How the Rome sector works
The Rome international school market is mature, small and quite specialised. Five schools account for the bulk of the English-speaking expat enrolment, with a handful of smaller campuses, language-specific national schools (French, German, Swedish) and bilingual Italian schools serving the remainder. The English-medium options divide into a British curriculum cluster (St George's), an American curriculum cluster (AOSR, Marymount), and an IB cluster that overlaps the two (Marymount, RIS, AOSR for the IB Diploma).
The principal evaluation variables for English-speaking families are curriculum credibility and university outcomes, faculty stability, the social fit of the parent body, and the practical reality of Rome's geography. The city is large by Western European standards, traffic is dense, and the daily commute can shape the family quality of life as much as the school itself. We have flagged that for each option. The starting point for most families remains our broader best international schools in Rome guide, with this piece serving the more specific question of which schools work for English-speaking expats.
St George's British International School
St George's is the default British curriculum school in Rome. The senior school at La Storta sits in the northern suburban belt, with a junior school campus closer to the city centre at Via Cassia. The school operates a full Early Years to Year 13 pathway, with Cambridge IGCSE and IB Diploma in the senior years (no longer offering A Level since the curriculum review in 2021). Strong record of Russell Group and US top fifty destinations, a long established parent body with deep British and Anglo-Italian roots, and a faculty base that draws from UK independent schools and the wider international British circuit.
The La Storta site sits twenty to forty five minutes from central Rome depending on traffic and the school bus catchment, which extends across the principal expat neighbourhoods (Parioli, Aventino, EUR, Trastevere). Fees in 2026 sit at EUR 16,000 to EUR 25,000 per child per year depending on year group. Capital fees and a one-time enrolment levy apply at entry. Read our Rome international school fees piece for the complete picture.
Marymount International School Rome
Marymount Rome is a Catholic, coeducational international school operating from PreK through Grade 12, with an American curriculum core and an IB Diploma pathway in the senior years. The campus sits at the foot of Monte Mario in the north of the city, on a substantial site that combines period buildings with newer purpose built classrooms. The school has a long established parent body drawn from US diplomatic, US corporate and Anglo-American families, and the IB Diploma cohort consistently averages above thirty four points.
Marymount operates a Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary educational tradition. The school welcomes families of all faiths but the Catholic identity is real, and this is a factor families should weigh upfront rather than discover after enrolment. Fees in 2026 sit at EUR 18,000 to EUR 26,000 per child per year. School bus catchment covers Parioli, the Aventino and the northern suburban belt. Day to day commute from EUR or Trastevere is workable but at the longer end of the school bus run.
Match curriculum, location and budget
Rome school choice is unusually shaped by traffic and neighbourhood. Use the school compare tool to put two or three of the principal schools side by side, then pair that with the Rome fees piece and the cost calculator to land on a year one budget that works for your family.
American Overseas School of Rome (AOSR)
AOSR is the principal American curriculum school in Rome, operating a US-accredited PreK through Grade 12 programme with an AP pathway in the senior years and an IB Diploma option since 2018. The campus sits in the northern part of the city at Via Cassia, with a substantial site that includes athletic facilities of a US suburban standard. The high school is academically credible, with a track record of US flagship state university and US private liberal arts destinations alongside a credible UK and continental European outcome each year.
AOSR is the practical default for American families on a US-curriculum pathway, particularly those expecting to return to the US for university. The school's calendar tracks the US academic year more cleanly than the British curriculum schools, which can matter for families on rotational US assignments. Fees in 2026 sit at EUR 17,000 to EUR 26,000 per child per year. The campus location and traffic patterns mean school bus runs from the southern parts of Rome are at the longer end of the band; families in EUR or south of the Vatican should view at peak traffic times before committing.
Ambrit International School
Ambrit is a smaller, English-medium international school covering Early Years through Grade 8 (no senior school, students typically move to St George's, Marymount or AOSR for high school). The campus sits in the EUR business district, which makes it the practical default for families based in EUR or south central Rome who want to avoid the daily school bus run to the northern belt. Strong primary and middle school programme, with an academic culture that tracks closer to an English independent prep school than to a US elementary school.
Fees in 2026 sit at EUR 15,000 to EUR 22,000 per child per year. The transition out to senior school at age 14 is a planned part of the Ambrit pathway, with strong placement records into St George's, Marymount and AOSR. Families on shorter rotations who anticipate leaving Rome before high school often find Ambrit the cleanest single-school choice. The school also operates an IPC and Middle Years Programme aligned curriculum, which fits well with the IB cluster for families who anticipate moving on to an IB senior school.
Rome International School (RIS)
RIS is the dedicated IB school in Rome, running PYP, MYP and DP across a single campus in the northern part of the city. The school is younger than St George's, Marymount or AOSR, but has built a credible IB Diploma programme since IB authorisation. The DP cohort is smaller than at Marymount or AOSR, which has the upside of personal attention and the downside of subject offering breadth (some specialist subject combinations are not always available year on year).
For families specifically committed to a full PYP to DP IB pathway, RIS is the cleanest single-school choice in Rome. Fees in 2026 sit at EUR 16,000 to EUR 24,000 per child per year. The school bus covers the principal expat neighbourhoods. For the broader IB picture in Rome, our best IB schools in Rome piece compares RIS against the IB streams at the other schools.
Smaller and specialist options
Several smaller English-medium schools warrant consideration for families with specific needs. The Greenwood International School operates a Cambridge-curriculum programme at fees materially below the principal schools. The New School Rome runs a smaller IB programme with a Reggio Emilia inspired approach at primary level. The Castelli International School operates in the south eastern suburbs and is sometimes a clean fit for families in the Castelli Romani belt. For families on continental European pathways, the Lycee Chateaubriand, the Swiss School, the German School and the Swedish School operate full national curricula in their respective languages, with substantial parent bodies and credible university destinations.
Neighbourhoods and admissions
Most English-speaking families in Rome live in Parioli (the leafy residential quarter north of the centre), the Aventino (an established expat enclave on the southern of the seven hills), EUR (the Mussolini-era business district, family-friendly and well connected), Trastevere (more urban, smaller properties, walkable family life) or the suburban belt at La Storta and the surrounding villages (closer to St George's and AOSR, more space). Our best areas to live in Rome piece covers the housing picture in detail and is the natural companion to this school review.
For September 2026 entry the principal schools have some availability in Year 1, Year 7 and Grade 9 as of May, with waitlists at the most popular year groups (FS1, FS2, Reception, Year 5). Families targeting September 2027 should apply between October 2026 and January 2027. Read our admissions timing by city guide for the broader calendar. The moving to Rome with children piece covers visas, healthcare and the practical first ninety days.
FAQ
Which Rome international schools teach in English?
The principal English-medium schools in Rome are St George's British International School, Marymount International School Rome, the American Overseas School of Rome (AOSR), Ambrit International School and the Rome International School (RIS). All five operate in English and serve the bulk of the English-speaking expat base in the city.
How much do international schools in Rome cost?
Tuition for the principal English-medium schools in Rome ranges from EUR 15,000 to EUR 28,000 per child per year in 2026. Additional costs for capital fees, transport, books and meals typically add EUR 3,000 to EUR 5,000 per child per year.
Where in Rome do English-speaking families live?
Most English-speaking expat families in Rome live in Parioli, the Aventino, the EUR business district, Trastevere and the suburban belt around La Storta. Choice typically follows the chosen school and the workplace.
Do Rome international schools teach Italian?
Yes. All the principal English-medium schools include Italian language and culture in the curriculum, with daily or weekly Italian lessons through the primary and middle school years. The integration with the local culture is treated seriously, and most leavers depart with a working level of Italian alongside the English-medium academic pathway.