The Education System in Valencia: A Guide for Expat Families
One of the things we love about Valencia is that families genuinely have options. Between public, concertado (semi-private), and private schools, there's a healthy, balanced offering here that a lot of other Spanish cities can't match. But Valencia has also become extremely popular in the last few years, and that popularity has consequences: waitlists at the most sought-after private schools, a public system that's had to adapt to a surge of new residents, and a fair amount of confusion for families trying to figure out where to even start.
The short version of our advice is always the same: the earlier you plan, the more options you'll have — especially if you're considering the private system. Schools like Caxton College, Cambridge House, The British School of Valencia, and Imagine Montessori are genuinely excellent, and they routinely carry waitlists for popular year groups. If one of these is on your radar, don't wait until you land to start the conversation.
We've seen firsthand how much easier the whole move becomes once schooling is sorted early. As Máté Benedek, who relocated with his family from Hungary, put it: "Encantada quite literally made our dream of living in Valencia a reality. They first helped us relocate by finding the perfect rental home and securing places at our daughters' school. We fell in love with both the apartment and the neighbourhood and soon knew we wanted to buy a home there. Working with Encantada has been an absolute pleasure from start to finish — their knowledge, professionalism and genuine care are second to none."
Public Schools: Free, but Not Fully in Your Control
Public school in Valencia is completely free, which understandably surprises a lot of families coming from the US or UK. Enrollment opens online in early May, and you'll select your top ten schools in order of preference. From there, it's a points-based system — proximity, siblings already enrolled, and a few other factors determine placement — and that means you have relatively little control over which of your ten choices you actually get.
Here's something worth knowing if you're new to the city: the neighborhood-based zoning system that used to determine which schools you could even apply to was phased out a few years ago, largely because Valencia has been absorbing so many new residents. The city is now effectively one zone. We tell our clients not to panic if they're not allocated their top pick in the first round — there's genuinely a lot of movement over the summer as families sort out their own plans, and allocations can and do shift before September.
A few practical things to know about public schools:
Language immersion is real. Public schools teach roughly 40–50% of classes in Valenciano, which is a significant adjustment for families arriving with no Spanish or Valenciano at all. It's worth going in with realistic expectations about the learning curve.
Visits are limited to specific open days. You typically can't just call and arrange a tour — schools hold designated "puertas abiertas" (open house) days, and that's your window to see the school in person before enrollment decisions are due.
Support for children with special needs is genuinely strong. Thanks to the "atención temprana" (early intervention) system, public schools tend to be better resourced for children with additional needs than the private alternatives.
Mid-year moves add another layer of complexity to all of this, which is exactly the situation Ian Donenwirth found himself in after relocating from Hungary: "We recently moved to Valencia and needed help navigating the administrative process to enroll our children mid-year. From the moment we first contacted Encantada, Stephanie was super prompt, attentive, informative, and kind. She guided us through the very first steps all the way through to the end to make sure that both of our kids could start school as soon as possible at the places of our choosing. Not only is she extremely competent and helpful with administrative matters, but she is also incredibly friendly, and our children loved her."
Concertados: The Middle Ground
Concertado schools are semi-private and, in Valencia, are religious in origin — though the degree of religious emphasis varies a lot from school to school. Some lean quite traditional; others are far more relaxed, where the religious affiliation shows up more as an emphasis on good family values than anything resembling strict religious instruction.
Language-wise, concertados are similar to public schools — close to half of classes are taught in Valenciano. Enrollment falls on the same calendar as public schools, but in practice you'll have noticeably more flexibility to schedule visits and build a relationship with the admissions office, which tends to make securing a spot a bit more manageable than navigating the public points system cold.
Fees at concertados are structured more like donations than tuition — typically around €300 per trimester, not including lunch.
What Public and Concertado Have in Common
Both public and concertado schools switch to half days for the summer months, from June through the end of September. That surprises a lot of newly arrived families, so it's worth planning around it — many schools offer paid after-school extracurricular programs to fill the gap, and lunch can either be taken at school or at home, depending on what works for your family.
One genuinely nice surprise, especially for families coming from the US: the food is good. Valencia's public and concertado schools serve a proper Mediterranean diet — a three-course meal most days, with plenty of fruit and vegetables. It's a small thing, but it's one of the details families mention to us most often once they've settled in.
Private Schools: More Choice, More Planning Required
The private landscape in Valencia is genuinely varied, and it breaks down roughly into a few categories:
British curriculum — Caxton College and Cambridge House are the two best-known names here.
International Baccalaureate (IB) — The American School of Valencia, Mas Camarena, and Shackleton International School all offer IB pathways.
Bilingual Spanish curriculum — schools like Julio Verne, Ausiàs March, and Home School fall into this category.
Montessori — options include Imagine Montessori, The Valencia Montessori School, and a newer addition to the city center, Second Body.
A French school, Liceo Francés de Valencia, and a German school, Colegio Alemán, round out the picture for families looking for those specific curricula.
Because demand for some of these schools is high, our advice is to start reaching out the September before the academic year you're targeting — not the spring of that same year. Waiting until you've arrived in Valencia is often too late for the most popular options.
One practical note that surprises people: the majority of private schools sit outside the city center, which means school buses are part of daily life for most private-school families. That's not a downside, though — the buses are comfortable, air-conditioned, and staffed with an assistant who looks after the kids the whole ride, sometimes with a movie playing on the way home. It's genuinely common for kids to not want to get off the bus at the end of the day.
Budget-wise, plan for roughly €800–1,200 per month in tuition, depending on the school and your child's age. Extracurriculars, the bus, and lunch are all billed separately — expect around €180 a month for the bus and a similar amount for lunch.
It's a lot to coordinate on top of everything else a move involves — something Lisa Lowy, who relocated from California with her husband and two children, knows well: "We are a family of four, which included our 11 and 7 year old children, who moved to Valencia with eight duffle bags, four carry-ons, four backpacks and a dream to live in Spain. We could not have been luckier to find this group to assist in making our dream a reality. From booking a van to pick us up from the airport that first night, to helping us find an apartment, to helping us with NIE documents, banking, and school registration for our kids, the team went above and beyond every time."
Quick Questions People Ask
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Yes — public education is completely free. The trade-off is less control over which specific school you're allocated, since placement runs on a points system rather than direct choice.
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Both public and concertado schools teach roughly 40–50% of classes in Valenciano, so children with no prior Spanish or Valenciano should expect a real adjustment period. Private schools vary depending on curriculum.
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As early as possible — ideally by September of the year before you want your child enrolled, especially for in-demand schools like Caxton, Cambridge House, or Mas Camarena.
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Don't panic. There's typically significant movement over the summer as other families finalize their own plans, and allocations frequently shift before the school year starts.
Not Sure Where to Start?
Between enrollment windows, waitlists, and language considerations, the school question is often the single most stressful part of relocating with kids. Get in touch and we'll walk you through the options that actually fit your family and timeline.