British, international or Spanish school on the Costa Blanca: how to choose

To put your child through school on the Costa Blanca, there are four routes: the densest offering of international and British schools in Spain (a legacy of the coast's British and Nordic communities), the free Spanish state school (in Castilian and Valencian), the semi-private "concertado" (modest fees), and the French Lycée at El Campello (French programme, fee-paying). The right choice depends on how long you're staying, the children's age, your budget and your language plan. Here is how to decide.

The options at a glance

International schools: the coast's speciality

Nowhere else in Spain is the offering this dense, built up over decades of British and Nordic presence. The names families keep coming back to: the Lady Elizabeth School (Cumbre del Sol, Benitatxell, ages 2 to 18, founded in 1987), the international families' school of the Marina Alta; King's College Alicante, English national curriculum from 3 to 18; Elian's British School in La Nucía, running through to GCSEs and A-Levels; Xàbia International College; and a genuine one-off, the Den Norske Skole in Alfàs del Pi, the Norwegian school of the Scandinavian colony in Albir. Budgets vary a lot by school and age, and waiting lists exist here too, so enquire early.

The Spanish state school

Free, this is the route to total immersion and the fastest integration. Valencian is taught alongside Castilian, as across the whole Valencia region. For young children, language is almost never a lasting obstacle: coastal kids often become trilingual with no effort. The trade-off: less flexibility if a return home is likely in the medium term. Admission runs through the official Conselleria windows (in spring for the following September), with catchment by town, so your empadronamiento is the basis of the file.

The semi-private (concertado)

Halfway between the two: schools under contract with the state, so low-cost (often under €100/month), structured, frequently faith-based. A good compromise for families who want local integration without the fully state route, present in every mid-sized town in the province.

The French Lycée at El Campello

The Lycée Français International Pierre Deschamps, at El Campello (Mission laïque française network, AEFE-accredited), runs the French curriculum from nursery to the baccalauréat. Fees for 2026-2027: €6,330/year in nursery and primary, €7,110 at lower secondary, €7,640 at upper secondary, meals and bus on top. It is the province's only French school: very accessible from Alicante, Playa San Juan or Benidorm, but a real commute from the Marina Alta or the Vega Baja, so factor it into your choice of town.

How to choose, in practice

Four questions almost always decide it: the children's age (the younger they are, the easier Spanish immersion is), the length of your plan (a likely return argues for an English or French curriculum), the budget (from free to several hundred euros a month), and the language of the home. Add a fifth, very Costa Blanca one: geography. The school dictates the town, so check the real commute times before you choose your house, not after.

Frequently asked questions

Is Valencian really compulsory in state school? Yes, it's a compulsory subject across the whole Valencia region, alongside Castilian. Children pick it up quickly, and temporary exemptions exist in some cases of arriving mid-schooling.

Roughly what do the international schools cost? It varies widely by school and year group, from a few thousand to well over €10,000 a year at the top end, so request each school's current fee list.

When do I enrol a child in the state system? During the Conselleria's official admission windows, in spring for September. If you arrive outside them, your town's schooling commission assigns a place.

Is there a British or international school near me in the Marina Alta or Vega Baja? Yes in the Marina Alta (Lady Elizabeth, Xàbia International, Elian's nearby); the Vega Baja is thinner, so check commute times to Alicante-area schools. The only French school in the province is at El Campello.

Think overall budget with our cost of living guide, and slot school into the journey of your first 90 days.

Sources

• Lady Elizabeth School (Benitatxell)
• The Good Schools Guide: international schools of the Costa Blanca
• Elian's British School, La Nucía
• King's College Alicante
• French Lycée Alicante: 2026-2027 fees

Information verified in July 2026. Fees, admission windows and places change every year: check with the schools and the Conselleria before deciding. The Daily Costa Blanca is an AI-assisted publication with human review. Spotted a mistake? Drop us a line and we'll fix it. How we work.