How many bilingual schools in Mexico City
Mexico City has more than 60 schools delivering a substantively bilingual Spanish-English education in 2026, of which around 35 hold international curriculum accreditation (IB, Cambridge, Cognia, AEFE or ZfA). Bilingual education is the dominant model in private school choice in the city and is the structural backbone of the upper-middle and affluent Mexican education market. Mexican family demand for high-quality English language exposure from kindergarten onwards has driven the growth of the bilingual sector since the 1990s, with the most established bilingual schools tracing their origins to British, American or Spanish missionary foundations from the early 20th century. Spanish-English is the dominant bilingual pair; a smaller cluster of around 8 schools delivers trilingual Spanish-English-French or Spanish-English-German.
The bilingual market splits into three groups. Around 12 premium bilingual schools deliver English at near-native fluency level with significant English-medium subject instruction (the American School Foundation, Westhill Institute, the Edron Academy, Eton School, Greengates, Colegio Olinca, Modern American School, Colegio Hebreo Maguen David, Colegio Hebreo Tarbut, Colegio Williams, and others). A middle band of around 25 schools delivers English at functional fluency level with around 50 per cent English-medium subject instruction. The remainder is a long tail of smaller bilingual schools with English-as-a-second-language exposure of 25 to 40 per cent of the school day.
The 50/50 and 70/30 immersion models
The premium bilingual schools in Mexico City run two main immersion models. The 50/50 model delivers roughly half of the school day in English and half in Spanish, with Mathematics, Science and Humanities typically taught in English and Spanish Language and Literature, Mexican History and Citizenship taught in Spanish. The 70/30 model loads English-medium instruction to around 70 per cent of the school day, with Spanish reserved for the SEP-mandated subjects and some literature electives. The American School Foundation and Westhill Institute operate on a 70/30 model in the lower school transitioning to majority-English in the high school. The Edron Academy and Eton School operate on a closer 50/50 model throughout. Our English curriculum options guide covers the implications for English language proficiency outcomes.
Bilingual schools in Mexico City are required by the SEP to deliver the Mexican core curriculum (formacion civica, historia de Mexico, geografia de Mexico, espanol) in Spanish, which constrains the maximum English load at around 75 per cent of the school day. Schools that exceed this load lose their SEP recognition for the Mexican Bachillerato and must rely on standalone international qualifications. Most bilingual schools in the city therefore hit a 70/30 ceiling. The dual-language tradition produces strong measurable outcomes: graduates of the leading bilingual schools routinely score 110 or higher on the TOEFL iBT and B2 to C1 on the CEFR scale.
Picking a bilingual school in Mexico City?
Take our 5 minute school finder quiz. We help you match the 50/50 versus 70/30 immersion model to your child's age, your home language, and your home area in the city.
Illustrative example schools
The five schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each runs a substantive bilingual Spanish-English programme with an established record of high English fluency outcomes.
The American School Foundation (ASF) in Bosques de las Lomas runs a 70/30 English-Spanish bilingual model, transitioning to majority-English in the high school. Around 2,500 pupils, US accredited and IB Diploma authorised.
The Edron Academy on Calzada Desierto de los Leones runs a 50/50 Spanish-English bilingual model throughout. Mexican-British school, Cambridge IGCSE, IB Diploma and Mexican Bachillerato awarded.
Westhill Institute in Bosques de las Lomas runs a 70/30 model in the lower school transitioning to majority-English in the high school. Mexican-American school, IB Diploma and US Diploma plus AP.
Eton School in Tecamachalco runs a 50/50 Spanish-English model with Cambridge IGCSE in Year 10 and 11 and the IB Diploma in Year 12 and 13. A strong example of the Mexican-British bilingual approach.
Colegio Olinca with campuses in Tlalpan and Coyoacan runs a 60/40 Spanish-English model with Cambridge IGCSE preparation in the upper school. A leading mid-market bilingual option in the southern delegaciones.
Fees and the bilingual tier
Bilingual school fees in Mexico City span a wide range depending on the immersion model and the supporting international accreditation. Premium bilingual schools with full international accreditation (ASF, Westhill, Greengates, Edron, Eton) run MXN 380,000 to MXN 580,000 a year in the high school. Mid-market bilingual schools (Colegio Olinca, Colegio Madrid, Colegio Williams, Centro Escolar del Lago) run MXN 220,000 to MXN 360,000 a year in the high school. Entry-tier bilingual schools with limited international accreditation run MXN 140,000 to MXN 220,000 a year. The fee differential reflects three things: the proportion of native-speaker English teachers (40 to 60 per cent at premium schools versus 10 to 25 per cent at entry tier), the breadth of international qualifications, and the size of class groups (16 to 22 at premium versus 28 to 32 at entry tier).
For families weighing the bilingual tier against international school tiers, our Mexico City fees guide walks through the all-in cost picture once transport, lunches, technology levies and exam fees are added.
Where bilingual families live
Bilingual school families in Mexico City span the full residential geography of the city, reflecting the dominant share of bilingual education in the private school market. The western Polanco-Lomas corridor concentrates the premium bilingual cluster (ASF, Westhill, Greengates, the smaller corporate-expat cohorts at Eton and the Edron Academy). The southern Coyoacan-San Angel-Tlalpan corridor hosts the Olinca families and the Edron Academy southern cohort. The eastern Polanco fringe and the Mexican Jewish community concentrated in the Bosques and Tecamachalco area uses the Colegio Hebreo Maguen David and Colegio Hebreo Tarbut bilingual offerings. Our Mexico City neighbourhoods guide covers the residential commute trade-offs by school choice.
Admissions and language placement assessment
The Mexico City bilingual school year runs from August to June. Premium bilingual schools open applications for the following August intake in September and close priority assessment in January. Mid-market bilingual schools run a more flexible rolling admissions process. The defining feature of bilingual school admissions is the language placement assessment. Mexican-Spanish dominant applicants applying to a 70/30 English-Spanish school sit a Cambridge English placement test or equivalent. Applicants from English-medium schools sit a Spanish language assessment. Most bilingual schools accept applicants below their target language level for Years 1 to 4, with mandatory after-school catch-up English or Spanish classes built into the first year. The SEP requires authenticated previous school records translated into Spanish for all transfer pupils.
Frequently asked questions
How many bilingual schools are there in Mexico City?
Mexico City has more than 60 schools delivering a substantively bilingual Spanish-English education in 2026, of which around 35 hold international curriculum accreditation through IB, Cambridge, Cognia, AEFE or the ZfA. A smaller cluster of around 8 schools delivers trilingual Spanish-English-French or Spanish-English-German programmes.
What is the 50/50 versus 70/30 bilingual model?
The 50/50 model splits the school day evenly between English and Spanish instruction, typically with Mathematics, Science and Humanities in English and Mexican core subjects in Spanish. The 70/30 model loads English to around 70 per cent of the day, with Spanish reserved for SEP-mandated subjects. Most premium Mexico City bilingual schools sit at one of these two points.
How much do bilingual schools cost in Mexico City?
Premium bilingual schools with full international accreditation run MXN 380,000 to MXN 580,000 a year in the high school. Mid-market bilingual schools run MXN 220,000 to MXN 360,000. Entry-tier bilingual schools with limited international accreditation run MXN 140,000 to MXN 220,000 a year.
Do bilingual schools in Mexico City produce native-level English?
Graduates of the leading bilingual schools routinely score 110 or higher on the TOEFL iBT and B2 to C1 on the CEFR scale, with the strongest graduates approaching native-speaker fluency. Outcomes correlate strongly with the proportion of native-speaker English teachers (40 to 60 per cent at premium schools versus 10 to 25 per cent at entry tier) and the immersion model load.
Can my child join a bilingual school without speaking Spanish?
Most bilingual schools in Mexico City accept applicants below their target language level for Years 1 to 4, with mandatory after-school Spanish catch-up classes built into the first year. Entry from Year 5 onwards without prior Spanish exposure is more difficult; entry from Year 7 onwards typically requires demonstrated A2 to B1 Spanish proficiency.
