Choosing an International School

For most families, no aspect of a move abroad is more important than the education of school-age children. A major concern of most parents is that instruction abroad will be inferior to that at home. The best approach is to research the options available in your destination country, and then make the best decision for your family. Use your pre- assignment trip to visit schools and gather information.

Many countries with expatriate communities offer international schools that teach curricula based on familiar models, such as North American or European. In many countries there also may be foreign national schools representing a few nationalities, notably American, British, French, German, and Japanese that follow their countries’ curricula and teach in their native languages. Where such options do not exist, you have other alternatives. The local school system may be able to accommodate foreign students, perhaps with a bilingual teaching environment. Extra lessons may also be available. Another option would be to arrange for your children to remain at home in their present schools, perhaps living with relatives or friends. Still another option would be to send your children to boarding schools, either in your home country or at another location abroad. If you choose the boarding school option you will want to make sure that there are good communication and transportation connections with the country in which the rest of the family will live.

Several important considerations are involved in making the choice between local and international schools. The former may offer the advantages of acquiring a new language, broader acquaintanceships with host-country children, and a richer appreciation of a different culture. It has been the experience of many expatriate parents that adaptation to the local school environment, particularly for younger children, is much less difficult than anticipated. Most often, however, the key consideration is the effect a year or more in a foreign system may have on the child’s reintegration into schools at home or qualifications for college entrance. If there are serious questions on these points, an international school may be the safer choice for your children. You should also keep in mind that as private institutions, international schools are in a position to reject students who do not perform satisfactorily.

Planning ahead

It is important to begin the process early of investigating the possibilities and selecting a school. International schools often have limited enrollments. There can be long waiting lists, possibly a year or more. If at all possible, make a preliminary visit to your new location to visit the schools under consideration, preferably accompanied by the child or children who will be attending. Involve them in all phases of the selection. The visit is best combined with a trip to look for housing. It may be that your choice of a school will be a decisive factor in deciding where you will live, or vice versa. Check on school transportation arrangements, which, if available, can be very expensive.