You will find below a list of the most popular international and bilingual schools for expats in Saint Lucia with fee information. The list includes nursery schools, primary and secondary (high) schools for you to find the right school to prepare for the International Baccalaureate and other accreditation in Saint Lucia. Some schools may follow the American or British curriculums with English speaking programs while others are regulated under the Canadian language and system.

Education in Saint Lucia

The education on the Caribbean island of St Lucia, which is compulsory between ages 5 and 16, comprises a network of private and public schools, of which the latter charge no fees.

Primary education consists of a three-year phase: the Infant program (grades 1 – 3), followed by four years of Primary instruction (grades 4-7).
At the end of the seventh grade, students take the Common Entrance Examination (CEE) to determine placement for additional compulsory schooling.

Students choose which secondary school they wish to attend and the CEE scores are used in school assignment with those with higher scores getting preference.
Secondary education includes the CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate) Examinations at 16/17 years old.

The 1997 Saint Lucia Education Act requires all students to remain in school until 16 years of age. Therefore, the small percentage who do not pass the CEE test or do not want to enrol into a traditional secondary school program, they can continue into a three-year Senior Primary Program or CARE Schools, comparable to Vocational Education in many countries, which focuses on preparing students for future jobs.

International Schools

International schools can be the perfect solution for an expat student (multinational corporation executives, children of diplomats, NGO staff) in Saint Lucia. Many schools provide similar standards of schooling around the globe, providing for an easy transition between schools whether they are in France or Vietnam.

There may be some local population, but the schools are usually geared for an international student body. Schools may follow a curriculum model from the US, UK, France, etc. Primary instruction may be any language (and multiple languages are usually taught), but it is usually in English, French, Spanish, German, or Japanese. Schools also provide internationally accepted accreditation such as the international baccalaureate.

Admission and enrolment procedures vary from school to school. Space is often limited and preference may be given to students based on nationality. Tuition tends to be expensive based on local standards, but offers high standards of learning, boast smaller class sizes, first-rate facilities, and extracurricular. Boarding facilities are available at some schools, but most only provide day classes.

Accreditation & Membership

• The CoIS (Council of International Schools) is a non-profit association of international schools and post-secondary institutions which provides educational accreditation, teacher and leadership recruitment services, links to higher education, governance assistance and help with founding new schools.
• European Council of International Schools (ECIS) is a collaborative network promoting the ideals and best practice of international education, complemented by grants and awards.
• Council of British International Schools (COBIS) is a responsive organisation that serves, supports and represents its member schools.
• New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC) is a regional accrediting association which establishes standards for all levels of education, from pre-K to doctoral.
• Agency for French Education Abroad (Agence pour l'enseignement français à l'étranger, AEFE) is a national public agency under the administration of the French government that assures the quality of schools teaching the French national curriculum outside France.
• National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) represents over 1100 independent schools and associations in the United States and abroad.

International schools in Gros Islet

International School Saint Lucia (ISSL)
P.O. Box RB 2701, Rodney Bay
Gros Islet, St Lucia, W.I
Tel: +1 758 458 0989
Email: reception@intschoolstlucia.org
Tuition Rates: XCD$16,000 ($5,900) [school year 2021/22]

Established in 2006, The International School of Saint Lucia is a private, co-educational school located in Rodney Bay in the district of Gros Islet St Lucia. ISSL offers quality education from Kindergarten to Grade 12 and is accredited by the New Brunswick Board of Education (Canada) and recognized by the Saint Lucia Ministry of Education. Students at ISSL benefit from an academic program based on the highly respected Ontario and New Brunswick Canadian curriculum.

The Montessori Centre / Wee Wisdom Int'l Montessori School
P.O. Box 2631, Rodney Bay
Gros-Islet, St. Lucia, W.I
Tel: +1 758 450 1572 / +1 758 452 8114
Email: montessoricenterslu@gmail.com
Tuition Rates: $6750 [school year 2021/22]

The Montessori Centre is a private co-educational day school for children ages 18 months to 12 years.
The school is a member of the American Montessori Society and North American Montessori Teacher Association. In the lower section, Toddlers through to Reception (ages 18 months to 6 years) the teaching is based on principles of Dr. Maria Montessori while in the upper section, grades 1 to 6 the teaching combines the traditional class environment with some of the basic Montessori principles.