How to choose an international preschool abroad
Moving countries with a toddler or four-year-old turns a simple decision into a puzzle: which curriculum, which language, which neighbourhood, and how the choice affects the primary school that follows. This guide sets out the questions that matter most for expat families, in the order most parents meet them.
Start with where your child goes next
Early years settings feed into primary schools. If you expect to stay for several years, look at the primary schools you would consider and work backwards: a British EYFS nursery leads naturally into Year 1, an IB PYP early years class into a PYP primary. If your posting is short, prioritise a curriculum that is widely available in the countries you might move to next.
Check age placement against your move date
Countries place children in year groups using different cut-off dates, so the same child can be in different classes in two countries. Our city guides list the official cut-off where we can source it; if a city has none listed, ask the school how it places children born in your child's month.
Language of instruction
Decide whether you want continuity in your home language, immersion in the local language, or a bilingual programme. Young children adapt quickly, but parents should be able to talk to teachers comfortably, so ask which language is used for reports and parent meetings.
Fees and what they include
Published fees vary in what they cover: some include meals, transport or materials, others list them separately, and registration or reservation fees are often non-refundable. Our hubs show a fee range only from schools that publish annual tuition, and always say how many listings it is based on.
- When should expat families start looking for a preschool?
- As soon as the destination city is known. Popular international settings keep waiting lists, and visiting or meeting the school online before you move gives you time to compare.
- Does the preschool curriculum have to match the primary school?
- Not strictly, but matching curricula make the move into primary smoother, especially for year-group naming and early reading approaches.