EU member-state school enrolment for accompanying children — public / private / international (multi-country)

You are advising [CLIENT_NAME] on enrolling [CHILDREN] in schools in [TARGET_CITY], [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY], with [BUDGET_RANGE] budget, [EMPLOYMENT_DURATION] expected stay, and Continuity with Indian curriculum (CBSE/ICSE). Each EU member state has its own compulsory schooling structure (ages 5-16 in most; some 6-15; some 6-18); calibrate to country.

UNIVERSAL EU CONTEXT
- Compulsory schooling everywhere in EU: state-funded public schools
- Right of access for migrant children: guaranteed by Article 14 EU Charter of Fundamental Rights + Council Directive 77/486/EEC (education of children of migrant workers)
- Three tracks across the EU:
  1. Public (state-funded; free or near-free; local-language instruction)
  2. Concertado / convenzionato / subsidised private (state-funded + parent contribution; church-affiliated common; local language)
  3. Private international (full fee; English / IB / British / American / French / German curriculum)

§1 — IF [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY] IS "Portugal"

STRUCTURE:
- Educação pré-escolar (3-5 years): optional, often free at public jardins de infância
- Ensino básico 1º ciclo (Grades 1-4): mandatory, ages 6-10
- Ensino básico 2º ciclo (Grades 5-6): ages 10-12
- Ensino básico 3º ciclo (Grades 7-9): ages 12-15
- Ensino secundário (Grades 10-12): ages 15-18; mandatory since 2012 reform

PUBLIC ENROLMENT:
- Portal de matrículas (portaldasmatriculas.edu.gov.pt) — online platform; admission by zone (proximity-based)
- Required: NIF, Atestado de Residência, child's birth certificate (apostilled + translated), vaccination record (boletim de vacinas), prior schooling certificate translated
- Free; lunch ~€1.50/day; books free under "Manuais Gratuitos" programme

LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION:
- Portuguese
- Português Língua Não Materna (PLNM) — Portuguese as Foreign Language — extra hours for non-native children — free at public schools
- Most public schools assess child's PLNM level on entry; assign appropriate support

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS in Lisbon:
- Carlucci American International School of Lisbon (CAISL) — US + IB Diploma — €18,000-25,000/year
- St. Julian's School (Carcavelos) — British + IB Diploma — €17,000-25,000/year
- Saint Dominic's International School (Sintra) — British + IB — €15,000-22,000/year
- Lycée Français Charles Lepierre — French — €5,000-10,000/year
- Deutsche Schule Lissabon — German — €8,000-12,000/year
- TASIS Portugal (Sintra) — US + IB — €18,000-28,000/year
- St. Peter's International School (Palmela) — British + IB — €14,000-18,000/year
- The British International School of Vila Sol (Algarve) — British — €15,000-20,000/year

For Indian families:
- Indian community in Lisbon (Avenida Almirante Reis area + Carnaxide) — small but growing
- No dedicated Indian-curriculum school in Portugal — CBSE/ICSE distance learning via NIOS / CIE possible for continuity
- Most opt for IB at British / American schools for global portability

§2 — IF [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY] IS "Spain"

STRUCTURE:
- Educación Infantil (3-6 years): optional but widely attended; free at public
- Educación Primaria (ages 6-12, Grades 1-6): mandatory
- Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO, ages 12-16): mandatory
- Bachillerato (ages 16-18, Grades 11-12): preparatory for university; or Formación Profesional

PUBLIC ENROLMENT (colegio público / instituto público):
- Apply via the Comunidad Autónoma's portal — Madrid raices.madrid.org; Catalonia preinscripcio.gencat.cat
- Required: empadronamiento + NIE + child's passport + birth certificate (apostilled + translated to Spanish by sworn translator) + vaccination record + prior schooling certificate
- Admission by points: zone, siblings, family income, special needs
- Annual application window: typically March-April for September start; mid-year admission possible if spaces

SUBSIDISED PRIVATE (colegio concertado):
- State-funded + parent contribution €100-400/month
- Mostly Catholic / religious schools (Salesianos, Maristas, Jesuitas, Escolapios)
- Mixed Spanish + English instruction common
- Quality often higher than public in Madrid + Barcelona

LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION:
- Madrid + most CCAA: Spanish (Castilian)
- Catalonia: Catalan (with Spanish subjects); intensive language support for newcomers
- Basque Country: Basque + Spanish (models A, B, D)
- Galicia: Galician + Spanish
- Valencia + Balearic: Valenciano / Mallorquí + Spanish

For non-Spanish-speaking children:
- "Aulas de enlace" / "aules d'acollida" (welcome classrooms) — intensive language support 6-12 months — free at public schools

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS in Madrid:
- The American School of Madrid (Pozuelo) — US + IB — €18,000-26,000/year
- The British School of Madrid (Pozuelo) — British — €15,000-22,000/year
- King's College Madrid (Soto de Viñuelas + La Moraleja) — British — €15,000-22,000/year
- International College Spain (La Moraleja) — IB — €15,000-22,000/year
- St. George's English School Madrid — British — €13,000-18,000/year
- Lycée Français de Madrid — French — €6,000-10,000/year
- Deutsche Schule Madrid — German — €7,000-12,000/year

In Barcelona:
- The American School of Barcelona (Esplugues) — US + IB — €18,000-26,000/year
- BSB Castelldefels — British — €14,000-20,000/year
- St. Paul's School (Pedralbes) — British — €15,000-22,000/year
- Lycée Français de Barcelona — French — €6,000-11,000/year

For Indian families:
- EGB Madrid (English Global Business — formerly mentioned in some lists; verify current presence; alternative: TheGoetheSchool Madrid)
- Sindhi + Punjabi community in Madrid (Lavapiés + Tetuán) + Barcelona (Raval); informal Saturday schools for Hindi / Punjabi heritage
- No dedicated CBSE/ICSE school — many use Indian Embassy's distance options + IB at British / American schools

§3 — IF [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY] IS "Italy"

STRUCTURE:
- Asilo nido (0-3): optional, paid
- Scuola dell'infanzia (3-6): optional, free at public
- Scuola primaria (6-11, Grades 1-5): mandatory
- Scuola secondaria di primo grado (11-14, Grades 6-8): mandatory ("media")
- Scuola secondaria di secondo grado (14-19, Grades 9-13): mandatory until 16; tracks — liceo, istituto tecnico, istituto professionale

PUBLIC ENROLMENT (scuola statale):
- Apply via Iscrizioni Online portal (iscrizioni.istruzione.it) — annual window January-February for September start
- Required: codice fiscale + iscrizione anagrafica + child's birth certificate (apostilled + translated to Italian by sworn translator) + vaccination record (CRITICAL — Legge 119/2017 mandates 10 vaccines; non-compliant children excluded from public schools age 0-6) + prior schooling certificate
- Free; lunch (mensa) €40-80/month sliding scale by income (ISEE)

LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION:
- Italian
- Italiano L2 / lingua veicolare — Italian-as-second-language support — free at public schools for migrant children

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS in Milan:
- International School of Milan (IST Milan) — IB — €16,000-25,000/year
- The British School of Milan (Sir James Henderson) — British + IB — €15,000-23,000/year
- The American School of Milan — US + IB — €18,000-26,000/year
- Bilingual European School Milan — bilingual IT/EN — €8,000-14,000/year
- Lycée Stendhal de Milan — French — €5,000-9,000/year
- Deutsche Schule Mailand — German — €7,000-12,000/year

In Rome:
- Marymount International School Rome — US + IB — €15,000-22,000/year
- St. Stephen's School Rome — US + IB — €17,000-25,000/year
- Rome International School — IB — €13,000-20,000/year
- Ambrit International School — US — €15,000-20,000/year
- Lycée Chateaubriand de Rome — French — €5,000-9,000/year
- Deutsche Schule Rom — German — €7,000-12,000/year

For Indian families:
- Punjabi-Sikh dairy belt (Brescia, Cremona, Mantova) — sizeable Indian community 200,000+ — informal heritage-language programmes
- Indian Embassy in Rome supports CBSE distance learning for accompanying minors
- Indian-curriculum school in Italy: none dedicated; IB at British / American or Italian public + supplementary Indian-syllabus tutoring popular

§4 — IF [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY] IS "Netherlands"

STRUCTURE:
- Voorschoolse educatie (peuteropvang, 2.5-4): optional, paid; subsidies via gemeente
- Basisschool (4-12, Groep 1-8): mandatory from age 5; effectively all start at 4
- Voortgezet onderwijs (12-18): mandatory; tracks — VMBO (4 years prep-vocational), HAVO (5 years general higher), VWO (6 years pre-university)

PUBLIC ENROLMENT (openbaar basisonderwijs):
- Apply directly to chosen school via gemeente portal — Amsterdam schoolwijzer.amsterdam.nl
- Required: BSN + child's passport + birth certificate + vaccination record (RIVM standard schedule) + prior schooling certificate
- Free; schoolfondsbijdrage (voluntary contribution) €25-100/year
- Schoolwijken (catchment areas) common in larger cities — apply to schools in your gemeente

INTERNATIONAL ELEMENT (ISK + IB schemes):
- Internationale Schakelklas (ISK) — intensive Dutch-language transition for newcomers — 1-2 years — free at public schools
- After ISK, mainstream public school

LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION:
- Dutch
- English-rich environment in Amsterdam / The Hague / Eindhoven; many bilingual Dutch + English public schools at primary + secondary

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS in Amsterdam:
- The International School of Amsterdam (ISA) — IB — €18,000-28,000/year
- The British School of Amsterdam — British + IB — €17,000-25,000/year
- Amsterdam International Community School (AICS) — IB — subsidised; €5,000-9,000/year (Dutch government-subsidised)
- Optimist International School — IB — €15,000-22,000/year
- Lycée Vincent Van Gogh — French — €6,000-10,000/year

In The Hague:
- The American School of The Hague — US + IB — €18,000-26,000/year
- The British School in The Netherlands — British + IB — €17,000-25,000/year
- Deutsche Schule Den Haag — German — €7,000-12,000/year
- Het Rijnlands Lyceum — IB (subsidised) — €5,000-9,000/year
- ISH (International School of The Hague) — IB — €5,000-9,000/year (subsidised)

In Eindhoven:
- International School Eindhoven (subsidised) — IB — €5,000-9,000/year

For Indian families:
- Suriname-Hindustani community in The Hague + Amsterdam (large; cultural-Hindu identity; Hindi + Sarnami Hindustani spoken)
- Indian-IT community in Amsterdam (Amstelveen specifically — large Indian expat hub) + Eindhoven (Philips / ASML)
- Indian Cultural Association (ICA Netherlands) — Saturday Hindi + dance + music classes — Amstelveen, Almere, Den Haag
- Schools popular with Indian families: AICS Amsterdam, ISH The Hague, International School Eindhoven — all subsidised

§5 — IF [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY] IS "France"

STRUCTURE:
- École maternelle (3-6): mandatory since 2019 reform
- École élémentaire (6-11, CP-CM2): mandatory
- Collège (11-15, 6e-3e): mandatory
- Lycée (15-18, 2nde-Tle): mandatory until 16; tracks — général, technologique, professionnel

PUBLIC ENROLMENT (école publique):
- Apply at the mairie of your arrondissement / commune — they assign school based on residence (carte scolaire)
- Required: justificatif de domicile + livret de famille / birth certificate (apostilled + translated to French by sworn translator) + vaccination record (DTP + 11 vaccines compulsory) + prior schooling certificate
- Free; cantine sliding scale by income (€2-7/meal)

LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION:
- French
- Unité Pédagogique pour Élèves Allophones Arrivants (UPE2A) — French-as-second-language support for newcomers — 1-2 years — free at public schools

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS in Paris:
- The American School of Paris (Saint-Cloud) — US + IB — €25,000-35,000/year
- The British School of Paris (Croissy-sur-Seine) — British + IB — €20,000-30,000/year
- International School of Paris (16e) — IB — €25,000-35,000/year
- Marymount International School Paris (Neuilly) — US + IB — €25,000-32,000/year
- École Active Bilingue Jeannine Manuel — bilingual FR/EN — €15,000-22,000/year
- Lycée International de Saint-Germain-en-Laye — bilingual sections — modest fees (~€2,000-5,000/year)
- Deutsche Schule Paris — German — €7,000-12,000/year

For Indian families:
- Indian community in Île-de-France (Paris 10e La Chapelle area "Little India") — Tamil + Sri Lankan + Punjabi
- Indian Embassy in Paris — supports CBSE distance options
- Lycée International Saint-Germain-en-Laye has anglophone + germanophone + hispanophone sections; Indian families fit anglophone section
- Pondicherry-French cultural link gives French-Indian dual citizens some unique pathways

§6 — IF [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY] IS "Belgium"

STRUCTURE (varies by community — French / Flemish / German-speaking):
- Maternelle / kleuteronderwijs (2.5-6): optional
- Primaire / lager onderwijs (6-12): mandatory
- Secondaire / secundair onderwijs (12-18): mandatory

PUBLIC ENROLMENT:
- Apply via community portal — Brussels: inscriptions.cfwb.be (French-community); Flanders: meldjeaan.vlaanderen.be
- Required: National Number + commune registration + child's birth certificate + vaccination + prior schooling
- Free; school activities + lunch contributions €30-100/month

LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION:
- Brussels: choice between French + Flemish public schools; some immersion bilingual options
- Wallonia: French
- Flanders: Dutch
- German-speaking community (Eupen / Sankt Vith): German
- Newcomer-language support: DASPA (French side) / OKAN (Flemish side) — 1-year intensive

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS in Brussels:
- International School of Brussels (Watermael-Boitsfort) — US + IB — €25,000-35,000/year
- The British School of Brussels (Tervuren) — British + IB — €18,000-30,000/year
- St. John's International School (Waterloo) — US + IB — €18,000-26,000/year
- BEPS International School — IB — €15,000-22,000/year
- École Européenne (European Schools — Brussels I/II/III/IV) — for staff of EU institutions + open spaces — modest fees ~€5,000/year — multilingual sections
- Lycée Français Jean Monnet — French — €6,000-10,000/year
- Deutsche Schule Brüssel — German — €7,000-12,000/year

For Indian families:
- Indian community in Brussels (Woluwe + Schaerbeek) — many EU-institutions professionals
- Indian Embassy in Brussels supports CBSE distance options
- ISB + BSB popular; European Schools available if parent works at EU institutions

§7 — IF [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY] IS "Greece"

STRUCTURE:
- Nipiagogeio (4-6): mandatory since 2018
- Dimotiko (6-12, Grades 1-6): mandatory
- Gymnasio (12-15, Grades 7-9): mandatory
- Lykeio (15-18, Grades 10-12): optional; preparatory for university

PUBLIC ENROLMENT (dimotiko sxoleio):
- Apply at school directly via myschool.sch.gr or local Directorate of Primary / Secondary Education
- Required: AMKA + AFM + child's birth certificate + vaccination + prior schooling
- Free; modest book/uniform contributions

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS in Athens:
- American Community Schools Athens (ACS) — US + IB — €15,000-22,000/year
- St. Catherine's British School — British + IB — €13,000-20,000/year
- Byron College — British — €11,000-16,000/year
- International School of Athens — IB — €12,000-18,000/year
- Pierce - American College of Greece — US + IB — €12,000-18,000/year
- Lycée Franco-Hellénique Eugène Delacroix — French — €5,000-9,000/year
- Deutsche Schule Athen — German — €6,000-10,000/year

For Indian families:
- Indian community in Athens (Pagrati + Kypseli) — small; Bangladeshi + Pakistani + Indian mixed South Asian community
- IB at ACS Athens or St. Catherine's popular for international portability

§8 — IF [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY] IS "Austria"

STRUCTURE:
- Kindergarten (3-6): optional, last year mandatory since 2010
- Volksschule (6-10, Grades 1-4): mandatory
- Sekundarstufe I (10-14): mandatory — Mittelschule (general) or Gymnasium (academic)
- Sekundarstufe II (14-18): optional — Gymnasium, BHS (vocational), Berufsschule (apprenticeship)

PUBLIC ENROLMENT:
- Apply at the Sprengelschule (catchment-area school) via the Bildungsdirektion of your Bundesland
- Required: Meldezettel + e-card + child's birth certificate + vaccination + prior schooling
- Free; modest contributions

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS in Vienna:
- Vienna International School (Donaupark) — IB — €18,000-25,000/year
- American International School Vienna (Salmannsdorf) — US + IB — €18,000-25,000/year
- Danube International School Vienna — IB — €15,000-22,000/year
- Lycée Français de Vienne — French — €6,000-10,000/year
- Deutsche Schule Wien — n/a (German is local language)

For Indian families:
- Indian community in Vienna (1., 10., 19. Bezirk) — IAEA / OPEC / multinationals
- Indian-Austrian Cultural Society — Hindi + Bollywood classes Saturdays
- VIS popular; ISV (International School Vienna) alternative

§9 — INDIAN-FAMILY FRAMEWORK (cross-country)

For each child in [CHILDREN]:

Age 4-6: high flexibility — local-public school feasible (kids absorb language fast); 6-12 months to functional
Age 7-11: moderate — public + intensive language support workable for 5+ year stays; international school if [EMPLOYMENT_DURATION] < 3 years
Age 12-15: harder — switching curriculum disruptive; IB or British school preserves portability
Age 16-18: critical — preserve exam track (CBSE/ICSE/IB/A-levels) for university applications

CBSE / ICSE CONTINUITY OPTIONS:
- NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling) — Indian distance + India-side exam centres (Embassy of India provides info)
- CIE Cambridge — equivalent international curriculum; widely recognised in Indian universities under DASA scheme
- IB Diploma — globally portable; accepted at IITs / IIMs / DU under specific quotas

For [BUDGET_RANGE]:
- 0 / public only: public school + free language support; optional Saturday Indian heritage school
- €5,000-15,000: subsidised international (AICS Amsterdam, ISH The Hague, Lycée Français in various cities, Deutsche Schule, European Schools)
- €15,000-30,000: standard international (most British / American schools listed above)
- €30,000+: premium international (Marymount Paris, ISB Brussels, ASM Madrid)

§10 — TIMELINE + LOGISTICS

Pre-departure (1-3 months before):
- Translate child's transfer / leaving certificate + birth certificate to target language (sworn translator)
- Apostille all documents in India
- Carry vaccination records (English) — many EU countries require specific vaccines (Italy especially strict — 10 mandatory)
- Note current grade level + curriculum
- Apply to international schools early (waiting lists 6-24 months in popular cities)

Within first week:
- Tax ID + address registration (see eu-settlement-tax-id-first-week-checklist)
- Contact target school admissions office

Within first month:
- Submit enrolment application
- Start child in school as soon as accepted (mid-year admission generally possible)
- Sign up for language-support programme (PLNM / aulas de enlace / Italiano L2 / UPE2A / DASPA-OKAN / ISK)

First 6 months:
- Monitor child's language progress
- Engage with parent committees + heritage-community Saturday schools
- Consider tutoring for academic-content catch-up

§11 — RED FLAGS

[ ] Italy vaccination compliance: child excluded from kindergarten / primary if not compliant with Legge 119/2017 — bring vaccination record + book any missing vaccines at ASL within first month
[ ] France: école maternelle compulsory from age 3 — non-enrolment is offence
[ ] Spain: empadronamiento required before school enrolment in most CCAA — sequence matters
[ ] Netherlands: leerplicht (compulsory education) from age 5 — non-enrolment triggers Leerplichtambtenaar
[ ] International school waiting lists: book pre-departure if possible (Amsterdam AICS, Milan IST, Brussels ISB — long lists)
[ ] Mid-year admission: most public systems accept; international schools sometimes restrict
[ ] CBSE / ICSE bridging: confirm with target school if Indian transcript needs grade-equivalency assessment (some schools require ENIC-NARIC or similar evaluation)

End with: "DRAFT — for country-specific immigration lawyer + school placement consultant review. Verify against current member-state education-ministry guidance (Portuguese DGE; Spanish CCAA Consejería de Educación; Italian MIM; Dutch Ministerie van OCW; French Ministère de l'Éducation Nationale; Belgian community-level departments; Greek Ministry of Education; Austrian Bildungsdirektion) before sharing with client. International school fees revised annually — confirm at admissions office. Vaccination requirements differ sharply (Italy 10 mandatory, France 11, others fewer) — Indian families should bring full Indian schedule + bridge any gaps within first month. Not legal or educational-placement advice."