🇵🇭 the Philippines · school guide
International schools in the Philippines
English-medium education and familiar US-style structures make the Philippines attractive to many international families. The market is concentrated, however: Metro Manila and Cebu offer very different levels of breadth from smaller cities and islands.
Last verified 31 August 2026
The short answer
What should families know first?
Metro Manila offers the widest choice of premium schools; Cebu provides an established but smaller alternative; options in other cities need to be checked for each child. English can ease the transition, but families still need to check the programme, accreditation and daily journey.
about £2,800–£22,000 a yearInitial range for one child; premium schools and first-year charges can be higher.
How school choice varies by location
Three places, three different school searches
These are starting points, not school rankings. Check availability, support and the daily journey for each child.
Metro Manila
The widest choice of programmes, university counselling and specialist support. Living near schools in BGC and Makati can mean higher housing and transport costs.
Cebu
An established international-school option outside the capital, with fewer schools to choose from. Check the journey at busy times before choosing a home.
Smaller cities
Potentially lower costs and a gentler pace, but fewer international pathways, support services and alternative schools. Plan how you would reach more specialist academic or medical help.
What this means for families: The Philippines works best for families who value English-medium life and can choose a city around education and healthcare. A lower-cost smaller city is most suitable when the child does not need a wider choice of schools or specialist support.
Published school fees
Three real fee schedules to compare
These are transparent examples rather than a “best schools” list. Open each link, choose your child's exact year group and keep the original billing currency in your budget.
Metro Manila · US / IB
International School Manila
Publishes 2025/26 fees in US dollars and pesos. Use it as a premium benchmark and request the latest schedule before applying.
Cebu · IB
Cebu International School
Publishes 2025/26 fees with both US-dollar and peso components. Ask for 2026/27 figures and every first-year charge.
Metro Manila · IB
Domuschola International School
Publishes 2026/27 admissions fees; compare grade-specific tuition, capital/development charges and transport.
Named schools are transparent examples, not endorsements. Inclusion means a useful public schedule was available for comparison.
What the school bill can include
Look beyond the tuition fee
Comparing tuition alone can understate both the amount needed in the first year and the cost of a second child.
Usually non-refundable; ask whether each child and reapplication are charged.
Before an offerOften non-refundable and separate from any refundable security deposit.
On acceptanceMay be compulsory, annual, one-off or replaced by a debenture; read the current schedule.
Entry or annualUse the exact year group and ask how fees change on moving into secondary or sixth form.
Termly or annualBus, meals, uniform, devices, books, activities and after-school care may be separate.
RecurringEnglish-language or learning support, therapy, exams, trips and one-to-one provision.
As neededA useful way to compare your options
How school choice connects to the rest of family life
In an archipelago, the school needs to work with housing, healthcare and travel. Check that the important journeys remain practical.
Education
School + next stageCurrent fit, secondary pathway and transfer records.
Family week
Home + workA repeatable route through real urban traffic.
Healthcare and travel
Care + airportSpecialist healthcare, airport access and disruption planning.
Questions for every school
Five answers to get before making a decision
Is the exact programme verified?
Check the school in the awarding body's directory for the programme and campus your child will actually enter. A logo or candidate statement is not enough.
What happens when we leave?
Ask how records, credits, exam entries and references transfer to the child's likely next school or university system. The best the Philippines choice should preserve the next step, not only solve the first term.
Can the school deliver support?
Describe learning, language, sensory, medical and pastoral needs before paying. Ask who provides support, what is excluded and whether charges or capacity limits apply.
What is the complete first-year invoice?
Add application, assessment, registration, deposit, capital or development charges, tuition, transport, meals, uniform, devices, exams, trips and child-specific support.
Does the route work every weekday?
Travel the home-school journey at actual drop-off and collection time in normal term-time conditions. A map distance is not a commute.
The admissions process
From an initial shortlist to a confident decision
Popular year groups and specialist support may fill early. Start in good time, but do not let urgency stop you checking the school properly.
- 01
Write down what your child needs
Record their current year group, curriculum, attainment, languages, support needs, interests and the education system they may enter next.
- 02
Check the school's claims
Confirm local permission to operate, exact programme authorisation, accreditation or inspection, including the date and campus attached to each claim.
- 03
Ask for the important documents
Request availability, admissions criteria, the complete fee schedule, safeguarding policy, support approach, calendar and refund terms.
- 04
Meet the people responsible
Speak to the relevant principal, class or subject lead, safeguarding lead and support team, not only an admissions representative.
- 05
Coordinate visas and housing
Confirm lawful study and family status, understand the contract before paying, then choose a home after checking the school journey.
Look beyond the brochure
Documents and answers to ask for
- A current safeguarding policy, named lead, reporting route, safer-recruitment process and supervised transport arrangements.
- The exact programme authorisation and campus entry in the IB or Cambridge directory, plus the current inspection or accreditation report where claimed.
- Class-size practice, staff qualifications, leadership and teacher turnover, substitute cover and how complaints reach governors or owners.
- A written support plan showing in-house capacity, exclusions, external-provider coordination, costs and what happens if needs increase.
- Offer, deposit, notice, withdrawal, refund and fee-increase terms—especially if immigration or employment remains uncertain.
Continue planning your child's education
Choose the curriculum, then compare individual schools
Common questions
Questions about family relocation
How much does international school cost in the Philippines?
Use the selected-currency planning range near the top of this guide, then calculate the child's exact year group from the current school schedule. Entry charges, transport, meals, devices, exams, trips and support can sit outside tuition.
Does ‘international school’ mean the school is accredited?
No. It is not a single regulated quality mark. Check local licensing, programme authorisation, independent accreditation or inspection, and safeguarding evidence separately.
How do I verify an IB or Cambridge claim?
Search the exact school and campus in the official IB World School or Cambridge International directory. For IB, confirm the specific PYP, MYP, DP or CP authorisation rather than assuming one programme covers the whole school.
Should we apply before securing a visa?
You can ask about availability and apply while the move is developing, but read refund and deferral terms before paying irreversible fees. Confirm the child's study status and each parent's separate right to stay and work.
Should we choose the school before the house?
Usually yes. Confirm that a suitable place is genuinely available, try the journey in term-time traffic, and only then take a long lease within a manageable distance of the school.
What records should we take from the current school?
Ask for recent reports, assessment and exam records, attendance, safeguarding-transfer arrangements where relevant, learning-support documentation, vaccination and medical information, and certified or translated copies requested by the receiving school.
Why do some Philippine school invoices use both dollars and pesos?
Some international schools charge different parts of the fee in different currencies. Keep every amount, due date and permitted payment currency in the budget; converting everything into one planning currency can hide the effect of later exchange-rate changes.
Is an American-style school best for a child returning home later?
Not automatically. Ask how grade placement, credits and transcripts transfer into the child's likely next system, especially near senior qualifications. A well-documented transition matters more than the label.
Is Cebu a realistic alternative to Manila?
Yes for some families. It has established international provision and major-city services, but less choice than Metro Manila. Confirm subjects, support and the commute before choosing it for lower costs.
Can a smaller Philippine city work for school-age children?
It can if the available school fits now and later. Model the cost and disruption of travelling to Cebu or Manila for specialist assessment, healthcare, exams or a future school change.