Rome is Italy's historic capital, a large and characterful city with a long established international community centred on its embassies, agencies and the many families posted here. For a relocating family the main task is matching curriculum, commute and district to a city where the best known schools fill their popular year groups early and where campuses sit mainly in the greener northern suburbs.
The school landscape in Rome
International provision in Rome is broad and well established, so most families weigh several strong options rather than settling for whatever is nearest. American Overseas School of Rome teaches a United States curriculum with Advanced Placement and the IB Diploma at its Via Cassia campus. Marymount International School Rome is a Catholic American curriculum day school for ages two to Grade 12 offering Advanced Placement and the IB Diploma. Britannia International School of Rome follows a British primary curriculum and the Early Years Foundation Stage at its south Rome campus. Alongside these sit further British, French, German and IB schools across the city, as well as the Italian state schools that teach in Italian with support for new arrivals. The practical constraint is usually capacity and location rather than quality, since the leading campuses draw families from across Rome and its suburbs.
How to move to Rome with children, step by step
Relocating with school aged children rewards early planning. These five steps mirror how the GlobalSchoolGuide relocation desk sequences a family move, so nothing critical slips through the gaps between the offer, the housing search and the first day of term.
- Set your relocation timeline. Fix your move date against the start of the school year in Rome and work backwards, allowing several months for shortlisting and applications.
- Shortlist and apply to schools. Match two or three schools in Rome to your child's age, curriculum and budget, then apply early because the leading schools have limited capacity.
- Confirm fees and admissions. Request the current fee schedule and admissions requirements directly from each school, since published figures are reset every academic year.
- Choose a neighbourhood near school. Pick housing within a reasonable commute of your shortlisted school, since Rome is spread out and school location shapes daily life.
- Settle the practical set up. Arrange visas, banking, health cover and the physical move, and time everything to the school calendar so your child starts with the year group.
Fees and budgeting
Fee paying international schooling in Rome sits in the mid to upper range for Europe, reflecting small class sizes and specialist English medium teaching. Fees vary by school, year group and campus, and some schools add registration or enrolment fees on top of tuition, so treat any single figure with caution. Because schools reset their schedules each academic year, request the current fee list directly from each school. The Italian state schools carry no tuition and are an option for families settling for the longer term.
Free Rome family relocation checklist
Work through our step by step checklist covering the admissions timeline, documents, housing and the first month settling in. Browse the full library on our guides hub, or start with the Rome city guide for school listings.
Neighbourhoods and housing
Many international families base themselves in the northern suburbs along the Via Cassia and around the Olgiata area, or in the greener districts north of the centre, where international schools, embassies and a settled community cluster. Families whose school sits elsewhere often choose the district nearest their campus for a shorter run. Because Rome is large and traffic can be heavy, choosing a home within a sensible commute of your chosen school matters more here than the address itself.
Language and settling in
Italian is the national language, and while Rome is used to international families and the diplomatic community, everyday life outside the international schools runs largely in Italian. Children in international schools learn in English and usually study Italian as an additional language, which helps them settle into the city. Families joining Italian state schools receive language support, and younger children in particular tend to absorb the language quickly. A little Italian goes a long way in daily life.
Curriculum continuity
Curriculum continuity is usually the decision that matters most. A child part way through an American, British or IB pathway will find the smoothest transition by staying in the same system, which points towards one of the established international schools. Families committing to a longer stay, especially with younger children, sometimes choose an Italian or bilingual route and gain strong local schooling. The closer a child is to a leaving examination, the more weight you should give to keeping the same curriculum. Our IB curriculum hub is a useful reference if you are weighing an International Baccalaureate route.
Fees by stage
To ground your budgeting, compare typical fee bands by school stage rather than relying on a single headline number. Our stage guides set out what families pay at each level and how charges build up across the years. See the Rome primary school fees guide and the Rome secondary school fees guide, and always confirm the current figures with each school directly.
Visas, healthcare and admin
Practically, confirm your visa and residency status early, since your category shapes your access to services and your children's school registration. Arrange health cover for the settling in period before your status and registration are complete, and set up local banking soon after arrival, since school fees, deposits and daily life all run more smoothly once a domestic account is open. Sequencing status, housing and the school offer carefully makes the first month in Rome far less stressful than handling everything at once.
The admissions timeline
The leading schools in Rome accept applications ahead of the school year, and because capacity is limited, individual year groups can fill well before any published deadline. Applying early is the single most effective way to protect your first choice. Where a year group is already full, ask to join the waiting list and keep a realistic second option open in parallel. Keeping copies of school reports, immunisation records and identity documents ready will speed up every application.
Is Rome a good place to raise children?
Rome rewards families who plan the school place and housing before they arrive. Like any major relocation, it brings an adjustment period, but families who sequence the essentials early tend to settle quickly and find plenty for children to enjoy. The most useful habit is to treat the school decision as the anchor for everything else, from where you live to how you budget, and to build the rest of the move around it.
Your first weeks: what to prioritise
In your first weeks, confirm the school place and start date in writing, then settle the essentials that everything else depends on: residency status, a local bank account, health cover and a domestic mobile and internet plan. With those handled, the wider routines of family life fall into place quickly. Many families also register early for after school activities and any language support on offer, both of which help children build friendships and settle into the rhythm of the school year. Keeping a simple shared checklist of registrations, deadlines and documents is the most useful habit in a first term.
Frequently asked questions
Does Rome have English speaking schools?
Yes. Rome has several established English medium international schools, including American Overseas School of Rome, Marymount International School Rome and Britannia International School of Rome, alongside others across the city. Confirm current places and requirements directly with each school.
Are international schools in Rome expensive?
Fee paying international schooling in Rome sits in the mid to upper range for Europe, while Italian state schools are free. Fees vary by school and year group and are reset annually, so request the current schedule directly from each school.
Where do international families tend to live?
The northern suburbs along the Via Cassia and around the Olgiata area, and the greener districts north of the centre, are popular for their schools, embassies and settled community.
Can expat children attend Italian state schools?
Yes. State schools are free, teach in Italian and offer language support for new arrivals. Longer staying families sometimes choose this route for younger children, while those on shorter postings usually keep an English medium curriculum.
When should we apply?
Apply well ahead of the school year and earlier for competitive year groups, because the leading international schools have limited capacity and popular years fill first.
Plan your move
Use these free tools and guides to turn this overview into a shortlist and a working plan for your family's move to Rome.