This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.
If you are an expatriate with school-age children and are in the United States for a stint of a couple of years and intend to return home, then an international school is a great option for you. No sense in sending your children to a regular American public school only to have them yanked from that culture a few years hence. Educate them according to the curricula and standards to which you are accustomed. They won't have to backtrack and fill in the material which they missed. International schools make a point of using curricula approved by the authorities in your home country. Obviously, if your home country happens to be the United Kingdom, France or Germany, you are in luck.
International schools are concentrated in major urban areas as a rule. However, you will find schools in some rather unlikely places. It is always a good idea to ask your consulate or embassy for suggestions. Most are day schools. That works well for a young family.
International Schools
- Atlanta International School
- Austin International School
- The Awty International School
- The British International School of New York
- Chinese American International School
- Dallas International School
- French Immersion School of Washington
- French American School of Los Angeles
- French-American School of New York
- German-American School of Palo Alto
- Henderson International School
- International School of Arizona
- International School of Boston
- International School of Indiana
- Lycee International de Los Angeles
- Lycee Rochambeau, Washington, DC
- Lycee Francais de New York
- Lycee Franco American International School
- Portland French School
- Seattle Area German American School
- United Nations International School
- Washington International School
For families researching international education in 2026, the International Baccalaureate maintains a directory that can be used to confirm whether a school is currently authorized to offer an IB program.
Private School Review's Private Schools for International Students: 2026 Guide provides additional information about international programs, admissions, and student support.
Families comparing schools can also consult Private School Review's International Students in Private Schools: 2026 Guide and Being an Expat and Educating Your Children Abroad for guidance on curricula and educational continuity.
