Study in Sant Pere de Ribes, Spain

About Sant Pere de Ribes

Sant Pere de Ribes is a municipality in the Garraf area of the province of Barcelona, in Catalonia, south-west of the city of Barcelona and close to Sitges and Vilanova i la Geltrú. It had 32,705 registered residents on 1 January 2025, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE). It is a residential town rather than a university town.

The town matters to international students mainly for its schools. It has a cluster of international primary and secondary schools that follow the French or British system. Catalan and Spanish are both official languages in Catalonia under the Statute of Autonomy, and Catalan is normally the language of instruction in Catalan schools; the international schools teach mainly in English or French.

Studying in Sant Pere de Ribes

Our directory lists 3 active schools in Sant Pere de Ribes, all of them primary and secondary schools with an international curriculum. There are no universities or language schools for adults in the town; students who want a university degree or a Spanish course usually look to Barcelona.

• Lycée International Bel Air (Rambla del Garraf 134) was founded in 1994 and now has about 630 pupils. It is a partner school of the AEFE, the French agency for French education abroad. It follows the French national curriculum, homologated by the French Ministry of Education from nursery school (Maternelle) to the Baccalauréat, and pupils learn French, English, Spanish and Catalan. It is registered in Spain's register of foreign schools (Registro de Centros Extranjeros) and has a European English section.
• The Olive Tree School (Carrer les Modistes 8) is a small English-language school for pupils aged 3 to 16. It was founded in 2010 and has had its current premises since 2012. It has about 200 pupils in classes of up to 20 and draws on ideas from the Montessori and Waldorf traditions. Pupils take official UK exams (GCSE/IGCSE) at age 16, and the school was inspected by NABSS in November 2024.
• Richmond International School is a small British international school in Sant Pere de Ribes. It opened in September 2013 and follows the British curriculum.

For families, the main choice is between the French system, which leads to the French Baccalauréat, and the British system, which leads to GCSE and later qualifications. Check whether a school offers the final years of secondary education you need, how its qualifications are recognised for university entrance in Spain or abroad, and how much Spanish and Catalan it teaches.

Cost of living

We have not found an official figure for rents in Sant Pere de Ribes, so check housing prices locally. Each school publishes its own tuition fees. Public transport uses the integrated fares of Barcelona's transport authority (ATM). A single ticket costs €2.90 for one zone and up to €11.60 for seven zones. For young people under 30, the T-jove gives 90 consecutive days of unlimited integrated travel across all 7 zones for €45.50 (2026), which makes regular trips to Barcelona affordable for older students.

Getting around and daily life

Sant Pere de Ribes is a small town, so a car or school transport is useful for daily journeys. Lycée Bel Air runs school transport and after-school activities, and The Olive Tree School has after-school clubs. For university, Spanish courses and Barcelona Airport, students travel to Barcelona.

The climate is Mediterranean. At the AEMET station at Barcelona Airport, the nearest station on the coast with climate normals (1981-2010), the average temperature is 9.2 °C in January and 23.9 °C in July, with about 590 mm of rain a year.

Frequently asked questions

Which international schools are in Sant Pere de Ribes?

Our directory lists three: Lycée International Bel Air (French curriculum, ages 3 to 18), The Olive Tree School (British curriculum, ages 3 to 16) and Richmond International School (British curriculum).

Can I study at university or learn Spanish in Sant Pere de Ribes?

Not in the town itself: its schools are for children and teenagers. University students and adult Spanish learners usually study in Barcelona and can live in the Garraf area if they commute.

Which languages are taught in the schools?

Lycée Bel Air teaches French, English, Spanish and Catalan. The Olive Tree School and Richmond International School teach mainly in English.

How much does public transport cost for young people?

People under 30 can buy the T-jove, which costs €45.50 for 90 days of unlimited travel across all 7 fare zones of the Barcelona area in 2026.