For expat students living in Ecuador, attending one of the many international schools in the country is the perfect solution. Although many international schools in Ecuador typically allow both locals and international students to enroll, the schools are usually focused on providing education for an international student body.
Some of the schools are patterned after curriculum models from schools in the US, UK, or France. The primary language used varies from school to school, but the ones widely used are English, German, French, and Spanish. The schools adhere to similar standards of schooling in other parts of the world, making it easy for students to transition, especially if they’re coming from another international school. They also provide internationally accepted accreditation, such as international baccalaureates, for example.
Each school presents different admission and enrollment procedures for interested students. The tuition is considered slightly higher when based on local standards, but most international schools justify this by offering high standards of learning, smaller class sizes, first-class facilities, and high quality extracurricular activities. There are certain schools which also feature boarding facilities, but a huge percent are used only for day classes.
Below are some of the international schools you can find in Ecuador:
Cuenca
Center for Interamerican Studies (CEDEI) School
Angel Carvajal Vallejo S/N and Canton Vinces – Los Rios Via Miscata
Phone: 5937.419.5035, 5937.419.5029
www.cedei.org
The CEDEI School is a not-for-profit institute of higher learning that focuses on the study of American languages and cultures in Cuenca.
Quito
Academia Cotopaxi American International School
De las Higuerillas y Alondras, Monteserrin, Quito
Phone: 5932.246.7411
www.cotopaxi.k12.ec
Academia Cotopaxi provides English language instruction for preschool, lower school, and high school levels. The school also offers the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and IB Program.
Alliance Academy International (AAI)
Casilla 17-11-06186, Quito
5932.226.7510
www.alliance.k12.ec
Alliance Academy International or AAI is a Christian early elementary, middle, and high school English school based in Quito.
British School Quito
Via Cununyacu, Km 2.5 Tumbacu, Quito
5932.2374.649.650 ext 651
www.britishschoolquito.edu.ec
British School Quito is known as Ecuador’s only true British school. The school modifies the English National Curriculum by integrating strong links to the local Ecuadorian language and culture. The school is an IB World School, and is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the Council of International Schools (CIS), and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
Guayaquil
American School of Guayaquil
Av. Juan Tanca Marengo Km. 6.5 y Av. Gomez Gould, Guayaquil
Phone: 593.308.2020
www.colegioamericano.edu.ec
Opened in 1942, the American School of Guayaquil offers bilingual (English and Spanish) and bicultural education programs. The school provides the IB Diploma academic programme, and its graduates are eligible to earn the bacillerato.
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Clara Luna Language School
Barrio Miraflores, avenida Machalilla, diagonal al Sindicato de Choferes, Puerto Lopez
Phone: 593.990.625.479
www.claraluna.com.ec
Clara Luna Language School is a non-profit, non-political organization that aims to support the local community by providing education-based recreational programs and activities for students of all ages.