What is the difference between a Swedish and an international school in Spain?

A Swedish school teaches in Swedish following the Swedish curriculum; an international school usually teaches in English following a British, American or IB model. The difference shows most in language and when moving back to Sweden.

Can my child return to a Swedish school afterwards?

Yes. From a Swedish school the transition needs no catching up because the syllabus is the same. From an international or Spanish school it also works, but Swedish and social studies often need to be caught up.

Does my child need Spanish to start in a Spanish school?

No, but it helps. Younger children usually pick up the language faster than teenagers, and support for newcomers varies a lot between schools – ask specifically how it works.

What do the different types of school cost?

Public Spanish schools are free, concertada schools charge lower fees, while international and Swedish schools are fee-funded. International schools are often the most expensive in the area.

Which option is best?

It depends on how long you are staying and what happens next. None of the options is generally better than the others – compare individual schools, not just categories.

Guide

Swedish, international or Spanish school in Spain?

Should your children attend a Swedish, international or Spanish school while you live in Spain? There is no answer that fits every family. This guide compares the three options factually so you can weigh how long you are staying, what happens afterwards and what you want out of these years.

We run a Swedish school, but this comparison is written to be useful even if you choose something else. No option is generally best – and schools within the same category differ, so visit several before you decide.

The comparison in brief

The table describes how the three types of school usually work in the province of Málaga. Individual schools can differ on every point.

	Swedish school	International school	Spanish school
Curriculum	Swedish national curriculum and syllabuses	British, American or IB – sometimes several in parallel	Spanish national curriculum (LOMLOE)
Language of teaching	Swedish, with Spanish and English as subjects	English, with Spanish as a subject	Spanish, often with a bilingual English strand in Andalusia
Returning to Sweden	The pupil follows the same syllabus throughout	Some catching up, mainly in Swedish and social studies	More catching up in Swedish, social studies and often maths sequencing
Local integration	Medium to high – Spanish every day, Swedish setting at school	Varies – often an international rather than local circle	High – daily life happens entirely in Spanish
Grades and qualifications	Swedish assessments and grades that work in the Swedish system	IGCSE, A-levels, IB or an American high school diploma	ESO and Bachillerato, with Selectividad for Spanish universities
Cost	Fee-funded independent school	Often the highest fees in the area	Public school free of charge; concertada and privada charge fees
Often suits best	Families staying for a period who may move home again	Families moving between countries or aiming for English-language universities	Families staying long term who want their children fully inside the Spanish system

Curriculum

Swedish school: Swedish national curriculum and syllabuses
International school: British, American or IB – sometimes several in parallel
Spanish school: Spanish national curriculum (LOMLOE)

Language of teaching

Swedish school: Swedish, with Spanish and English as subjects
International school: English, with Spanish as a subject
Spanish school: Spanish, often with a bilingual English strand in Andalusia

Returning to Sweden

Swedish school: The pupil follows the same syllabus throughout
International school: Some catching up, mainly in Swedish and social studies
Spanish school: More catching up in Swedish, social studies and often maths sequencing

Local integration

Swedish school: Medium to high – Spanish every day, Swedish setting at school
International school: Varies – often an international rather than local circle
Spanish school: High – daily life happens entirely in Spanish

Grades and qualifications

Swedish school: Swedish assessments and grades that work in the Swedish system
International school: IGCSE, A-levels, IB or an American high school diploma
Spanish school: ESO and Bachillerato, with Selectividad for Spanish universities

Cost

Swedish school: Fee-funded independent school
International school: Often the highest fees in the area
Spanish school: Public school free of charge; concertada and privada charge fees

Often suits best

Swedish school: Families staying for a period who may move home again
International school: Families moving between countries or aiming for English-language universities
Spanish school: Families staying long term who want their children fully inside the Spanish system

The information is general and refers to the 2023/2024 school year. Always check directly with each school – provision, language profiles and fees change.

Swedish school

A Swedish school abroad follows the Swedish curriculum, teaches in Swedish and applies Swedish knowledge requirements. That makes a return to a Swedish class predictable: the pupil has covered the same core content as classmates back home.

The downside is that daily life can become a bubble unless the school actively works with Spanish and local contact. Ask how much Spanish is genuinely used during the week, and what happens after Year 6 or Year 9 at that particular school.

Strengths: continuity in Swedish, a clear route home, familiar school culture and teachers who follow every pupil closely.
Consider: ask how the school works with Spanish and the local community, and what the subject range looks like in your child's year group.
A settled transition: a small school makes the move easier – teachers know every pupil from day one, teaching adapts quickly and each child gets more speaking time and support every day, both when starting and when moving back to Sweden.

International school

International schools teach in English following a British, American or IB model. They suit families who move between countries, because the same system exists in many cities, and they often open a broad route to English-language universities.

Differences between schools are large. Two schools in the same town can differ completely in size, exam model and how many pupils stay for the full journey. When moving back to Sweden, pupils often need to catch up in Swedish and social studies.

Strengths: high-level English, internationally recognised qualifications, portability.
Consider: fee levels, support for new language learners and how Swedish is kept alive.

Spanish school

A Spanish school – public, concertada or private – is the fastest route into local life. Over time children reach native-level Spanish, make local friends and follow the same system as their neighbours.

It does take time before a child without Spanish can follow lessons fully, and support for newcomers varies between schools. If the family plans to move home within a few years, Swedish needs to be maintained alongside, for example through supplementary Swedish tuition.

Strengths: the language, the integration, low or no fees in public schools.
Consider: the language run-up, the shape of the school day and how grades translate on return.

Weighing it up

Three questions usually decide it: How long are you staying? What happens after that period? And how much energy does the family have to support a new language alongside schoolwork?

A common pattern is that families planning one to four years choose a Swedish or international school, while families who see Spain as permanent more often choose a Spanish school. That is a pattern, not a rule – your child's age, language experience and personality matter more than any average.

Questions to ask on a school visit

The same questions work for every type of school and make it easier to compare like for like.

How many pupils are in the class, and how many adults are present during the day?
Which language is used in lessons, at break and in communication with parents?
How is a child supported who starts without the language of instruction?
What happens after the highest year group the school offers?
How does the school view a move back home – are there earlier examples?
Which costs come on top of the term fee (lunch, trips, materials, bus)?
Which authority supervises the school, and which permits does it hold?
How does the school work with wellbeing, safety and extra support?

Our own perspective

This section describes our own school. Read it as one of several options – not as a recommendation against the others.

We teach in Swedish following the Swedish curriculum, with extended Spanish and English every week.
We have a maximum of 16 pupils per school class and Swedish certified teachers.
The school is a private school with a permit from and supervision by Junta de Andalucía (the Spanish education authority for Andalusia), and is approved by the Swedish National Agency for Education for supplementary Swedish.
From Year 7 pupils study through Sofia Distans, and sixth form through Hermods, with tutoring on site.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a Swedish and an international school in Spain?: A Swedish school teaches in Swedish following the Swedish curriculum; an international school usually teaches in English following a British, American or IB model. The difference shows most in language and when moving back to Sweden.
Can my child return to a Swedish school afterwards?: Yes. From a Swedish school the transition needs no catching up because the syllabus is the same. From an international or Spanish school it also works, but Swedish and social studies often need to be caught up.
Does my child need Spanish to start in a Spanish school?: No, but it helps. Younger children usually pick up the language faster than teenagers, and support for newcomers varies a lot between schools – ask specifically how it works.
What do the different types of school cost?: Public Spanish schools are free, concertada schools charge lower fees, while international and Swedish schools are fee-funded. International schools are often the most expensive in the area.
Which option is best?: It depends on how long you are staying and what happens next. None of the options is generally better than the others – compare individual schools, not just categories.

Would you like to see what a Swedish school day looks like here?

Read more about the school or send an application and we will get back to you about a place and a start date.

Submit an application Book a visit See fees

No commitment – we normally reply within one working day. info@sweintschool.com