A public system under the French national curriculum, with local specifics
Monaco's public school system follows the French national curriculum, overseen by the Direction de l'Éducation Nationale, de la Jeunesse et des Sports (DENJS). This shared foundation comes with features specific to the Principality: reinforced English teaching from kindergarten through to the final year of secondary school, French taught as a foreign language to help non-French-speaking children integrate, lessons in the Monegasque language and history, and a strong emphasis on sport, including classes with adjusted timetables for young athletes. Schooling is compulsory from age 6 to 16, though children are generally admitted from age 3, subject to available places.
Public schools and the school catchment map
The Principality has ten public schools: seven kindergarten and primary schools, one middle school, one general and technological high school, and one vocational and hotel-management high school. Primary school placement follows a catchment map that divides Monaco into five geographic sectors tied to the family's neighbourhood of residence: École des Carmes for Saint-Roman, École Saint-Charles for Monte-Carlo, École du Parc for Moneghetti, École des Révoires for Jardin Exotique, and École de la Condamine or École de Fontvieille for their respective neighbourhoods.
At middle-school level, pupils move on to Collège Charles III, before continuing at Lycée Albert Ier, the Principality's historic school, which offers general, technological and vocational baccalaureate tracks along with a preparatory literary class, a rare offering for a school of this size. Families oriented toward a technical or hospitality track have a dedicated vocational high school available. This entire public track is free for Monaco residents and for the children of residents holding a residence card, with enrolment requiring the family record book, the residence card, and vaccination records.
Private schools under contract
Two faith-based private schools operate under contract with the Monaco state, including the Institut François d'Assise-Nicolas Barré. These schools follow the same curriculum as public schools, with staffing partially funded by the state, which keeps tuition fees moderate. They suit families looking for a particular educational approach, often religious, while staying within the French curriculum framework.
Private and international schools outside the state contract
For families who prefer an English-language track or a curriculum entirely independent of the French system, two schools stand out. The International School of Monaco (ISM) remains the main reference: bilingual English/French teaching, the International Baccalaureate programme from kindergarten to graduation, accreditation by the Council of International Schools, and tuition fees generally ranging from €18,000 to €28,000 a year depending on the grade. Admission is based on academic records, a language assessment, and a family interview, and places are typically booked several months in advance.
The British School of Monaco, meanwhile, offers primary education from Year 1 to Year 6, based on the British curriculum, with the option of preparing A-levels remotely for the continuation of secondary studies. These schools outside the state contract set their own curriculum, teaching methods and fees, while still meeting Monaco's legal requirements.
How to choose the right fit
The right system depends above all on the family's profile and how long they plan to stay in Monaco. A family settling long-term, with children enrolled from a young age, often leans toward the public system, which is free and well structured. An internationally mobile family, moving frequently between countries, will more often favour an English-language track like the ISM, whose IB programme makes it easier to move on to universities abroad. The choice of neighbourhood also matters: proximity to a public school in the right catchment sector, or conversely to a private school located elsewhere, is worth factoring in from the very start of the property search.
How we help
Proximity to a school, public or private, is one of the criteria we systematically factor in when helping a family search for a property in Monaco. Planning your children's schooling in the Principality and looking for a property in the right neighbourhood? Let's talk about your project.
