Los Angeles is a city brimming with multiple cultures, and if you truly want to have an international experience, there is no better place than London. So, it is no surprise that Los Angeles is one of the major cities with some of the best international schools. Los Angeles International schools used to be for the ex-pat population mostly, but things have changed. You will find local, national, as well as foreign populations in schools in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles international schools provide a first-class education that is recognizable all around the world. The benefit of these schools is that you can study a variety of international curriculums. International Baccalaureate is the most popular one in schools in Los Angeles as it is taught worldwide. So, when ex-pat families move, the children can pick up from where they left off. Other than that, there are American National and British national curriculums offered in most international schools in Los Angeles.
Several Los Angeles international schools will also offer curriculums from around Europe and some other countries. Students can mix international and national curriculums as well. This allows children to remain in touch with their mother language. Most courses are taught in English, but some national curriculums may involve studying a particular international language, such as French. From arts and humanities to math and science, all courses are offered in international schools. Los Angeles international schools are very competitive, and the grading systems may differ.
If you are looking to get your child to get into one of the international schools, keep reading for the list of best Los Angeles international schools, their requirements, and how you can get in touch with them.
Here are the top international schools in LA for you to choose from and all about how they differ in their educational system. Let’s find out more.
1. Lycée International de Los Angeles
International School of Los Angeles or Lycée International de Los Angeles is one of the private international schools in LA. It is for children aged 4 to 18 and has accreditations from the Intranational Baccalaureate, French Ministry of Education, and Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The founders of this school were from the French land, so they chose the native French educational system as the basis for this international school.
This international school in LA has five campuses for students from different years. The academic structure of this school is based on a bilingual International Baccalaureate. The program, which is according to French Ministry’s standards, is taught in a double language context, so the students graduate with a French Baccalaureate or International Baccalaureate Diploma. Advanced Placement classes are also offered here.
According to several publications, this has been ranked as one of the most challenging international schools in Los Angeles. The fee starts from $9,000 for the primary years and goes up to $14,000 for the senior classes.
International School of Los Angeles
Phone: (818) 994-2961
Email: LILA@lilaschool.com
2. Goethe International Charter School
Goethe International Charter school is one of the best international schools in Los Angeles with a tuition-free system. This international school Los Angeles is named after the scientist Wolfgang von Goethe. It is an authorized International Baccalaureate World School, and its global perspective involves programs based on dual language immersion – namely, German and Spanish. Goethe International Charter school has been recognized with titles as California Distinguished School in 2014, a Gold Ribbon School in 2016, a Green Ribbon School in 2017, and is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
There is no application fee for this international school Los Angeles. The application deadline is till March. Other than the International Baccalaureate program, there is an elementary program, a special educations program, Physical education, a middle school program, and more. Admission is assigned based on a random public lottery, and all students in the state of California are eligible to apply. There are no tests, fees, or other requirements.
Goethe International Charter School
Phone: (310) 306-3484
Email: c.jones@goethecharterschool.org
3. The Healdsburg School
The Healdsburg School is one of the most thriving international schools in Los Angeles. This international school in Los Angeles is a private school for classes K to 8. Other than academic excellence, students are taught to excel in co-curricular activities like arts and music. Mandarin and Spanish are taught as international languages.
The Healdsburg School is an authorized International Baccalaureate World School and offers Primary years program for K-5 Grades. This international school in Los Angeles is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), International Baccalaureate, and National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). Annual tuition is up to $14800. The application deadline is till March. There are no high school or AP courses offered.
The Healdsburg School
Phone: (707) 433-4847
Email: tbruno@thehealdsburgschool.org
4. La Scuola International School
La Scuola is an international school of Los Angeles and has a diverse faculty and student population from over 30 countries. Pressing on the importance of bilingualism is a central focus for this international school as it teaches English, Spanish, and Italian. So, if the children do not have English as their native language, they can still get an education at this international school.
La Scuola ranks in the top 20 percent of the international schools in Los Angeles. The school is a member of the European Council for International Schools, National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, and California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS). It is for students of K-8TH Grade. The annual tuition cost can go up to $35000. This school is also recognized by the Italian Education Ministry.
La Scuola International School
Phone: (415)551-0000
5. New Convent Academy
New Convent Academy stands out among this list of international schools in Los Angeles. This is one of the Los Angeles international schools that has been around since 1999 and imparts a high-quality Christian education. This school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. It is a member of the International Baccalaureate World School, Association of Christian Schools International, and California Association of Private School Organizations.
NCA provides the opportunity to take the International Baccalaureate diploma to 11th and 12th graders. Overall, it is a K-12 college prep school and is one of the top-ranking international schools in Los Angeles. You can expect an annual fee of up to $13000. A free summer school for 8 weeks is allowed for all students.
New Covenant Academy
Phone: (213) 487-5437
Email: admissions@e-nca.org / info@e-nca.org
6. The Quarry Lane School
The Quarry Lane School is another one of the best international schools in Los Angeles. It is also one of the best college preparatory schools and has classes for grades K-12. This is a private school with about 18 extracurricular activities like Fashion Design and Journalism. The annual cost for tuition is up to $42000, but there is a financial aid program for a few students worth $25000. On average, the students at this school get an SAT score of 1480.
The Quarry Lane is the only private school with an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program in the East Bay Area. The alumni of this school have attended some of the best universities in the world. It has a cutting-edge curriculum with an individualized and accelerated education system.
The Quarry Lane School
Phone: (925) 829-8000
7. Shu Ren International School
Shu Ren is an ace among the Los Angeles international schools. This international school has an immersion program to teach Mandarin to the students. The projects are based on real-life and are hands-on, so the students can learn practicality and build confidence to move in the real world. It is a very diverse school with a high number of people of color among the enrolled students.
Shu Ren is one of the few Los Angeles international schools that offer a combination of Mandarin immersion and the International Baccalaureate World program for the students of K-5 grade. The International Baccalaureate, primary years is offered in this school. The curriculum is inquiry-based, so the students learn critical thinking skills. Annual tuition costs can go up to $26000 depending on the grade of the student.
The school is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and International Baccalaureate (IB) World School.
Shu Ren International School
Phone: (510) 841-8899
Email: info@shurenschool.org
8. Escuela Bilingüe Internacional (EBI)
EBI is one of the bilingual Los Angeles international schools. This international school is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, and California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS). It was founded in 2006 and is for students from K-8. This is a co-ed school and enrols about 408 students per calendar year.
You can expect to pay an annual tuition fee of $25000. EBI is authorized by International Baccalaureate and is a bilingual Spanish-English school. The IB curriculum is transdisciplinary, challenging, and relevant. Instructions in Mandarin start in the 3rd grade in this school. EBI follows inquiry-based learning, has differentiated instructions methods, and the community comes from over 18 countries. This makes EBI one of the most diverse Los Angeles international schools. The extracurricular activities involve arts and music.
The average class is based 22 students. There is a summer program available as well, which is offered by the school for $400. The admissions deadline for application is till January each year.
Escuela Bilingue Internacional
Phone: (510) 653-3324
International schools enrol students from all kinds of backgrounds nowadays. Previously, these used to be mostly for children of ex-pat families who moved around a lot. So, to protect the education of these children from going to waste every time the family moved, IB schools offered a way out.
Los Angeles international schools offer different immersion programs and bilingual courses. There are multiple choices, but the school you choose will depend on where you may go next or if you want the child to get to learn their native land’s language. Most Los Angeles international schools are private and come at varying fees. Make sure to take a thorough look at the curriculum and structure of the school before enrolling your child.
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