Schools and kindergartens abroad
Moving with children comes down not to choosing a school, but to two things: document recognition and submission deadlines. Here is how it works in general, and each city has its own a dedicated breakdown with prices and a list of venues.
Local school not a fit? An American diploma — while your child studies in Russian.
Texas private school, fully online: grades 1–12, curriculum and lessons in Russian, with a High School Diploma and Official Transcript upon completion. Works from any country, compatible with local schooling. Homeschool — €700 per year, Online with daily lessons — from €3,150.
Formats, fees, and enrolment
Six rules that cost people a year
They are nearly identical everywhere — only the names of the procedures differ.
The diploma is not recognized the same way everywhere
In almost every country, school documents go through their own recognition procedure, and without it a child cannot be enrolled. It is done using documents from the issuing country — meaning you need to start at home, before you move.
Applications are submitted six months to a year in advance
Strong schools collect applications well before the academic year begins, and document recognition takes months — both run in parallel. Families who started in June most often lose a year.
Three different schools behind three words
State school — free, but taught in the local language and tied to your address. Private — local curriculum for a fee. International — British or American curriculum, waitlists, and non-refundable fees.
Age matters more than language
A child under ten enters the local school with almost no disruption. For a teenager over fourteen, the local curriculum starting from scratch is a tough climb — it is more honest to consider an international programme or a continuation of a previous one.
Free school does not mean no costs
Uniform, textbooks, meals, after-school care, and parent-committee fees are all present in state schools too. In the international school, on top of tuition there are a registration fee and a deposit — and these are usually non-refundable.
School does not grant status
A school place does not make a family residents: status is obtained separately and is usually needed first, because when booking an appointment they ask for the address and documents of the adults.
How school documents are recognised
The procedure has different names everywhere, but the point is the same: without it, your child will not be enrolled. It must be launched in the country where the documents were issued.
| Country | Procedure | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Spain | Homologación or convalidación through the Ministry of Education | Apostille and sworn translation; the application can be submitted in advance and studies begun on the strength of a submission certificate |
| Turkey | Denklik at the Ministry of National Education | Required for enrolment, the procedure is free; documents must be legalised |
| Mexico | Revalidación de estudios through the education system | Apostille and sworn translation into the local language; without it, school enrollment is not possible |
| UAE | Consular legalization of documents — apostille does not apply | The chain is longer than an apostille and takes months — you need to start in the country that issued the document |
We do not publish agency processing times: they depend on the country and current workload, and an averaged a figure on a website misleads more often than it helps. We will give you the right answer for your specific situation to, what we see in current cases.
Schools by city
What schools are available, how much they cost and how to enrol — covered in the breakdown for each city in the network.
Alicante
Schools and kindergartens — Spain
Barcelona
Schools and kindergartens — Spain
Berlin
Schools and kindergartens — Germany
Cancún
Schools and kindergartens — Mexico
Chicago
Schools and kindergartens — USA
Dubai
Schools and kindergartens — UAE
Guangzhou
Schools and kindergartens — China
Hong Kong
Schools and kindergartens — Hong Kong
Istanbul
Schools and kindergartens — Turkey
London
Schools and kindergartens — United Kingdom
Los Angeles
Schools and kindergartens — USA
Madrid
Schools and kindergartens — Spain
Marbella
Schools and kindergartens — Spain
Mexico City
Schools and kindergartens — Mexico
Miami
Schools and kindergartens — USA
New York
Schools and kindergartens — USA
Nha Trang
Schools and kindergartens — Vietnam
Paris
Schools and kindergartens — France
Phuket
Schools and kindergartens — Thailand
Shanghai
Schools and kindergartens — China
Shenzhen
Schools and kindergartens — China
Tbilisi
Schools and kindergartens — Georgia
Toronto
Schools and kindergartens — Canada
Valencia
Schools and kindergartens — Spain
Vancouver
Schools and kindergartens — Canada
Warsaw
Schools and kindergartens — Poland
Handle it turnkey
Document recognition, school search, and application are bundled into a single package. What’s included and the price are clear before any conversation.
Kindergarten and school in Spain — what we do and what it costs
A nursery or school place — the reason most families rush their paperwork. We work with state, semi-private (concertada), and private institutions.
Kindergarten or school: search and enrollment
- Finding a state, semi-private, or private institution
- Document preparation and application filing
- Interview assistance
- Accompaniment with an interpreter
- Tuition and fees — paid directly to the institution
Cheaper as a package than separately
These same services are included in ready-made packages built around a single life moment — and there they are cost less than purchasing each one separately.
Prices are for Spain: it is the only country where the rate has already been confirmed. In other countries the content is the same, and we calculate the price per country — rules differ everywhere. All packages and prices →
The child is grown — university and tuition fees are next
After school, a different journey begins: university admission and recognition of your school-leaving certificate for higher education purposes and scholarships. Both sections are side by side.
A U.S. diploma from home: online school in Russian, grades 1–12
Leave your contact — that’s all we need; we’ll ask the rest ourselves. If you’d like, so we can prepare for the conversation in advance, please specify your request below.