International College Spain (ICS)
🇪🇸 Madrid · Founded 1980 · IB · Ages 3-18
Madrid's longest-established full-IB-continuum international school, with deep IB pedigree and dual CIS/NEASC accreditation.
Curricula
IB
Age range
3-18
Languages of instruction
English
Annual fees
SGD EUR 12,957-27,258/yr (2026/27)
Enrollment
1,000
Boarding
No (day school)
IB authorised
PYP, MYP, DP
Accreditations
IBO, CIS, NEASC, Nord Anglia Education
Tier Profile
We only tier dimensions backed by a public inspection verdict or verifiable accreditation. Other dimensions show a data flag — never a guessed score.
BrightKey's Assessment
International College Spain (ICS) was founded in 1980 by entrepreneur and philanthropist Manouchehr Farhangi and sits in the affluent La Moraleja community in Alcobendas, just north of central Madrid. It holds a rare distinction in the IB world: it began teaching the IB Diploma Programme in its founding year, becoming only the 13th school globally to offer the qualification. It later authorised the Middle Years Programme in 1995 and the Primary Years Programme in 1999, making it the only school in Madrid to deliver the full IB continuum in English from ages 3 to 18.
The school is part of the Nord Anglia Education family, which it joined in 2014, and is home to approximately 1,000 students drawn from more than 70 nationalities. Instruction is in English throughout, with a broad modern-languages offer that includes Spanish alongside French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic and Korean. As an international school serving a highly mobile expatriate community, it supports students who are new to English, and its rolling 'join at any time' admissions reflect that transient intake.
Academically, ICS reports IB outcomes above the global benchmark: a collective average Diploma score of 36 in 2022, with around one in three students scoring 40 points or more and three candidates achieving the perfect score of 45 that year. Recent school messaging continues to cite more than 20 percent of students reaching 40+ points. These are strong results for a non-selective international school, though as a single founder-era institution it lacks the breadth of a multi-campus selective system.
Accreditation is a genuine strength: ICS is an IB World School authorised for all three programmes and is accredited by both the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), with CIS re-accreditation confirmed in 2019. Because Spain operates no graded government inspection band for private international schools, the accreditation tier reflects this dual international quality assurance rather than a state rating.
Why These Ratings?
Inspection & AccreditationA — Excellent
Spain has no graded government inspection band for international schools, so 'S' is unavailable by rule and the dimension is set to 'A'. ICS holds robust international quality assurance: it is an IB World School authorised for PYP, MYP and DP, and is accredited by both CIS (re-accredited 2019) and NEASC. The absence of a verbatim graded inspection band caps this at 'A' rather than 'S'.
Strengths & Trade-offs
Strengths
- Exceptional IB pedigree - the 13th school worldwide to offer the IB Diploma, teaching it since 1980
- Only school in Madrid delivering the full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP) in English from age 3 to 18
- Dual international accreditation from CIS and NEASC plus IB World School authorisation across all three programmes
- IB results above the global average - 2022 cohort averaged 36 points with three perfect 45 scores
- Highly international community of roughly 1,000 students from more than 70 nationalities, backed by the Nord Anglia network
Trade-offs
- Premium fee structure rising to over EUR 27,000 per year at Diploma level
- Single-campus, non-selective international school without the scale of a multi-site selective system
- No published, independently verified recent (post-2022) IB average located in public sources
- No graded state inspection band exists in Spain, so external rating relies solely on accreditation cycles
Is It Right For You?
Best For
- ✓Internationally mobile families wanting an English-medium IB pathway from early years to university
- ✓Students aiming for the IB Diploma at a school with one of the longest IB track records in the world
- ✓Expatriate families based in or near the La Moraleja and northern Madrid corridor
- ✓Families who value rolling admissions and the ability to join mid-year
Not Ideal For
- ✕Families seeking a Spanish-national-curriculum or bilingual Spanish-first education
- ✕Families needing boarding provision - ICS is a day school only
- ✕Those wanting British A-levels or American AP rather than the IB
- ✕Budget-conscious families, given fees above EUR 27,000 at senior levels
Curriculum
ICS teaches the full IB continuum in English: the Primary Years Programme (authorised 1999, ages 3-11), the Middle Years Programme (authorised 1995, ages 11-16) and the Diploma Programme (taught since 1980, ages 16-18). It is the only Madrid school offering all three IB programmes end to end. Modern languages taught include Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic and Korean.
Fees
Tuition for 2026/27 runs from EUR 12,957 per year in Kindergarten (age 3) to EUR 27,258 per year in Grades 11-12, per the International Schools Database. First-year enrolment for a 3-year-old totals about EUR 15,457 including a EUR 1,000 application fee and a EUR 1,500 refundable deposit. Figures are illustrative and subject to change.
Admissions
Admissions are open all year round and students can join at any time, reflecting an internationally mobile intake. Entry involves an age-appropriate assessment and may include an interview with the Head of School.
Campus Life
The school occupies a campus in the exclusive La Moraleja community at Calle Vereda Norte 3, Alcobendas, north of central Madrid, and runs a dedicated bus service from popular residential areas. As a day school it serves a community of more than 70 nationalities. School-reported parent satisfaction figures include 96 percent agreeing the school provides a stimulating environment.
University Placement
School-reported · not independently verified
School-reported, unverified: ICS cites IB outcomes above the global average with more than 20 percent of students achieving 40+ points, supporting progression to selective universities; no independent university-destination breakdown was located in public sources.
Sources
Every verifiable fact carries a public source — verify it yourself.
- ICS Madrid official site (Nord Anglia) · 2026-06
- ICS Madrid - About Us (founding, IB authorization, enrollment, location) · 2026-06
- ICS Madrid - Admissions (full IB continuum 3-18) · 2026-06
- CIS re-accreditation announcement for International College Spain · 2026-06
- International Schools Database - ICS Madrid fees (2026/27) · 2026-06
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