On this page
For the full landscape, start with our international schools in Brussels directory, and for the numbers behind this page read our guide to international school fees in Brussels, which sets out the bands by school. The schools below have published tuition that sits clearly below the city average, while still running recognised international curricula. Fees move every year, so the bands here are a guide to where each school sits rather than a quote, and you should confirm the current figure with the school.
This is a shortlist to research, not a ranking. To match an affordable school to your child in a few minutes, use the school finder, and compare the related shortlists for sixth form and special educational needs if those matter for your family.
The shortlist
ISF Waterloo International School
ISF Waterloo, the International School of Flanders, sits just south of Brussels on the border of Sint-Genesius-Rode and Waterloo, and has the lowest published entry point of the city's English medium international schools. It is a small school of around 250 students from some 60 nationalities, with classes capped at 18, running through to age 18. The smaller scale is part of why it is affordable, so weigh the lower fee against a leaner facilities and activities offer, and confirm the current band for your child's stage directly with the school.
Bogaerts International School
Bogaerts International School runs two campuses, a south campus in Uccle and a north campus near the airport in Diegem, and its published tuition band sits well below the premium English medium schools. It offers an international curriculum from the early years upward, which makes it a practical choice for families who want a recognisable international setting without the top tier fee. As with any lower band school, look closely at class sizes, the breadth of the senior curriculum and the extras before deciding.
BEPS International School
BEPS International School, founded in 1972, follows the International Baccalaureate from the early years through to the IB Diploma, yet its published band sits noticeably below the largest premium campuses. For a family that wants a full IB pathway without the premium price, BEPS is one of the more affordable routes to it in the city. It is a smaller school, so confirm the Diploma subject combinations and the facilities available alongside the fee.
How we chose
We included only Brussels schools we could confirm publish a tuition band that sits clearly below the city average, and that run a recognised international curriculum rather than a budget offer in name only. We did not score or rank them, and we did not attach the precise euro figures to the page, because published fees change every year and a stale number is worse than none. Instead we point to the schools that genuinely occupy the lower band and to our fees guide for the current figures. Note that ISF Waterloo sits just outside the Brussels communes to the south, which can keep costs down but lengthens some commutes, so factor travel and any transport charge into the real cost.
Find a Brussels school in your budget
Set your budget, your child's stage and the curriculum you want and the school finder returns a matched Brussels shortlist.
Start the school finderReading the fees
Affordability in Brussels is about more than the headline tuition. A lower band school can still carry a one off registration fee, a place deposit, and annual extras for lunches, transport, trips and after school care, and once those are added a cheap school can look less cheap. The reverse is true too, since a premium school may bundle in more. The only reliable comparison is like for like, so ask each school for the full fee schedule in writing and place it against the wider picture in our international school fees in Brussels guide and the fee calculator. Families eligible for a subsidised European School place should also weigh that route, though category three fee paying places there are limited.
To take the next step, build a shortlist with the school finder, browse the full Brussels schools directory, or read the best schools for university preparation in Brussels if outcomes are your priority alongside cost.
Common questions
Among the English medium international schools, ISF Waterloo, Bogaerts International School and BEPS International School sit in the lower fee band for the city, well below the premium campuses. Published bands move each year, so treat them as a guide and confirm the current figure with each school before you budget.
The gap is wide. The lower band schools have published bands that start well under the city average, while the largest premium campuses run several times higher at the top of secondary. The difference across a full school career is substantial, which is why families on a fixed package look hard at the lower band first.
Not necessarily. A lower fee often reflects a smaller campus, fewer facilities or a leaner extracurricular programme rather than weaker teaching, and several lower band schools run the full International Baccalaureate. Judge each school on its curriculum, class sizes and inspection or accreditation status rather than on price alone.
The European Schools are heavily subsidised and effectively free for the children of European Union institution staff, who have priority. Other families may apply for fee paying category three places where capacity allows, but these are limited, so the European Schools are not a general low cost option for most expatriate families.
Budget for a one off registration fee, a place deposit, and annual extras such as lunches, transport, trips and after school care. A lower headline tuition can narrow if these are charged separately, so ask for the full schedule in writing and compare like for like using our international school fees in Brussels guide.