International Montessori Schools of Brussels vs St. John's International School
🇧🇪 Brussels · Side-by-side comparison on verifiable public data.
Neither International Montessori Schools of Brussels nor St. John's International School sits in a market with a public inspectorate, so both are assessed on verifiable accreditation, curriculum authorisation, and published data rather than an official quality rating. One practical difference: St. John's International School offers boarding while the other is day-only — decisive for families who need a residential option. Verify current fees against each school's own figures (see the table below).
Key Facts
| International Montessori Schools of Brussels | St. John's International School | |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum | Montessori / IB | IB |
| Ages | 1-18 | 1–18 |
| Languages of instruction | English, French | English, French |
| Annual fees | Not published | EUR 14,750–46,500 |
| Boarding | Day only | Yes |
| Accreditations | Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) | Council of International Schools (CIS), Middle States Association (MSA), International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), Boarding Schools' Association (BSA) |
Strengths
- ✓Uninterrupted Montessori continuity from age 1 through the IB Diploma at age 18
- ✓Authentic bilingual English-French immersion with two-language staffing in the early and primary years
- ✓IB World School status for both the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme
- ✓Additional Dutch, German, and Spanish language options in the IB secondary section
- ✓AMI-affiliated Montessori teacher training on site, signalling fidelity to the Montessori method
- ✓Full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP) explicitly authorized and delivered from age 3 to 18
- ✓Strong published academic outcomes: 2025 IB Diploma average of 36 points (school-reported as best in Belgium), top score 43
- ✓Both day and boarding options (boarding for ages 11–17)
- ✓Highly international community with 65+ nationalities
- ✓Multiple recognitions displayed (IBO, CIS, MSA, BSA)
Trade-offs
- !Tuition figures are not published on the website; fees are only available via downloadable PDF schedules
- !Founding year, enrollment size, and formal EAL provision are not published
- !Belgium's lack of a graded public inspectorate for international schools limits independent, comparable quality verification
- !Only the IB pathway is offered, with no British or American curriculum track for families seeking those systems
- !High tuition, rising to EUR 46,500 for upper grades
- !Detailed language-support and EAL structure is only partially published on the public site
Best Fit For
- • Families seeking a genuine long-run Montessori education rather than a single-stage programme
- • English-French bilingual households or families wanting authentic dual-language immersion
- • Internationally mobile families who value the IB Diploma as a university-entry credential
- • Expatriate and mobile families wanting a single IB continuum from early years to Grade 12
- • Families needing day or boarding places near Brussels
- • Students targeting the IB Diploma with strong measured results
University Placement
School-reported · not independently verified
University-destination and exam-outcome data are not published on the school's site (school-reported, unverified); the IB Diploma is the exit credential of the secondary section.
IB Diploma results are school-reported: a 2025 average of 36 points (described by the school as the best in Belgium), a top score of 43, and 40% of students scoring 38 or more. Individual university placement destinations are not published in verified detail on the public site (school-reported, unverified).
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose International Montessori Schools of Brussels or St. John's International School?
International Montessori Schools of Brussels is best for: Families seeking a genuine long-run Montessori education rather than a single-stage programme. St. John's International School is best for: Expatriate and mobile families wanting a single IB continuum from early years to Grade 12. The right choice depends on target curriculum, budget, and family priorities — the two are not linearly comparable.
How do fees compare between International Montessori Schools of Brussels and St. John's International School?
International Montessori Schools of Brussels: Not published. St. John's International School: EUR 14,750–46,500. Verify against each school's own published fees; some figures are sourced from third-party aggregators.
What curricula do International Montessori Schools of Brussels and St. John's International School offer?
International Montessori Schools of Brussels: Montessori, IB. St. John's International School: IB.
Do International Montessori Schools of Brussels or St. John's International School offer boarding?
International Montessori Schools of Brussels: day school only. St. John's International School: offers boarding.
Questions parents ask
This comparison is BrightKey's independent assessment using verifiable public data only. University-placement figures are school-reported and not independently verified. BrightKey takes no payments from schools. Our method →