Schools in Girona

International school solves the language problem and costs up to twelve thousand euros a year. State school is free, genuinely good, and your child will be fluent in eighteen months. The right answer depends entirely on their age.

Girona's school landscape is smaller than most relocating families expect. This is a city of 105,000 people, not a regional capital with a dozen international options. There are 46 schools across the city (guidetogirona.com), the overwhelming majority operating in Catalan — not Spanish, not English. Two private international schools serve families who need an English-medium curriculum. The state system is well-resourced and, for younger children, genuinely effective at producing bilingual kids. But the Catalan-medium reality catches many UK families off guard. This guide is for parents who want to understand exactly what each route involves in Girona specifically — the costs, the timelines, the local schools by name, and the mistakes that slow families down.

What this actually involves in Girona

Catalan is the language of instruction — not Spanish

This is the detail that reshapes every other decision. In Girona's public and concertado schools, Catalan is the primary language of instruction across all subjects. Spanish is taught as a curricular language, and English as a foreign language, but your child will learn maths, science, and history in Catalan (spainhandbook.com). For a family arriving from London expecting a Spanish immersion experience, this is a significant recalibration. Your child is not learning one new language — they are entering a Catalan-medium environment in a city where Catalan is the dominant language of daily life. The practical upside is that children who go through this system emerge genuinely trilingual. The practical challenge is that the first six to twelve months are harder than most families anticipate, particularly for children over ten.

The Catalan government's Department of Education confirmed Girona will lead all territorial services in public school group offerings for the 2026–2027 academic year, with 260 public groups for three-year-olds and 315 groups total when concertado places are included (diaricatalunya.cat). That is a meaningful signal about capacity — Girona's state system is expanding, not contracting.

The two international options and where they actually are

Girona has two English-medium private schools. Montjuïc Girona International School is located at Carrer Bellpuig 8–10, 17007, within the city itself, and teaches in Spanish, Catalan, English, and French from nursery through secondary (guidetogirona.com). Sant George's School is an English private school offering primary and secondary education, located at Carrer Josep Pla 4, 17458 Fornells de la Selva — a short drive south of the city centre. Neither school is a large international campus on the Madrid or Barcelona model. Both are smaller institutions serving a community of expat and internationally mobile families in the Girona area.

For families who need IB Diploma or A-Level pathways, neither school in Girona currently offers those qualifications. Families with secondary-age children targeting UK or US university applications may need to consider Barcelona-based options or boarding schools elsewhere in Catalonia. This is a genuine constraint of Girona's size that no amount of planning eliminates.

What it costs

School costs in Girona: state, concertado, and international compared

(Source: spainhandbook.com; helpathandspain.com)

The cost gap between state and international schooling in Girona is real, but the international fees here sit at the lower end of Spain's range. Barcelona and Madrid international schools regularly reach €20,000–30,000 per year (Source: RelocateIQ research). In a city where a furnished two-bedroom apartment runs under €900 per month, paying €10,000 a year in school fees is a meaningful proportion of a family's budget. Families choosing the state route should still budget €200–300 per child annually for textbooks and materials, plus comedor (school dining) costs if needed. The 40% cost-of-living advantage Girona holds over London (Source: Numbeo, early 2026) makes even the international school route more affordable here than in most comparable European cities.

Step by step — how to do it in Girona

Step 1: Decide on state or international before you choose your neighbourhood

In Girona's state system, school admission is determined by catchment area. Your registered address — your empadronamiento — determines which schools you have priority access to. If you want a specific public or concertado school, you must live within its zone. Choose your housing first based on the school, not the other way around. For international school families, this constraint does not apply, but you should still map the commute from your intended address to Montjuïc Girona International School or to Sant George's in Fornells de la Selva before signing a lease.

Step 2: Get your NIE and empadronamiento in place immediately

You cannot apply for a state school place without a valid NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjero) and an empadronamiento certificate from Girona's Ajuntament, located at Plaça del Vi 1, 17004 Girona. The empadronamiento registers you at your Girona address and is the document that establishes your catchment zone for school admissions. Book your appointment at the Ajuntament as soon as you have a signed rental contract. Do not wait until you are settled — the admissions calendar will not wait for you.

Step 3: Apply during the March–April window for state and concertado schools

The Catalan education system runs a strict annual admissions calendar. The application period for infant and primary education runs from early to mid-March, with ESO applications accepted from 6 to 18 March (Source: diaricatalunya.cat). Final school placements are announced on 10 June. If you miss this window, you will be assigned a place by the regional commission wherever space exists — which may not be your preferred school or neighbourhood. Families arriving in summer face this scenario regularly. Plan your move date around the admissions calendar if at all possible.

Step 4: Apply to international schools at least six months in advance

Montjuïc Girona International School and Sant George's School both accept applications directly, without the points-based regional system. However, places are limited and demand from the Girona expat community is consistent. Apply at least six months before your intended start date (thinkglobalpeople.com). Contact both schools directly to request fee schedules, curriculum details, and current availability. Ask specifically about waiting list status for your child's age group.

Step 5: Gather your documentation before any application

For state and concertado applications, you will need: valid passports or NIE for all family members, your empadronamiento certificate, your child's previous school reports, vaccination records, and any SEN documentation if relevant. For international schools, requirements vary but typically include school reports, a brief family interview, and proof of address. Having all documents translated into Spanish or Catalan by a certified translator before you need them saves significant time.

What people get wrong

Assuming the language barrier is just Spanish

Families who have done their research on Spanish state schools often arrive prepared for a Spanish immersion experience. In Girona, the immersion is in Catalan. This is not a minor variation — it is a different language. A child who arrives with basic Spanish will still face a significant adjustment in a Girona classroom, because the teacher is explaining long division in Catalan. For children under eight, this resolves itself quickly through immersion. For children over twelve, it is a serious academic challenge that requires private tutoring support outside school hours. Budget for a Catalan tutor from day one if your child is entering secondary education (spainhandbook.com).

Treating the admissions calendar as flexible

The March–April application window for Girona's state and concertado schools is not a guideline — it is the system. Families who plan a September move and assume they can sort schooling on arrival consistently find themselves assigned to whatever school has vacancies, which may be in a different neighbourhood from where they are living. The admissions calendar is set by the Catalan Department of Education and does not accommodate late arrivals with preferred choices. If your move date is July or August, your state school options for September are limited to remaining vacancies. This is one of the strongest arguments for planning your Girona move to land before March, not after.

Underestimating how small Girona's international school sector is

Families relocating from London, where international school options are extensive, sometimes assume Girona will offer a comparable range. It does not. Two English-medium private schools serve the entire city and surrounding area. Neither currently offers IB Diploma or A-Level programmes (Source: RelocateIQ research). A family with a fifteen-year-old targeting a UK university application needs to know this before committing to Girona, not after. The solution — Barcelona-based schools or boarding options — exists, but it changes the family's logistics and budget significantly.

Who can help

Girona Relocation is the most established local service for newcomers navigating the administrative process, including school registration, empadronamiento, and NIE paperwork. They operate specifically in Girona and have direct experience with the Catalan education system's admissions process — which is meaningfully different from the national Spanish process described in most generic relocation guides.

For families applying to Montjuïc Girona International School or Sant George's School, contact the schools directly. Both have admissions staff who can advise on current availability and documentation requirements. Sant George's School can be reached at their Fornells de la Selva campus; Montjuïc Girona International School is based in the Montjuïc neighbourhood of the city.

If your child has special educational needs, Els Joncs (Passatge dels Massaguer 9, 17001 Girona) is a well-regarded concertado school for children with SEN, serving students aged 3 to 18 with 88 current pupils (guidetogirona.com). For SEN assessment and support within the state system, the relevant contact is the Departament d'Educació's Equip d'Assessorament i Orientació Psicopedagògica (EAP) for the Girona region.

A local gestor — an administrative professional — can handle empadronamiento appointments and document preparation efficiently and typically charges €50–150 for this service (Source: RelocateIQ research).

Frequently asked questions

What international schools are available in Girona?

Girona has two English-medium private schools. Montjuïc Girona International School is located at Carrer Bellpuig 8–10 in the Montjuïc neighbourhood of the city and teaches in Spanish, Catalan, English, and French from nursery through secondary level (guidetogirona.com). Sant George's School is an English private school offering primary and secondary education at Carrer Josep Pla 4, 17458 Fornells de la Selva, a short drive south of Girona city centre.

Neither school is a large international campus comparable to those in Madrid or Barcelona. Both serve a relatively small community of expat and internationally mobile families in the Girona area. Families with secondary-age children requiring IB Diploma or A-Level qualifications should research Barcelona-based options, as neither Girona school currently offers those pathways (Source: RelocateIQ research).

How much do international schools cost in Girona?

Fees at Girona's private international schools sit at the lower end of Spain's range, broadly between €6,000 and €12,000 per year depending on year group and school (helpathandspain.com). This compares favourably with Barcelona and Madrid international schools, which regularly reach €20,000–30,000 annually (Source: RelocateIQ research). You should also budget for one-off enrolment fees, uniforms, and any extracurricular activities on top of headline tuition.

In the context of Girona's overall cost of living — approximately 40% cheaper than London (Source: Numbeo, early 2026) — even the upper end of international school fees here is more manageable than equivalent fees in a higher-cost city. Request a full written fee schedule from each school before committing, as published figures do not always include all mandatory charges.

What is the quality of state schools in Girona?

Girona's state schools are well-resourced by Spanish standards and the city is expanding its public school provision — it will lead all Catalan territorial services in public group offerings for 2026–2027, with 260 public groups for three-year-olds alone (diaricatalunya.cat). The curriculum follows the Spanish national syllabus (LOMLOE) delivered primarily in Catalan, with class sizes of 25–30 students in primary (spainhandbook.com).

The teaching style is more traditional than UK families are used to — structured, textbook-led, with significant homework from around age eight. The system produces strong academic outcomes, particularly in languages, and children who complete their education here typically emerge fluent in Catalan, Spanish, and functional English. For families committing to Girona long-term, the state system is a genuinely good option rather than a compromise.

At what age is it easiest to transition a child into a Spanish school?

Under eight is the clear answer. Children in this age bracket absorb Catalan through play and classroom immersion with remarkable speed, typically achieving conversational fluency within six to nine months (spainhandbook.com). The academic content at this stage is manageable even with limited language, and younger children integrate socially without the self-consciousness that makes the same transition harder for teenagers.

Children aged nine to twelve can make the transition successfully but will need private tutoring support in Catalan and Spanish outside school hours to keep pace with academic content. For children thirteen and over entering ESO, the combination of complex academic vocabulary, heavy homework loads, and the social dynamics of secondary school makes the state school route genuinely high-risk without significant language preparation beforehand. For teenagers, Montjuïc Girona International School or Sant George's is almost always the more sensible starting point.

How quickly do children become fluent in Spanish in Girona schools?

In Girona's state schools, the more relevant question is how quickly children become fluent in Catalan, since that is the primary language of instruction. For children under eight, conversational Catalan typically develops within six months of starting school, with Spanish following naturally given its presence in media, wider society, and Spanish-language lessons (guidetogirona.com).

Older children take longer — a ten to twelve-year-old can expect twelve to eighteen months before they are genuinely comfortable in academic Catalan. The process is faster for children who have any prior exposure to a Romance language, including French, which is relevant given Girona's proximity to the French border. Private tutoring in Catalan accelerates the timeline significantly and is worth budgeting for in the first year regardless of your child's age.

Do state schools in Girona support non-Spanish-speaking children?

Some state schools have an Aula d'Acollida — a welcome classroom — designed to support newly arrived children with language integration. However, resources are stretched and provision varies between schools (spainhandbook.com). In practice, most children are placed directly into mainstream classrooms, which works well for young children but can be stressful for older ones.

When applying to a specific Girona state school, ask directly whether they have an Aula d'Acollida and what the current staffing level is — this varies year to year. The Departament d'Educació's EAP (Equip d'Assessorament i Orientació Psicopedagògica) for the Girona region can also provide guidance on language support resources available at individual schools. Supplementing whatever school support exists with a private Catalan tutor is the practical approach most families in Girona adopt.

What is the Spanish school year calendar?

The Catalan school year runs from early September to late June, with the main holiday breaks at Christmas (late December to early January) and Easter (late March to early April) (thinkglobalpeople.com). The summer break runs approximately ten to eleven weeks. Each autonomous community sets its own calendar, so Catalonia's dates differ slightly from those in Madrid or Andalusia.

Most Girona state schools operate on a jornada partida (split day) model: morning lessons, a long lunch break from around 12:30 to 15:00, then afternoon lessons until around 16:30. After-school activities (extraescolars) extend the day to around 18:00 for families who need it. The long lunch break is the feature that most surprises UK families — school dining (menjador) is available, but the expectation of a two-and-a-half-hour midday break is built into the school's structure, not an anomaly.

Is there a waiting list for international schools in Girona?

Both Montjuïc Girona International School and Sant George's School have limited capacity, and demand from Girona's expat community — estimated at 5,000–10,000 people (local estimates, 2026) — is consistent. Places at popular year groups can be oversubscribed, particularly at primary level (thinkglobalpeople.com).

The practical advice is to contact both schools as early as possible — ideally six to twelve months before your intended start date — and ask directly about current availability for your child's year group. Unlike state schools, international school admissions are not tied to a fixed annual window, which gives you more flexibility, but it does not mean places are always available on demand. Families arriving in late summer for a September start are the most likely to encounter waiting list situations.