International schools in Panama City, Panama

The fee figures here are in US dollars or balboas, which are at parity. Families earning another currency still face exchange-rate changes, and schools may raise dollar fees. Compare the same grade, school year and included charges rather than a broad citywide price band. ↗

School programme, teaching language, calendar and cost are separate questions. A bilingual school may combine Panamanian and international studies, and the label alone says nothing reliable about price, class size or calendar; compare the timetable, qualifications and support for new language learners. ↗

The examples below distinguish official schedules from dated secondary estimates. Tuition, joining charges and recurring enrolment are separate unless explicitly included.

• ISP: the non-profit school in Cerro Viento offers American studies with US, Panamanian and IB diploma options. Official 2026–27 tuition is US$10,204 for PK3 to US$19,328 for Grades 9–12, with a US$16,000 capital donation in two instalments. ↗
• MET: Nord Anglia’s IB-continuum school is in Green Valley, Panama Norte. Official 2026–27 non-sponsored tuition is US$11,475 for EC3–4, US$16,560 for Kinder–Grade 5, US$18,771 for Grades 6–8 and US$18,948 for Grades 9–12. Sponsored tuition is US$14,127–23,601. Annual enrolment and normally US$12,000 admission are separate; lunch and snack are included. ↗
• King’s: the Inspired school offers IGCSE followed by the IB Diploma in Clayton. Its February 2026 inspection found BSO standards met. The official 2024–25 Plan A has US$1,000 entrance and Nursery-to-senior tuition of US$16,716–23,624; Plan B has US$12,000 entrance and US$11,587–18,489 tuition. Pre-Nursery is US$7,995 in either plan. ↗
• Balboa Academy: the Clayton-area school offers an American diploma and AP courses and lists Cognia accreditation and MEDUCA licensing. A secondary 2026–27 schedule gives US$9,408 for Kindergarten to US$16,547 for Grades 9–12; older estimates give different ranges and a US$12,000 admission charge. ↗
• Crossroads Christian Academy, 2026–27: official family tuition is US$7,450–9,500 plus US$2,500 entrance. Corporate tuition is US$9,000–15,000 plus US$12,000 entrance; the corporate premium varies by grade and is not uniformly double. ↗
• Lycée Français International de Panama: the AEFE-network school in Panama Pacífico offers French education through terminale. Ask about language entry requirements and bus routes from the proposed home. ↗
• Boston School International: published secondary material describes English, Spanish and Mandarin provision and an August-start year. Its older candidate-status description is not current evidence of IB authorisation. ↗

Other leads include The Oxford School, The Casco School, Knightsbridge Schools International and German-language provision; similarly named directory entries can refer to different schools or campuses. The Casco School’s secondary US$6,100–9,800 annual estimate is undated. Use our curriculum guide to compare qualification routes.

For incoming students, ask whether prior-study validation is required, which documents apply and who handles each step. Age and previous coursework may affect placement; calendar dates alone do not set the grade. ↗

IB authorisation, Cognia or NEASC accreditation, BSO inspection and AEFE affiliation provide different information. Ownership is also separate: ISP is a non-profit association, King’s belongs to Inspired and the MET to Nord Anglia. None of these labels measures teaching quality or fit.

Panama’s education ministry, MEDUCA, licenses schools and sets the rules for validating prior studies and placing transfer students; ISP describes the process on its admissions page. ↗ ↗

Lower-fee bilingual options include St George International, listed at US$3,550–4,320 a year, and AIP, at US$625–850 a month plus US$7,500 admission. Neither listing gives a clear fee year or the number of instalments. ↗

Panamanian-calendar schools generally run from March to December; several international schools follow an August-start year. Dates, holidays and final teaching days still differ between schools on the same calendar. ↗

When changing calendar, ask the receiving school to map completed coursework and any gaps. Repeating or skipping half a year is not automatic. Discuss the implications before using a short interim placement at another school. ↗

ISP and the MET describe rolling admissions, subject to assessment and places. Billing dates and academic dates may differ.

Admissions may involve an application fee, assessment and later joining payments. Keep these separate: paying to apply is not the same as paying a capital charge after an offer. ISP’s stated capital donation is US$16,000; the MET normally charges US$12,000 admission with age-specific reductions or instalments. King’s has two historical fee plans. ↗

Ask which tariff applies to direct employer payment, an allowance or reimbursement. Crossroads’ corporate entrance fee is US$12,000 versus US$2,500 for family payers. The MET also has sponsored and non-sponsored rates. Sibling discounts differ in eligibility and in which charges they cover.

ISP is in Cerro Viento. King’s, Balboa Academy and Crossroads are in the Clayton/Albrook area. The MET moved to Green Valley, Panama Norte, in 2020 and should not be mapped as a Clayton school. The French lycée is in Panama Pacífico. Costa del Este and Santa María may be housing options, but journeys to these campuses differ. ↗

Families considering Coronado or the Pacific beach area can investigate Panama Coast International School. Its current fees and accreditation records were not publicly available in enough detail for a full profile. ↗