Among international schools in Brussels, the European Schools are a category of their own, and EEB1 is where the system began in the city. It opened in 1958 on the rue du Trône with a handful of pupils and moved to its main Uccle campus the following year, growing as the European institutions settled in Brussels. Today it runs from nursery through primary to the secondary years and the European Baccalaureate, the diploma recognised for university entry across the European Union, taught across many language sections so that children are educated partly in their mother tongue. This profile sets out what GlobalSchoolGuide Editorial has verified about its programme, fees and admissions.
We are independent and no school pays to be listed. The European Schools have their own admissions priorities and fee categories, which we explain plainly below.
At a glance
Curriculum and academics
EEB1 follows the common European Schools curriculum, which is harmonised across all language sections except for mother tongue teaching, and leads to the European Baccalaureate at the end of secondary year seven. Pupils join a language section, often matching their first language, and are taught core subjects in that language while learning further languages from early in the primary years, so a multilingual education is built in rather than added on. The European Baccalaureate is accepted by universities across the member states and beyond, and the first one was awarded within the system in 1959.
The school offers several main language sections, including a French language section alongside English, German and others, with arrangements for pupils whose language has no section of its own. This breadth is the European Schools' distinctive feature and the reason EU families value continuity across postings. For where EEB1 sits among the wider set of city options, our Brussels city hub maps the landscape.
Budgeting for a Brussels school year?
Our fee calculator pulls together tuition, registration, the deposit and the extras so you can see the full annual cost before you commit, not just the headline number.
European School Brussels I fees
| Stage | Annual tuition |
|---|---|
| Nursery (Maternelle) | EUR 4,370 |
| Primary | EUR 6,009 |
| Secondary | EUR 8,195 |
Source: European Schools Board of Governors (Category III schedule). Category III (non-EU-institution) rate set centrally by the Board of Governors, for pupils enrolled after Aug 2013. A 25 percent deposit applies. Fees are the most recent published figures and exclude one-off costs such as registration, deposits and capital levies. Always confirm current fees directly with the school.
European School Brussels I fees work differently from the independent campuses. Children of staff of the European institutions, the largest group, attend under an arrangement funded through the European Union, so families in that category pay little or no tuition. Families who do not qualify, known broadly as category three, pay published fees set by the European Schools system, and places for them depend on capacity. Our international school fees in Brussels guide explains how this compares with the premium English medium schools, and the fee calculator helps you model the full annual cost.
- Category one and two: children of European institution and partner staff, tuition funded through the EU arrangement
- Category three: other families pay published European Schools fees, subject to places
- Examination entry: European Baccalaureate entry in the final years
- Extras: transport, lunches, materials and trips
Admissions
Admission to EEB1 is governed by the European Schools' category system rather than by competitive testing. Priority goes to children of European institution staff, who are allocated to one of the Brussels schools centrally, then to other defined categories, with remaining places offered to fee paying category three families where capacity allows. Placement into a language section follows the child's first language, and the school assesses prior schooling to set the right year group.
Because allocation is centralised for EU families and capacity is tight, start the process as soon as a posting is confirmed, and check current availability for category three places directly, since these vary by section and year group. The school year begins in September.
Location and who goes there
The main campus is in Uccle, a spacious residential commune in the south of Brussels long favoured by international families, with a second site at Berkendael in neighbouring Forest used for part of the school. The southern communes are well served by tram and bus and sit close to the embassy belt and the leafier housing that EU and diplomatic families tend to choose.
The community is overwhelmingly connected to the European institutions, multilingual and highly international, with dozens of nationalities across the language sections. For the full picture of neighbourhoods, curricula and costs across the capital, return to the Brussels city hub.
Reviews
We do not yet have verified parent reviews for European School Brussels I (EEB1). GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so we publish reviews only once we can confirm they come from real families. If your child attends or has attended the school, we would value your first hand account. Share your experience through the school reviews hub and help the next relocating family decide with better evidence.
Frequently asked questions
How much are European School Brussels I fees?
It depends on category. Children of European institution staff attend under an EU funded arrangement and pay little or no tuition. Other families, category three, pay published European Schools fees subject to places. Budget for examination entry and extras such as transport. Our Brussels fees guide and fee calculator show the wider context.
Is European School Brussels I a good school?
EEB1 is the oldest European School in the city and part of the official European Schools system that oversees the European Baccalaureate, a widely recognised university entrance diploma. We do not publish a rating, as we hold no verified parent reviews yet. Its multilingual model is its defining strength.
When do European School Brussels I applications open?
The school year starts in September. EU staff families are allocated centrally by the European Schools, while other families apply for category three places where capacity allows. Begin as soon as a posting is confirmed, because places, especially in popular sections, are limited.
What qualification does EEB1 award?
EEB1 leads to the European Baccalaureate at the end of secondary year seven, a diploma recognised for university entrance across the European Union and beyond.
Where is European School Brussels I located?
The main campus is in Uccle in the south of Brussels, with a second site at Berkendael in Forest. Both sit in the southern communes favoured by EU and international families.
