On this page
- What the American curriculum looks like in Madrid
- Top schools to consider
- Fees, intake stages and admissions timing
- AP courses, SAT prep and High School Diploma pathways
- Neighbourhoods and commute patterns
- How to choose between curricula in Madrid
- Common pitfalls when shortlisting
- Frequently asked questions
- Bottom line for relocating families
What the American curriculum looks like in Madrid
Madrid's American-curriculum cluster is small but mature. The American School of Madrid (ASM), founded in 1961, is the flagship and one of the oldest US-style schools in continental Europe. Around it sits a handful of younger US-curriculum providers, most notably Brewster Madrid with campuses in Chamberi and La Moraleja, plus Casvi International American School and Aquinas American School in the metropolitan area. Together these schools serve a steady cohort of American expatriates, returning Spanish-American families and Spanish nationals targeting US universities.
Madrid's wider international education market is broad. Strong British schools including King's College Madrid, Hastings School and Runnymede College serve the Cambridge and A Level community. Established IB schools such as International College Spain and the Spanish branches of Sotogrande-style programmes serve globally mobile families. French, German, Swiss and Swedish curriculum providers cover their respective communities. Within that wider landscape, the American cluster is concentrated rather than crowded, which makes shortlisting comparatively simple.
Two structural facts shape the Madrid decision. First, the Spanish school year runs September to June, which aligns neatly with the US academic calendar and avoids the curriculum gap year that hits families relocating mid-year. Second, Madrid is geographically spread, with established expatriate residential clusters in Pozuelo, Aravaca, La Moraleja, Conde Orgaz and central districts including Chamberi and Salamanca. School choice and home choice are tightly linked, more so than parents typically expect on arrival.
Top schools to consider
American School of Madrid (ASM)
Madrid's flagship American school, founded in 1961 and based on a leafy campus in Pozuelo de Alarcon. ASM delivers a US High School Diploma to all graduates, with the IB Diploma offered concurrently in Grades 11 and 12 alongside the Spanish Programa Oficial. Around 850 students from more than 50 nationalities. Accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Strong placement record at selective US universities and leading European institutions. The default first choice for US-track families relocating to Madrid, especially those based in the western suburbs.
Brewster Madrid
A newer entrant that opened in partnership with Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. Brewster Madrid runs a K to 12 American programme across two campuses, with a central Chamberi site and a larger La Moraleja campus. The school offers a US High School Diploma with a full Advanced Placement catalogue and the IB Diploma. The natural alternative to ASM for families based on the north side of the city or seeking AP rather than IB depth in upper school.
Aquinas American School
Aquinas American School delivers a US-based curriculum from early years through Grade 12, with the IB Diploma offered in the final two years. A smaller cohort than ASM, with a Catholic ethos and a focus on bilingual delivery. A practical option for families wanting a US-curriculum environment in a more intimate setting, particularly families based in the northwest of the city.
Casvi International American School
Casvi International American School sits in Tres Cantos, north of central Madrid, and is part of the Casvi group of schools. It delivers an American curriculum alongside the full IB Continuum, with the IB Diploma in Grades 11 and 12. A useful option for families based on the M40 corridor or in Tres Cantos, Las Tablas or Sanchinarro.
International College Spain (Comparator)
International College Spain (ICS) is included here as the principal IB alternative. The school is not American, but its IB Continuum and US-style college counselling serve a substantial cohort of US-bound students. Families weighing AP against the IB Diploma frequently shortlist ICS alongside ASM and Brewster, particularly when based in La Moraleja or the diplomatic corridor.
Build a Madrid shortlist in minutes
Compare American-curriculum schools in Madrid side by side on AP catalogue, fees, neighbourhood and admissions windows. Or take the quiz to surface the closest curriculum fit.
Fees, intake stages and admissions timing
Madrid American-curriculum fees sit between EUR 14,000 and EUR 22,000 per year by Grade 12. ASM and Brewster Madrid are at the upper end of the range. Aquinas American School and Casvi International American School sit in the upper-mid band, reflecting smaller scale or bilingual delivery. Headline tuition typically excludes transport, lunches, capital levies, books and trips, which together add 8 to 15 per cent to the all-in cost. Capital levies apply at first enrolment at ASM and should be modelled into the relocation budget.
The Madrid school year runs September to June. ASM has known waitlists for entry in Grades 6 and 9 at twelve months or more, particularly for the September intake. Applications for September entry typically open between October and February of the previous academic year, with assessments and offers running January to May. Brewster Madrid, Casvi and Aquinas generally operate rolling enrolment, although high-demand year groups can close earlier than expected. For a structured fee picture across the Spanish market, see our international school fees in Madrid guide. Families combining a relocation budget with school fees should also try the relocation cost calculator.
AP courses, SAT prep and High School Diploma pathways
AP provision in Madrid is strongest at Brewster Madrid, which runs a wide AP catalogue covering English Literature, US History, World History, Calculus AB and BC, Statistics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science and the major modern languages. ASM channels its rigour through the IB Diploma rather than the AP framework, although individual AP subjects can be examined externally. Aquinas and Casvi offer focused AP catalogues across the core subjects. AP exams are administered locally at registered schools each May, and the College Board testing infrastructure across Madrid is reliable, with multiple sittings per year for both the SAT and the AP suite.
SAT and ACT preparation is widely available through schools and through Madrid's expanding test preparation market, including online providers serving the wider Iberian expatriate community. Recognition of the US High School Diploma in Spain is workable for English-medium programmes at IE University, Universidad Carlos III, Universidad Pontificia Comillas (ICADE) and Universidad Nebrija, although Spanish public universities will generally require selectivity exams. US, UK, Canadian and Australian universities apply their standard admissions frameworks, and strong AP or IB results support competitive applications across all four.
Counselling at ASM and Brewster is mature, with students placed each year into selective US universities, UK Russell Group institutions, Spanish private universities and competitive European destinations. Both schools provide structured help on the Common App and on UK UCAS submissions in parallel. Aquinas and Casvi run smaller counselling teams suited to their cohort sizes. Families targeting the most selective US universities increasingly combine school counselling with external counselling, given the strong applicant cohorts emerging from Madrid each cycle.
Neighbourhoods, campus locations and commute patterns
Madrid's American schools cluster in distinct parts of the city. ASM sits in Pozuelo de Alarcon, the established expatriate suburb west of central Madrid, surrounded by family-oriented housing in Pozuelo, Aravaca and Somosaguas. Brewster Madrid operates from Chamberi in the city centre and from La Moraleja, the gated residential cluster north of the M40 that is the densest expatriate enclave in greater Madrid. Aquinas American School is in the northwest, and Casvi International American School is in Tres Cantos to the north.
Madrid's road network is sound and the metro reaches most expatriate residential clusters, but rush-hour traffic on the A6, M30 and M40 can extend school journeys significantly. Families based in Pozuelo reach ASM within fifteen minutes. Families in La Moraleja reach Brewster's north campus within ten minutes. Cross-city journeys between Pozuelo and La Moraleja typically run thirty to forty-five minutes at peak. School bus networks at ASM and Brewster cover the principal expatriate residential clusters, which materially widens viable housing options for relocating families.
How to choose between curricula in Madrid
Madrid offers strong curriculum optionality across American, IB, British and Spanish bilingual frames. The American cluster, anchored by ASM and Brewster Madrid, is the deepest pure-US offering. The IB cluster, which includes ASM's IB Diploma pathway alongside International College Spain and a growing list of bilingual IB schools, is the broadest globally portable framework. British provision is led by King's College Madrid, Hastings School and Runnymede College. For an IB-first read on the same city, see our companion piece on the best IB schools in Madrid.
American provision in Madrid is the strongest fit for families with a US-side anchor: American expatriates, returning Spanish-American families and Spanish nationals specifically targeting US universities. The IB Diploma is the more flexible global credential if university destinations are uncertain. ASM and Brewster both offer the AP-and-IB or US-Diploma-and-IB dual pathway, which suits families who want to keep both options open into Grade 11. For deeper curriculum comparison see our American curriculum overview and the Madrid American-curriculum hub, which lists every recognised provider with their pathway and accreditation.
Common pitfalls when shortlisting American schools in Madrid
The first pitfall is choosing between ASM and Brewster on prestige rather than geography. Both schools place students into strong US universities each year. The right answer for most families is the school closer to home, given Madrid's commute realities and the school bus footprint. Test the actual school-time journey before committing. The second pitfall is missing the application window. ASM in particular has waitlists at upper-primary and middle-school entry that fill twelve to eighteen months in advance for the September intake. Families applying late in spring for a September start frequently find the preferred year group closed.
The third pitfall is overlooking capital levy and registration costs at ASM, which can be significant at first enrolment. Model these into the relocation budget alongside annual tuition. The fourth pitfall is assuming all Madrid international schools are American. Several of the most visible private schools, including King's College and Hastings School, are British, and most bilingual private schools follow a Spanish national curriculum with an IB layer. Confirm curriculum framework and language of instruction before scheduling visits. For wider context see the Madrid city guide and use the compare tool when narrowing a shortlist.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the leading American school in Madrid?
The American School of Madrid (ASM) is the flagship American school in Spain. Founded in 1961, ASM delivers a US High School Diploma to every graduate, with the IB Diploma offered concurrently. It is the default first choice for US-track families relocating to Madrid.
Does ASM offer AP courses?
ASM does not run a broad AP catalogue. Its rigour layer is the IB Diploma in Grades 11 and 12, sat alongside the US Diploma. Families wanting a deeper AP catalogue in Madrid typically choose Brewster Madrid instead.
Are AP exams available in Madrid?
Yes. AP exams are administered at registered Madrid schools each May, including Brewster Madrid. SAT and ACT testing centres operate in Madrid with multiple sittings per year and the testing infrastructure is reliable.
Can Spanish nationals attend American schools in Madrid?
Yes. Spanish nationals can attend international schools in Madrid without restriction, although some bilingual private schools must observe Spanish national curriculum requirements alongside their international programme. Confirm cohort balance and language ratios with each school.
What about boarding options?
Madrid's American schools are day schools. Families needing boarding generally look to UK and Swiss boarding schools, or to private Spanish boarding schools that may not run a US-track pathway.
How early should I apply?
Apply twelve months ahead for the September intake at ASM, particularly for Grade 6 and Grade 9 transition years where waitlists are deepest. Brewster Madrid, Aquinas and Casvi generally accept rolling enrolment subject to space.
Bottom line for relocating families
Madrid's American-curriculum cluster is small, mature and well established, with ASM in Pozuelo as the historical flagship, Brewster Madrid as the AP-deep alternative in Chamberi and La Moraleja, and Casvi and Aquinas as smaller comparators in the wider metropolitan area. For most relocating families the right answer is the school closer to home, with AP versus IB framing as a secondary decision. Plan applications twelve months ahead for ASM, model capital levies into the total budget, and use the IB cluster as a fallback if neither flagship can offer the right year group at the right time.