There are several international schools in São Paulo that offer a diverse range of curricula. The majority of these schools offer a combination of a foreign curriculum and the Brazilian national curriculum, and many also teach the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme. Another benefit of international schools is that some offer bilingual or even trilingual instruction, with native English-speaking and highly qualified teachers.
International schools in São Paulo are an excellent opportunity for expat children to overcome culture shock in Brazil, as it allows children to study in a familiar education system while building relationships with others experiencing a similar transition. Parents should consider a fair few factors when choosing an international school for their children in São Paulo.
Proximity to their workplace or home and tuition costs will be chief among them. Fees at international schools are often fairly high, so parents are encouraged to negotiate a school allowance into their employment contract. São Paulo also suffers severe traffic congestion, and public transport is often overcrowded during peak hours, which can make for long commutes. Fortunately, some of the top international schools in the city will offer a transport service at an additional cost.
Other factors for parents to consider include the academic standards, the variety of extra-curricular activities on offer and the facilities each school has. Some of the best international schools in São Paulo will offer STEM labs and an array of activities such as music, sports and the arts.
Most international schools in São Paulo will enrol children from as young as age one right up to the secondary school level. Some schools will even offer boarding facilities for international families in Brazil who live outside of São Paulo or those who travel abroad frequently.
Below are a few of the top international schools in São Paulo.
International schools in São Paulo
Avenues São Paulo
Avenues São Paulo uses cutting-edge pedagogical approaches and the innovative Avenues World School curriculum to educate the world's future leaders. The school offers a dual-diploma programme, allowing its students to graduate with both a Brazilian and American diploma. With world-class facilities and bilingual instruction in English and Portuguese, Avenues São Paulo offers students a truly global and unique education. Read more
Gender: Co-educational
Curriculum: Global and Brazilian
Ages: 1 to 18
Website: www.avenues.org
The British College of Brazil
The British College of Brazil is a Nord Anglia Education group school, offering the British and International Baccalaureate curricula. This international school is rated among the top in São Paulo and caters to students of 38 nationalities. The British College of Brazil strives to develop global citizens by offering trilingual instruction in Portugal, Spanish and English.
Gender: Co-educational
Curriculum: British (English National Curriculum and Cambridge IGCSE) and International Baccalaureate
Ages: 2 to 18
Website: www.nordangliaeducation.com
Chapel School
Initially established as a Catholic elementary school in São Paulo, Chapel School has since developed into one of the best international schools offering American and IB curricula in the city. With a 1:6 teacher-to-student ratio and sprawling campus, Chapel School prides itself in building a caring school environment focused on academic excellence and whole child development.
Gender: Co-educational
Curriculum: American and International Baccalaureate
Ages: 3 to 18
Website: www.chapelschool.com
Escola Americana de Campinas
Escola Americana de Campinas is a not-for-profit school offering the American, IB and Brazilian curricula in São Paulo. With 850 students from more than 20 countries, Escola Americana de Campinas is a truly diverse international school. The school aims to leverage its educational philosophy to develop caring, balanced, open-minded and principled global citizens.
Gender: Co-educational
Curriculum: American, Brazilian and International Baccalaureate
Ages: 2 to 19
Website: www.eac.com.br
Graded – The American School of São Paulo
Graded – The American School of São Paulo was founded in 1920 to offer a truly international and student-led education in São Paulo. More than 60 percent of the school's faculty is international, and its student body comprises learners of over 40 nationalities. Graded strives to ensure the success of each of its students by inspiring and challenging them.
Gender: Co-educational
Curriculum: Montessori, American, Brazilian and International Baccalaureate
Ages: 3 to 18
Website: www.graded.br
Le Pasteur (Lycée Pasteur de São Paulo)
Situated in the Vila Mariana-Chácara Klabin district in São Paulo, Lycée Pasteur de São Paulo is the only international school in the city offering French and Brazilian curricula. Le Pasteur's mission is to develop multilingual students who have a love for lifelong learning.
Gender: Co-educational
Curriculum: French and Brazilian
Ages: 3 to 18
Website: www.flp-sp.com.br
Pan American Christian Academy (PACA)
A Christian and American international school located in an oasis of São Paulo, PACA also offers the Brazilian curriculum to allow its students to truly embrace their new community. More than 60 percent of PACA's teachers are educated to a Master's level, putting the school among the top international schools in São Paulo.
Gender: Co-educational
Curriculum: American and Brazilian
Ages: 3 to 18
Website: www.paca.com.br
St Nicholas School
St. Nicholas School offers its more than 1,100 students a unique learning adventure on its two campuses in São Paulo. A family-founded international school, St. Nicholas School has built a caring and welcoming community that equally emphasises academic excellence for students from all over the world.
Gender: Co-educational
Curriculum: International Baccalaureate
Ages: 2 to 18
Website: www.stnicholas.com.br
St Paul's School
St. Paul's School is a bilingual British, IB and Brazilian international school aiming to drive the holistic development of children through its rigorous curricula and teaching standards. The school seeks to embrace both the Brazilian and British cultures, allowing its students to develop into truly global citizens.
Gender: Co-educational
Curriculum: British (English National Curriculum and Cambridge IGCSE), International Baccalaureate and Brazilian
Ages: 3 to 18
Website: www.stpauls.br