In this guide
The Czech international school market in 2026
The Czech Republic concentrates almost all of its international school capacity in Prague, which means the country question is, in practice, mostly a Prague question. The capital hosts the long-established heritage schools alongside a younger set of group-operated campuses, and the surrounding suburbs hold the residential clusters that feed them. Brno, the second city, supports a smaller pool of international and bilingual schools, and the remaining regional cities offer little in the way of fully English-medium provision. For a relocating family the realistic shortlist sits in Prague, with Brno a credible option for families anchored in Moravia.
The anchor of the market is the International School of Prague, founded in 1948 to serve the diplomatic community and now the heritage flagship of Czech international education, accredited by the Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Around it sit Park Lane International School, the English College in Prague, Riverside School and the Nord Anglia operated Prague British International School, each with its own curriculum mix and fee profile. The result is a market that is small in absolute terms but unusually well supplied at the top end for a city of Prague's size. Our city coverage sets out the cluster geography in detail in the Prague city guide.
Curricula on offer
The International Baccalaureate is the most widely available international route in the Czech Republic. The strongest published Diploma results in Prague come from the International School of Prague and Park Lane International School, with the English College in Prague, Riverside School and Prague British International School offering credible Diploma programmes at a range of cohort sizes. The IB suits the mobile expat family for whom curriculum portability matters most, and our IB curriculum guide explains how the Diploma is structured and assessed.
The British curriculum, delivered through IGCSE and A Level, is the second significant route, anchored by Riverside School and the IGCSE pathways within the larger group schools. The North American programme is delivered principally at the International School of Prague, which awards its own high school diploma alongside IB Diploma and Career-related Programme options. The French Lycee and the German school serve their respective national communities, completing a curriculum mix that is broad for a market of this scale. Families weighing the sixth-form decision will find the curriculum comparison hub useful for setting the IB against A Levels and the national routes.
Fees overview
Czech international school fees are materially lower than the equivalent western European hubs, which is one of the country's genuine draws for relocating families. Treat the figures below as bands rather than quotations: the established Prague schools publish their own current tuition, and the all-in cost adds registration, capital contributions, lunch and transport on top of headline tuition. For the city-level detail and the year-by-year picture, see our Prague international school fees guide for 2026 and the broader fees database.
| Tier | Example schools | Annual tuition band | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prague heritage IB and North American | International School of Prague, Park Lane International School | Upper band | Highest published tuition in the market; add 10 to 20 per cent for extras |
| Prague British and group schools | Riverside School, Prague British International School, English College in Prague | Mid band | IGCSE, A Level and IB routes; cohort sizes vary |
| Bilingual and Montessori options | Bilingual Czech-English and Montessori schools | Lower band | Strong value; curriculum is partly localised |
| Brno and regional | International and bilingual schools in Brno | Lower to mid band | Thinner choice than Prague |
For a like-for-like view across schools and cities, the fee comparison tool lets you set Prague against other European capitals, and the cost calculator projects the multi-year all-in figure including housing.
Top cities
The Czech international school decision is overwhelmingly a choice within Prague, with Brno the meaningful secondary option. The links below cover the cities where we have full school research; we add city hubs as our coverage deepens.
Brno, the country's second city and the centre of Moravia, supports a smaller set of international and bilingual schools serving the local technology and university community, including the International School of Brno and a German-language school. Families anchored in Brno can build a workable shortlist locally, though the depth of choice is well below Prague. Outside these two cities, fully English-medium international provision thins out quickly, and most relocating families gravitate to the capital. To match your child to a Prague or Brno shortlist by year group, curriculum and budget, use the school finder.
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Admissions calendar
The Czech academic year runs from early September to late June. Most international schools in Prague operate rolling admissions where places exist, with the strongest demand for entry in the early primary years and at the start of secondary. The application process follows the standard international template: school reports for the past two years, references from the current school, an age-appropriate assessment, an English language check for non-native speakers, and a family meeting. Where a school maintains a waiting list in a popular year group, applying six to twelve months ahead of the move is sensible.
Mid-year entry is workable at most schools where capacity exists, and several schools handle relocation cases pragmatically outside the main cycle. Families moving on a confirmed corporate timetable should contact the shortlist directly as soon as the move is confirmed, since the heritage schools can fill quickly at the most sought-after entry points. Our piece on moving to Prague with children sets out the wider relocation timeline alongside the school decision.
Choosing a school
Three factors tend to settle the Czech school decision. The first is the home-system anchor and the likely next university destination, which points British-bound families towards the IGCSE and A Level route, North American families towards the International School of Prague, and undecided or mobile families towards the IB. The second is the residential cluster: most established Prague international schools sit in the western and northern suburbs such as Nebusice, so the school choice and the housing choice are closely linked and the commute should be a primary input for younger children. The third is cohort size, which varies widely across the Prague schools and shapes both the breadth of the Higher Level subject menu and the amount of individual teacher attention a child receives.
For families still weighing the options, the honest first step is to read the parent experience alongside the published results. Our Prague parent reviews collect verified family experience, our guide to the best IB schools in Prague ranks the leading Diploma providers, and the Prague city guide ties the school, fee and neighbourhood picture together. No school on this site pays to appear, and nothing here is a ranking by reputation alone.
FAQ
How much do international schools cost in the Czech Republic? Tuition at the established Prague schools broadly runs from the low teens to the high twenties in euros per year, with the heritage IB and North American schools at the top of that band. Add roughly 10 to 20 per cent for registration, capital contributions, lunch and transport. Schools outside Prague sit a little below. Treat these as bands and confirm the current figure with each school.
Which curricula can my child study in the Czech Republic? The IB is the most widely available international route, offered at the International School of Prague, Park Lane International School, the English College in Prague and Prague British International School among others. The British curriculum with IGCSE and A Level, the North American programme, and the French and German national curricula are also available, almost all in Prague.
Where are most international schools in the Czech Republic located? Prague holds the overwhelming majority of capacity, with campuses across the western and northern suburbs and central districts. Brno has a smaller set of international and bilingual options. Families relocating elsewhere will find the choice much thinner.
When does the Czech school year start? The academic year runs from early September to late June. Most international schools accept applications on a rolling basis where places exist, with the heaviest demand in the early primary years and at the start of secondary.