List of all the International schools in Montenegro (+ fees)

14 Mar 2023
Written By Jonathan Howe

Relocating to Montenegro is an enriching experience that requires, however, a good amount of planning, and that is even more so if you have children! Education is one of the pillars of a young person's future. A parent's strongest wish is of course for their offspring to succeed, and children raised in multicultural environments, with the privilege to travel and see the world at a young age generally have above-average skills compared to children their age.

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Finding the right school can be challenging. Some families make the choice of home-schooling. However, that may not be suitable for everyone: you may not have time, not feel competent enough, or simply feel like your children need to socialize with kids of a similar age as theirs.

Montenegro has a decent public school system which is technically accessible to any child whose parents officially reside in Montenegro. However, teaching in Montenegrin schools is naturally done in the local language, which is obviously a huge impediment for anyone who is not a native speaker of that language. Luckily, international schools provide a wide range of offers aimed at expatriates' children.

In order to have a quick overview of the different schooling offers available in the aforementioned guide, we provide you with the following table. Do not hesitate to seek more information on the schools' websites or on their Google profile. Whatever is your final decision, we hope that this List of All the International Schools in Montenegro was helpful in considering which option suits you and your family the best.

All information in the table above can be subject to changes. Prices are rough estimates from the schools' websites and do not include enrollment fees.

To have more information, let's discover them together below in this List of All the International Schools in Montenegro.

QSI is without a doubt the largest international school in Montenegro. It welcomes 95 students from many different backgrounds and nationalities, including many children of diplomats and expatriates living in Montenegro for business reasons, but also local children whose parents wanted them to be educated in the English language. In Podgorica, it is nicknamed “the American School”, and it does, indeed, follow American teaching philosophy and educational guidelines.

This is no surprise given that the school is supported in its development and functioning by the US Department of State. QSI or Quality Schools International is actually a network of schools whose roots go back to 1971, and can now be found on every continent. The group is known for its rigorous professionalism and progressive education methods.  A great deal of attention is dedicated to students' autonomy and learning through games and entertainment. Another advantage of the school is that it is fully ready for distance learning in case of necessity. Opened in 2006, the school is located in the district of Donja Gorica, on the outskirts of the city, in a secure location.

The French School of Podgorica is the most recent international school in the country's capital city. Its opening was a project supported by the French embassy and it is accredited by the French Ministry of Education. All children are welcome, and if language may seem an obstacle at first, getting an education in French comes with many advantages: it is an international language spoken by hundreds of millions of people, there is a dense and active network of French schools throughout the world, and even though French teaching philosophy is often described as very academic and elitist. This background is much appreciated in higher education, especially in the domains of humanities and arts.

The school is open to all children from 3 to 18 years old, that is to say from preSchool to the last year of high-school. Collège and Lycée (junior-high and high-school) levels imply a registration to CNED, which is the official organ of the French Ministry of Education dedicated to remote teaching. A subscription to CNED implies extra fees, but also advantages: the possibility for a student to work autonomously if needed, which can be a plus for families who are always on the move, but also grades and diplomas delivered officially by the Ministry, which guarantees their authenticity and equivalent in any school or teaching center following their guidelines. The French School of Podgorica focuses on cultural rather than financial goals, and its management costs are partly subsidized, which is evidenced by its tuition fees, which are significantly lower than most international schools.

Probably one of the most recommended schools among expatriates living on the Montenegrin coast, Knightsbridge is greatly advantaged by its location at the center of Tivat, right by the Porto Montenegro complex, and appended to the city park. Knightsbridge Schools International is part of the International Baccalaureate network, which provides standardized curriculums and diplomas recognized in over 140 countries. KSI itself is an international company with schools in Panama and Columbia. The school facilities and classrooms are in tune with the most modern Western standards, and it is also the only school that has a boarding program in Montenegro.

Boarding is possible on 5 days or on a full-week basis. KSI is definitely not the cheapest international school, and standards are indeed set very high: notwithstanding the school's location, the team of international teachers, the wide range of foreign languages, extracurricular activities, and the requirement for students to wear a uniform all symbolize KSI's aim at excellency. Much more information is available online, and KSI can pride itself on having probably the most informative website amongst all international schools in Montenegro. An example to be followed.

To be found at a strategically practical location, where the roads to Kotor, Budva, and Tivat are crossing, Arcadia is the most “British” school in Montenegro. Registered as a “Cambridge International School”, it is allowed to teach the official Cambridge International syllabuses, and to conduct examinations that meet up with the same standards. Students in Arcadia are also proposed with a range of extracurricular activities such as excursions, sports, science, or IT-related tasks.

Its brand new facilities and the possibility for students to pass their GCSEs or A-Levels make it especially popular among the English-speaking community living on the Montenegrin coast, but also with wealthy locals aiming to send their children to prestigious universities in the future. Arcadia stands for a “learn-by-doing” teaching philosophy with a hands-on approach. The school's horizon-expanding ideals anchored in the best British intellectual traditions are reflected in the multi-national, highly-skilled composition of its team and advisory board.

With a marina, a huge hotel complex, bars, restaurants, cafés, a kid's center, a spa, and even a dental practice, Dukley has become a symbol of Budva's development. Lesser-known is Dukley academy. Located in Budva, in the famous Dukley Gardens resort, this teaching center is opened to children from 7 to 18 years old. Kucha Mala is a partner kindergarten for kids as young as 3 years old. Dukley Academy has an international focus, and that even though all classes are taught in the Russian language. It is widely known in Budva as the “Russian School”. The Academy is in a partnership with two schools situated in Russia, which means that all examinations undergone by students will be state-recognized in that country, and it is the case for diplomas as well.

The Belgian consulate can be found on the road from Budva to Kotor, 20 minutes away from Tivat. The school grouping follows the French Ministry of Education guidelines: students are registered to CNED, which provides the curriculum and assesses the students' tests. All classes are in French, apart of course from the foreign language classes (English, Spanish, and Serbo-Croatian). The two trained teachers are native French speakers and act as tutors for the students. Application is open to students who speak French fluently and, given the small number of staff, whose age and level is similar to that of the students already registered. The consulate has fully functional, modern learning facilities, including IT equipment and a library, a canteen, and stands for an open-minded through rigorous teaching philosophy, with the stress put on the students' autonomy and creativity.

In order to have a quick overview of the different schooling offers available in the aforementioned guide, we provide you with the following table. Do not hesitate to seek more information on the schools' websites or on their Google profile. Whatever is your final decision, we hope that this List of All the International Schools in Montenegro was helpful in considering which option suits you and your family the best. The care and education of our children will always be the highest priority when planning to live in Montenegro!