How many international secondary schools in Sao Paulo
Sao Paulo has roughly thirty-five international schools running secondary or sixth form provision in 2026, counted as schools with at least a full secondary phase on a recognised non-Brazilian curriculum and an exit qualification accepted at international universities. The American secondary tier is the largest, with fifteen schools running middle and high school on a US framework, several with Advanced Placement and a smaller number with the IB Diploma running in parallel. The British and IB Diploma tier sits at twelve schools, anchored by St. Paul's School in Jardim Paulistano and the British College of Brazil in Morumbi, both running A Levels with strong UK Russell Group continuity. The remainder of the secondary market is split between Lycée Pasteur for the French Baccalauréat, Colégio Visconde de Porto Seguro for the German Abitur, the Swiss school for Matura-aligned secondary, and a growing bilingual sixth form group serving Brazilian families seeking dual diplomas.
The headline number understates how concentrated the choice is. Most authorised schools cluster in the western Marginal Pinheiros corridor, the Morumbi heights and the Granja Viana satellite belt. The wider curriculum context sits in our curriculum index and the best international schools in Sao Paulo review covers the whole market.
Fees and the sixth form tier
Secondary fees in Sao Paulo run from roughly BRL 70,000 at the affordable end of the bilingual sixth form to BRL 220,000 at Graded School and Avenues Sao Paulo across high school grades. The British sixth form tier clusters at BRL 120,000 to BRL 180,000, with St. Paul's School and the British College of Brazil running close to the upper end at A Level. The American secondary tier is more dispersed, with mid-tier providers at BRL 80,000 to BRL 130,000 and Graded School at BRL 190,000 to BRL 220,000 across high school grades. IB Diploma sixth form pricing sits at BRL 130,000 to BRL 200,000 at Chapel School and St. Nicholas, with Avenues running at the global Avenues network premium. Sixth form pricing typically includes the formal exam entry fees, but transport, the Brazilian school transport contribution and capital fees sit outside. See the wider picture in our Sao Paulo fees guide and the cheapest international schools in Sao Paulo piece. The fees comparison tool places Sao Paulo secondary pricing alongside the wider Latin American sixth form market.
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Illustrative example schools
The four schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each runs a full secondary phase to a recognised exit qualification with international accreditation.
Graded School, the American School of Sao Paulo, runs an American middle and high school programme from grades 6 to 12 on the historic Morumbi campus, with Advanced Placement courses across more than fifteen subjects and an optional IB Diploma at grades 11 and 12. Founded in 1920 and Middle States accredited, it serves around 1,300 pupils with strong placement at US selective universities, UK Russell Group and increasingly Bocconi and Dutch research universities.
St. Paul's School in Jardim Paulistano runs Key Stage 3 through IGCSE and A Level on the British framework, with a sixth form of around two hundred and fifty pupils and a long UK Russell Group placement record. CIS and BSA accredited, it is the heritage British secondary in Brazil and runs alongside its prep school on the same campus.
Chapel School in Vila Olímpia runs an American high school programme alongside the IB Diploma at grades 11 and 12, with strong sciences and a recognisable IB pedagogical signature through the Middle Years Programme. Smaller than Graded, more central than the Morumbi cluster.
St. Nicholas School runs the IB Middle Years Programme and Diploma across two campuses, Pinheiros and Alphaville. It is the longest-established IB continuum in the city and suits families who want a single-school PYP to Diploma pathway.
Where secondary families live
Expat families with secondary-aged children in Sao Paulo make different residence choices from families with younger children, because the city traffic punishes long school commutes more than it punishes long social distances. Morumbi remains the heritage zone for families using Graded School, St. Paul's, the British College of Brazil and the Pan American Christian Academy, with a deep expatriate infrastructure of supermarkets, healthcare and the Hospital Albert Einstein. Jardim Europa, Jardim Paulistano and Vila Olímpia sit closer to the city centre and suit families using Chapel, St. Nicholas Pinheiros and Lycée Pasteur, with a more urban apartment lifestyle. Alphaville and Granja Viana, west of the city ring road, are the gated-compound zone for families using St. Nicholas Alphaville, the Beacon School and the German Colégio Humboldt, with masterplanned green-suburb living and a long but predictable commute. The wider relocation context sits in our best areas to live in Sao Paulo for expat families guide and the cost calculator.
Admissions and the sixth form question
Applications for the February 2026 academic year opened across Sao Paulo secondary schools between August 2025 and October 2025, with sixth form intake closing earliest because of the two-year coursework cycle. Graded, St. Paul's, Chapel and St. Nicholas all run entry tests in English language and mathematics from Year 7 upwards, plus a structured interview and previous school reports. Sixth form entry requires final term reports from Year 10 or grade 9, two academic references and a subject-choice form submitted at the point of application. Mid-year secondary transfers are accommodated where capacity exists, but transfers into the second year of A Level, IB Diploma or US high school are very rare because coursework is already in flight. Documentation requirements include the Brazilian Ministry of Education equivalence stamp for prior schooling, a vaccination record and a confirmed residence visa or CPF. For families choosing the curriculum first, see the wider Sao Paulo schools overview, the European families guide and the school finder.
Frequently asked questions
How many international secondary schools are there in Sao Paulo?
Sao Paulo has roughly thirty-five international schools running secondary or sixth form provision in 2026. The American secondary tier is the largest at fifteen schools, followed by twelve British and IB Diploma providers, plus French, German, Swiss and Japanese secondary streams. Most authorised schools cluster in the western Marginal Pinheiros corridor and the Granja Viana satellite belt.
Which sixth form qualification do Sao Paulo schools offer: A Levels, IB or US Diploma?
All three. A Levels remain available at St. Paul's School and the British College of Brazil, with strong UK Russell Group placement. IB Diploma sits at Chapel School, St. Nicholas, Avenues Sao Paulo and the Lycée Pasteur option track. The US high school diploma with Advanced Placement is the Graded School signature. Several Sao Paulo schools offer two of the three side by side, giving families a late switch.
How much do international secondary schools in Sao Paulo cost?
Annual secondary fees range from BRL 70,000 at the affordable end of the bilingual sixth form to BRL 220,000 at Graded School and Avenues Sao Paulo. The British sixth form tier clusters at BRL 120,000 to BRL 180,000. IB Diploma sits at BRL 130,000 to BRL 200,000. Most expatriate families end up at BRL 140,000 to BRL 190,000 a year once capital fees and transport are added.
Can my child transfer into a Sao Paulo sixth form mid-cycle?
Transfers into the second year of A Levels, IB Diploma or US high school are very rare in Sao Paulo because coursework and Extended Essays are already in flight. Most heritage sixth forms will not accept a mid-cycle transfer unless the prior school followed the same syllabus. Transfers at the start of the two-year cycle are much easier, with capacity reviewed in October and November for the February school year.
When should I apply for a Sao Paulo secondary school?
Sao Paulo schools follow the Brazilian academic calendar, with the school year running from February to December. Applications for February 2026 entry opened between August and October 2025 at the heritage providers, with sixth form intake closing earliest. Year 7 to Year 10 transfers run on a more flexible basis, with capacity confirmed through November and December.
