ICS Paris International School is an English medium international school in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, with roots going back to 1954 when it was formed as Victor Hugo International School. It teaches the full International Baccalaureate continuum, the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma, and incorporates Cambridge IGCSE examinations in the middle years, drawing students from more than seventy nationalities. It is one of the English language international options in the Paris international schools market for families who want a single school from primary through to a globally recognised leaving qualification.
This profile sets out the IB continuum, the IGCSE element, the fee band and the admissions calendar. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so what follows is an editorial reference rather than a prospectus.
ICS Paris International School at a glance
| Curriculum and exam boards | International Baccalaureate Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes; Cambridge IGCSE in the middle years |
|---|---|
| Stage range | Primary to upper secondary (early years to Grade 12) |
| Founded | Formed in 1954 as Victor Hugo International School |
| Accreditation | International Baccalaureate authorised; Cambridge examination centre |
| Fee band | Mid to upper mid tier (see Paris fees guide) |
| Campus area | Paris 15th arrondissement |
Curriculum and academics
ICS Paris is structured as a full International Baccalaureate continuum school, which means a child can move from the Primary Years Programme through the Middle Years Programme and on to the IB Diploma without changing system. Within the Middle Years Programme the school enters students for Cambridge IGCSE examinations, typically in the years before the Diploma, which gives a recognised set of subject qualifications at age sixteen alongside the IB framework. The school teaches in English to a multinational student body of more than seventy nationalities. Families can read our guides to the International Baccalaureate for how the Diploma is read by universities, and to the British curriculum for how Cambridge IGCSE works.
The combination of the IB continuum with IGCSE in the middle years is the school's distinguishing feature, because it pairs the breadth of the IB with the externally examined subject qualifications that some families and university systems value. ICS Paris is an International Baccalaureate authorised school and a Cambridge examination centre, the recognitions that allow its qualifications to be read directly by international admissions offices. These external benchmarks, rather than any rating of our own, are what parents can verify.
Comparing IB continuum schools in Paris?
Use our fee calculator to plan the total cost of an English medium Paris school from primary to the Diploma, free and independent.
ICS Paris International School fees
ICS Paris sits in the mid to upper mid part of the Paris market. Our Paris school fees guide maps the mid tier at roughly 11,000 to 18,000 euros and the upper mid tier at roughly 18,000 to 28,000 euros a year, below the premium internationals such as the American School of Paris and the International School of Paris. The school sets its own tuition by year group, and the Diploma years usually carry the highest fees.
Budget for the costs that sit above headline tuition. Expect an enrolment charge, lunch provision, examination entry fees in the IGCSE and IB Diploma years and the usual spend on books, materials and trips. Paris extras typically add between 12 and 18 per cent to the advertised tuition, so plan around the total cost of place.
Admissions and intake
ICS Paris admits across its primary and secondary year groups subject to availability. The school runs an international academic year and assesses applicants on prior school reports, English language readiness for the English medium programme and, in the upper years, evidence that a student can access the Middle Years Programme or Diploma. Applications are made to the school directly and require recent reports, passport documentation and a leaving record for transfers.
Because Paris draws a steady flow of relocating families, places at popular year groups can be limited, so applying as early as the published window allows is sensible. Mid year entry is possible at some stages, which suits families arriving outside the usual September start.
Location and who goes there
The school is in the 15th arrondissement, a large and well connected residential district on the Left Bank popular with families and served extensively by the metro. The 15th sits within easy reach of the western business districts and the central institutions, which suits the diplomatic, corporate and internationally mobile households that make up much of the intake. Most families live in the 15th and the neighbouring western and central arrondissements, keeping commutes reasonable.
For the wider picture of how the IB, British, American, bilingual and French schools sit across the city and its suburbs, including fee tiers and neighbourhoods, see the Paris schools hub.
ICS Paris International School reviews
No verified parent reviews of ICS Paris International School have been submitted to GlobalSchoolGuide yet. We hold back from publishing a star rating until we have enough verified first hand accounts to represent a school fairly, and we never fabricate ratings. If your family attends or has attended ICS Paris, please consider sharing your experience through our school reviews page to help other relocating families.
Frequently asked questions
How much are ICS Paris International School fees?
ICS Paris sits in the mid to upper mid Paris band, broadly 11,000 to 28,000 euros a year depending on year group, with the Diploma years highest. Budget also for enrolment, lunch, examination entry and books and trips.
Is ICS Paris International School a good school?
It runs the full International Baccalaureate continuum with Cambridge IGCSE in the middle years, is IB authorised and a Cambridge examination centre, and traces its roots to 1954. Suitability depends on whether an English medium IB school fits your child's plans.
What curriculum does ICS Paris International School follow?
The International Baccalaureate Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes, with Cambridge IGCSE examinations taken in the middle years.
When do ICS Paris International School applications open?
The school admits across year groups subject to space and accepts mid year entry at some stages. Apply as early as the published window allows because popular years fill.
Where is ICS Paris International School located?
In the 15th arrondissement on the Left Bank of Paris. The school was formed in 1954 as Victor Hugo International School.
