Ranked purely by parent interest — the number of families who opened each school’s profile and spent time reading it between October 2025 and September 2026.
Intercultural Montessori Language School in Chicago provides a dual-language education for students from age two through eighth grade. Families select an immersion track in either Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, or Japanese, where students learn core subjects directly in the target language. The Chicago campus, located in the West Town neighborhood, utilizes the Montessori method, featuring classrooms equipped with specialized tactile materials that allow children to progress through lessons at their own pace.
A unique feature of the program is "Peace Education," which incorporates specific lessons on conflict resolution and global awareness into the daily schedule. Additionally, elementary students participate in "Going Out" excursions—student-organized trips into the city to conduct independent research. These programs are designed to build practical life skills alongside bilingual proficiency. The school is co-educational and serves as a day school without boarding facilities, focusing on creating a community where different cultures and languages are part of the everyday learning experience.
The British International School of Chicago, South Loop serves students aged 3 to 18 as a private K–12 institution aligned with the English National Curriculum. In the Primary Years, the school combines the English National Curriculum with the International Primary Curriculum, while the Middle and High Schools offer IGCSE examinations and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. The campus features a 9,000-square-foot gymnasium and a technology-enhanced learning environment underpinned by metacognition and a Virtual School Experience that supports transitions between classroom and remote learning. Expeditions and global collaborations extend learning beyond the classroom, including trips and partnerships through Nord Anglia Education, UNICEF, and the United Nations SDGs. Signature programs include Juilliard–Nord Anglia collaborations in performing arts and the Global Campus network for cross‑school collaboration. Distinctive opportunities also include a Share A Dream volunteering initiative and international fieldwork such as projects in Tanzania and Switzerland. The school emphasizes citizenship alongside academic study.
Annual fees
$19,415 – 47,745
Ages
3 to 18 years
Curriculum
EYFS (Early years foundation stage), British Curriculum, IPC (International Primary Curriculum), Cambridge IGCSE, IB (DP)
Intercultural Montessori Language School in Oak Park provides a dual-language immersion program combined with the Montessori method for children aged 2 through 6th Grade. Students spend a significant portion of their day interacting with native-speaking teachers in Spanish, Japanese, or Mandarin Chinese. The curriculum focuses on self-directed learning within multi-age classrooms, where students use specialized tactile materials to master mathematics, literacy, and cultural studies.
The Oak Park campus features dedicated spaces for music and art, along with an outdoor play area designed for physical development. A unique feature of the school is its "Global Citizens" approach, which integrates cultural festivals and traditions from the target language regions directly into the daily schedule. This ensures that students develop phonetic and conversational proficiency alongside their core academic subjects. By maintaining a dual-language environment from the toddler years through elementary school, the program fosters bilingualism and cross-cultural understanding within a community-focused suburban setting.
British International School of Chicago, Lincoln Park is a British international day school for ages 1 to 11. The curriculum blends the English National Curriculum with the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), with Nord Anglia Education providing global support. MIT STEAM collaboration through Nord Anglia enriches science, technology, engineering, arts and math education, and collaborations with Juilliard enhance performing arts. The school operates across two campuses in Lincoln Park: a Pre-Nursery Building (opened in 2020) for ages 15 months to under three, and the Primary Building (renovated in 2015) housing early years and primary classrooms plus specialist facilities. Students have access to music rooms, a dance and drama studio, a library, and dedicated language classrooms for French and Spanish. Science labs, an art studio and a design lab support hands-on inquiry. A full-size indoor gym, roof-top garden and two playgrounds, plus a soccer turf, provide spaces for sport and outdoor learning. The campus weaves languages, performing arts, athletics and STEAM into a cross-curricular learning environment.
Annual fees
$100 – 39,950
Ages
1 to 11 years
Curriculum
British Curriculum, IPC (International Primary Curriculum)
DePaul College Prep is a Catholic, co‑educational, college‑prep high school in Chicago sponsored by the Vincentians and connected to DePaul University. It serves students aged 14 to 18 and offers an IB World School program with two paths: the Full Diploma and an Individual Course Pathway. IB courses span Groups 1–6 and the Core (Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, CAS); students may earn college credit through IB even if they do not pursue the Diploma. Beginning in 9th grade, the school offers sixteen Advanced Placement courses, and from 11th grade provides summer dual‑credit and dual‑enrollment opportunities with DePaul University. The STEAM & Arts program blends science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, with ten science labs, four maker spaces, an organic garden and greenhouse, plus robotics, film and music production, and design projects. The 17‑acre campus includes the Mary A. Dempsey Academic Center, a Black Box Theater, a 1,500‑seat outdoor stadium, and planned Indoor Athletic Complex. An 80‑minute block schedule and Vincentian service initiatives support robust post‑secondary planning and student growth.
