LIFE International School vs Lighthouse American School

	L LIFE International School Madrid, Spain	L Lighthouse American School Madrid, Spain
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €5,910 - 9,350	Fees / year €8,900 - 10,500
Age range	Age range 3 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 14 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum American Curriculum, Christian Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), American Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils 128	Pupils 111
Typical class size	Typical class size 15	Typical class size 12
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2017	Opened 2019
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain. LIFE International School is located at Sector Foresta 1, planta 1, 28760 Tres Cantos, Madrid. A new campus is at Ronda de Poniente 3, Tres Cantos, Madrid.	Location Madrid, Spain. Camino de la Zarzuela, 42, 28023 Madrid.
Stages	Stages Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary Education with English immersion	Stages Primary Years Programme (PYP).
School type	School type Private international school	School type International school (IB World School) in Madrid.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix 34 nationalities represented; the most common nationality is Spanish (52 students); 48 students from other countries.	Pupil nationality mix Diversity of nationalities; students from multiple countries and cultures.
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support Psycho-pedagogical care and emotional intelligence support; personalized follow-ups.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation —	Country affiliation Affiliation with the United States (American School) and NEASC accreditation.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation Christian	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Administrative & application fees - Admissions fee (new student assessments and interviews): 100€ (one-time, non-refundable). - New student registration: 825€ (one-time; a 200€ discount is offered for registrations completed between Feb 16 and Apr 15). Non-refundable. - Re-registration fee (annual fee for current students): 85€ (annual; payable by February 15; non-refundable). - Operations and educational resources fee: 565€ (annual; does not include individual classroom material lists; non-refundable). - Full uniform starter pack (daily set and jogging suit): 232€ (starting pack; uniform prices subject to change). Tuition fees by year group (monthly and annual amounts) Fees are shown as monthly amounts billed across 10 months. The annual total shown is the monthly amount multiplied by 10. - Pre‑K (half‑day, 8:50–13:00, ages 3–4): 447€ / month — Annual equivalent: 4,470€. - Pre‑K (full day, ages 3–4): 526€ / month — Annual equivalent: 5,260€. - Kindergarten (age 5): 622€ / month — Annual equivalent: 6,220€. - Primary Grades 1–3: 682€ / month — Annual equivalent: 6,820€. - Primary Grades 4–6: 738€ / month — Annual equivalent: 7,380€. - Middle School Grades 7–8: 757€ / month — Annual equivalent: 7,570€. - High School Grades 9–10: 803€ / month — Annual equivalent: 8,030€. - High School Grades 11–12: 935€ / month — Annual equivalent: 9,350€. Optional and additional fees - School lunch (full lunch): 145€ / month (monthly). Annual equivalent: 1,450€. - School lunch (hybrid lunch): 80€ / month (monthly). Annual equivalent: 800€. - Early morning or afternoon care (08:00–08:50 / 16:00–17:00): 85€ / month (monthly). Annual equivalent: 850€. - 10‑pass lunch voucher (includes 10 lunches): 100€ (one‑time). - 10‑pass care voucher (includes 10 care sessions): 65€ (one‑time). - 10‑pass lunch and afternoon voucher (for half‑day students): 185€ (one‑time). - Corporate rates: available on request through administration. Uniform prices may change. Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition is presented as monthly instalments payable over 10 months (monthly amounts shown above). - Specific deadlines noted in the fee schedule include the re‑registration deadline of February 15 for the re‑registration fee and the registration discount window (Feb 16–Apr 15) for new registrations. Several administrative fees are explicitly non‑refundable. Boarding - Boarding is not applicable; LIFE International School operates as a day school for early childhood through grade 12. Refund information - The admissions fee, new student registration fee, re‑registration fee and the operations/educational resources fee are described as non‑refundable. Other fees are specified as one‑time or annual where indicated. Fee payment options and administration - Family account management and billing are handled through the school's Family Portal (client RenWeb) and by the school administration; the school provides phone and email contacts for the admissions and front office. Contact details: +34 910 564 436, +34 638 321 749, +34 657 231 725 and hello@lifeschool.es.	Fee details Application / Registration fees - One-time registration fee for new families: EUR 1,500. - Reservation fee for continuing Lighthouse students: 50% of one monthly tuition payment; this amount is deducted from the September tuition. Tuition fees by year group (per month and per academic year) - Pre‑School / Kindergarten (Kindergarten 1–3, ages 3–5): EUR 890 per month (billed September–June); equivalent annual tuition EUR 8,900. - Elementary (Grades 1–5, ages 6–10): EUR 980 per month (billed September–June); equivalent annual tuition EUR 9,800. - Middle School (Grades 6–8, ages 11–13): EUR 1,050 per month (billed September–June); equivalent annual tuition EUR 10,500. Billing schedule and payment terms - Standard billing cadence: monthly billing over ten months (September through June). Monthly amounts are shown above; annual tuition equals the monthly amount × 10. - Reservation fee for current students equals 50% of one monthly fee and is deducted from the September payment. - An early‑payment discount applies when the full annual tuition is paid by the specified early deadline (example shown: a 3% discount for full payment by July 2025). Boarding fees - Boarding is not applicable; the school operates as a day school for ages 3–14 (no boarding program listed). Other costs and recurring extras - Meals (morning snack and lunch): EUR 195 per month, billed September–June (meal plan covers the school year months). - Uniform: a uniform is required; a specific uniform cost is not published in the available fee information. - Sibling discounts: third enrolled child receives a 30% discount; fourth child receives a 65% discount (specific terms shown in published fee information). - Special arrangements: families who must be absent for extended periods may be eligible for reduced tuition (half price in qualifying circumstances as published). Refunds and cancellation - The publicly available fee schedule lists registration, reservation and tuition amounts and an early‑payment discount, but it does not publish full detailed refund or cancellation terms in the material found. Specific refund policies for registration, reservation or tuition were not available in the publicly posted fee summary. Fee payment options - The fee schedule includes monthly billing and an early‑payment in‑full option, but form(s) of payment (for example: bank transfer, direct debit, credit card or other accepted payment methods) are not specified in the publicly available fee summary. Payment method details must be confirmed directly with the school. Concise summary of the key figures (academic year shown in published schedule) - Registration (new families): EUR 1,500. - Monthly tuition (Sep–Jun): Pre‑School EUR 890; Elementary EUR 980; Middle School EUR 1,050. Equivalent annual tuitions: EUR 8,900; EUR 9,800; EUR 10,500 respectively. - Meals: EUR 195 per month (Sep–Jun). - Sibling discounts: 3rd child −30%; 4th child −65%. Note on availability of further detail - Published fee documents used for this overview include a school fee schedule for the 2025–2026 academic year that lists the items above (monthly and annual tuition amounts, registration fee, reservation fee, meal cost, sibling discounts and the early‑payment discount). The publicly available fee material does not publish full technical details for refunds, explicit wording of cancellation penalties, or the list of accepted payment methods; those items were not present in the fee summary located during this review.
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 LIFE offers an international program for Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary education with English immersion. Early Childhood (Pre-K and Kindergarten, ages 3-5) uses an English immersion curriculum, with a thematically planned program that integrates language development, math, and science within thematic units; it uses guided play, learning centers, music, art, library resources, and emphasizes character development. Elementary (Grades 1-6) includes English, Spanish Language and Literature, Mathematics, Natural Science, Social Studies, Bible Literacy, and Values; the curriculum integrates Art, Music, Technology, and Physical Education; apart from Spanish Language and Culture, all classes are 100% English immersion; cross-curricular units and projects are used. Secondary (Grades 7-12) offers a full international pathway based on an American curriculum taught in English immersion; core subjects include English, Spanish Language and Literature, Spanish Geography and History, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Bible; Art, Music, Technology, Health, and Physical Education are included, with two Spanish classes taught in Spanish. The school is fully accredited by the Middle States Association (MSA) and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and can issue a U.S. high school diploma after completing 12th grade; LIFE is registered with the Community of Madrid as a foreign school (License 28078353) and diplomas must be co-validated to enter Spanish universities, with Lengua Castellana y Literatura and Geografía e Historia as required.	Curriculum details Day-to-day life at Lighthouse is conducted in English, with Spanish treated as a second language given special attention. Starting in the third year of elementary, students learn Chinese as a third language. All teachers are American and are accredited by US universities and receive ongoing training. Lighthouse is NEASC-accredited and is a Candidate School for the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP). The campus spans about 4,250 square meters and classes are capped at 18 students, enabling small-group learning and strong teacher–student interaction. The curricular emphasis includes creativity, innovation, complex problem solving, critical thinking, social-emotional intelligence and values; students have opportunities to study in Spain with CAM validation and can pursue American universities through NEASC accreditation.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio 5	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression The LIFE curriculum prepares students for international university pathways in Spain, the United States, and beyond, through a full American curriculum delivered in English.	Higher education progression Spanish universities are accessible via CAM validation, and U.S. universities are accessible through NEASC accreditation. Lighthouse is a Candidate School for the PYP program, enabling study in about 50 OECD countries.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	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 A personalized admission process with three easy steps: Schedule a visit (in person or Zoom) to gather information; Take a tour; Apply online.	Admissions —
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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