Find, Compare & Enroll
Your all-in-one workroom for school research. Use the quiz, calculator, and school database to find the right path for your family.
The Free Path Comparison
What you could save per child, per year, by accessing the free state bilingual path.
| Country | Free Option | Free Cost | Private Cost | Avg Saving | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
🇵🇹Portugal | PEBI Bilingual State | €0/yr | €8,000–€14,000/yr | €12,500 avg | Explore → |
🇪🇸Spain | SESB / Concertado | €0–€3,600/yr | €9,000–€18,000/yr | €10,000 avg | Explore → |
🇩🇪Germany | State Gymnasium | €0/yr | €10,000–€25,000/yr | €14,000 avg | Explore → |
🇮🇪Ireland | State Secondary | €0/yr | €6,000–€15,000/yr | €9,000 avg | Explore → |
🇳🇱Netherlands | Dutch State School | €0/yr | €8,000–€20,000/yr | €11,000 avg | Explore → |
Stop overpaying for
education abroad.
We help expat families find excellent free or low-cost bilingual schools in Portugal, Spain, and beyond. Find your perfect school path in 2 minutes.
Three routes to the right school in Europe
Every family is different. Your budget, timeline, and integration goals determine which route fits best.
The International Route
IB, British & American schools with globally recognised qualifications.
- IB, British & American curricula
- Globally portable qualifications
- High % of expat & international students
- English as primary language of instruction
The Bilingual State Route
PEBI (Portugal) & SESB (Spain) — state-funded bilingual education.
- State-funded — no tuition fees
- English + local language instruction
- Catchment-based — location matters
- Enrollment window: April–May 2026
The Private National Route
Private schools teaching the local curriculum — with English support.
- Smaller class sizes than state schools
- English support & pastoral care
- Deep local community integration
- Flexible enrollment — no fixed window
Free Schools in Europe — Save up to €35,000/yr
7 country guides covering state schools, bilingual programmes, enrolment steps and university pathways. All free.
Not sure which route fits your family?
3 questions · Personalised result · No obligation
Every type of school, clearly explained
From free state bilingual schools to premium international curricula — we cover them all so you don't have to guess.
Schools families love across Europe
A small selection from our directory — explore each country page to browse the full list.
🇵🇹 Portugal
🇵🇹 PortugalIB World School
🇵🇹 PortugalEst. 1894
🇳🇱 NetherlandsState-Funded
🇩🇪 Germany
🇵🇹 PortugalThis is a small snapshot — each country page contains a much fuller directory. Want help finding the right school? Talk to our advisors →
The school option most families never find
Across Europe, several countries run government-backed bilingual programmes inside state schools — completely free or heavily subsidised. Navigating the nuances of local enrollment windows.
Free bilingual education exists. Here's how to access it.
Many European countries have government-funded bilingual programmes that teach core subjects in both English and the local language — at no cost to families. These schools are rigorous, well-resourced and often oversubscribed. The challenge is knowing they exist.
Two countries. Two paths. One decision.
Our most popular guides for expat families in 2026 — everything you need to navigate the school system, from first search to first day.
The Portugal PEBI Path
The "Zero Cost" Hero
Portugal's PEBI programme is the holy grail for expat families — free state schools where 50% of lessons are taught in English. The catch: places are allocated by catchment and the enrollment window is tight. Our Intelligence Pack walks you through every step.
The Spain Concertado Path
The "Affordable Private" Hero
Spain's Concertado schools are the best-kept secret in European education — state-subsidised private schools with smaller classes and bilingual streams for just €100–€300/month. Our Blueprint explains the points system and gets you in.
Not sure which country is right for your family?
Tell us about your family — we'll find your route
2 quick questions. Instant personalised recommendation. No obligation.
Which country are you moving to?
Free bilingual state streams exist in specific countries — this determines your options.
“We had no idea the free bilingual programme existed. Found a PEBI school 10 minutes from our apartment in Porto — completely free.”
Intelligence Packs
Deep-dive country guides with school profiles, enrollment timelines, and portal walkthroughs.
Families who found their school here
Our Verification Process: Every school in our directory is audited annually against official enrollment data and fee schedules. Our parent reviews are sourced directly from our private advisory sessions and our growing community of European expat families. Have a school experience to share? [Join the Community] or [Submit a Review]. from families in our WhatsApp and advisory community.
“We had no idea the state bilingual programme existed. Found a PEBI school 10 minutes from our new apartment in Porto — completely free and our daughter is thriving.”
“The comparison tool saved us weeks of research. We needed a French curriculum school in Lisbon — found exactly what we needed within minutes.”
“The consultation call was worth every penny. We had three kids at different ages and couldn't figure out the school system. Solved in one hour.”
Not just a search tool — a verified data consultancy
Every school fee, bilingual programme status and hidden cost on this site is independently verified before each enrollment cycle.
We track national policy changes in real-time.
Example: Our 2026 England data accounts for the 20% VAT addition to independent school fees — a change many global directories still haven't calculated.
We don't just look at websites.
Example: For our Portugal guides, we verified the specific PEBI bilingual status for the 2026 cycle at the cluster level (Agrupamentos), ensuring parents don't apply to schools that have paused their English-language streams.
Our calculator uses "Total Cost of Ownership" logic.
Example: We include registration fees, mandatory uniforms, and "voluntary" contributions that schools often leave out of their base tuition quotes.
We never take commissions, referral fees, or payments from schools. Every recommendation is based purely on what's best for your family — not what's best for our bottom line.
Disclaimer: While Expat School Finder makes every effort to provide accurate and up-to-date information, school fees, admissions policies, and enrollment windows are subject to change by the respective institutions and local education authorities without notice. Our data serves as a research guide and should be independently verified with the school's admissions office prior to making financial or relocation commitments. Expat School Finder is an independent research platform and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the schools listed in our database.
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