Most popular international schools in Barcelona

SEK International School Catalunya is a private international campus in La Garriga, near Barcelona, offering an International Baccalaureate programme for children from 4 months to 18 years. The school delivers the full IB continuum—PYP, MYP and DP—alongside elements of the Spanish curriculum, with a multilingual language model in which about 70% of teaching is conducted in English, 15% in Catalan and 15% in Spanish. From Year 5, students may study a fourth language, French or German. The campus combines on-site facilities with access to a woodland setting, supporting project work, outdoor education and sport. Highlights include intelligent classrooms, dedicated science laboratories, a MakerSpace and robotics labs, libraries for all age groups, and a concert hall connected to Trinity College London music programmes. SEK-Catalunya is the only Catalan school accredited to offer the full IB continuum, and it maintains international boarding, exchanges, and a program of clubs, activities and service learning.

European International School of Barcelona (EISB) is a private international school in Sant Cugat del Vallés, about 15 kilometres from central Barcelona. It serves ages 0–18 and offers Cambridge Primary and IGCSE, National and International Baccalaureates, and American High School Diploma. Education runs Nursery through Baccalaureate, with a five-language immersion programme taught by native speakers of English, Catalan, Spanish, French, German and Chinese. Language learning is integrated across the years. In Nursery the curriculum is 50% English, 25% Catalan and 25% Spanish; Infant School English is 80% with 10% Catalan and 10% Spanish; Primary Year 1 is 65% English, with French from Primary 3; Secondary Year 1 offers German or Chinese, completing the immersion by graduation. The International Homeroom supports language adaptation for new arrivals in a multicultural community with students from over 60 countries. The 14,000 m² campus includes classrooms, laboratories, a 500-seat theatre, dining rooms and sports hall.

International Rural School is a British co-educational day school in Llinars del Vallès, Catalonia, teaching pupils from age 3 to 18. It is BSO-accredited and follows the English National Curriculum, providing EYFS, Primary and Secondary education with Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge A Levels (with Bachillerato-Selectividad alignment). Core subjects are English, Mathematics and Science, while foundation subjects include Art and Design, Citizenship, Computing, Design and Technology, Languages, Geography, History, Music and Physical Education. The school offers a balanced, broadly based curriculum inspired by Decroly, Dewey and Freinet, designed to develop knowledge, understanding and skills alongside citizenship. Distinctive features include a vegetable garden for hands-on learning, homemade meals, a school bus, and monthly trips to museums and cultural sites. Music is an element explored through instruments, history and language. Classes are small (12–15 students per teacher) and learning occurs in classrooms, outdoors and through weekly outings; secondary students can undertake work experiences.

Learnlife Barcelona is an international secondary school and innovation hub that operates across Learnlife Urban Hub, Eco Hub, and Village Hub in the heart of Barcelona. The school serves learners aged 6 to 18 with a bespoke curriculum designed around the Learnlife Competency Model, delivered in English with opportunities to study Spanish and Catalan. The program centers on five learning domains—Learning to Be, Think, Learn, Relate and Act—implemented through Building Blocks and real-world projects that foster learner agency and collaboration. Assessments are ongoing and competency-based through Learning Vitae, 360s, plus showcases, rather than traditional exams. Graduates can earn an American High School Diploma and/or Spanish ESO certificate. The secondary day is organized into Explorers, Creators and Changemakers, with multilingual Learning Guides supporting language development and inclusion. The campus features a music studio, project studios, and a rooftop sports court, with Expressive Arts, sustainability initiatives and service learning embedded in practice.

Institució La Farga is a private school in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Catalonia, offering both British and Spanish curricula for ages 3 to 18. The school delivers Educació Infantil, Educació Primària, Educació Secundària and Batxillerat, with instruction aligned to current Catalan and national legislation and to the school's own charter. The campus sits in Mira-sol at Camí de Sant Cugat al Papiol, 36, serving around 1,530 students drawn from local towns, with about 800 families using school transport or public transit. The school emphasizes personalized attention to students and families and promotes values rooted in Christian humanism, including respect for every person, integrity, responsible freedom, and trust. A coexistence plan governs daily life, with safety protocols, regular communication with families, and a commitment to inclusion and diversity. Since 2001 the school has participated in a public-concert funding regime, supporting its development within the private education framework. For families and communities.