← Back to the rankingIstituto Italiano Statale Comprensivo di Barcellona
Barcelona, Spain · est. 1882 · Private
Illustration · Barcelona
Istituto Italiano Statale Comprensivo di Barcellona is one of the first Italian schools abroad: it was founded in 1882 by an Italian mutual aid society, recognised by Italy in 1941 and became a state school in 1951, and mutual recognition with Spain was set by an agreement in 1955. The school runs on two sites with two sections at each level: the Maria Montessori primary school (5 years), the Edoardo Amaldi middle school (3 years) and the four-year Edoardo Amaldi scientific liceo. A separate paritaria kindergarten operates next to the primary school. The main language of instruction is Italian; in addition all levels study Catalan, Spanish and English, and the curriculum includes local subjects so that studies are recognised in Catalonia and Spain, and graduates with the Italian diploma enter Spanish universities without the PAU entrance exam.
Key facts
Tuition
≈ $1 301–1 647 a year
1 152–1 458 EUR
Programmes
Italian programme
Languages of instruction
Italian
Languages taught
Spanish, Catalan, English, Latin
Registration fee
≈ $181
160 EUR
About the fees The mandatory tuition contribution for 2026-2027 for the first child: primary school 1458 EUR per year (9 payments of 162 EUR), middle school and liceo 1152 EUR each (9 payments of 128 EUR or 3 payments of 384 EUR). The contribution is lower for the second, third and fourth child; the liceo offers merit reductions (average mark or middle school final exam mark of 8, 9 or 10). The school explains that the Italian Foreign Ministry pays teachers and rent, while family contributions cover utilities, cleaning, security, materials, maintenance and projects.
Admissions Applications for 2026-2027 were accepted by email from 13 January to 14 February 2026, with a 160 EUR enrolment fee. Places are allocated by points: Italian citizenship (3), both parents Italian (1), living in Italy for the last 5 years or coming from an Italian school abroad (2), former students (3) and children of former students (1), siblings at the school (3 each), single parent (1), parent with a disability (2), partner organisations (2), last year's waiting list (2); ties are decided by date, then by lot. Consulate staff have absolute priority. Applicants not offered a place go on a waiting list. Children turning 6 are admitted to the first primary class, early entry up to 30 April. On enrolment the family signs a commitment to pay the contributions.
Stages and year groups Italian levels currently offered: scuola primaria Maria Montessori (5 years, ages 6-10, about 40 hours a week), scuola secondaria di primo grado Edoardo Amaldi (3 years, 30 hours, a music track has been requested), liceo scientifico Edoardo Amaldi with a four-year course (ages 14-17, 34-35 hours). The liceo ends with the esame di Stato (maturità). Local track: under agreements between Italy and Spain and with the Generalitat de Catalunya the curriculum adds 5-6 hours of Catalan and Spanish and local culture; liceo years 1-4 correspond to ESO years 3-4 and two years of bachillerato, and the Italian diploma corresponds to the título de bachiller. Spanish universities do not require the PAU, and students may take the specific part to raise their entry score, with paid preparation organised by the school. The school does not issue a separate Spanish certificate. The Maria Montessori kindergarten is a separate paritaria school.
Accreditations and programmes verified against official registries
MAECIIt is an Italian state school abroad: Italy's foreign ministry names it on its list of state schools, and the curriculum and the diploma are Italian.
school is in an official registryconfirmed by a school document, by membership or by taking part in a networkclaimed by the school, no confirmation, not counted in the scoreGuide to all organisations → What stands behind each entry
MAECIItaly's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI)
An Italian school abroad: a state or paritaria school, the Italian curriculum, the esame di Stato exam and a diploma with the same legal value as in Italy.
What the badge means for this school. This is an Italian school abroad: it teaches the Italian curriculum, and Italy's foreign ministry names it on its list of state or paritarie schools - so Italy recognises its exams and diploma. The entry is not a quality inspection. Which stages are recognised and what the school charges are on this page and on the school's own website. The entry stands in the organisation's public register - anyone can check it.
Register to check for yourself, and the full guide →Italian programme
The Italian school curriculum taught in Italian: scuola dell'infanzia, primaria, secondaria di primo grado (scuola media) and the liceo, ending with the state exam, the esame di Stato, and the Italian diploma.
What this means for this school. The curriculum is set by the Italian state: the school is an Italian state school abroad or a paritaria school, recognised by Italy. Exams follow Italian rules and the diploma has the same legal value as in Italy, giving access to Italian universities. The host country's curriculum usually runs alongside, and students receive two certificates.
Exams and destinations from the school's official website
The school publishes nothing about where its leavers go: no share going on to university, no exam results, no list of universities.
Facilities from the school's official website
·Swimming poolnot stated on the website
·Sports hallnot stated on the website
·Laboratoriesnot stated on the website
·Theatre or assembly hallnot stated on the website
✓Library
✓Catering
✓School transport
·Boardingnot stated on the website
Campus: Two sites: the liceo on Carrer de l'Esperança and the primary and middle school in Sarrià on Carrer Setantí, which also hosts the paritaria kindergarten. The Setantí site has its own kitchen, where a contractor cooks lunches for primary and middle school, mostly from organic seasonal produce. There is a library with an electronic catalogue. Transport and paid activities after 16:30 and during holidays are organised by the parents' association. The primary school runs from 9:00 to 16:30 with morning care from 8:00; grades 2-4 do fencing at a club instead of physical education.
Clubs and activities: Photography Workshop · Football and Basketball Teams · History Workshop · Theatre · Library Project
Teaching staff from the school's official website
·Teachers listed by namenot published
·Teacher qualificationsnot stated
·Number of teachersthe school does not say
·Students per teacher or class sizenot stated
Lessons are taught in Italian by teachers posted by the Italian Foreign Ministry on full positions and by locally contracted teachers for the remaining hours; Catalan and Spanish are taught by local teachers. English is supplemented by native speakers from a language academy. Assistants help in primary school at lunch and in the playground.
Safety and wellbeing from the school's official website
·CCTVnot stated on the website
·Security staffnot stated on the website
·Access controlnot stated on the website
·Nurse or medical roomnot stated on the website
✓Counsellor
✓Child protection policy
·Staff trainingnot stated on the website
✓Anti-bullying policy
The school has a psycho-pedagogical service: the school psychologist observes students, receives their requests, advises parents and teachers, and works to prevent conflict and bullying. The school plan includes an anti-bullying protocol, and the site publishes safety documents and a whistleblowing channel.
Reviews
No reviews yet. The community rating counts towards the score once a school has five verified reviews - until then we do not show a zero, so as not to mislead.
Criteria breakdown criterion weight in brackets
Academics and programmes (16%)72 Community rating (16%)no dataparent reviews are needed: the criterion switches on at the fifth verified one Exams and destinations (12%) scored on disclosed data55 Safety and wellbeing (12%) scored on disclosed data70 Accreditation and verifiability (10%)85 Teaching staff (10%) scored on disclosed data55 Facilities (10%) scored on disclosed data75 Clubs and activities (8%) scored on disclosed data73 "Scored on disclosed data" stands where we count only what the school has written about itself on its own site: exams and destinations, safety and wellbeing, teaching staff, facilities, clubs and activities. A low score here means the school does not write about this, not that the school does not have it: a school with good security and a sparse site will score low. A school can fill in its profile, and the score will be counted again.
The score is counted from 8 of the 9 criteria.Only those with checkable data count: programmes and accreditations from official registers, the fee from a published price list. Where it says "scored on the median", the school has no data and the middle of the list is put in its place, so that a gap gives no advantage. Admissions, teaching staff and reviews come in as their data arrives.
The full methodology → Similar schools in the country