A Guide to Education & International Schools in Mexico

Jump right in:

• The education system in Mexico
• Childcare & early childhood education
• Primary and secondary schools
• International schools
• Higher education
• Language schools

The next few subsections will give you a brief outline of the structure of the system and other useful information, such as the academic year, grading system, and holidays.

Education facts in Mexico

Below are some quick facts about education in Mexico.

• In public schools, the language of teaching is Spanish.
• Education is mandatory through high school; parents must ensure minors attend.
• Public education in Mexico is secular, free, and compulsory.
• The school year starts at the end of August and finishes at the beginning of July.
• Religious education or classes taught in a language other than Spanish can be provided by private schools.

What is the education system like?

The Mexican Constitution establishes that citizens have the right to receive education. The United Mexican States, through the Secretariat of Public Education, Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP), is in charge of providing education to the people under four basic principles, (in public education): it is secular, compulsory, free, and must meet quality standards. If you are looking for religious, bilingual, or international schools for your children, you should look into private school options.

The school grades are divided into:

• 6-12 y.o: elementary education (educación básica),
• 12-15 y.o: lower secondary education (Secundaria)
• 15-18 y.o: upper secondary education (educación media superior),
• University: higher education (educación superior).
  The compulsory school age systems in Mexico covers the ages from 3 to 18 years old.

What are the school systems like: schedules, holidays, and grading system in Mexico?

The school year in Mexico runs from late August to early July. School hours in private and public schools differ, but they normally start at 7:30-8:00 until around 13:30-14:30. Some schools also offer afternoon sessions (sesión vespertina) from 13:00 to 18:00 approximately.

The main school holidays in Mexico are:

• Summer holidays: From early July to late August.
• Winter holidays: Two weeks and a half from Christmas week onwards.
• Spring holidays: two weeks in April. Typically, throughout March and early April (takes place during the week leading up to Easter).

In Mexico, there are two grading systems according to the cut-off mark. General education cut-off mark: 60 (or 6)

Higher education cut-off mark: 70 (or 7)

Postgraduate cut-off marks are 80 or 8.
Note: WES stands for World of education services

Should you choose a public, private, or international school?

Before you decide which is the most suitable school for your children, you should consider the differences between the types of schools available in Mexico. On the one hand, public education is free and secular. Classes are taught in Spanish, except for the few that are taught specifically in English. Private schools in Mexico are often bilingual and even trilingual. While some subjects may be taught in English or other languages, the majority of classes are usually conducted in Spanish. If your children do not speak Spanish, enrolling them in an international school (mostly American, British, German, French or Japanese) may be the best option. In these institutions, most subjects are taught in the language of the school's country of origin. Another relevant factor to take into account is the tuition fees. These vary greatly depending on your choice. Mexican private schools are considerably cheaper than international schools. See the relevant sections below for more information on price ranges. In either case, make sure the private school is certified by the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP), as this ensures recognition within Mexico. If international recognition is important to you, look for schools that also hold international accreditations such as the International Baccalaureate (IB) or Cambridge programs.

If you are moving to Mexico and have children from 0 to 5 years of age don’t worry, because there are plenty of childcare options. Among Mexican families, childcare in facilities is not always the first choice, since parents often take care of the children themselves or rely on family members. However, babysitters and nannies are also popular.

Throughout the past 30 years, the childcare system has seen an improvement. The Mexican government has made efforts since the 90s to create inclusive educational programs. The aim is to give children all the tools for their development, regardless of their socioeconomic status, or whether they live in an urban, rural or an indigenous area, or if they are disabled.

Are kindergarten and preschool mandatory in Mexico? Since 2002, Mexico established that preschool, or pre-primary education (Educación preescolar), is compulsory from the ages of 3 to 5. Therefore, nurseries and daycare centers for children between 45 days and 2 years old are optional. In the official Mexican education system, preschool is divided into three grades: first year (for 3-year-olds), second year (for 4-year-olds), and third year (for 5-year-olds).

Daycare, childcare and kindergarten fees Childcare and kindergarten fees depend on the center. Because kindergarten is part of formal education in Mexico from the age of 3, the public sector is free. Moreover, childcare centers are free for working parents as well. Private childcare can cost between 500 MXN (25 USD) and 5,000 MXN (250 USD) per month. For private kindergarten and preschool, the cost is considerably higher, from 1,364 MXN (68 USD) up to 20,000 MXN (1,000 USD) per month. You must also add around 1,750 MXN (87 USD) for teaching materials. In addition, you must take into account the registration fee paid at the beginning of the school year, which can range from 3,050 MXN (150 USD) to 26,000 MXN (1,300 USD)

Educational approach The educational approach in preschool is oriented towards strengthening a child’s developmental skills. The system gives kids a range of tools and life experiences in order to prepare them for primary schools. At the same time, it gives parents some guidelines about childcare practices to help their early stimulation and development.

This section covers information about different levels of education as well as the documents needed to enroll your child to school, and the costs and fees you can expect.

Required documents

Documents required for admissions vary depending on the school. The below documents are an example of what could be required:

• admission application;
• birth certificate;
• ID card or passport or family members (FM) document if you are a foreign national living in Mexico from children and parents;
• Identity code also known as Clave Única de Registro de Población (CURP);
• proof of address;
• vaccination records and health evaluation certificate;
• grades from former schools;
• letters of good conduct.

Basic education (educación básica):

• Pre-primary education (Educación preescolar): Three courses for children between 3 and 5 years old.
• Primary education (Educación primaria): Six courses (grades 1-6) for children between 6 and 12 years old.
• Middle school or junior high school (Educación secundaria): Three courses (grades 7-9) for children between 12 and 15 years old.

Upper secondary education (Educación Media Superior):

• High school (bachillerato or preparatoria): Three courses (grades 10-12) for students between 15 and 18 years old. In turn, there are three options within this level:
• General upper secondary (Bachillerato o preparatoria general): It prepares the student for higher education with scientific, technical, and humanistic knowledge.
• Technological upper secondary (Bachillerato tecnológico): It gives the students the expertise and basic knowledge to continue a career in a technological field. Graduate students from this bachillerato can enter the job market directly or pursue a higher education degree.
• Technical professional education (Profesional técnica): Students get trained to be qualified professionals in technical fields, from which they can access the job market directly.

School costs In Mexico, depending on the quality and the category of the school, costs can be anywhere from free to 70,000 MXN (3,200 USD) per month. Public schools are all free, although sometimes you need to pay for books or extra activities. Mexican private schools ask for an inscription fee that can range from 4,000 MXN (200 USD) to 60,000 MXN (3,000 USD). Keep in mind that the price depends on the institution, educational level, and location. These schools usually require an annual enrollment fee (matriculación), which can vary significantly, from 4,000 to 60,000 MXN (about 200 to 3,000 USD).

In this section, you will find information about the best international schools in Mexico. The process of adaptation for expat children can be difficult, especially if the culture and the language are different. Therefore, an international school can be a very suitable and recommended option to start with, since it will cushion the radical changes in their education and also within society. Most of these schools have distinguished reputations, which ensures your kids receive a first-class education that will prepare them for later challenges.

Schools in mexico for international students In Mexico, you can find international schools in all its major cities, and they provide classes through all levels, from nursery to high school. There is also a large variety of educational approaches in accordance to their background. The larger variety are the British and American schools, which you can find throughout the biggest urban centers.  Your kid can also receive education from other schools in German, French, Japanese, and Italian, and combining those languages with Spanish. International schools are not only language focused, but also you can opt for other educational systems such as Montessori schools, or even religious schools, mainly Catholics and Jewish.

International school tuition fees Since all international schools are private, they all have tuition fees, which are even higher than other Mexican private schools. Consider that you will have to pay for an enrollment fee, which goes from 5,000 MXN (230 USD) to 60,000 MXN (3,000 USD) or more and a monthly fee 15,000 MXN (700 USD) up to 70,000 (4,060 USD) for the most expensive ones, including the teaching materials such as books, uniforms, extra-curricular activities, etc.

International school admissions requirements The requirements are similar to those of other types of schools. Below is an example of international school requirements and admission paperwork:

• application form;
• birth certificate;
• a copy of the CURP of the student and their parents;
• proof of address;
• medical history and vaccination records;
• letter from the former school proving no existence of debts;
• last evaluation and grades from the former school;
• for foreign nationals living in Mexico, proof of legal residency in the country.

American and Canadian schools

• [The American School Foundation](https://www.asf.edu.mx/( Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey)
• Puebla American School Foundation
• Maple Bear Canadian School
• Westhill Institute

British schools

• The Edron Academy
• Greengates School
• Instituto Bilingüe Victoria
• The Winpenny School
• The Wingate school
• The Churchill School

French Schools

• Lycée Franco-Mexicain (branches in several cities across Mexico)

Japanese schools

• The Japanese School of Mexico
• Japanese School of Guadalajara (Escuela Japonesa de Guadalajara)

German and swiss schools

• [Colegio Suizo de México](
• Colegio Alemán Alexander Von Humboldt
• [Colegio Humboldt](https://colegio-humboldt.edu.mx/
• Colegio Alemán de Guadalajara

Montessori Schools

• Peterson School
• The Montessori American School
• Colegio Montessori Sierra Madre
• Escuela Montessori de la Ciudad de México
• Colegio María Montessori

Religious Schools (Catholic, Jewish)

• Colegio Junipero
• Cumbres Institute
• Northridge School
• Colegio hebreo Monte Sinai
• Colegio Hebreo Tarbut
• Colegio Israelita de México ORT

Are you interested in studying at one of the top universities of Mexico? Mexico’s higher education institutions are among the best in Latin America and in the world. Students will benefit from the fact that the cost of living and the access to education is low, so you can enjoy your time studying immersed in a historical and multicultural environment. In this section, we will describe some key points to help you find the options that best adjust to you.

Mexico’s prestigious higher education ranked 31st in the QS Higher Education System Strength Rankings in 2025, placing it as one of the best in the world. Moreover, 64 of Mexico’s universities also reached top positions in the 2025 edition of the QS Latin America Rankings and 32 of them got a place in the world’s ranking. All official higher education institutions need to have a Recognition of Official Validity of Studies, in Spanish Reconocimiento de Validez Oficial de Estudios (RVOE), which ensures the quality and recognition of the institution.

The educational system is similar to those in the USA and Europe, in the sense that it is divided into three main blocks or levels:

Higher education (Educación superior):

• Bachelor’s degree or undergraduate (Licenciatura): Normally four-year programs.
• Master’s degree or postgraduate (Maestría): Normally two-year programs oriented to obtaining a specialization in a certain area of knowledge.
• Doctoral degree (Doctorado): The highest degree program that universities offer, and it consists of a three-to-four-year research.

However, not all the higher education institutions are universities. The public system comprises of regular universities, technical universities, technical institutes, polytechnic universities, and teacher training colleges. Most of Mexico’s higher education is private.

Requirements vary depending on the institution and the degree but completing the upper secondary school is a must. Other requirements usually are entrance examinations and school grades.

Best universities for international students in Mexico Find a list below of the best top 10 universities in Mexico:

• Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
• Tecnológico de Monterrey
• [Universidad Panamericana (UP)]
• Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM)
• El Colegio de México, A.C.
• Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN)
• [Universidad Anáhuac México](Universidad Anáhuac México)
• Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México – IBERO
• Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM)
• ITESO, Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara

How much does it cost to study in Mexico for international students?

University tuition fees in Mexico vary dramatically between public and private higher education establishments. Even so, even the pricier options are still significantly cheaper than in the neighboring US. A bachelor's degree at a public institution in Mexico costs, on average, 13,824 MXN (about 800 USD) a year, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). According to the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO), graduating from a private institution with a complete degree might cost anywhere from 130,000 MXN (7,547 USD) to 950,000 MXN (55,150 USD) or more. These numbers differ greatly depending on the school, the curriculum selected, and other elements, including location, area of expertise, and resources available.

One important factor to consider is the cost of pursuing a graduate degree. At Mexico’s leading institutions, both public and private, the average tuition for a postgraduate degree ranges from approximately 7,500 MXN (439 USD) to 150,000 MXN (8,782 USD) per semester, with some programs exceeding this range depending on the field of study and the university.

If you are moving to Mexico and you wish to learn Spanish or any other language, there are a wide variety of language schools around the country.

If you are wondering about the language barrier, be aware that learning Spanish is not essential if you only consider your work environment. However, if you plan to socialize, understand bills, shop, deal with governmental documentation, make new friends, or understand the Mexican culture, then you must take some steps to embrace the language. On the other side, if you already speak it and you are interested in other languages, Mexican language schools teach many of the most prominent world languages.

Below are some school suggestions. Do not hesitate to have a look at their websites and learn about their offers.

Spanish schools:

• Spanish Center (Mérida)
• Spanish Experience Center (Puerto Vallarta)
• Plateros Spanish School (Guanajuato)
• Olé (Queretaro)
• Don Quijote (Playa del Carmen)
• IMAC Spanish Language Programs (Guadalajara)
• CEPE, UNAM (Mexico City)

Other languages:

• English: Dianglish School (Mexico City)
• Portugese: Casa do Brasil en Mexic (Mexico City)
• British English: Instituto Británico de idiomas (Mexico City)
• French: Instituto lingua franca (Chihuahua)
• Multiple language options: Berlitz (Mexico City, Guadalajara)
• Awesome English (Monterrey)

Language school fees Language schools in Mexico, as in most parts of the world, are not cheap. As expected, the price will depend on the school, even though the more hours you enroll, the cheaper it will be. On average, you can consider an initial price of 2,000 to 11,500 MXN (100 to 670 USD). If you prefer to take private lessons, the price goes between 200 and 500 MXN (10 to 25 USD) per lesson.