EDUCATION & SCHOOLS
Global international school fees: a comparison
New data from global mobility specialist, ECA International (ECA) has revealed the average cost per year for a place at international schools in locations around the world. Relocate finds out more.
B
usinesses relocating staff to the UK will need to consider the rising annual cost of international schools, which is
now £27,316 on average – £1,068 more than last year. This makes the UK the eighth most expensive country in the world for international schooling. At the top of the list, the ECA found
that China is the most expensive location in the world for international schooling, costing £33,233 a year – nearly £6,000 more than the UK. Steven Kilfedder, production manager
at ECA, says, “The continued high demand for places at international schools in the UK, coupled with rising costs as the need for experienced English teachers continues to rise, means that international school fees have once more risen faster than inflation.”
EUROPE’S PRICIEST LOCATIONS Belgium remains the most expensive location in Europe, costing an average of £31,331 per year, despite many European countries dropping in the rankings. Among the countries with the smallest rise in school fees were Portugal (£17,883) and Germany (£17,822), which saw fees rise by £404 and £366 respectively on last year. Following the closure of a number of
large international schools, Russia has seen the biggest increase in school fees within Europe, increasing £2,289 to £19,534 on last year’s figure. Mr Kilfedder says, “Worsening
relationships between Russia and Europe have led to many European teachers in international schools being denied visas. This has led to closures of international schools, including the renowned Anglo- American School in St. Petersburg.”
BIG RISES FOR ASIAN COUNTRIES International schools in Asia have seen some of the biggest increases in international school fees, with China retaining the top spot as the most expensive location in the world, costing £33,233 per year on average – £949 more expensive than the next costliest location, the USA. Experiencing a greater demand for
what is considered a higher quality ‘English education’, Myanmar saw the biggest increase of all Asian locations, increasing by £2,289 to £18,520 per year. Thailand (£21,753), Indonesia (£22,500) and Vietnam (£22,323) also saw big rises, increasing by an average of £3,038. “We have seen a sharp rise in the demand
for top-level international schooling from expats in Asia and this has led to more investment in private schools, including more teachers being hired, leading to an increase in fees,” says Mr Kilfedder.
CONTINUED UPTURN FOR THE USA A strong dollar against the pound means that parents in the USA can expect to pay an average of £32,284 per year, increasing by £2,767 from 2018. Second only to China, international school fees in the USA are predicted to increase over the next 12 months as the dollar continues to perform well against the Chinese yuan.
ISRAEL ENTERS THE TOP TEN Israel is the most expensive country in the Middle East for international schooling, costing £26,376 per year on average. Its increase of £2,779 sees the country move into the top ten most expensive locations in the world for the first time. Conversely, the lowest international school
costs in the Middle East can be found in Bahrain, where annual fees cost £10,373 on average.
Rank Country Average annual school fees (£)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 China USA Belgium Mongolia France Switzerland Angola UK Israel Nigeria 33,233 32,284 31,331 30,956 29,706 29,277 27,883 27,316 26,376 25,506
54 | RELOCATE | WINTER 2019 / 2020
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
