Schools in Valencia, Spain: A Guide for International Families

Understand your school options in Valencia and get a practical guide to help connect your school shortlist with your family's housing search.

Moving to Valencia with children brings two closely connected decisions: choosing a school and finding a home that works around it. The right combination depends on your children's ages, languages, previous education and the daily routine you want.

Schools in Valencia, Spain, include public, concertado, private and international options. For families with children aged 3–18, understanding those differences is a useful first step. You do not need to choose an international school simply because you are arriving from abroad.

This overview will help you ask the right questions. For the next step, our free Valencia School Guide brings together 12 school profiles, contacts, fee references and practical tools for building your shortlist.

What types of schools are available in Valencia?

Public schools

Public schools follow the Spanish education system and can be worth exploring for a local school routine. Compulsory education runs from 6 to 16, with Infantil before Primary and several pathways after compulsory secondary education.

Ask about the specific class your child would join, available language support and services such as lunch or extended hours. A place at the nearest school is not automatically guaranteed.

Concertado schools

A concertado is privately managed and receives public funding for specified educational provision. Confirm which stages are funded and ask about the school's educational approach; some have a religious identity.

Distinguish funded teaching from optional services and activities when comparing costs. Choosing a concertado does not automatically mean that every subject will be taught in Spanish.

Private and international schools

Private schools charge tuition and may follow the Spanish system or a foreign curriculum. International options include British, American and French educational routes, with some schools offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma.

“Private” describes the funding model; “international” does not, by itself, tell you the teaching language or qualifications. Check both for your child's particular stage.

Do schools teach in Spanish, Valencian or English?

Spanish and Valencian are part of the regional education framework. Public and concertado schools can have groups with different language-base arrangements, so broad descriptions such as “bilingual” are not enough.

Ask which subjects are taught in each language, what support is available to newcomers and how the school communicates with parents. The answer should describe the actual year group and place available to your child.

For English-speaking schools in Valencia, distinguish English lessons from education delivered mainly in English. Also ask about Spanish learning and the language requirements for entry, particularly for older children.

International schools in Valencia: look beyond the language

An English-speaking classroom may be attractive, but curriculum continuity matters too. Compare your child's current subjects with the receiving school's pathway, especially during examination years.

Families moving from the United States should discuss transcripts and grade placement. Those arriving from the United Kingdom should check exam boards and subject combinations. Canadian families should explain their province's curriculum rather than relying on the grade number alone.

Location matters as well. Several international schools in the Valencia area are in surrounding municipalities such as Puçol, Rocafort and Paterna. Compare the actual campus and transport arrangements before deciding where to live.

How do school admissions work in Valencia?

Public and concertado admissions follow the regional process, with dates and requirements that depend on the educational stage and academic year. Use the Generalitat's official admissions information rather than an old application calendar.

Arriving during the school year involves a different process. In Valencia city, the Municipal Schooling Office handles relevant late-arrival applications through PortES. Its published requirements include local presence and municipal registration. Surrounding municipalities have their own education services.

Private and international schools manage applications directly. Ask about available places, assessments, documentation and when an offer becomes confirmed. A visit, inquiry or waiting-list registration is not a confirmed place.

Helping your child adapt to a new school

Ask how support works after enrollment, not simply whether the school accepts international pupils.

For younger children, discuss settling-in routines and communication with parents. For primary-age children, ask about reading, writing and support in new classroom languages. For teenagers, include subject choices, friendships and examination plans in the conversation.

A useful question is: “Who will follow our child's progress during the first term, and when will we review how things are going?” Avoid assuming that every child will adapt or become fluent on the same timetable.

What should you budget for?

Compare the complete first-year cost for your child's stage. Alongside tuition where applicable, ask about registration, meals, transport, uniforms, resources, examinations and activities.

Separate one-off entry charges from recurring costs, and request written payment and withdrawal conditions. Lunch or transport may be included at one school and additional at another.

The downloadable guide includes published fee references to support your initial comparison. Confirm the current academic year and request a personalized quotation before committing.

Choosing where to live near the school

Research homes and schools together. A city apartment, a home near a suburban campus and a property on a school-bus route can create very different daily routines.

Test the exact journey at school-run times, including walking to the bus stop, waiting and afternoon collection. Ask whether transport works after extracurricular activities and how the routine changes if siblings attend different campuses.

Use the Valencia neighborhoods guide to compare wider lifestyle priorities. The most useful area for your family is one that fits your school options, housing budget and everyday needs—not simply the shortest distance on a map.

Take the next step with the Valencia School Guide

You now have the main questions. The guide helps you turn them into a practical shortlist, with 12 public, concertado and international school profiles, contacts, fee references, a comparison checklist and a sample admissions email.

I'm Jorge Katouch, a real estate advisor in Valencia. If you would also like help connecting your school shortlist with your housing search, you can request a conversation in the form. Schools and education authorities make all admissions decisions.