International & European Schools in Brussels

If you have just moved to Brussels with children, school choice is probably the decision that keeps you up at night — and the one with the biggest price tag. This guide covers the "big-ticket" options: the European Schools (the default for EU-institution staff), the International School of Brussels (ISB), the British School of Brussels (BSB), the British Junior Academy of Brussels (BJAB) and the accredited European School Brussels-Argenteuil. It explains the curricula, realistic 2026 fee ranges, how admissions and waiting lists work, and who each school actually suits.

The two worlds: European Schools vs private international schools

Brussels has two parallel systems for internationally minded families, and they work very differently.

The European Schools are official EU institutions. They exist mainly to educate the children of EU staff, they are heavily subsidised, and they lead to the European Baccalaureate. If you work for an EU institution, this is almost certainly your route — and it may be effectively free.

The private international schools (ISB, BSB, BJAB and others) are fee-paying and open to anyone who can pay and pass the admissions process. They follow the International Baccalaureate (IB), a British curriculum, an American programme, or a mix. Fees run from roughly €20,000 to over €50,000 a year.

There is also a French- and Dutch-speaking local system run by the communes and communities, which is free or low-cost — covered in our separate schools and education system guide. This guide focuses on the international and European options.

The European Schools

There are four official European Schools in Brussels — EEB1 (Uccle/Berkendael), EEB2 (Woluwe/Evere), EEB3 (Ixelles) and EEB4 (Laeken) — plus one in Mol. They teach in multiple language sections, so your child can be taught largely in their mother tongue while learning others.

Who pays, and how much

Fees depend on your category, defined by the European Schools:

• Category I — children of EU-institution staff. Exempt from school fees. This is the main population the schools were built for.
• Category II — children covered by a financing agreement between an employer (e.g. some companies or organisations) and the schools. They pay a contribution.
• Category III — everyone else, paying the full fee.

For Category III "other" families, the published 2025/2026 annual fees are roughly:

Level	Annual fee (Category III, "other")
Nursery (maternelle)	approx. €4,370
Primary	approx. €6,009
Secondary	approx. €8,195

(Slightly lower rates apply to pupils enrolled before 1 September 2013.) Note that children of NATO/UN staff based in Brussels pay a much higher Category III rate — up to around €16,389 a year at secondary level. Always confirm the current figures on the official fee page, as they are revised annually. Category III families must pay a non-refundable deposit of 25% of the annual fee before enrolment is confirmed.

The European Baccalaureate

The curriculum leads to the European Baccalaureate, taken in the final two secondary years (S6 and S7). It is a multilingual diploma officially recognised for university entry across all EU member states (and several countries beyond), giving holders the same access rights as national school-leavers. It is rigorous and well regarded — but the multilingual load is demanding, so it suits children who are comfortable working across languages.

Admissions and the lottery

Enrolment for the Brussels European Schools is centralised through the Central Enrolment Authority (CEA). You apply online via the official portal at enrolment.eursc.eu after your child's eligibility is verified. Crucially, Category I and II applications are ranked by a random computerised draw — placement at your preferred school and site is not guaranteed, and you may be offered a place across the city from home. Priority order runs Category I, then II, then III.

Key point: if you are EU staff, start the process as early as your contract allows and be flexible on which of the four schools you get.

International School of Brussels (ISB)

ISB in Watermael-Boitsfort is Belgium's flagship International Baccalaureate school, teaching in English and offering the full IB continuum through to the IB Diploma in Grades 10–12. It also has strong learning-support provision.

2026/2027 tuition (published by the school):

Year group	Annual tuition
Preschool (2.5–3)	€22,995
Pre-Kindergarten (4)	€25,480
Kindergarten (5)	€38,440
Grades 1–2	€41,400
Grades 3–6	€42,145
Grades 7–9	€48,135
Grades 10–12	€51,105

There is a one-time application fee of €2,000 per family, and optional bus service costs around €2,460–€3,240 a year. ISB runs rolling admissions, so children can often join mid-year once a place is offered — a genuine advantage if you arrive off-cycle. Confirm current figures on the ISB tuition page.

Suits: families who want a large, well-resourced English-language IB school and can absorb the highest fee band in the city.

British School of Brussels (BSB)

BSB in Tervuren (just outside Brussels) follows a British curriculum through IGCSE, then lets students choose between A Levels, the IB Diploma and BTEC in the sixth form — an unusually flexible mix.

2026/2027 tuition (published by the school):

Year group	Annual fee
Kindergarten	€20,600
Reception, Years 1–2	€36,500
Years 3–6	€38,350
Years 7–9	€45,500
Years 10–13	€46,700

There is a one-time, non-refundable application fee of €750 per child. See the BSB fees page for current numbers.

Suits: British families, or anyone who wants a British foundation but the option to finish on either A Levels or the IB.

British Junior Academy of Brussels (BJAB)

BJAB is a smaller British-curriculum school covering EYFS through to IGCSE and (in the upper years) the IB Diploma, at noticeably lower fees than ISB or BSB.

2026/2027 tuition ranges from about €18,513 (full-day Kindergarten) to €29,596 (Years 9–11), rising to €32,556 for Year 12, with a €500 first-child registration fee and a €500 refundable deposit. See the BJAB fees page.

Suits: families wanting a British education with a smaller, more personal setting and a lower price point.

Accredited European School: EEBA (Waterloo)

If you want the European Baccalaureate but are Category III (or can't get a European School place through the lottery), the European School Brussels-Argenteuil (EEBA) in Waterloo is Belgium's first accredited European School. It follows the official European Schools curriculum and prepares pupils for the same European Baccalaureate, but it is open to all families regardless of employer and sets its own fees. Verify curriculum, languages and fees directly with the school.

Choosing: a quick comparison

School	Curriculum	Rough annual fee	Best for
European Schools	European Baccalaureate	Free (Cat. I) to ~€8k (Cat. III)	EU-institution staff
ISB	IB (English)	~€23k–€51k	IB families, off-cycle arrivals
BSB	British + A Level/IB/BTEC	~€21k–€47k	British families wanting flexibility
BJAB	British + IB	~€18.5k–€32.5k	Smaller setting, lower cost
EEBA	European Baccalaureate	Set by school	Non-EU families wanting the EB

Common problems and fixes

• "I'm EU staff but didn't get my preferred European School." The draw is random and site placement isn't guaranteed. Fix: rank all four schools honestly, accept a place to secure entry, and ask about transfers later — waiting lists move.
• "We arrive in November — every school seems full." Fix: target rolling-admission schools like ISB, and ask others to be placed on the waiting list. Places open up as diplomat and corporate families rotate out mid-year.
• "The fees quoted don't match what I saw last year." Fees are revised annually (usually published each spring). Always take the number from the school's own current fee page, not a third-party aggregator.
• "I can't verify the exact waiting-list length." Schools rarely publish this. Contact the admissions office directly for your specific year group — it varies hugely by age.

Your next step

Decide which system you're in: if you're EU-institution staff, create your account at enrolment.eursc.eu and start the European Schools application now — the random draw rewards early, flexible applicants. If you're fee-paying, email the admissions office of your top two schools this week to confirm current fees and open places for your child's exact year group before you commit to a commune or lease.