Schools in Madrid: public, concertada, bilingual and American options for US families

Madrid gives American families more real choices than most European capitals. You can go fully local, go public but bilingual, or go fully American. The right pick depends on how long you'll stay, how old your kids are, and whether they're headed to college in the States.

The short version

• Spain has three kinds of school: public (free), concertada (privately run but publicly funded, low or modest fees) and private (fully fee-paying, including international schools).
• The Comunidad de Madrid's bilingual Spanish–English program started in the 2004/05 school year and runs in more than 600 public schools and high schools [1].
• The American School of Madrid, in Pozuelo de Alarcón, offers an American college-prep education, the IB and a Spanish track, and is accredited by the Middle States Association [2].
• The admission window for public and concertada schools for 2026/27 ran from March 11 to March 25, 2026 [3]. Arriving mid-year is possible, but your choices narrow.
• For US college applications, the free EducationUSA center at the Fulbright Commission in Madrid advises students and families [4].

How Spanish schooling is structured

The stages will feel familiar, with different names:

School is compulsory from 6 to 16, but almost every child in Madrid starts at 3. Spain sorts kids by calendar year of birth, not by a September cutoff, so a child born in December can be in a different grade than they'd be back home. Ask the school how they'll place your child, especially if they're coming from a US grade that doesn't line up.

Public, concertada or private

Public schools

Public schools (colegios públicos for primary, institutos for secondary) are free apart from books, supplies and extras like the lunch program (comedor) and after-school activities. Your address matters: proximity to the school is one of the main admission criteria. Teaching is in Spanish, and kids who arrive young usually pick it up fast. Teenagers find it much harder.

Concertada schools

Concertada schools are privately owned, often by religious orders or cooperatives, and funded by the region. They follow the same admission process as public schools [3]. Tuition is officially free for the core curriculum, but families typically pay monthly "voluntary" contributions and for extras. Ask for the full cost in writing before you sign up.

Private and international schools

Fully private schools set their own fees and admissions. Madrid has American, British, French, German, IB and Spanish private schools, many clustered in the northern and western suburbs such as Pozuelo de Alarcón, Aravaca, Alcobendas and La Moraleja. Fees vary a lot by school and grade and change every year, so get the current fee sheet straight from each school. Ask about the enrollment fee, building fund, bus (ruta) and lunch, which can add a big chunk to the sticker price.

The bilingual program of the Comunidad de Madrid

This is the option many Americans don't know about. The region runs a Spanish–English bilingual program in public schools that began in the 2004/05 school year and is now in more than 600 public centers [1]. In 2025 the region also folded eight long-running British Council partner schools into its program, including two in the city of Madrid (Ciudad de Jaén and El Quijote) [1].

What it means in practice:

• A big share of the school day is in English, typically subjects like science, art or social studies, with math and Spanish language taught in Spanish.
• Native-speaking language assistants often work alongside teachers.
• It's free, like any public school.

For an American kid, it's a soft landing: they keep their English academically sharp while getting fully immersed in Spanish. The trade-off is that the English level is pitched at Spanish kids learning English, so a native speaker may find English class easy. Some schools are stronger than others; visit, and talk to parents at pickup.

The American School of Madrid and other options

The American School of Madrid (ASM) is the city's best-known American option. On its own site, ASM says it has prepared students for more than 60 years, serves about 1,060 students from age 3 to 18, and is located at Calle América 3 in Pozuelo de Alarcón [2]. It offers:

• An American college-preparatory curriculum taught in English.
• The International Baccalaureate program.
• A Spanish program that gives access to Spanish universities.

ASM is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, recognized by the Spanish Ministry of Education and authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization [2]. Tuition is listed on the school's own fees page; ask the admissions office for the current year.

Beyond ASM, Madrid has a wide mix of British-curriculum, IB and other foreign schools. We haven't verified each one, so check that any school you consider is recognized by the Spanish education authorities, and ask which diploma your child graduates with.

How admission works

For public and concertada schools, the Comunidad de Madrid runs one admission round a year. For 2026/27 [3]:

1. Apply between March 11 and March 25, 2026, in person at your first-choice school or online through the Comunidad de Madrid website.
2. Final lists of admitted students came out on May 27 for Infantil, Primary, ESO and Bachillerato (June 5 for the first cycle of Infantil).
3. Enroll (matrícula) from June 11 to 25 for Infantil and Primary, and until July 3 for secondary.

More than 2,000 schools and about 150,000 families take part in the process [3]. If you move mid-year or after the deadline, you apply outside the normal window, and you'll be offered whatever schools still have places near your home. Get registered on the padrón first, since your address drives the process.

Private schools run their own admissions, often on a rolling basis with an interview or entry assessment. Popular grades fill up, so contact them as soon as you know you're moving.

Keeping US college options open

Kids in Madrid get into US colleges every year, from Spanish schools and international ones alike. A few things to plan for:

• Get advice early. EducationUSA, the State Department's advising network, has a center at the Fulbright Commission at Calle General Oráa 55. It offers advising sessions, webinars and college fairs, plus workshops for high school counselors [4].
• Translate the transcript. Spanish grades run on a 0–10 scale. If your child is in a Spanish school, ask the school for an official English transcript, and check whether target colleges want a credential evaluation.
• Plan for tests. If your child's colleges want the SAT or ACT, check test dates and centers in Spain well ahead.
• Mind your state residency. In-state tuition at public universities depends on each state's residency rules, which usually look at where you're domiciled. Living abroad can put that at risk, so check with the university before you assume.
• Federal student aid. US citizens can apply for federal aid from abroad, but foreign income and taxes show up on the forms. Our student loans guide covers the money side.

Swap school stories with other parents in our community group for Americans in Spain.

Sources

1. Comunidad de Madrid: la Comunidad de Madrid amplía el Programa Bilingüe (June 6, 2025)
2. American School of Madrid: About
3. Comunidad de Madrid: periodo de escolarización para el curso 2026/27 (December 12, 2025)
4. EducationUSA: Fulbright Spain advising center

Keep reading

• Moving to Madrid as an American: visa routes
• Empadronamiento: registering in Madrid
• Learning Spanish in Madrid and the DELE
• Student loans while living abroad