Compare Premium International Schools in Colombia

Located in the Andean highlands of Bogotá, Colombia, on the main road KM 9.5 via Mundo Nuevo, Vereda El Salitre, La Calera. The campus is described as surrounded by lush forests, a flowing river, and wide green spaces. Address: Sobre la vía principal, KM 9.5, Vía a Mundo Nuevo, Vereda El Salitre, La Calera, Cundinamarca, CO.

From 4 to 18 years; Preschool, Primary School, High School.

Coeducational bilingual school with Forest School.

School doctors, an occupational therapist, a speech therapist, and a psychologist provide support.

Colombia

Full-day schedule (jornada única diurna).

TEM is the transport partner; door-to-door service; coverage across Bogotá; modern, safety-equipped buses; eco-friendly fleet; certified drivers; continuous service monitoring; periodic reports; supports school outings.

Uniforms are required. Details are provided to families before the first day of school.

The school is part of International Schools Partnership (ISP).

The curriculum blends the Colombian national curriculum with Cambridge International Education across early years through high school. Preschool uses a dynamic blend of the Colombian and Cambridge curricula, developing language, science, arts, and movement within a safe, engaging environment to foster confidence, curiosity, and lifelong learning. Primary School follows both curricula, building literacy, languages, mathematics, science, arts, and technology through active learning that sparks curiosity, independence, and global awareness. High School offers a rigorous, Cambridge-aligned program with advanced study in languages, STEM, arts, and interdisciplinary projects, developing leadership, critical thinking, and global readiness. Cambridge International Education accreditation and alignment with Colombian standards underpin the program, preparing students for higher education and international opportunities.

97% of Grade 11 students achieve at least a B2 (Upper-Intermediate) level in English. 30% reach a CEFR C1 (Advanced/Proficient) level. 96% of students secure a place at one of Colombia's top three universities for 2025. 96% of graduates gain admission to the university of their choice. Over 90% of graduates achieve outstanding results on the IELTS exam.

Graduates routinely gain admission to Colombia's leading universities, with 96% of students accepted to top universities for 2025 and 96% gaining admission to the university of their choice. The school also supports language proficiency for higher education with over 90% achieving IELTS results rated as outstanding.

Safe, caring environment; emotional education; Be Kind campaign; strong family–school partnerships; develop empathy, confidence and respect.

Strong language skills in English and Spanish from an early age; French introduced in 3rd grade.

Safe, caring environment; Be Kind campaign; emotional education; safeguarding policy; highly trained team; family–school partnerships support wellbeing.

Comprehensive safeguarding policy; safe and supportive environment; Be Kind campaign and partnerships with families to protect students.

1. Inquire today. Reach out to our Admissions Team or complete the online inquiry form to express interest and ask initial questions. Multilingual support is available for international families. An Admissions Team member will help with next steps and provide information about the program and requirements.

2. Come visit us. Schedule a visit to tour our campus; virtual open days are available. Experience the learning environment and have questions answered in real time. The admissions team will provide information about the process and what to expect.

3. Submit your application. Submit the application form along with required documents, including personal and financial information, as well as the Reference and Registration forms for the student and their parents or guardians.

4. Interview and assessments. A family interview will be arranged with one of our psychologists, along with a screening assessment for Preschool applicants or admission exams for Primary and High School applicants.

5. Offer and acceptance. The Admissions Committee will review all applications based on exams, interviews, and the Colina experience. Successful applicants will be notified of their results promptly via email and WhatsApp.

6. Welcome to La Colina School. Before the first day of classes, families will receive all essential information to ensure a smooth start, including details on tuition and fee payment, uniforms, the school calendar, and FAQs. We provide ongoing support to help new families settle in.

The school has a plan of scholarships (descuentos). Discounts are authorized under the ministerial resolution in force and may be granted to families on the tuition tariff. Discounts must be detailed in the regulation or manual of convivencia, registered in the enrollment contract, reported in the income and cost statements of private educational establishments, and described for the following academic year in the self-evaluation process. The policy for 2025–2026 is contained as Annex 2. Once a discount is granted, there are conditions to maintain the right, described in the annex.

Envigado, Colombia (km16 Alto Las Palmas).

Preschool (K4 to 1st grade), Elementary (2nd to 5th grade), Middle School (6th to 8th grade), High School (9th to 12th grade).

International bilingual school.

The school has a Learning Center with professionals who support students with learning difficulties or who need additional help.

Colombia

The school works with transportation providers Transporte Asia, Las Buseticas, and Orientours; the contract with the transport company is directly with the family.

The Columbus School allows free expression; students can dress as they like as long as it is respectful. On PE days, they wear the uniform; it is also acceptable to wear the PE uniform on days when they do not have class.

Students have two breaks for snack or lunch. Families may choose to bring a lunchbox or use the school food service provided by ServExpress. For Early Years and Elementary, families can sign up and pay monthly for a snack and a daily lunch, just a daily snack, or just a daily lunch. Middle and High School can register and pay monthly for a daily lunch, bring a lunchbox from home, or buy at the cafeteria every day.

The Columbus School is a not-for-profit corporation, Corporación Colegio Cristóbal Colón (“The Columbus School”), domiciled in Envigado, Antioquia, Colombia. It has three governing bodies: Asamblea General de Miembros (General Assembly of Parents), Junta Directiva (Board of Directors), and Rectoría (Rector). The General Assembly is composed of the parents of the students who are in good standing. The Board of Directors consists of seven members, four internal (parents) and three external, elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms. The Board defines and monitors strategy, makes strategic decisions, ensures the school's sustainability, carries out risk management, ensures regulatory compliance, and evaluates its own performance and that of the Head of School. The Rector leads the school under the Board and the Assembly. The FUNDACIÓN THE COLUMBUS SCHOOL is a separate non-profit foundation connected to the school.

The Columbus School offers four school phases: Preschool (K4 to 1st grade), Elementary (2 to 5th grade), Intermediate (6th to 8th grade), and Senior High (9th to 12th grade). The curriculum emphasizes academic excellence, bilingualism, and training in values and social responsibility. The Elementary program includes K5 through 5th grade with Math Scope and Elementary Math Progressions. For grades 6 through 12, there are alignment documents for Grade 6 through Grade 12, updated February 19, 2019. These documents provide an overview of learning for each term, including essential learning, assessments and depth of understanding. All students pursue higher education at Colombian universities and prestigious institutions abroad.

All students pursue higher education at Colombian universities and prestigious institutions abroad.

The Counseling Department is composed of 14 psychologists, each assigned to a specific grade level. They provide socio-emotional support to students, working in collaboration with families and the teaching staff. They conduct group interventions for the promotion and prevention of issues such as conflict resolution, bullying, substance abuse prevention, responsible sexuality, self-esteem building, and digital citizenship. They offer conferences and workshops for parents to strengthen strategies for effectively managing situations with their children. A High School college counselor supports students in decision-making regarding their professional future and the application and admission processes to local, national, and international universities. This process is carried out both individually through advising students and parents, and at a group level with activities such as university fairs, internship opportunities, conferences, workshops, and more.

The Learning Center provides a department of professionals who help students who have learning difficulties or who need additional help, with the aim that all students reach their highest level. It emphasizes inclusive education and supports diverse learners. The center features highly qualified staff who participate in ongoing professional development, are supported by instructional coaches, and can engage in Master's degree programs or campus courses offered by SUNY Buffalo to enhance practice.

English is the primary language of instruction in homeroom classes, and students receive one hour of daily Spanish instruction.

The Counseling Department provides socio-emotional support to students and works with families and teachers. It runs group interventions on topics such as conflict resolution, bullying, and digital citizenship. It also offers parent conferences and workshops to support families, and a High School college counselor assists students with university planning and applications.

The school maintains a Protection Policy under Policies and a Personal Data Processing Policy (English version) on its site to govern safeguarding of personal data. An Ethics and Transparency Line provides a channel to report suspicious behavior, with defined procedures for reporting concerns.

Step 0: Informational meeting for prospective parents. The Columbus School schedules information meetings in April and May 2024 for prospective K4 admissions for the August 2027 start. Attending is essential to begin the admissions process, and seats are limited. The meeting provides information about the school, includes a tour of the facilities, explains the admissions process and its requirements, and offers the opportunity to ask questions. If a family already has a child enrolled or assigned a seat, they should not register for this meeting. Step 1: Admissions form, submission of documents and interview. A few days after the last information meeting, the Admissions Office will email an invitation with instructions and requirements to begin the admissions process. The emails used come from the registration; families should provide current email addresses. From late May to early August 2024, families must complete the admissions form with the required documents; parents/guardians must schedule the first interview, which is required to finalize the applicant. Step 2: Initial analysis (internal process). To proceed, all required documents must be submitted and the admissions interview attended during the established dates. In August 2024 the admissions committee will review all applicant families and pre-select those invited to schedule a counselor interview. Step 3: Counseling interview. From late August to September 2024, the admissions office will email families to schedule the counselor interview. The interview is conducted in person at the school or via Zoom; the attendance of the parent or guardian is essential. Step 4: Final analysis. The admissions committee will conduct a second evaluation based on the school's admissions philosophy and the number of spaces available; the committee will publish the list of accepted families. Step 5: Response to the family. During October 2024 the admissions office will email responses to the accepted families; along with acceptance, instructions for paying the pre-matriculation are provided; the family must respond by email to indicate acceptance. Those not allocated a seat will also be notified. Step 6: Pre-matriculation payment. The deadline for payment is defined in the communication; families accepting the seat for August 2027 must send the pre-matriculation payment proof to the admissions office by the deadline; failure to provide the proof will result in the seat being offered to another applicant. End of the admissions process.

There is a yearly waiting list; the Admissions team explains how the waiting list operates.