Lima's school year starts in March and runs to December, the reverse of the northern hemisphere calendar: a timing gap that catches many relocating families off guard and requires careful planning around arrival dates and enrollment windows. The city offers genuine curriculum diversity for expat families, with international schools in Lima following the IB Diploma, Cambridge IGCSE, French Baccalauréat, Italian Baccalauréat, and American college-preparatory models, alongside bilingual programs that combine international qualifications with the Peruvian national secondary certificate. These schools are concentrated in a cluster of southern districts: Santiago de Surco, La Molina, Miraflores, San Isidro, and Chorrillos.
The Peruvian school year runs from March to December, the reverse of the academic calendar in most of Europe and North America. For families arriving from abroad, this single structural difference shapes the entire relocation timeline: children transferring from schools in the northern hemisphere will almost always face a gap or an overlap, and families who arrive in September or October are entering the middle of the Lima school year, not the start of it. Planning the move to land in Lima before January gives families the best chance of enrolling children for the start of the school year in March.
Lima's school ecosystem is managed at the metropolitan level by the Dirección Regional de Educación de Lima Metropolitana (DRELM), operating within the national framework set by Peru's Ministerio de Educación. The range of options available in Lima is wider than anywhere else in Peru: free public schools, private Peruvian schools, bilingual schools, and international schools offering foreign curricula all operate side by side. The main languages of instruction across Lima's international and bilingual schools are Spanish and English, with French and Italian available through dedicated community schools.
International families can access schools that follow the International Baccalaureate (IB), the British Cambridge/IGCSE, the French national curriculum, the Italian curriculum, and American college-preparatory models, as well as bilingual Peruvian-international programs. This variety gives families meaningful choice, but it also demands careful research: each school's curriculum, accreditation, language model, and university-destination fit can differ substantially, and not every program is available at every grade level.
Lima's international and bilingual schools are concentrated in a cluster of southern and eastern districts: primarily Santiago de Surco, La Molina, Miraflores, San Isidro, and Chorrillos. Because city traffic is dense, most expat families choose housing close to their preferred school rather than selecting a neighborhood first. Most private and international schools publish their admissions windows several months before the start of the March school year and request prior school documentation, so families should begin researching schools and gathering documents well before arriving in Lima.
Public schools in Lima cover initial, primary, and secondary education under Peru's Educación Básica Regular framework. Enrollment is completely free: no charge, exam, donation, or materials purchase can legally be made a condition of public-school enrollment. In Lima Metropolitana, the process is handled entirely online through the Matrícula Digital platform, which covers all 7 local education units (UGELs). Families do not need to visit schools or queue in person. Public schools operate entirely in Spanish, with no structured language support for children arriving without Spanish proficiency, so families whose children do not speak Spanish should factor this into their school-type decision.
Private bilingual and international schools are the main option for most expat families. Lima's private sector offers English-Spanish bilingual programs, IB Diploma preparation, British-style Cambridge/IGCSE qualifications, the French national curriculum, the Italian curriculum, and American college-preparatory models. Several schools combine an international pathway with the Peruvian national secondary certificate, so students graduate with dual recognition. Cambridge College Lima in Chorrillos, for example, awards the British IGCSE, the IB Diploma, and the Peruvian national secondary certificate within a single program, making it one of the few schools in Lima with a triple-qualification exit pathway.
Families can use the Ministry of Education's Identicole platform to search for any school by name or address and check its registration status, level, modality, shift, and infrastructure before applying. This is a practical first step before trusting any school's own admissions materials.
Children with special educational needs (SEN) can access Centros de Educación Básica Especial (CEBE), state-run specialist centers for students who have difficulty accessing regular schooling. Some private international schools also make provision for students with special needs. Colegio Pestalozzi in Miraflores, for instance, has a defined priority-place process that requires the treating doctor's written report to be submitted at the start of the admissions process, along with the standard documentation. Families with SEN children should ask each shortlisted school about its specific support model before applying, as provision varies considerably between schools.
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International schools in Lima
The list below covers schools for which admissions information and curriculum details are directly available; families should contact each school's admissions office for current fee schedules, available places by grade, and term-date calendars.
IB and Cambridge Pathway schools
Colegio Peruano Británico, affiliated with Nord Anglia Education, offers the IB Diploma Program, a demanding two-year pre-university qualification recognized by universities worldwide. The admissions team reviews each application individually to assess the right balance of support and challenge for the student; available places by age group are listed on the school's admissions page.
Cambridge College Lima, located in Chorrillos, is an IB World School whose students graduate with the British IGCSE, the IB Diploma, and the Peruvian national secondary certificate. Tuition can be paid either in a single annual payment or in 10 monthly installments. Markham College also offers the same payment flexibility, a structure worth asking about at other Lima private schools when comparing options.
Newton College follows a British educational tradition and is a well-regarded option for families familiar with the UK system. Families planning UK university entry should confirm directly with the school which qualifications it offers and whether its examination center is fully accredited.
French-curriculum school
Colegio Franco Peruano (Lycée Franco-Péruvien), located in Santiago de Surco, is a trilingual school homologated by the French Ministry of National Education. Students graduate with either the Bachillerato Francés Internacional (trilingual pathway) or the Bachillerato Francés. The school's admissions page covers entry to the initial level, first grade, and mid-cycle transfers.
Italian-curriculum school
Colegio Italiano Antonio Raimondi integrates the Italian curriculum and language throughout its program, leading to the Baccalaureato Italiano. Families with ties to Italian-language university destinations should verify that the school's program and examination recognition are current with Italian educational authorities.
American college-preparatory school
Colegio Franklin Delano Roosevelt follows an American curriculum and college-preparatory model. Families planning university applications in the United States should confirm the school's current college counseling resources and application support.
Other private international options
Colegio Internacional de Lima covers initial, primary, and secondary education and publishes a transparent fee structure. Monthly tuition (pensión) for Kinder 3 and Kinder 4 stands at PEN 1,000, with one additional enrollment fee (matrícula) of PEN 1,000 at the start of the year, totaling PEN 11,000 for the school year at those grade levels. The published fee schedule gives families a concrete reference point; costs at higher-profile international schools are significantly above this level.
Lima International School of Tomorrow (LISOFT), in La Molina, offers a personalized education model and publishes special transfer discounts, including reduced enrollment fees and tuition for siblings. Families with more than one child should ask each school whether sibling discounts apply.
Monterrico Christian School, in Surco, is a bilingual Christian school that actively accommodates children of missionary families arriving in Peru for a defined period. Families in this situation should contact the school's admissions office directly, as the school states it reserves the right to offer places on this basis.
Admission documents and timing
Most private and international schools in Lima require families to provide documentation from the child's previous school upon admission. Commonly requested documents include:
A Carta de No Adeudo (letter confirming no outstanding fees at the prior school)
A copy of the child's identity document
Academic transcripts or prior-year reports
For dual nationals: a copy of the additional passport (required at Colegio Pestalozzi)
For SEN applicants: the treating doctor's written report (required at Colegio Pestalozzi)
Parents should gather these documents before arriving in Lima. If the previous school is abroad, documents may need to be translated or legalized, and that process can take several weeks if left until after arrival. Admissions windows at Lima's private schools typically open several months before the March school year start; the Colegio Internacional de Lima admissions page illustrates the type of process and document requirements families will encounter across the sector.
Good to know:
Lima private schools are required by law to disclose all costs and payment terms to families before the vacancy request period. Ask for a full written breakdown of tuition, enrollment fees, materials, transport, lunch, and extracurricular charges before committing, and confirm which of these are refundable if the child does not complete the year.
Public schools for expat children in Lima
Any parent or legal representative can enroll a child in a Lima public school in any district of the city, with no requirement to prove residency in a specific catchment area. Enrollment is open to new entrants, re-entrants, and transfers, including children arriving from abroad. Public schooling in Lima is completely free.
In Lima Metropolitana, the enrollment process for new students and transfers runs entirely through the online Matrícula Digital platform rather than in person at schools. The platform allows families to search for schools with available places by name or address and submit the enrollment request digitally. To find and compare public schools by location, level, and available shift before submitting an enrollment request, use the Identicole school registry on the Ministry of Education website.
The public school enrollment window typically opens in January and closes in early March, with the school year beginning in mid-March. Families intending to place children in public schools for the start of the year should plan to arrive in Lima before the enrollment window opens. Mid-year transfers are also handled through the same digital system.
The practical limitation for many expat families is language: public schools in Lima operate entirely in Spanish, and there is no structured language transition support for children arriving without Spanish proficiency. Families whose children do not yet speak Spanish should consider whether a bilingual or international private school would be a more suitable first placement, at least initially.
Choosing a school in Lima
Shortlisting schools in Lima requires a sequence of decisions that many families, used to geographic school zones, find unfamiliar. The starting point is not "which neighborhood do we want to live in?" but "which school fits our child's needs?" Once the school is identified, housing within a manageable school-run distance follows naturally.
Before visiting any school, verify its official registration through the Identicole school registry. The platform shows the school's registered name, location, level, modality, shift, and infrastructure details, and lets you confirm that the campus your child would attend is the one registered with the Ministry of Education.
Curriculum choice has long-term implications that go beyond the school itself. Families planning another international move should prioritize externally recognized qualifications: the IB Diploma, Cambridge/IGCSE, the French Baccalauréat, and the Abitur, all of which travel well across university systems worldwide. Families considering long-term residence in Peru should also ask how the school prepares students for entry to Peruvian universities alongside overseas options. The Universidad de Lima exempts holders of the IBO Diploma, Abitur, Liceo, and Baccalauréat from its standard entrance examination, a concrete advantage for students graduating from recognized international schools. The Universidad de San Martín de Porres (USMP) similarly recognizes the IB Diploma, Bachillerato Francés, Bachillerato Alemán (Abitur), and Bachillerato Italiano under its Bachillerato Extranjero (foreign secondary certificate) category.
When visiting schools, ask to see the specific campus your child would attend, not only the admissions office. Some Lima international schools operate different sections or age-group campuses across multiple sites. During the visit, establish the language of instruction at your child's future year group, what support exists for children arriving mid-cycle or without full proficiency in the school's language of instruction, and whether the international program (IB, Cambridge, Baccalauréat, Abitur) is genuinely available at the relevant year group and not only in the upper secondary years.
For children entering close to examination years, confirm before paying any application fees whether the school will accept a late transfer into its IB, Cambridge, Baccalauréat, or other examination program. Not all schools can accommodate mid-cycle entries into these courses; some Lima schools publish available spaces by age and grade directly on their admissions pages.
For families with SEN children, Colegio Pestalozzi in Miraflores has a defined priority-place admissions process that begins with the submission of the treating doctor's written report. The school also schedules a guided family information meeting and campus visit after documents are received. Families should ask any shortlisted school about its SEN support model before applying, as the level and type of provision differ substantially across Lima's private sector. State-run Centros de Educación Básica Especial (CEBE) provide specialized schooling for children whose needs cannot be met in a regular school setting.
Finally, get a complete written breakdown of all costs before committing to any school. Beyond monthly tuition, Lima private schools may charge separate enrollment fees, materials fees, transport, lunch, and extracurricular activity charges. Asking specifically which charges are refundable if the child does not complete the year is a practical step that is easy to overlook in the rush of a relocation.
Families whose children may eventually apply to Peruvian universities have a specific reason to check curriculum choices carefully. Several Peruvian universities recognize internationally awarded secondary qualifications under the category of Bachillerato Extranjero, and holders of these qualifications may be exempt from the standard university entrance examination. The Universidad de Lima explicitly lists the IBO Diploma, Abitur, Liceo, and Baccalauréat as qualifying exit credentials for this exemption. USMP recognizes the IB Diploma, Bachillerato Francés, Bachillerato Alemán, and Bachillerato Italiano under the same framework.
Choosing a Lima school whose exit qualification appears on a Peruvian university's recognized list is therefore worth confirming before enrollment, particularly for families who plan to remain in Peru through a child's secondary schooling. Admission policies at individual universities can change, so checking directly with the university's admissions office is a necessary step alongside researching the school itself.
For families planning overseas university applications, the IB Diploma and Cambridge/IGCSE are both well-established with admissions offices in North America, Europe, and Australia. Families should confirm that the specific Lima school's program and examination center are fully accredited by the relevant examining body (the IBO for IB programs and Cambridge Assessment International Education for IGCSE) before the child reaches the examination years.
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Frequently asked questions
The most popular options include Colegio Franklin Delano Roosevelt (American curriculum), Colegio Peruano Británico (IB Diploma, affiliated with Nord Anglia Education), Cambridge College Lima (IGCSE and IB Diploma, Chorrillos), Markham College, Newton College, Colegio Franco Peruano (French curriculum, Santiago de Surco), and Colegio Italiano Antonio Raimondi (Italian curriculum). The right school depends on your child's curriculum, the language of instruction, where you live in Lima, and where your family expects to move next.
Fees vary considerably by school and grade level. As a reference point, Colegio Internacional de Lima charges PEN 1,000 per month for Kinder 3 and 4, plus an additional enrollment payment (matrícula) of the same amount, for a total of PEN 11,000 for the school year at that grade level. Higher-profile international schools charge significantly more. Always request the school's current fee schedule directly, as published amounts typically cover tuition and matrícula, and may include separate charges for admission, materials, and extracurricular activities.
Yes. Peru's Ministry of Education allows any parent or legal representative to enroll a child in a public school in any district of the country, with no catchment-area restrictions. Enrollment is completely free; no fees, donations, or entrance exams can be made a condition of enrollment. In Lima Metropolitana, the process is handled entirely online through the Matrícula Digital platform. The main practical consideration is that public schools operate entirely in Spanish, with no structured language support for children arriving without Spanish proficiency.
Lima offers the IB Diploma Program at multiple schools, the Cambridge IGCSE at Cambridge College Lima, the French Baccalauréat (Bachillerato Francés) at Colegio Franco Peruano, the Italian Baccalauréat (Baccalaureato Italiano) at Colegio Italiano Antonio Raimondi, and the American college-preparatory model at Colegio Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Many schools combine an international pathway with the Peruvian national secondary certificate. Families should match curriculum choice to their child's likely university destination and language background.
International and bilingual schools are concentrated in Santiago de Surco, La Molina, Miraflores, San Isidro, and Chorrillos. Because Lima traffic can make cross-city commutes long for young children, the most practical approach is to shortlist schools first and then choose housing within a manageable daily school-run distance. Selecting a neighborhood independently and searching for schools afterward often results in long commutes.
Admissions are school-specific. Most private and international schools operate defined processes with required documents, grade-by-grade vacancy limits, and published timelines. Some schools list available places by age group on their admissions pages. Families should contact admissions as early as possible, ideally several months before the start of the March school year, and have all prior school documentation ready before arriving in Lima.
Lima's international schools use bilingual or multilingual models rather than a single standardized support system. Cambridge College Lima uses a bilingual approach with English- and Spanish-speaking teachers; Colegio Franco Peruano centers its program on trilingualism; Colegio Italiano Antonio Raimondi integrates Italian language and culture throughout. Public schools offer no structured language support for non-Spanish speakers. Parents should ask each school's admissions office specifically about grade-level language support before enrolling.
The Peruvian school year starts in March and runs to December, the reverse of the northern hemisphere calendar. Private and international schools publish their own term dates, which may vary from the public school calendar, so families should confirm exact dates with their chosen school. Families transferring from Europe or North America should plan their relocation to arrive in Lima before January to avoid missing the public school enrollment window, which typically opens in January each year.
For public schools in Lima Metropolitana, new students, re-entrants, and transfers enroll digitally through the Matrícula Digital platform; no in-person queuing at schools is required, and enrollment is free. For private and international schools, each school sets its own process but must communicate costs and payment terms before the vacancy request period. Families should gather prior-school records before arriving in Lima, including academic transcripts and a letter confirming no outstanding fees at the previous school (Carta de No Adeudo), as schools abroad may take weeks to issue these documents.
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A journalist, holder of the DALF C1 and C2 and a diploma from the University of Mauritius, I have nearly twenty years of writing experience. After six years in the Mauritian press, I joined Expat.com, where I have been working for over a decade, including five years as editorial assistant, and now as editorial manager.
