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Two admissions tracks in Brussels
The first thing to understand about applying in Brussels is that there is no city deadline to miss. The market divides into two routes that run on different clocks, and which one applies to you decides everything about timing. On one side sit the private international schools, principally the international schools in Brussels such as the International School of Brussels in Watermael-Boitsfort, the British School of Brussels in Tervuren and St John's International School in Waterloo, which admit students throughout the year. On the other sit the four European Schools, which deliver the European Baccalaureate and operate a single formal enrolment window each year for the main September intake. Settle which track you are on before you worry about dates, because the private schools reward an early file rather than a punctual one, while the European Schools genuinely have a window you can miss.
Rolling admissions at the private schools
The private international schools in Brussels run rolling, year-round admissions. The International School of Brussels accepts applications throughout the year and can take students at most points up to around 1 May for the current academic year, after which attention turns to the following September. Its process is an online application of several steps: you create an account, upload the child's school reports from the past two years with English translations where needed, add a copy of the passport or birth certificate, and a teacher who knows your child completes a confidential questionnaire. A non-refundable application fee, listed by ISB at 2,000 euro, is payable with the file. The British School of Brussels and St John's International School similarly welcome new students at any point in the year where the year group has space, with a September start encouraged but not required. The practical rule is simple: there is no deadline, but the popular year groups fill first, so the earlier your file is complete the wider your choice.
| School (track) | Admissions pattern for 2026 |
|---|---|
| International School of Brussels (private) | Rolling year-round; current-year places generally up to about 1 May; multi-step online application; application fee listed at 2,000 euro |
| British School of Brussels, Tervuren (private) | Rolling; new students welcomed through the year where space exists; September start encouraged |
| St John's International School, Waterloo (private) | Rolling; private visit by arrangement; enrolment fee of 1,000 euro plus a campus development fee |
| European Schools, Brussels (subsidised / full fee) | Single formal enrolment window for the September intake; exact 2026 to 2027 dates published in the official enrolment policy |
The figures above are the schools' own published fees and patterns at the time of writing and are set per school, so confirm the current application fee and any waiting-pool status directly with admissions before you file.
Not sure which Brussels school fits?
The school finder shortlists Brussels schools by curriculum, district and stage so you can match the right admissions track before you start an application.
Use the school finderThe European School enrolment window
The European Schools are the one part of the Brussels market with a real deadline. The network of four Brussels campuses publishes an enrolment policy each year and opens a defined application window for the following September, typically in the first months of the calendar year. Priority within the system goes to children of staff of the European institutions, with other categories admitted where places remain, so eligibility shapes your odds as much as timing does. Because the exact dates and the document requirements are revised annually, treat any specific date you read elsewhere with caution and confirm the 2026 to 2027 window in the official Schola Europaea enrolment policy. For the wider context of how these schools fit the city, our international school fees in Brussels guide explains the subsidised and full-fee categories, and our Brussels primary schools guide shows where the campuses sit.
The realistic 2026 timeline
For a late August or early September 2026 start, the workable sequence is to begin in the autumn of 2025, roughly six to nine months ahead. Through the autumn and winter, enquire, visit, and confirm whether your child's year group is open or sits on a waiting pool. The European School window opens in the early part of the year, so watch the official portal from January. For the private schools, aim to have the complete file, including reports and the teacher reference, in by the spring; the International School of Brussels works to an approximate 1 May edge for current-year entry. Through the summer, complete the registration fee, sign the contract and arrange the practicalities. The local school year ends on Friday 3 July 2026 and restarts in late August, so the city is quiet for admissions in July and August and busy again from September. For the term and holiday rhythm that frames all of this, see our Brussels school holidays and term dates 2026 page, and for the visit season our Brussels school open days 2026 guide.
Brussels admissions deadlines 2026: FAQ
No. Most private international schools in Brussels, such as the International School of Brussels, the British School of Brussels and St John's International School in Waterloo, admit on a rolling basis throughout the year rather than to one fixed citywide deadline. The exception is the European Schools network, which runs a formal annual enrolment window for the September intake. Because the private schools fill popular year groups first, an early file still matters even where there is no published cut-off.
The European Schools in Brussels publish an annual enrolment policy and open a defined application window for the September intake, typically in the first months of the calendar year. The exact 2026 to 2027 dates are set out in the official enrolment policy on the Schola Europaea enrolment portal, so confirm them there rather than relying on a general date, as the window and the document requirements are revised each year.
Aim to enquire the autumn before a late August or early September start, around six to nine months ahead. The International School of Brussels accepts students throughout the year, generally up to around 1 May for the current year, but the most requested year groups can fill earlier, so the earlier your file is complete the wider your real choice.
Often yes at the private international schools, which welcome new students through the year where space exists, subject to the year group not being full. The European Schools are geared to the September intake and mid-year places depend on availability. Always confirm the specific year group with the school before assuming a mid-year start is possible.
The private schools charge a non-refundable application or registration fee. The International School of Brussels lists an application fee of 2,000 euro, and St John's International School in Waterloo charges an enrolment fee of 1,000 euro plus a campus development fee. Tuition is billed separately, by term or year. Confirm the current figure with each school, as these are set per school and change.