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Choosing an international school in Paris involves many questions. Will your child feel at home? Which curriculum is right for them? Where should you live? And, inevitably: how much does an international school in Paris cost?
Schools structure their fees in different ways. Depending on the school, families may encounter application or registration fees, one-time contributions, transportation costs, language or learning support fees, and additional charges for certain activities or trips.
A clear comparison starts with two things: what your family will actually pay and what that amount includes.
Here are the key points to consider when comparing international school tuition in Paris, with the American School of Paris (ASP) as a practical example.
Tuition fees vary according to the school, the student's age or grade level, the curriculum and the services provided.
At the American School of Paris, annual tuition for the 2026–27 school year ranges from €25,000 for Early Childhood and Kindergarten (K3–K5) to €41,400 for High School (Grades 9–12).
These figures provide a useful starting point. You can find the complete breakdown of ASP's 2026–27 tuition and fees here, including mandatory, optional and one-time fees. Understanding how the different pieces of a school budget fit together also makes it easier to compare them with fees at other international schools.
International schools structure their fees in different ways. Four questions can help families build a clearer picture of the overall cost.
This is the headline figure, usually determined by your child's age or grade level.
Application, registration, entry, capital or development fees can make the first year more expensive than subsequent years.
Curricular trips, meals, activities and other services may be covered by the annual fee or charged separately, depending on the school.
Transportation, language support, learning support and optional extracurricular opportunities may depend on your child's needs and interests.
Together, these questions help distinguish between one-time costs, recurring annual fees and optional expenses, giving families a more realistic budget for the first year and beyond.
At ASP, fees are identified as annual or one-time, mandatory or optional.
New families pay a €1,450 Application Fee per child when applying. It is refunded if ASP does not offer the child a place. Once a place has been offered, the fee is non-refundable.
For students entering Elementary / Primary School (Grade 1) or above, there is also a one-time €12,200 Capital Assessment during their first year at ASP. This contribution is dedicated to the upkeep of the school's buildings, grounds and campus. Families joining ASP in Early Childhood or Kindergarten (K3–K5) pay the Capital Assessment when their child enters Grade 1.
An annual €2,000 Security Fee per child supports the school's investment in security infrastructure and trained personnel.
The Application Fee and Capital Assessment are paid once, while tuition and the Security Fee are annual costs.
When comparing international schools, the annual tuition figure tells only part of the story. The programs, people, facilities and experiences supported by those fees can vary considerably from one school to another.
At ASP, tuition supports the recruitment and retention of experienced educators and administrators from around the world, as well as continued investment in the school's learning environment and Saint-Cloud campus. As a non-profit organization registered in France, ASP reinvests any surplus in the school, supporting improvements and educational innovation.
Mandatory educational trips that form an integral part of the curriculum are also included in tuition, giving students opportunities to extend their learning beyond the classroom without an additional charge to families.
The everyday experience matters too. Students spend a large part of their day at school, and services such as food, transportation, activities and access to the campus all contribute to that experience.
When comparing schools, looking at what sits behind the annual tuition figure can give families a more complete picture of both the educational experience and the additional costs they may need to plan for.
Some students benefit from dedicated language or learning support during their time at ASP.
Students participating in the school's English as an Additional Language (EAL) program pay an annual fee of €5,490. The program provides additional English instruction for non-native English speakers who have been assigned EAL support.
For students with documented learning needs, ASP also offers small-group or individualized learning support. The standard annual Learning Support Services Fee is €6,695. Separate fees apply when a student requires a full-time learning support assistant or faculty member.
These fees apply only to students who are assigned the corresponding support.
For families moving internationally, discussing language and learning needs early in the admissions process can provide a clearer view of both the support available and the associated costs.
Food is another part of the daily experience families may want to consider when comparing schools.
At ASP, the school works with quality products, including produce sourced through Rungis and from producers located closer to the school. The food service also selects products carrying a range of quality labels.
Meals are prepared with both nutrition and student life in mind, with a choice of dishes available. The aim is simple: to provide food students enjoy while giving them the energy they need to learn throughout the school day.
For families visiting ASP, the cafeteria is also an opportunity to see a part of school life that can be difficult to appreciate from a curriculum or tuition table alone.
For international families settling in Paris, choosing a school and deciding where to live often go hand in hand.
ASP is located in Saint-Cloud, just west of Paris, and its school bus network helps students travel to campus from across Paris and the surrounding area. With more than 40 routes, the service is designed around the areas where ASP families live.
Families who choose school transportation pay €4,250 per year for Zone 1 or €4,700 for Zone 2 in 2026–27. The service is operated by trained drivers, with greener-energy buses forming part of ASP's approach to transportation.
Students participating in extracurricular activities can also use late buses, allowing them to stay on campus for sports, clubs and other after-school activities without requiring families to organize a separate journey home.
For families deciding where to live, the reach of the bus network can therefore be almost as relevant as the cost itself. Looking at available routes early in the relocation process can help families understand how different neighborhoods would work in everyday life.
Learn more about student transportation at ASP.
Some of the experiences students remember most happen beyond their regular classes.
At ASP, mandatory trips that form part of the curriculum are included in tuition. Other opportunities are optional and, where applicable, billed separately.
These can include travel connected with music festivals, Model United Nations, athletics, theater, academic clubs and social service activities. Current indicative costs vary according to the experience, from around €230 for certain seasonal athletics trips to €1,000 for Model United Nations in The Hague or another European city.
Each student will make different choices during their time at ASP. Families may therefore want to leave some room in their annual budget for the activities and experiences their child becomes interested in along the way.
Learn more about after-school activities.
Putting the different fees together gives families a clearer view of the first-year budget.
Take the example of a new student entering Middle School (Grade 6) in 2026–27:
This example excludes optional transportation and extracurricular travel, as well as EAL or learning support if assigned.
For this student, €13,650 of the first-year amount consists of the one-time Application Fee and Capital Assessment. These would not be charged again the following year. Tuition and other annual fees may, of course, change from one school year to the next.
Separating first-year costs from recurring annual costs gives families a more accurate basis for planning ahead.
International moves don't always fit neatly around the academic calendar.
A new assignment may bring a family to Paris in January; another family may need to relocate sooner than expected. ASP's partial-year fee policy provides specific provisions for these situations.
New students beginning classes after January 1 are charged 75% of full-year tuition and applicable fees, while those beginning after April 30 are charged 40%. The Capital Assessment remains payable in full.
For families leaving ASP, the amount refunded depends on the timing of the withdrawal. For new and returning students, tuition and refundable fees are fully refunded when withdrawal takes place before June 1. A 50% refund applies between June 1 and August 15, and a 25% refund applies for withdrawals after August 15 and before December 31, provided Admissions is notified by November 15. The Application Fee and Capital Assessment are non-refundable.
Families anticipating a mid-year move can discuss their individual situation with the Admissions Team to understand how the policy would apply.
ASP provides financial assistance to current ASP families who experience unexpected circumstances and temporarily require support with tuition and fees.
The school does not currently offer need-based or merit scholarships to new applicants.
Prospective families should take this into account when considering the long-term affordability of an ASP education.
By the time families reach the final stages of choosing an international school, they may have several spreadsheets open. Tuition represents a significant commitment, and having a clear view of the costs makes planning easier.
The educational experience behind those figures is inevitably a more personal consideration.
Families may think about the teachers their child will learn from, the individual attention they'll receive and the academic pathways available to them. For a child arriving from another country, feeling at home in a new community may be particularly important. Other families will look closely at the opportunities students have to explore new interests and develop their strengths.
At ASP, tuition supports a non-profit school where resources are reinvested in the educational experience and its continued development.
For families comparing schools, visiting the campus can also help put those figures into context by giving them a closer look at the learning environment and everyday student experience.
Understanding the full cost and what it covers gives families a solid basis for deciding whether ASP feels right for their child.
For the 2026–27 school year, annual tuition at ASP ranges from €25,000 for Early Childhood and Kindergarten (K3–K5) to €41,400 for High School (Grades 9–12). Additional mandatory fees apply, particularly during a student's first year.
Fee structures vary between schools. Families may encounter one-time application, registration or entry fees alongside costs for transportation, meals, language or learning support and extracurricular activities. Checking what is already included in tuition gives families a clearer basis for comparison.
Mandatory educational trips that form an integral part of the curriculum are included in tuition. Optional extracurricular trips and activities may carry additional fees.
School transportation is an optional service. For 2026–27, the annual bus fee is €4,250 for Zone 1 and €4,700 for Zone 2, including access to late buses following extracurricular activities.
Students assigned to ASP's English as an Additional Language program pay an additional €5,490 annually in 2026–27.
ASP does not currently offer need-based or merit scholarships to applicants. Its financial assistance program is available to current ASP families who require temporary support following unexpected circumstances.
ASP has a partial-year fee and refund policy based on when a student begins or leaves the school and when Admissions is notified. The Application Fee and Capital Assessment are non-refundable. Families anticipating an international move during the academic year can contact Admissions for details relevant to their situation.