Montenegro has four internationally accredited schools in 2026 offering English-medium or bilingual education to expat children: Knightsbridge Schools International in Tivat, Arcadia Academy near the coast, the International School of Montenegro in Podgorica, and Adriatic International School in Budva. The choice of school will, for many relocating families, directly shape where they buy or rent property.
Montenegro’s expat community has grown steadily alongside the country’s property market, its EU candidate status, and the expansion of its marina-driven coastal infrastructure. For families with school-age children, the availability and quality of international education is often the deciding factor between Montenegro and competing relocation destinations. The school landscape is not uniform: options range from a full IB World School pathway to a British curriculum offering, with annual costs that vary considerably across the range.
Montenegro’s progression towards EU membership, with accession discussions targeting the period around 2028 to 2030, has attracted a different profile of relocating family than the market saw five years ago. European and UK professionals seeking Adriatic lifestyle alongside a credible legal environment and improving infrastructure are now weighing Montenegro seriously alongside established expat destinations in southern Spain, Croatia and Portugal. For those families, understanding the school landscape is a precondition for a considered property decision. A broader overview of the relocation case is available in the guide to retiring and relocating to Montenegro.
Knightsbridge Schools International, Tivat
Knightsbridge Schools International Montenegro, located at Porto Montenegro in Tivat, is the most established international school on the Montenegrin coast. It offers the full IB World School pathway: the Primary Years Programme for ages 3 to 11, the Middle Years Programme for ages 11 to 16, and the IB Diploma for ages 16 to 19. Instruction is in English, with Montenegrin, French and Spanish offered as additional languages. Class sizes are small, typically 8 to 12 students, and the school provides both day and boarding options.
Fees for day students in 2025 and 2026 reflect the school’s international positioning. The Primary Years Programme runs at approximately €17,350 per year. The Middle Years Programme runs at approximately €19,710 per year. The IB Diploma costs approximately €21,560 per year. One-off enrolment costs and registration fees add to the initial commitment. Families considering boarding should request the full boarding fee schedule separately, as total annual costs for boarding students can reach €29,000 to €31,500 for middle and upper school years.
The school’s location within Porto Montenegro means that families choosing Knightsbridge will find the most coherent property alignment in Tivat and the surrounding Bay of Kotor area. A review of the Tivat real estate market and the Porto Montenegro residential offering is the logical starting point for families anchoring their property search to this school. For further detail on Knightsbridge specifically, including the IB curriculum structure and admissions process, the dedicated Knightsbridge School Tivat guide covers the school in full.
Arcadia Academy, near Tivat
Arcadia Academy operates a British curriculum from preschool through to A Levels and is situated in the Kotor municipality area, near Tivat on the coast. For families who prefer the British system over IB, Arcadia represents the nearest coastal alternative to Knightsbridge and sits at a lower cost level. Fees run from approximately €7,000 at preschool to €14,000 at A Level, placing it in a more accessible band than KSI’s upper programmes while maintaining an English-medium, internationally oriented environment.
The British system’s familiarity is an important consideration for UK families relocating under the post-Brexit framework. GCSE and A Level credentials are well understood by UK universities, which reduces the transition risk for families who may move again or whose children are likely to pursue higher education in the United Kingdom. For UK buyers navigating the property buying process in Montenegro as a UK citizen, the combination of Arcadia’s British curriculum and the coastal property market in Tivat and Kotor represents a coherent and considered option. Further detail on the UK residency and tax position in Montenegro is relevant for families making longer-term relocation commitments.
International School of Montenegro, Podgorica
The International School of Montenegro in Podgorica offers a full IB pathway from kindergarten through to Year 13, with instruction in English. Fees sit between approximately €5,000 and €10,000 per year depending on grade level, making it the most financially accessible of Montenegro’s international IB options. It is also the only option for families whose relocation is centred on Podgorica rather than the coast.
Podgorica’s property market operates at meaningfully lower price levels than the coastal zone, and the capital offers a year-round residential rhythm that the coastal towns cannot match in the off-season. For families whose relocation is primarily career or business-driven rather than lifestyle-led, Podgorica with ISM represents an efficient combination of international education and quality residential property. The capital is Montenegro’s economic centre, with improving connectivity and the full range of urban services that families with children need on a year-round basis.
Meanwhile, the EU accession trajectory is equally relevant in the capital, where commercial real estate and residential property both stand to benefit from Montenegro’s integration progress. Families open to the Podgorica option may find that the lower property costs allow for a more substantial or better-located acquisition within the same budget they might have deployed on a coastal one-bedroom apartment.
Adriatic International School, Budva
Adriatic International School in Budva operates a Russian curriculum alongside IB preparatory elements and is primarily oriented towards Russian-speaking and Central and Eastern European families. Teaching is largely in Russian, with IB preparation integrated into the programme. Monthly fees for the 2025 and 2026 school year run from approximately €450 per month at preschool level to €800 per month for upper secondary, making it the most affordable coastal option in absolute terms.
For families from Russia, Ukraine, Serbia or other regional backgrounds, Adriatic International offers a familiar academic environment alongside the Budva coastal lifestyle. It is less suited to English-speaking families seeking full IB certification from a recognised World School. However, the institution is well established within its target community and is aligned with the buyer demographic that has historically concentrated Montenegro purchases in the Budva area. The Budva property market and the Budva lifestyle guide provide useful context for families considering this location.
Choosing a School: What It Means for Property Decisions
School choice and property location are rarely independent decisions for relocating families. In Montenegro’s geography, the practical implications are clear.
Families anchoring to KSI or Arcadia Academy will find the most direct property alignment in Tivat and the Kotor Bay coastal zone. Porto Montenegro and the surrounding residential areas in Tivat offer an infrastructure and lifestyle package that suits families in this school environment: marina amenities, a growing expat community, and the character of the Porto Montenegro for families setting. Commuting from Herceg Novi or central Kotor to Tivat is also viable for families who prefer a more historic residential setting alongside coastal school access.
Families committing to ISM in Podgorica face different property dynamics: lower prices, a capital city lifestyle, and a different kind of expat network, more focused on business and diplomacy than on marina living. The trade-off is the absence of the coastal character that draws most international buyers to Montenegro initially. For families where the children’s school is the primary location driver, however, Podgorica’s value proposition is significant.
For those considering the lifestyle available in Tivat in greater depth before committing, the Tivat area guide covers the town’s amenities, character and day-to-day reality for residents.
What Families Should Verify Before Committing
The international school market in Montenegro is evolving. Fees change annually, IB authorisation status can be updated or extended, and programme offerings occasionally change. Three verification steps are worth taking before any school becomes a decisive factor in a property search.
First, confirm the school’s current IB World School authorisation directly with the IBO, rather than relying on marketing materials. Second, request the full fee schedule for the relevant academic year, including all one-time enrolment costs, deposits, and the range of additional charges for transport, meals and activities. Third, visit the school in person if at all possible, both to assess the academic environment and to understand the commute time from prospective residential locations.
Montenegro’s international school provision is likely to continue developing as the expat and high-net-worth buyer community grows alongside the country’s EU accession progress. Families arriving in 2026 are entering a market with more international education provision than was available three years ago, and that provision is expected to expand further as the resident international population increases.
Barok Estates International works with families relocating to Montenegro’s coastal and capital markets. Understanding how school location shapes the property search is part of the advisory process. For families at the early stage of a Montenegro relocation decision, an overview of the available Montenegro property portfolio provides a practical starting point alongside this schools guide.
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