Benjamin Franklin International School

Families weighing up international schools in Barcelona often come across BFIS when they want a United States style education that also carries an International Baccalaureate diploma. This profile sets out what GlobalSchoolGuide Editorial has verified about Benjamin Franklin International School: its curriculum, fee band, admissions rhythm and campus setting. We are independent and no school pays to be listed, so the aim is a clear reference for relocating parents rather than a sales pitch.

BFIS is an independent, non profit school founded in 1986 to serve American and other English speaking families in the city, and it teaches a community of around seven hundred students drawn from more than sixty nationalities. That genuinely mixed intake is one of the things relocating families look for, and it sits on a single campus on the city side rather than out in the suburban belt. The school runs the full age range from Nursery to High School, which suits parents who want one school for siblings of different ages. For wider context on what comparable schools charge, see our guide to international school fees in Barcelona.

Curriculum and academics

BFIS follows an American curriculum from Nursery through to Grade 12, with the senior school framed by the International Baccalaureate. Students work through the IB Middle Years Programme and then the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11 and 12, and the school reports strong diploma results that have run above the global average. The distinctive feature for parents is the range of exit qualifications: leavers can hold an American High School Diploma, the full IB Diploma and the Spanish bachillerato, which keeps options open for universities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain and beyond. That breadth is part of why the school suits internationally mobile families planning for higher education in more than one country.

Benjamin Franklin International School fees

Benjamin Franklin International School fees fall in the premium band for the city, in line with the other established American and IB schools in Barcelona. Tuition is billed annually in the American style, with registration and enrolment charges separate from tuition, and the school publishes a current schedule rather than leaving families to guess. As always the headline figure is not the whole budget, so ask for the full list including the items below. To judge where BFIS sits against other options, read our overview of international school fees in Barcelona or model a budget with our school fee calculator.

• Registration: one off application and registration fee, normally not refundable
• Enrolment deposit: charged to confirm a place once offered
• IB examinations: Diploma Programme entry charged separately in the senior years
• Extras: lunch, transport, trips and materials billed in addition

Admissions

The main intake is in late August or early September for the American school year, and BFIS accepts applications on a rolling basis subject to places. The school reviews previous school records and typically meets the family, and it may assess applicants for English readiness and grade placement, particularly for entry into the upper grades. Demand is strongest at the early grades and at the start of High School, so families relocating to Barcelona should apply early and ask about availability in their child's specific grade. The admissions team can confirm the documents required, any assessment and the deposit needed to secure a place.

Location and who goes there

BFIS sits in the upper part of the Sarria Sant Gervasi district, a residential area on the city side of Barcelona below the Collserola hills that many professional and international families choose. It is closer to the centre than the schools out in Esplugues or Castelldefels, which suits families who want to live in town rather than commute from the coast. Pupils reach the school by public transport, on foot or by car depending on where they live, and the surrounding district offers the kind of established, well connected setting that international families tend to settle in.

The community is genuinely international, with American families posted to Barcelona alongside other English speaking expatriates and Spanish families who want an English medium American education with an IB route at the end of it. That mix suits parents who value an English speaking environment and a clear path into United States and international universities, rather than a primarily local or single nationality school. For families who expect to move on again, the American calendar and the IB diploma make transfers in and out more straightforward.

Reviews

No verified reviews yet. GlobalSchoolGuide collects first hand parent reviews so relocating families can judge schools on evidence rather than marketing. If your family has attended Benjamin Franklin International School, you can add your experience through our school reviews page. We publish reviews unedited except for moderation.

Frequently asked questions

If BFIS is on your list, it helps to see it next to the other names families shortlist in the city. Our roundup of the best American schools in Barcelona and the full directory of international schools in Barcelona are good next steps before you book visits.