambridge IGCSE. Published annual fees are close, at €14,850 - 24,410 for ISF International School Frankfurt Rhein-Main and €11,703 - 25,487 for The European School - RheinMain. ISF International School Frankfurt Rhein-Main takes pupils from 3 to 18, and The European School - RheinMain from 4 to 19.
ISF International School Frankfurt Rhein-Main is located at Strasse zur Internationalen Schule 33, 65931, Frankfurt, Germany. It sits in the Frankfurt-Rhine-Main region and is easily accessible by train or car. The S-Bahn stops Sindlingen (S1) and Zeilsheim (S2) bring students within a five-minute walk of the campus. It is located near expatriate towns and villages in the Taunus hills.
Location
Bad Vilbel, Germany (Theodor-Heuss-Straße 65, 61118 Bad Vilbel)
Stages
Stages
Kindergarten and Preschool; Primary School (Gr. 1-4); Middle School (Gr. 5-8); High School (Gr. 9-12).
Stages
Pre-Primary, Primary, Secondary
School type
School type
Private day school.
School type
Private European School within the European Schools system
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
Approximately 1,800 students from 70 nations; school community includes pupils from many nationalities; two language sections (German and English).
Additional learning support
Additional learning support
Learning support includes teacher-led study groups, peer tutoring, Power Study Sessions, and on-demand tutoring videos; Advisory Classes; Student Counseling; Health & Wellness services.
Additional learning support
Educational support is provided at three levels (general, moderate, intensive) and includes study skills classes, extra lessons in core subjects (L1, L2, Math) for catch-up, dedicated individual support for diagnosed learning difficulties, and programs for gifted students.
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
Germany; German curriculum equivalent to the state of Hesse.
Country affiliation
Germany
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
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Religious affiliation
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School day structure
School day structure
Full-day program; optional after-school care for Kindergarten to Grade 4.
School day structure
Pre-Primary school hours: Mon–Wed 8:15–15:00; Thu–Fri 8:15–13:00; childminding from 7:00 until school starts and after-school hours until 18:00. Afternoon childminding is an additional paid service; Primary and Secondary offer after-school activities as an optional paid service.
Bus service details
Bus service details
Door-to-door bus service via private taxi companies; S-Bahn stops Sindlingen (S1) and Zeilsheim (S2) bring students within a five-minute walk of the campus; details on SABIS Digital Platform or via Admissions.
Bus service details
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Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Application and enrollment fees - Enrolment Fee (new students): € 600.00 per student, billed with the tuition invoice for the new academic year. - Re‑Enrolment Fee (returning students): € 200.00 per student, billed with the tuition invoice for the new academic year. - Late Enrolment Fee: € 900.00 for students starting in Terms 2 or 3.
School place reservation fee - A School Place Reservation Fee is payable to the school's mother company (ISF GmbH & Co. KG). The Fee is € 2,000 per child per year for each of the first three years a child attends ISF (total possible payment over three years € 6,000). The first € 2,000 is payable on registration; the second and third € 2,000 are due on June 15 of the year before the respective second and third school years. The first-year reservation payment is non-refundable and not prorated.
Tuition fees (annual and per-term) - Tuition is charged by grade group and shown below as annual fee and as one-third (per instalment) when paid in three instalments: - Kindergarten & Preschool: € 14,850 per year — € 4,950 per instalment. - Grade 1–3: € 18,255 per year — € 6,085 per instalment. - Grades 4–6: € 19,395 per year — € 6,465 per instalment. - Grades 7–9: € 21,165 per year — € 7,055 per instalment. - Grades 10–11: € 22,860 per year — € 7,620 per instalment. - Grade 12: € 24,000 per year — € 8,000 per instalment. - Grade 13 (where applicable): € 24,210 per year — € 8,070 per instalment.
Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition may be paid in one annual instalment (due in June) or in three instalments. When paid in three instalments the due dates are: one-third of the annual tuition plus the full Enrolment/Re‑enrolment Fee due by June 15; the second instalment due by September 15; the third instalment due by December 15. Tuition invoices are issued in May. Tuition invoices issued after December 1 are payable in full within two weeks of the invoice date. Ensure bank transfer charges are included with payments.
Discounts and reductions - Family discounts (when children are enrolled at the same time): € 900 tuition discount for the second child; € 1,650 for the third child; € 2,400 for each additional child. - Direct debit (SEPA) discount: € 150 total (€ 50 per instalment) is granted when tuition instalments are paid by SEPA direct debit on the due dates (or the first working day thereafter). The original SEPA mandate must be received at least 14 days before the first due date. This discount is not combined with the early-payment discount. - Early-payment discount: € 300 is granted for full annual payment by the June due date (or within two weeks of invoice for new families enrolling between June 15 and Week 5 of Term 1).
Other costs and what is included - Books: one set of books is provided per student per school year (may be digital, physical, or a mix) and are included in the tuition. - Extra charges billed in addition to tuition: summer school fees, external examination fees, some after‑school activities, extra‑curricular trips, replacement of lost materials, and dress‑code/uniform items. Hot lunch and transportation are provided by outside firms and are billed separately.
Refunds and cancellation - Cancellation: if a (Re‑)Enrolment application is withdrawn after July 15, a cancellation fee of € 1,800 in addition to the Enrolment/Re‑enrolment Fee will be charged. If withdrawn before July 15, the Enrolment/Re‑enrolment Fee is charged and retained. - Leaving during the school year: at least one month's written notice before the beginning of the next term is required for withdrawal. Tuition paid in advance for unattended whole academic term(s) will be refunded; discounts already granted will be deducted from the refund. There is no refund for dis‑enrolment due to disciplinary measures or for instructional days lost for reasons beyond the school's control. A student who attends 5 weeks or more of a term is charged for the full term; attendance during the last 4 weeks or first 4 weeks of a term can trigger half‑term charges per the stated rules.
Overdue payments and surcharges - If the school must send reminders for overdue tuition payments, an administration surcharge of € 50.00 per reminder will be charged.
Boarding - ISF requires enrolled students to live with and be under the care of a parent or legal guardian for the entire period of enrolment; there is no boarding provision and therefore no boarding fees.
Fee payment options and bank details - Accepted payment methods for tuition: SEPA direct debit (direct debit mandate valid for tuition payment) and bank transfer; tuition can also be invoiced to a company where company details are provided. SEPA direct debit requires a completed mandate submitted with the Enrolment Contract. Parents should include the Student ID number on all bank transfers. (No credit-card payment method is listed in the school's enrolment/payment documentation.) - Bank transfer details (payable to ISF International School Frankfurt Rhein‑Main Verwaltungs‑GmbH): IBAN DE95 5007 0010 0093 4893 00; SWIFT/BIC DEUTDEFFXXX; Bank: Deutsche Bank, Rossmarkt 18, 60311 Frankfurt. Please ensure payments include all bank transfer charges and include the Student ID number on transfers.
Fee details
Application fees
- No non‑refundable application or upfront registration fee is published in the school's admissions and fee information materials.
Tuition fees by year group (monthly / per term information)
- The school bills a "monthly parental contribution (in Euros)" for Primary and Secondary pupils; a detailed month‑by‑month tuition table is maintained by the school as the formal fee schedule. Exact monthly amounts for each year group (Primary P1–P5, Secondary S1–S7) and the IB track are shown in the school's parental contribution table.
Pre‑Primary (Kindergarten) fees and state reduction
- Pre‑Primary parental contributions are reduced automatically by state funding of EUR 149.16 per month; families resident outside the State of Hesse receive only the sibling discount.
Sibling discounts and fee reductions
- Sibling discounts (based on household income thresholds) apply as follows: - 2nd child: 25% discount where household income is up to EUR 180,000. - 3rd child: 50% discount where household income is up to EUR 230,000. - 4th child: 50% discount where household income is up to EUR 280,000. - The sibling discount requires an application; the school relies on parental self‑assessment (no routine income verification for sibling discount). A separate tuition reduction (means tested) process exists and may require submission of income documents (e.g., tax assessment) for consideration; reductions are granted for one school year and reviewed annually.
After‑school childminding / extracurricular care costs
- External childminding (afternoon care) fees are income‑graded. Examples from the published schedule: - Kindergarten (4–6 year olds): EUR 450 (annual income band €40,000) up to EUR 900 (annual income €80,000 and more). - Classes 1–4: between EUR 300 and EUR 800 depending on income band. - Classes 5–10: between EUR 300 and EUR 800 depending on income band. - Classes 11–12: between EUR 400 and EUR 1,100 depending on income band. - These amounts are shown as standard rates tied to household annual income bands.
IB (International Baccalaureate) fees
- The school operates an IB track (MYP and DP) and lists separate fees for the IB programme within its fee structure; the IB provision is operated as a day programme (no boarding). Exact IB monthly parental contribution amounts are included in the school's fee table.
Boarding fees
- The school operates as a day school; no boarding provision is offered (boarding status: DAY). There are therefore no boarding fees.
Other costs and compulsory items (uniforms, books, materials, examinations)
- Parents are responsible for purchasing routine books, stationery and materials listed on class material lists. Certain books and materials are ordered centrally by the school and invoiced to parents (example: some book orders are invoiced in September). Expect periodic invoices for school‑ordered books and specific classroom materials.
- Examination or exam‑related fees (for example, fees associated with end‑of‑programme examinations) are handled separately and appear as part of invoicing or administrative charges when applicable; specific amounts are set per exam and school year.
Refunds and withdrawal / fee‑reduction mechanics
- The school offers means‑tested tuition reductions and, in exceptional hardship cases, full tuition exemption (stipend) normally limited to one child per family; these concessions are granted for a single school year and reviewed annually. The school's policy requires cooperation and documentary proof where reductions are applied for. No separate, general published refund schedule for term‑time withdrawal of tuition is published in the school's publicly available admissions and fee materials.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Published materials refer to the parental contribution as a monthly charge (i.e., a monthly parental contribution schedule). Specific billing dates, invoice frequency (monthly/termly/annual), payment deadlines and formal payment terms are presented to parents through the school's official fee schedule and invoices. Some school‑ordered materials are invoiced in September.
Fee payment options
- Standard practice uses invoicing to parents; the school's account and billing contacts (including the bursar) are provided for families to arrange payment. The public admissions and fee materials do not publish a detailed, itemised list of accepted payment methods (e.g., specific card processors or IBAN/BIC strings) in the publicly posted fee summaries. For account‑level or invoice‑level payment options and bank details, the school provides direct billing information on invoices and through its accounts office.
Summary of what was obtained and what remains to be confirmed
- Confirmed and included above: Pre‑Primary state deduction (EUR 149.16/month), sibling discount bands and percentages, income‑based after‑school childminding fee bands, that the IB is offered and the school is a day school, that some school‑ordered books are invoiced in September, and the existence of means‑tested tuition reductions.
- Not all line‑by‑line tuition amounts (the detailed monthly parental contribution figures per individual year group / class and per term billing totals) were extractable from the publicly posted admissions and brochure materials available at the time of checking; the school's formal fee table is the definitive schedule for exact monthly/term amounts and payment dates. For clarity and for use in an external database, consult the school's official fee schedule or the invoicing documents provided by the school's accounts office to obtain the complete per‑class monthly and per‑term numeric values.
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
ISF International School Frankfurt Rhein-Main offers a traditional core college preparatory SABIS curriculum with non-sectarian, English-language instruction. A third language is studied starting in Grade 6. For graduation, the school offers the ISF High School Diploma, IGCSE (end of Grade 10 or Grade 11), IB Diploma Programme (IB World School since August 2007), Advanced Placement (AP Capstone Diploma or individual AP exams), and A-Level (end of Grade 13; offered until the 2008-2009 school year).
Curriculum details
The European School RheinMain offers the European Schools curriculum leading to the European Baccalaureate. The school also offers an International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum on the same site. The ESRM IB Curriculum commenced in September 2021 with MYP 1-5 and expanded to the Diploma Programme (DP) with the DP commencing in September 2024. The IB curriculum conducts all subjects—except the second language—in English.
Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
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Student teacher ratio
Total students: 1,684; Teaching staff: 156; approximate student-to-teacher ratio: about 10.8:1. Classes are around 24 students on average.
Exam results
Exam results
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Exam results
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Higher education progression
Higher education progression
ISF provides a University & Careers Office to assist with university placement. Graduates have been admitted to universities worldwide, including institutions in Australia (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology; University of Melbourne), Canada (University of British Columbia; McGill University; University of Ottawa; University of Toronto; University of Waterloo), Germany (RWTH Aachen; TH Aschaffenburg; University of Bayreuth; Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin; TU Darmstadt; Goethe University Frankfurt; Frankfurt School of Finance & Management; University of Mannheim; Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz), the United Kingdom (University of Cambridge; University of Oxford), and the United States among others.
Higher education progression
Guidance and counselling for higher education is provided by dedicated staff. Career/Guidance Counsellors assist with university applications in English and German.
Gifted and talented
Gifted and talented
Gifted students who volunteer or are selected by teachers are trained to become Shadow Teachers®. Shadow Teachers exist in each subject and grade level, learn material a week ahead of their classmates, and may lead the class under teacher's supervision.
Gifted and talented
The school offers dedicated support for students who are gifted or exceptionally talented.
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
To initiate admissions, ISF must receive the completed enrollment documents. There is no application deadline; admissions should be initiated in late winter or early spring for the next school year. Applications are accepted throughout the school year until the beginning of May, subject to the availability of spaces. Applicants must provide current school records including transcripts, any test or exam results from the previous two years, and any psychological/neurological evaluations, and submit these forms to the registrar at the start of the admissions process. A final admissions decision cannot be made without this information. Admissions Checklist: contact for more information; schedule a school visit and tour; complete and return enrollment contract, Student Medical Form, copy of birth certificate or passport, and copy of school reports from the previous two years (if applicable); schedule placement tests (before or after enrollment); schedule a day visit (optional). Up to Grade 7 (and Grade 8 at the beginning of the school year) no knowledge of English is required for admission. For all grades no knowledge of German is required.
Admissions
1. Eligibility and initial interview: All students promoted at a state or comparable Gymnasium in a member state can enroll with no further admission conditions. An interview with the student and the parents is part of the enrollment process. If the student does not meet these conditions or comes from a non-European country, they are invited to an interview and a decision is made about admission or whether further assessment is needed. 2. Non‑selective admission and intent: The European School RheinMain follows a non‑selective principle and aims to integrate all students quickly and thoroughly into the European School system, with the goal of enabling every student to pursue the European Baccalaureate. 3. Application forms and language tracks: English-language application forms exist for Pre-Primary, Primary School, Secondary School, and an IB Curriculum track; German-language forms exist for Registration (Kindergarten), Registration Primary School, and Registration Secondary School. 4. Fees and financial information: Pre-Primary fees are €149.16 per month and automatically reduced by state funding; families outside Hessen receive only the sibling reduction. 5. Making it official: The bursar can be contacted for fee reductions (Mr. 6. Enrollment materials: Applications for the IB track and for standard tracks are available as English and German forms, with separate links for Pre-Primary, Primary, Secondary, and IB Curriculum. 7. Ongoing financial support and discounts: A tuition‑fee reduction can be granted based on need, with specific conditions and annual reviews; a full tuition exemption (scholarship) may be granted for a maximum of one child per family to broaden distribution; the entire household income and assets are considered as the basis for reductions. 8. Sibling and income thresholds: Sibling discounts apply—2nd child up to €180,000 annual income with 25% reduction; 3rd child up to €230,000 with 50% reduction; 4th child up to €280,000 with 50% reduction. 9. Other notes: The school relies on an application and confidentiality for reductions, and reductions are generally reviewed annually.
Scholarships
Scholarships
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Scholarships
Scholarships take the form of tuition reductions. Full tuition exemption (scholarship) can generally be granted for a maximum of one child per family to ensure broader distribution of this highest level of reduction. Reductions are not guaranteed and depend on need; an application is required and income/assets must be disclosed, with the entire household considered. A tuition‑fee reduction can be granted if no other financial support is available and there is financial hardship; reductions are reviewed annually and apply for one school year at a time. The school is non‑profit, and proofs are kept confidential. Sibling discounts are also available: a 2nd child discount of 25% up to €180,000 annual income; a 3rd child discount of 50% up to €230,000; a 4th child discount of 50% up to €280,000.