How many British schools in Brussels
The Brussels metropolitan area, defined here as the Brussels Capital Region plus Tervuren and the southern Brabant Wallon belt around Waterloo, currently runs around six schools that follow a full UK National Curriculum. The British School of Brussels at Tervuren is the anchor, with EYFS through Year 13 on a single campus, and is the only Brussels school offering A Levels as a graduating route. St Paul's British Primary at Vossem feeds into BSB through Year 6. Britannica International School in Etterbeek, BEPS International School at Ixelles and St John's International School at Waterloo all run British primary phases, with St John's offering a partial British secondary section alongside its IB and US-pattern programmes.
The cluster is smaller than the IB cluster in Brussels because UK staff at NATO, the EU institutions and the embassies often default into the European Schools or the IB system. The British schools draw most heavily from UK corporate families on multinational postings, from UK military families at NATO, from second generation expatriate Brits born in Belgium, and from continental European families who want UK university destinations. For wider routing see our Brussels city hub and the parallel Brussels IB hub.
Fees and the Brussels tiers
British school fees in Brussels split into three bands. The entry tier, EUR 17,000 to EUR 21,000 a year, captures the smaller primary settings, including St Paul's at Vossem and the lower years at BEPS. The mid private tier, EUR 22,000 to EUR 27,000, covers the senior primary and lower secondary years at BSB and Britannica. The premium tier, EUR 28,000 to EUR 32,000 a year, holds the IGCSE and A Level phase at the British School of Brussels and the British section of St John's.
Capital fees of EUR 2,500 to EUR 7,000 are typical at first registration. Hot meals add around EUR 1,500 a year. School transport to Tervuren and Waterloo, often essential for families based in central Brussels, costs EUR 2,500 to EUR 4,500 depending on the route. The fee level for British curriculum sits about 10 to 15 percent below the IB peer set in Brussels because the British schools rely less on US-style facilities investment. Our Brussels fees guide walks through the full picture, and the compare tool lets you put three Brussels schools side by side.
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Illustrative example schools
The schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each follows a full UK National Curriculum at primary and offers either IGCSE or A Level at the appropriate stage.
British School of Brussels at Tervuren is the anchor of the cluster. It runs EYFS through Year 13 on a 13 hectare campus and offers IGCSE, A Level and the IB Diploma as a sixth form choice, the only school in the city to publish both routes in parallel. Senior cohorts average comfortably above the UK national A Level average and the IB Diploma cohort posts results in the 34 to 36 point range.
St Paul's British Primary School at Vossem, just south of Tervuren, feeds directly into BSB through Year 6. It is the only stand alone British primary in the cluster and runs a small, single-form-entry programme.
St John's International School British Section at Waterloo runs a UK National Curriculum stream alongside its main IB and US-pattern programmes. The section is small, with a single form group per year, and is best suited to UK families wanting an IB Diploma exit.
Britannica International School at Etterbeek runs a UK National Curriculum primary in the centre of Brussels and feeds principally into BSB, St John's or UK boarding.
BEPS International School at Ixelles offers a British-style early years and primary inside an otherwise IB school, with feeder routing into BEPS Limal for MYP and the Diploma.
Where British curriculum families live in Brussels
British curriculum families in Brussels concentrate around four recognisable corridors. Tervuren and the leafy eastern villages along the Bois de la Cambre and the Forêt de Soignes host the largest share, drawn by proximity to the British School of Brussels. Sterrebeek, Wezembeek-Oppem and Kraainem, the Flemish communes east of Brussels, supply a large share of BSB students. Uccle and the southern Brussels communes carry families using Britannica or BEPS Ixelles. Waterloo and Lasne, in southern Brabant Wallon, cover the St John's British section catchment.
The British cluster suits families on UK university destination plans because the IGCSE and A Level pathway transfers seamlessly into UCAS and into the Russell Group selection process. It also suits families intending eventual UK return because the British curriculum aligns directly with UK independent and grammar school admissions, including the 11 plus and 13 plus entry routes. For UK boarding and return options see our Brussels American curriculum hub for comparison and the best areas to live in Brussels guide for housing context.
Admissions calendar and sixth form choices
British schools in Brussels typically open applications for the September intake from October of the previous year. The British School of Brussels operates a January deadline for the most contested Year 7 and Year 12 entries, with assessment days through February and March. Offers land in April with deposit deadlines two weeks later. Sibling priority applies and accounts for around one third of intake. Smaller settings, including St Paul's, Britannica and BEPS, run rolling admissions and can often place mid-year arrivals within four to six weeks.
Sixth form choice deserves early attention. The British School of Brussels uniquely offers A Levels and the IB Diploma in parallel, which lets families defer the final qualification decision to Year 11. Other British primaries lead naturally into the IB at International School of Brussels or St John's at sixth form, but UK boarding remains the alternative route for families wanting a UK setting from age 14 or 16. Use the cost calculator to size the total annual budget across school, housing and transport, and read our British curriculum hub for the global context.
Frequently asked questions
How many British curriculum schools are in Brussels?
The Brussels metropolitan area, including Tervuren and the southern Brabant Wallon belt, has around six schools running a full British curriculum in 2026. The British School of Brussels at Tervuren is the anchor and the only school offering IGCSE and A Level through to Year 13 inside the city. Smaller British primaries feed into BSB and into the IB or A Level routes elsewhere.
Do Brussels British schools offer A Levels or IB at sixth form?
The British School of Brussels offers a parallel A Level and IB Diploma sixth form, allowing families to choose between the two routes inside one school. Most other British primaries feed into BSB, into the IB at International School of Brussels or St John's, or into UK boarding for the sixth form.
How much do British schools in Brussels cost?
British school day fees in Brussels run from about EUR 17,000 a year at smaller primary settings to roughly EUR 32,000 at the British School of Brussels senior phase. Capital fees of EUR 2,500 to EUR 7,000 are typical at first registration. The fee level sits about 10 to 15 percent below the IB peer set, partly because the British schools rely less on US-style facilities investment.
Are A Levels recognised by Belgian universities?
Yes. Belgian universities, including KU Leuven, UCLouvain, ULB and Ghent, accept A Levels for entry, with three good grades typically required and specific subject requirements for medicine, law and engineering. The Belgian medical and dental entrance exam still applies regardless of school leaving qualification.
When do Brussels British schools open applications?
British schools in Brussels typically open applications for the September intake from October of the previous year. The British School of Brussels operates a January deadline for the most contested Year 7 and Year 12 entries. Smaller primaries run rolling admissions and can often place mid-year arrivals within four to six weeks.
