American School of Bilbao
Primary and secondary school in Berango, Spain
The American School of Bilbao (ASB) is an international school in the coastal town of Berango, Bizkaia, in the Bilbao area of the Basque Country. It was founded in 1967 by a group of international families and remains a parent-owned, non-profit, independent school, with a Board of Trustees made up of current parents. English is the language of every lesson, students come from 29 nationalities and the school gives a teacher-to-student ratio of 1:7.
ASB is an IB World School that teaches the full International Baccalaureate continuum in English, combined with an American approach based on inquiry, critical thinking and student autonomy. According to the school, in 2021 it became the first in the Basque Country to offer the complete PYP-MYP-Diploma pathway in English.
- Early Years (ages 2-5)
- Primary School, IB Primary Years Programme (ages 6-11)
- Middle School, IB Middle Years Programme (ages 12-16)
- IB Diploma Programme (ages 16-18)
Admissions are rolling, so families can join during the school year. Early Years and Grade 1 applicants have a readiness evaluation, and from Grade 2 an academic assessment is required. Outside the school day, the ASB Experience programmes offer English courses for children and adults and Cambridge exam preparation (B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency).
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Programmes
- Early Years: play-based programme for children aged 2-5
- Primary School: IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), ages 6-11
- Middle School: IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), ages 12-16
- IB Diploma Programme (DP): two-year pre-university programme, ages 16-18
All programmes are taught in English. The school states that the IB Diploma is recognised by over 4,500 universities in more than 110 countries.
Admission
Admissions are open all year and students can join mid-year. The process has four steps: enquiry, visit (in person or at an online information session), application and welcome.
- Early Years and Grade 1: readiness evaluation
- From Grade 2: academic assessment such as NWEA MAP, covering English proficiency, unless the student comes directly from another IB World School
- Documents: school reports from the last two years, passport copy, immunisation records and school consents
New applications carry a €300 pre-registration fee, deducted from the registration fee if the student is admitted and refunded if not.
Fees
Annual tuition fees for the 2026-27 school year, according to the school's fee schedule:
- Preschool (age 2-3): €7,160
- Nursery (age 3-4): €7,923
- Grade 1: €8,770
- Grade 2: €9,234
- Grades 3-5: €9,985
- Grade 8: €10,341
- Grades 9-10: €10,922
- IB Diploma, Grades 11-12: €11,980 (current ASB students), €15,246 (new students)
Tuition is paid in 10 monthly instalments (September to June). New applications pay a €300 pre-registration fee, and a €275 supplies fee is charged in September. A one-time registration fee is also charged on admission.
Subjects taught
- Education
- Secondary Education