International school fees in Rome: 2026 guide

The 2026 headline tuition

Rome international school tuition for 2026 falls into three clear tiers. The top tier, anchored by Marymount International School Rome, St Stephen's School and the American Overseas School of Rome, runs EUR 19,000 to EUR 27,500 a year at the secondary level. The mid tier, covering Rome International School, St George's British International School and St Francis International School, runs EUR 14,500 to EUR 21,000. The smaller boutique and community schools, including Castelli International School and several diplomatic community schools, run EUR 11,500 to EUR 17,000. Early years and primary fees are typically 15 to 25 percent below the secondary headline, and sixth form fees usually sit at or near the top of each school's range.

These figures are the published tuition. The realistic family cost is materially higher once the standard add ons are included, which the rest of this guide covers in detail. For an exact figure for your specific situation, run your school choices and year of entry through our cost calculator.

Fees by school

The table below shows 2026 published tuition by school across early years, primary, secondary and sixth form. Figures are in euros and assume the standard, non-discounted annual fee. Where a school offers two campuses, the figure shown is for the senior or flagship campus.

Marymount sits at the top of the Roman market and has consistently moved its fees ahead of the rest of the sector. St Stephen's, a smaller secondary-only American school in the centre, charges fees comparable to Marymount despite its focused scope. The mid tier (Rome International, St George's, St Francis, Ambrit) is tightly clustered with smaller gaps between schools at each age level. Castelli, in the Castelli Romani hills southeast of the city, is the most affordable established option and serves families based outside central Rome. For the full ranking of which school sits at which price point, see our best international schools in Rome piece.

The hidden fees parents miss

Published tuition is rarely the final number. The fees that catch out new families in Rome are usually one of six categories. The first is the capital levy, also called the development fee or enrolment contribution. Most Rome international schools charge a one-off capital levy at registration of EUR 1,500 to EUR 5,500 per child, contributing to ongoing capital projects. Marymount and St Stephen's sit at the upper end of this range; the mid tier schools at EUR 1,500 to EUR 3,000. Some schools allow payment in two instalments; most require the levy at enrolment.

The second is the registration fee itself, typically EUR 250 to EUR 1,200, non refundable. The third is the lunch fee, which most Rome schools include in tuition but a handful charge separately at EUR 1,200 to EUR 2,000 a year. The fourth is the school bus, which runs EUR 1,800 to EUR 3,500 per year depending on the distance from the school and the route popularity. The fifth is uniform, set up cost EUR 350 to EUR 700 in the first year and a smaller annual replacement cost thereafter, with the British and American schools requiring more comprehensive kit than the Italian-aligned schools.

The sixth and often biggest is the examination fee at sixth form, which runs EUR 800 to EUR 1,800 for IB Diploma examinations and a similar range for the AQA, Edexcel or Cambridge A-Level series, plus the AP fees of around EUR 100 per paper at the American schools. These are charged in Year 12 and Year 13 separately. Add to these the trip fees (school excursions, residentials, the IB CAS expedition fees) and the realistic loading sits at 15 to 20 percent on top of headline tuition for most families.

Building the all in number

For a single child in Year 8 at Marymount in 2026, the realistic family cost is approximately EUR 28,000 to EUR 30,000 per year once tuition (EUR 25,500), the prorated capital levy (EUR 700 to EUR 1,200), the school bus (EUR 2,500), uniform and incidentals (EUR 600 to EUR 1,000) are added together. For two children at the same school across primary and secondary, the figure scales to roughly EUR 52,000 a year, assuming a modest sibling discount applied to tuition.

For a single child in Year 8 at Rome International School or St George's British International School, the equivalent calculation comes to approximately EUR 24,500 per year. At St Francis or Ambrit the same child sits at approximately EUR 22,000. At Castelli International School, the figure sits at EUR 19,500 to EUR 20,500, partly offset by lower bus costs for families based in the Castelli Romani area. The gap between the top of the Marymount band and the boutique end is therefore around EUR 8,000 to EUR 9,500 per child per year, after all loadings.

For a family with three school age children, the all in education line at the top tier sits at roughly EUR 75,000 to EUR 82,000 a year. At the mid tier it sits at EUR 60,000 to EUR 70,000. At the more affordable end it sits at EUR 52,000 to EUR 60,000. These figures help frame the realistic family budget decision rather than the school choice itself; many families end up choosing differently for different children based on the right academic fit, even within the same household.

Payment plans and discounts

Most Rome international schools accept tuition in two or three instalments aligned to the academic terms, with the first instalment due before the start of the academic year. Marymount, St Stephen's and St George's offer monthly payment plans on request, which is more flexible than the wider Italian sector practice. Annual upfront payment usually attracts a 2 to 3 percent discount; this is worth requesting at the registration stage if cash flow allows.

Sibling discounts vary widely. Marymount offers a 10 percent discount from the second child onwards in primary and a smaller discount in secondary. St George's offers a 5 to 15 percent sibling discount depending on the year groups involved. Rome International School, St Francis and Ambrit run sibling discounts in the 5 to 10 percent range. The smaller schools rarely offer formal discounts but may negotiate at the margins for families enrolling three children or more. Scholarships exist at the top schools but are usually modest in scale; the most established programmes are at Marymount and St Stephen's, primarily for academic and music achievement at sixth form.

Fee trajectory over the past five years

Rome international school fees rose between 4 and 6 percent per year between 2020 and 2024, broadly tracking the European international school market and slightly ahead of Italian consumer price inflation. Since 2024 the trajectory has steepened slightly, with annual increases of 5 to 8 percent at the top tier as schools have invested in expanded facilities, additional academic staffing and curriculum enrichment. Mid tier schools have moved more conservatively, with annual increases of 3 to 5 percent over the same period.

Families planning a five year stay should budget for cumulative fee increases of around 25 to 35 percent over the full duration. This is in line with the wider European international school market and ahead of general Italian inflation. Building a 5 to 6 percent annual increase into the long term family budget is a defensible starting assumption, with adjustment up or down based on the specific school's recent fee history.

Rome fees in regional context

Rome international school fees sit broadly in line with Milan and roughly 20 to 30 percent above the smaller Italian international school centres (Florence, Bologna, Turin). They are around 25 percent below Geneva, 30 percent below Frankfurt and 40 percent below the leading London international schools, while being broadly comparable to Madrid and Barcelona. For a family weighing Rome against other European capitals on cost, the headline difference is real but smaller than the cost of living difference for the wider family budget; Rome is materially cheaper than Geneva or London on housing, lifestyle and groceries.

The combination of competitive fees relative to the Western European peer group, the lifestyle benefits of life in Rome, and the strong English-medium school options has made Rome a credible posting for families who would previously have defaulted to Milan or Frankfurt. The trade-off is that the Rome sixth form cohorts are smaller than in those cities, which can limit the menu of Higher Level subject combinations at IB Diploma.

Where the value sits

For most expat families, the question is not the cheapest fee or the most expensive school but where the value sits in the middle. The Rome mid tier, in our reading, has the strongest value to academic outcome ratio. Rome International School, St George's and St Francis deliver outcomes comparable to schools charging 20 to 30 percent more in northern European capitals. The trade-offs are smaller sixth form cohorts and less depth at the very top end of the academic spectrum.

For families certain about a top tier academic outcome and a broad sixth form subject offer, Marymount's fees are defensible. The school places consistently into US selective universities, the UK Russell Group and the strong Italian universities; the cohort size at sixth form supports a wider Higher Level subject menu than the smaller schools can offer. For families on a more constrained budget, the mid tier is a credible alternative without compromising on quality of teaching for the majority of children. For a structured side by side view of the schools, the compare tool is the most efficient starting point.

Planning a five year budget

A family with two children planning a five year posting in Rome should budget for total education spend of roughly EUR 230,000 to EUR 290,000 at the mid tier, or EUR 320,000 to EUR 380,000 at the top tier, across the full five years. This includes 5 to 6 percent annual fee increases, the capital levy paid upfront, the standard add ons and the IB or A-Level exam fees at the end. It excludes university preparation, external tutoring and the cost of any specific learning support. For families relocating from outside the EU, the moving to Rome with children guide covers the visa and relocation context, and the Rome city guide places the school sector inside the wider city picture. For the cheapest end of the market, see our cheapest international schools in Rome piece.

Related guides

• Best international schools in Rome
• Best IB schools in Rome
• Moving to Rome with children

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