The Best International Schools in Mallorca: A Complete Guide for Families Moving to the Island

One of the most common questions we hear from families considering a move to Mallorca — or buying a property they plan to use as a longer-term base — is about schools. The good news is that Mallorca has one of the most developed international school networks of any island in Europe, with 19 international schools offering British, IB, French, German and bilingual curricula across the island. The even better news is that fees are considerably lower than comparable schools in major European cities, and the quality is consistently strong. This guide covers the main options, their locations, curricula, fees and the practical considerations that matter most to families relocating here.

How the Mallorca International School Landscape Works

Mallorca has a total of 590 educational institutions, including public, semi-private and fully private schools. The Balearic Islands have one of the highest proportions of foreign students of any Spanish autonomous community, with over 16 percent of all students being expatriates. The international school network is concentrated primarily in the southwest of the island — in and around Palma, Portals Nous, Calvià and the coastal communities of the southwest — which is also where the majority of the international residential community is based. This geographic concentration means that families buying in the southwest, which includes the areas of Santa Ponsa, Bendinat, Puerto Portals, Portals Nous and Palma itself, have the greatest choice of international schooling within a practical distance.

The Spanish school year runs from September to June. A typical school day starts around 8:55am and ends at 4pm. Some private schools operate a split schedule. When students leave at 18, they will typically have studied in at least three languages — Spanish, Catalan and English are common to most international curricula on the island, with German and French also widely offered. Uniform is standard at fee-paying international schools. Additional costs beyond annual tuition typically include uniforms, lunches, extracurricular activities and excursions.

Agora Portals International School

Agora Portals is consistently cited as one of Mallorca's leading private international schools and is the only school in the Balearic Islands to have been recognised by Forbes magazine as one of the 50 best schools in Spain. Located in Portals Nous in the southwest of the island, close to Puerto Portals and within easy reach of Santa Ponsa, Bendinat and Palma, the school caters to pupils from age one through to pre-university, making it one of the few schools on the island offering a complete educational journey from nursery to baccalaureate.

Agora offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma alongside the Spanish curriculum, with instruction in both English and Spanish. The school is owned and operated by Globeducate, one of the world's top five international school groups, bringing more than 40 years of international education experience to its operation. The school places particular emphasis on arts, music and sport alongside academic achievement. Scholarships are available and typically open for application in May. Annual fees for the 2025/2026 academic year run from approximately 7,750 euros to 13,400 euros depending on year group. The school has around 1,100 students from a wide range of nationalities. agora-portals.es

Baleares International College (BIC)

BIC is one of the most established international schools in the southwest, with two campuses serving different age ranges. The Sant Agustí campus, on the outskirts of Palma near the sea, caters to children from age 2 to 11. The Sa Porrassa campus in Calvià serves secondary school students from age 11 to 18. The school follows the British National Curriculum, with all teachers trained in the UK and required to demonstrate extensive experience. BIC is a member of the Orbital Education Group and accepts students from over 40 nationalities. Importantly, BIC does not require an entrance exam for admission, which makes it accessible for families arriving mid-year or without extensive advance planning. Annual fees for 2025/2026 run from approximately 7,607 euros to 13,031 euros. bic.edu.es

Queen's College Palma

Queen's College is set in the leafy Bonanova district of Palma, behind Bellver Castle and overlooking the bay. Founded in 1977, it follows the British National Curriculum and prepares students for GCSE and A-level examinations, with the Spanish Selectividad also available as an option. The college has built a strong reputation for academic achievement and is inspected by both British regulators and Spanish inspectors through the National Association of British Schools in Spain (NABSS). It is known for its close community atmosphere — with around 400 students it is one of the smaller schools in this guide — and for placing genuine importance on values and personal development alongside academic results. Freshly prepared school lunches are available and extracurricular activities run after school. Annual fees for 2025/2026 run from approximately 8,971 euros to 15,465 euros. queenscollege.es

Bellver International College

Founded in 1950, Bellver International College is the longest-established privately owned British school in Spain and one of the most recognisable names in Mallorca's international school landscape. Located directly opposite the King of Spain's summer palace, close to the sea and just 3 kilometres from the centre of Palma, the school offers a British Curriculum education to children from age 3 to 18. Bellver's philosophy emphasises bilingualism and the development of well-rounded individuals with strong academic foundations. The college's longevity — over 75 years of continuous operation — reflects a stable and trusted institution with deep roots in the island's international community. bellverinternationalcollege.com

King Richard III College

Also located in Portals Nous and within the southwest's concentration of international schools, King Richard III College is a smaller school of around 300 students offering both the British curriculum and the Spanish system, catering to children from reception age through to A Levels. The school is known for its strong extracurricular programme, including the Duke of Edinburgh Award and Model United Nations, and for maintaining small class sizes that allow for personalised attention. The relatively intimate scale of the school is frequently cited by parents as one of its distinguishing strengths. kingrichardcollege.com

Lycée Français International de Palma

For French-speaking families, the Lycée Français International de Palma in the west of the city is the natural choice. With over 500 students from kindergarten through to high school, the Lycée offers instruction primarily in French by native teachers, following the French national curriculum. Annual fees for 2025/2026 run from approximately 7,100 euros to 8,800 euros, making it one of the more affordable international options on the island. lfimallorca.org

Eurocampus Deutsche Schule

German-speaking families are well served by Eurocampus Deutsche Schule in Palma, which follows the German curriculum with instruction primarily in German, supplemented by Spanish and Catalan, and with compulsory English from an early stage and French from year seven. The school caters to students from age 6 to 18 and is the natural choice for families arriving from Germany, Austria or Switzerland who wish to maintain continuity with the German educational system. Annual fees run from approximately 4,000 to 9,000 euros. eurocampus.es

The Rafa Nadal Academy

For families with a child who combines serious sporting ambition with academic requirements, the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor on the northeast of the island offers a distinctive educational model. Founded by Mallorca's own Rafael Nadal, the academy provides an Anglo-American education alongside personalised tennis training in a world-class sports facility. The academy accepts students for whom tennis is a genuine pursuit, not simply a school activity, and the educational programme is structured to accommodate the demands of intensive training. rafanadalacademy.com

Choosing the Right School: Practical Considerations

The first question to resolve when choosing an international school in Mallorca is curriculum continuity. If your child has been following the British curriculum, maintaining that through to GCSE and A Level typically means choosing a school in the British system — BIC, Bellver, Queen's, King Richard III or Baleares International College. If your child has been following the IB curriculum, Agora Portals is the primary option. If you are arriving from France or a French educational tradition, the Lycée is the obvious choice. If you are German-speaking, Eurocampus is the clear match.

The second consideration is location relative to your home. The international schools are concentrated in the southwest — if you are based in Santa Ponsa, Portals Nous, Bendinat or Palma, you have straightforward access to multiple options. If you are further north, in the Pollença or Alcúdia area, access to the main international schools requires a longer daily commute, and some families choose to board or to select one of the smaller schools in the north of the island.

Most international schools offer a school bus service that covers a wide area of the southwest. This is worth confirming in detail when visiting schools, as the bus routes and stop locations vary considerably and can be a deciding factor for families without easy access to a car during school hours.

Waiting lists are a genuine consideration, particularly for the most popular schools. Agora Portals, Queen's College and BIC all report demand exceeding capacity in certain year groups. Families who are planning a move to Mallorca should contact their preferred school as early as possible — ideally twelve months or more in advance — and have a backup option in mind. An entry assessment is usually required, though the format and rigour varies significantly between schools.

Fees and What Is Included

Annual fees at the main international schools in Mallorca for 2025/2026 range from approximately 4,000 euros at the lower end of the scale to 15,465 euros at the upper end. These figures cover tuition only. Uniforms, school lunches, extracurricular activities, school trips and the annual matriculation fee — typically equivalent to one month's tuition — are additional. Families should budget conservatively for all-in annual costs of approximately 15 to 20 percent above the published tuition figure to cover these additional items.

By comparison with international schools in major European cities — London, Amsterdam, Zurich — the fees in Mallorca are materially lower for a comparable quality of education. This is consistently cited by families who have moved from those cities as one of the genuinely pleasant surprises of life on the island.

Property and Schools: The Practical Link

For families with children, the location of their chosen school is one of the most important factors in determining where they buy or rent. The concentration of the best international schools in the southwest and in Palma means that properties in areas such as Santa Ponsa, Portals Nous, Bendinat, Palmanova and the districts of Palma closest to Bellver are particularly well positioned for school access. At Imperial Properties we regularly help families align their property search with their school shortlist, making introductions to individual schools and advising on the areas that give the best balance of access, lifestyle and value. Visit www.imperial-properties.com or contact our team directly.