St. Francis College vs St. Nicholas School Pinheiros

	S St. Francis College Sao Paulo, Brazil	S St. Nicholas School Pinheiros Sao Paulo, Brazil
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year R$115,200 - 144,000	Fees / year R$94,500 - 159,125
Age range	Age range 3 - 18 years	Age range 1 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Cambridge IGCSE
Pupils	Pupils 900	Pupils 565
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2003	Opened 1980
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Two campuses in Pinheiros, São Paulo, Brazil. R. Joaquim Antunes, 678 Pinheiros, São Paulo, SP 05415-001 (main gate). R. Cônego Eugênio Leite, 825 Pinheiros, São Paulo, SP 05414-012.	Location Pinheiros Campus is located at Praça Joaquim Roberto, 30, 05423-160 Pinheiros, São Paulo (SP), Brazil. The campus is in the Pinheiros area of São Paulo. It serves Early Years through Diploma Programme as part of St. Nicholas School's IB continuum.
Stages	Stages Early Years and Primary (IB Primary Years Programme); Secondary (IB Middle Years Programme and IB Diploma Programme). Cambridge IGCSE is offered. The Primary and Secondary curricula are based on the British National Curriculum and MEC guidelines.	Stages Tiny Tots Programme (18 months – 3 years), IB Primary Years Programme (3–11 years), IB Middle Years Programme (11–16 years), IB Diploma Programme (16–18 years).
School type	School type IB Continuum international school offering Brazilian and foreign pupils an IB education across PYP, MYP and DP; University offers across many countries.	School type IB World School offering the full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, Diploma).
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix Over 898 students from more than 16 nationalities.	Pupil nationality mix St Nicholas Pinheiros has students from 21 nationalities; staff members from 20 nationalities.
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation Brazil	Country affiliation Brazil
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure A regular day begins at 7:45am for PYP 1–4 and at 8:00am for PYP 5–8. PYP 1–2 have a lunch break; PYP 2–8 have a catered lunch in the canteen. The school day ends between 2:45pm and 3:30pm depending on year level, with students collected by parents or an authorised driver/nanny/friend.	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details Transportation is provided via Bus Children; contact (11) 3721-3912 / 3731-5930; contato@buschildren.com.br.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fees - Registration / application (matrícula) fee: R$ 700. Tuition fees by year group - Early Years (Infantil / Maternal): R$ 9,600 per month. - Upper Primary / Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary (Fundamental II and Ensino Médio): R$ 12,000 per month. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school publishes a formal Tuition & Fees document (Academic Year 2025/26) and a separate Application & Entrance Fees notice for 2026/27; detailed billing schedules and specific payment-term options (for example: annual vs. monthly invoicing, due dates, penalties for late payment) are set out in those official documents. Boarding fees (if applicable) - St. Francis College operates as a day school; no boarding fees apply. Other costs and fees - Uniform: A uniform list is provided for 2025/26; costs for required uniform items are set out on the school's uniform list. - Entrance assessments, external examination fees (IB/other exam registration) and extra-curricular activities may incur additional charges; where applicable these are normally listed separately in the school's tuition documents and fee schedules. Refund information - The school's family handbook and formal contractual documentation contain refund and cancellation terms (refundability of the registration fee, conditions for partial refunds of tuition, deadlines for withdrawal, and any administrative penalties). Those terms are set out in the school's official policies. Fee payment options - The school's tuition documentation indicates the available payment methods and terms; specific accepted payment methods (for example: bank transfer, boleto bancário, credit card, direct debit) and instalment arrangements are described in the official Tuition & Fees and Admissions materials. Brief note on sources and availability - The figures above (application fee and the reported monthly tuition amounts) come from recent published summaries and local press reporting. Official, detailed line‑by‑line fee schedules and the school's full billing/payment terms are published by the school in its Tuition & Fees and Admissions documents (Academic Year 2025/26 and Application & Entrance Fees 2026/27), which are referenced by the school's admissions portal; those official documents contain the complete breakdown by year group, term and payment options. The school is listed as a day school with no boarding.	Fee details Application / Registration fee - Application / registration fee: BRL 9,380.00 (single, payable on enrolment). Tuition fees by year group (monthly and annual amounts) - Tiny Tots I / Tiny Tots II / Nursery (08:00–12:00): BRL 7,560.00 per month — BRL 90,720.00 per year (12 monthly instalments). - Nursery / Primary (Nursery up to Grade 5): BRL 10,320.00 per month — BRL 123,840.00 per year (12 monthly instalments). - Middle & Secondary (Grade 6 to Grade 12): BRL 12,730.00 per month — BRL 152,760.00 per year (12 monthly instalments). Other recurring academic fees - Resource & Technology fee: - Tiny Tots / Primary (Tiny Tots to Grade 5): two instalments of BRL 2,210.00 each — total BRL 4,420.00 per year. - Middle & Secondary (Grade 6 to Grade 12): two instalments of BRL 2,540.00 each — total BRL 5,080.00 per year. Re‑enrolment / re‑registration - Annual re‑enrolment fee: 50% of the current monthly tuition, charged each April as the re‑registration payment. Billing schedule and payment terms - The annual tuition is billed as 12 monthly instalments (the school's annual charge is the sum of 12 instalments plus the re‑enrolment fee). - Fiscal year and quarters: the school's financial year runs from 1 July to 30 June; fiscal quarters are Jul/Aug/Sep, Oct/Nov/Dec, Jan/Feb/Mar and Apr/May/Jun. - New entrants are responsible for the tuition for the month of entry and for any months prior in the current fiscal quarter. Students who leave before the end of the term remain subject to contractual penalties as set out in the school contract. - Discount for full annual payment: a discount is offered for paying the full annual tuition in advance (discount rate shown as 4% for the campus). Boarding fees - Boarding is not applicable; the Pinheiros campus operates as a day school (no boarding fees). Other costs and fees - Uniforms: wearing school uniform is required. Uniforms are supplied through the school's approved vendors (contacts and shop details provided by the school). Typical uniform purchases are a separate, one‑off family cost billed through the vendor at the time of purchase. - Transport: contracted school transport is available through the school's approved transport supplier; transport fees are separate and set by the transport provider. - Additional incidental costs: optional extracurricular activities, life‑skills trips, exam fees (IGCSE/IB where applicable) and some specialist materials may be charged separately. (Where a specific mandatory additional fee is listed above, it is already noted.) Refund and cancellation - Students who withdraw before the end of the contracted period are subject to contractual penalties; the school requires payment for the month of entry and may apply further contractual charges for early withdrawal. Refunds and cancellation conditions are administered according to the school's contract terms. Fee payment options and practical notes - Tuition is billed monthly (12 instalments) with the option to pay the full year in advance for the stated discount. Specific payment channels (for example, boleto bancário, bank transfer, credit card acceptance) are handled by the school's finance office and are not listed in the published fee summary; parents should follow the invoice/payment instructions provided by the school's admissions or finance office when completing enrolment. If you require these numbers formatted or integrated into your database fields exactly as listed above, they are ready to be copied as shown.
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 school offers the IB Continuum Programme with the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP). The IB Continuum Programme is applied school-wide, supporting multilingualism, curriculum alignment and smooth transitions between programmes. The formal curriculum is guided by the Brazilian and British National Curricula and meets MEC requirements for students aged 3 to 19. Portuguese language subjects include Brazilian literature, Portuguese language, and the history and geography of Brazil. Pupils graduate with a Brazilian studies diploma alongside the IB Diploma.	Curriculum details The Pinheiros Campus offers a tiered IB-based curriculum: Tiny Tots (18 months–3 years) with play-based inquiry; Primary Years Programme (PYP) for ages 3–11; Middle Years Programme (MYP) for ages 11–16, featuring the 4 Peaks core (Passion, Project, Peer, Play) and a homegrown curriculum, leading to Cambridge IGCSE. The Diploma Programme (DP) for ages 16–18 comprises six subject groups and a DP core (TOK, CAS, Extended Essay). Languages taught include English, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio Today there are over 898 students and more than 100 full-time teachers, yielding an approximate student–teacher ratio of about 9:1.	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results The Diploma Programme pass rate is typically over 90%, with some students achieving 40+ points and the school average around 32–33 points. Over 45 learners from Pinheiros sit the Diploma each year. Over 90% of learners at Pinheiros achieve the IB bilingual Diploma.
Higher education progression	Higher education progression Offers in 19 countries and from over 270 universities worldwide. A Careers Department provides guidance on future education, college majors, applications, scholarships and financial aid, and supports activities such as Careers Day, work shadowing and university fairs. University fairs and visits are held on campus to connect students with higher education opportunities and to showcase where past students have attended university.	Higher education progression The school provides a robust University Counseling program to guide students to higher education, with graduates studying at universities in more than a dozen countries. The Diploma Programme is widely recognised by leading universities worldwide.
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 1. Admission overview. St. Francis College is an IB Continuum school serving Brazilian and international pupils, and admission is determined after evaluations and interviews. DP1 eligibility requires completion of the IGCSE programme or MYP eAssessments. Applicants from abroad may be accepted at different times during the year, contingent on vacancy. 2. Second semester 2026 deadlines. Applications for the second semester (January 2026) must be completed by Monday, November 3rd, 2025 for PYP 2 - MYP 5. Openings for international applicants are handled on vacancy basis; evaluations and interviews are conducted before acceptance. 3. Next academic year deadlines. Applications for the next academic year (August 2026) must be completed by Friday, February 13th, 2026 for PYP1 (26/27) and by Friday, May 11th, 2026 for PYP 2 - DP 1 (26/27). Open Days for PYP1 occur in October and March, and entrance assessments for EYP & Secondary take place in May and November. 4. DP1 eligibility and year-abroad policy. Applicants for DP1 must have completed the IGCSE or MYP eAssessments to be eligible. Evaluations and interviews are conducted prior to acceptance. Students wishing to study abroad for a year are not eligible to do so in MYP 5, DP 1, or DP 2.	Admissions 1. Documentation submission and initial visit. The admissions procedure begins with documentation submitted to the admissions department. After submitting the documents, an appointment for the applicant and family to visit the school, either face-to-face or online, is arranged to present the school's philosophy, mission and pedagogy. The family will meet with the Admissions team during this visit to discuss the admissions process and requirements. 2. Visits with pedagogical teams and specialists. An appointment is scheduled with the relevant pedagogical department to discuss the applicant's learning journey. Depending on age and profile, the applicant may also meet with personalised learning support specialists, university advisors or language specialists. Interviews may be conducted in the applicant's home language where applicable (Japanese and Korean when appropriate). 3. Age-group specific admissions requirements. Early Years (Tiny Tots through Kindergarten 2) require the EY application form, a school report from the last year, and an interview with the EY Pedagogical Team (scheduled by Admissions). Primary (Grade 1 to Grade 5) require the Primary application form, school references from the current teacher and the parents, and school reports for the last three years, plus an interview with the Primary Pedagogical Team. Secondary (Grade 6 to Year 12) require an application form, a self-assessment by the applicant, a written parental application, a school reference, and school reports for the last three years; Admissions and Pedagogical teams meet to discuss each applicant based on documentation, visits, interviews, and spaces available. 4. Decision and placement. The Admissions and Pedagogical teams meet to discuss each applicant based on documentation, visits, interviews, and spaces available. The Admissions Department informs the family of the outcome; on acceptance, the relevant information is transferred to SchoolBase and the biography is completed. If the application is rejected, the final decision rests with the head of the section. 5. Enrollment and onboarding. Enrollment guides families through the enrollment process including the relevant documentation for registration with the Brazilian authorities. Documentation includes birth certificate, RG/ID and passport details with a photo; medical health certificate and eyesight/hearing tests from age 4; vaccinations and proof of address. For children coming from Brazilian schools, Histórico Escolar, Carta de Transferência and Declaração de Adimplência are required; for children from international schools, a copy of transcripts/reports for the last three years translated into Portuguese, English, or Spanish is required. Onboarding includes New Family orientation day and sharing of information (Handbooks, PTA information, House Form, Seesaw, IsCool App & School Portal); if enrolling mid-term, the admissions department will share relevant information prior to start. A follow-up meeting with the family is planned within the first month.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships The school does not provide bursaries or scholarships.
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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