doris
doris
Find Schools
Events
Saved schools
My account
Parent Guide Parent testimonials Community Transparency Charter About For Schools
Currency
C

Colegio Albania

Colombia, Albania

Save school
Share
Navigate

· Reviewed by · Co-founder & CEO

Independently researched by doris.
Not yet claimed by the school
Claim your profile
The school at a glance
Instructs in Spanish, English
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 2 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 429
Type Co-educational
Opened 1983
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP)
Taught languages Spanish, English
Strengths Sport, Performing Arts, STEM
Clubs Arts and Creative, Lifestyle and Wellbeing
Stages Infant/Toddler Care, Preschool, Kindergarten, Primary School, Middle School, Secondary School, Sixth Form
Introduction

Colombia-based Colegio Albania is a mixed, bilingual (Spanish–English) international school serving students from 2 to 18 years old. Founded in 1983, it is an IB World School offering the Primary Years Program (PYP), Middle Years Program (MYP) and Diploma Program (DP), and has held double accreditation with Cognia and Colombia's Ministry of Education since 2010. The campus combines air‑conditioned classrooms, high‑speed internet and extensive learning spaces with green areas, sports fields and dedicated music, art, drama and design facilities. Academic spaces include two computer laboratories, two multi‑use science laboratories, a physics lab and a PEP lab with iPads, plus primary and secondary libraries and an Exploration Center that supports hands‑on inquiry. The school's music program offers instrument instruction and ensembles such as Symphony Orchestra and Tropi‑Band, with a Song Festival and a vibrant performing arts calendar. The IB profile encourages inquiry, reflection and global citizenship across a broad bilingual curriculum.

Albania, Maicao, La Guajira, Colombia

The Essentials

Colegio Albania has 429 pupils, instruction in Spanish, English.

Location
Carrera 3 No. 15-00 Mushaisa Albania, La Guajira, Colombia

Stages
Primary and secondary education; IB programmes offered (PAI, Diploma) as part of an IB World School.

Type
Bilingual international educational institution; IB World School; Cognia-accredited; accredited by the Colombian Ministry of Education.

Country affiliation
Colombia
Diving Deeper

Governance and Ownership
Cerrejón Educational Foundation (FECEN) governs and owns Colegio Albania. The ESAL Qualification Report lists Cerrejón Educational Foundation - FECEN as the foundation associated with Albania, La Guajira.
Fees
Application fees
- No separate, currently published application fee amount is available in the school's public documents. The institution requires a one-time enrollment (matrícula) at initial admission, but a distinct ‘application' charge is not published in accessible materials.

Tuition fees by year group (published schedule found for 2017–2018)
- The most recent publicly posted detailed numeric fee table available in school documents shows the following values for the 2017–2018 academic year. These appear as a one‑time matrícula (enrollment) amount and a monthly pension shown as “10 mensualidades” (ten monthly payments):
- Nursery to Pre‑Prekinder: COP 942,000 (matrícula); COP 942,000 (each of 10 mensualidades).
- Kinder: COP 932,800 (matrícula); COP 932,800 (each of 10 mensualidades).
- Transición: COP 927,200 (matrícula); COP 927,200 (each of 10 mensualidades).
- 1° grado: COP 910,000 (matrícula); COP 910,000 (each of 10 mensualidades).
- 2° grado: COP 918,500 (matrícula); COP 918,500 (each of 10 mensualidades).
- 3°–4° grados: COP 762,600 (matrícula); COP 762,600 (each of 10 mensualidades).
- 5°–9° grados: COP 918,500 (matrícula); COP 918,500 (each of 10 mensualidades).
- 10°–11° grados: COP 1,030,500 (matrícula); COP 1,030,500 (each of 10 mensualidades).
- Interpretation for annual cost (based on that table): the document presents both a matrícula amount and a monthly pension amount payable over 10 months. The annual family payment under that model would consist of the matrícula plus the ten monthly payments as shown in the table.

Other periodic charges (as listed in the public fee table found for 2017–2018)
- Orientación psicológica (annual): COP 40,000.
- Papelería (annual): COP 55,800.
- Educación especial (mensual, when applicable): COP 10,030.
- Sistematización (mensual, when applicable): COP 18,850.
- Library/book replacement: where a loaned library book is lost or damaged, replacement cost is calculated as the current price of the book + 15% (shipping) + COP 7,000 (technical processing). Parents are responsible for replacement or repair costs for materials damaged through misuse.
- Property/material repairs and replacement: the school may charge parents for repair or replacement of school property (laboratory equipment, instruments, sports equipment, etc.) when damage results from misuse; amounts are determined by the administration.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- The school's published materials indicate tuition is structured as monthly pensions payable over ten monthly instalments ("10 mensualidades") in the posted fee table. Renewal of enrollment for a new academic year requires parents to be current (a “paz y salvo”) on all educational service charges.
- The school prepares and issues monthly invoices for operational charges and pensions; in the school's financial arrangements, the Foundation prepares a monthly invoice request to its founding/operating partner for costs net of pensions and matriculas collected. This confirms a monthly invoicing and accounting cadence.

Boarding fees
- Boarding is not applicable. Colegio Albania is listed as a day school (coeducational day); there are no published boarding fee schedules.

Uniforms and required items
- The school publishes detailed uniform rules (daily uniform and physical‑education uniform) but does not publish fixed prices for uniforms. Uniform requirements are specified in the school manual.
- Parents may also be charged for replacement of loaned materials, fines for late library returns, or repair/replacement of damaged school property as set out in the manual; one concrete formula for library replacement is provided (book price + 15% + COP 7,000).

Refunds and cancellations
- No explicit, published refund policy (devoluciones/reembolsos) for tuition or matrícula payments is available in the public documents reviewed. Enrollment is formalized by contract; the contract and the Manual of Convivencia set the conditions for termination or cancellation of enrollment and the requirement to be current on payments to renew enrollment, but a specific refund schedule is not given in the publicly accessible materials.

Fee payment options (credit card / bank transfer / portal)
- The school uses a parent/administration access portal (Phidias is referenced as the school access portal), and the institution operates monthly invoicing processes; however, specific published payment channels (for example, explicit acceptance of credit cards, online card payments, or named bank transfer details) are not published in the public documents reviewed. Families are required to be current on charges to renew matrícula; the school's financial reports also document invoicing flows with the founding partner.

Summary of findings and note on currency of published figures
- A full, current numeric fee schedule for the 2026/27 academic year (or for 2025/26) was not publicly posted in the school's accessible documents. The most detailed numeric fee schedule found in public documents is a table dated to the 2017–2018 academic year (matrícula and 10 mensualidades, plus several periodic charges); that table is reproduced above exactly as published in the school's institutional document set. Other documents (institutional manual and the school's financial reports) describe billing cadence, payment requirements, routine additional charges (library, repair/replacement, psychology/paperwork fees), and administrative rules for matrícula and renewal, but they do not publish an updated per‑grade fee schedule for 2025/26 or 2026/27.
Academics

Colegio Albania teaches IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP) for students aged 2 to 18.

Curriculum
Colegio Albania is a mixed, bilingual (Spanish – English) educational institution founded in 1983. It provides primary through secondary education and is accredited by the Ministry of Education to offer these services. The school is accredited by the International Baccalaureate Organization for the Diploma Program since 2010, the Middle Years Program since 2011, and the Primary Years Program since 2015, and it is also Cognia accredited. In Colombia, it has had double accreditation since 2010. The IB profile describes ten learning attributes that guide student development, including inquirers, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, and reflective. Facilities include air-conditioned classrooms, high-speed internet, and extensive infrastructure such as sports fields and green areas to support learning.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The school uses the International Baccalaureate (IB) learner profile to guide social-emotional learning. The ten IB learner profile attributes are Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Open-minded, Caring, Risk-takers, Balanced, Principled, and Reflective. These attributes foster curiosity, autonomous learning, effective communication, empathy and respect, resilience, and ethical decision-making.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The school is bilingual in Spanish and English.

Mental Wellbeing
We understand the importance of physical, mental, and emotional balance to achieve personal wellbeing and the wellbeing of others.

Safeguarding
The Director's message states the school is mindful of the responsibility to safeguard the emotional and social wellbeing of its students.
Parent Experience

History
Founded in 1983, Colegio Albania is a bilingual and multicultural educational institution of international stature. It is accredited by the International Baccalaureate Organization and Cognia, ensuring that curricula and learning experiences contribute to forming students as global citizens. It has held double accreditation since 2010. It features extensive facilities, including soccer fields, volleyball and basketball courts, a playground, and large green areas, with air-conditioned classrooms and high-speed internet to support an optimal learning environment.

Community
Colegio Albania supports a bilingual, multicultural school community. It hosts events such as the 100th Day Celebration and Read Aloud Day, and offers programs like the Musical Training Program and a Sports Program. A School Musical Group demonstrates the active music culture within the school. The school environment and programs reflect a commitment to preparing students as globally minded citizens.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
Parents participate through the Parents Council (Consejo de Padres de Familia), an autonomous, non-profit foundation representing the parents of Colegio Albania. It is defined as a legal entity composed of parent representatives from all grades, with two representatives per grade elected by vote at the start of each school year. The President represents parents on the school's governing board and coordinates with the rector and various committees. The Council's functions include contributing to the analysis, diffusion, and use of educational assessments, coordinating with the rector, and presenting a management report to the Assembly of Parents. The school provides a physical space for meetings, a filing system for documentation, and financial resources for training activities when needed. The structure took effect on March 17, 2022.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The school has 53 classrooms, including spaces dedicated to music, art, drama, dance, and design, all with lighting and air conditioning. There are two computer laboratories and two multi-use science laboratories, plus one physics laboratory. A dedicated Exploration Center, two music rooms with instrument-practice cubicles, and primary and secondary libraries complete the learning spaces. The facilities support IB education across the curriculum.

Sports Facilities
Physical education facilities include a volleyball court, a basketball court, a football (soccer) field, and a small basketball court for Primary. The school uses the Mushaisa Residential Unit's sports venues, including courts, pools, and an auditorium, to support the sports program. These spaces enable organized practices and competitions.

Academic Facilities
Two computer laboratories and a dedicated PEP lab with iPads support digital learning. PAI and PD have a computer laboratory and promote the use of laptops and other mobile devices by students. Two multi-use science laboratories and a physics laboratory support science teaching. An Exploration Center complements hands-on inquiry and IB-aligned learning; primary and secondary libraries are available for reading and research.

Extra Curricular Facilities
The music program promotes musical education through curricular and extracurricular activities. It offers instrument instruction across strings (violin, viola, cello, double bass), brass (trumpet, trombone, French horn, bombardon, tuba), woodwinds (flute, clarinet, saxophones), percussion (drums, congas, bongos, marimba, timbales), guitar, accordion, piano, and voice. There are two music rooms with cubicles for instrument practice. The extracurricular program includes ensembles such as the Symphony Orchestra, Orff Ensemble, Tropi-Band, Jazz Group, Choir, Vallenato Group, and other ensembles organized by the nine teachers in each area.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Arts & Creative
The Music Training Program provides general elements of music and mastery of string, wind, and percussion instruments. During the school year, the program offers a wide variety of activities to demonstrate what students have learned to the school community and Mushaisa. A Song Festival is part of the program, and the Albania School's musical group performs as part of the program. The program supports social and emotional development through collaborative performance and artistic expression.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
The Sports Program focuses on physical health and develops discipline and perseverance through athletic participation. Facilities include soccer fields, volleyball, basketball, playground, and large green areas. Participation in sports fosters teamwork and resilience.
Languages

Bilingual Teaching
The Colegio Albania is a bilingual and multicultural international educational institution founded in 1983. It has accreditations from the International Baccalaureate Organization and Cognia, ensuring that its curricula and learning experiences contribute to shaping students as global citizens. It offers education from primary through secondary. It has double accreditation in Colombia since 2010.
Reputation

Awards
null

Accreditations
IBO and Cognia accreditations; double accreditation since 2010 in Colombia
Admissions

Admissions
1. Admissions: The admissions process begins when a student enters Colegio Albania and is overseen by the Department of Servicios Especiales. The student is evaluated by psychologists and speech-language pathologists to determine if reinforcement or supports are needed to facilitate adaptation to the new school environment. The psychological evaluation includes tests for emotional assessment and a family interview to gather contextual information and the student's background; information about the case is shared with teachers; commitments established for entry and adaptation are supervised. The speech-language evaluation assesses language, thinking, reading, writing, mathematical foundations, and general learning abilities. 2. Counseling: Following admission, psychology provides support and guidance to parents with home-management strategies and follow-up, and to teachers with classroom-management strategies, with external referrals coordinated as needed. It conducts follow-up interviews with families and provides guidance to parents on family situations; information about cases is shared with teachers to support in-class assistance; staff are advised on special cases as required. It also supports the student's development through programs on affectivity and sexuality, addiction prevention, and the Character Counts program; vocational guidance within the Diploma, an Escuela de Padres (Parents' School), and support to group leaders are available as needed. 3. Group Promotion: Attention is provided in small groups based on evaluations and teacher observations; The Thinking Skills Program is implemented for PEP/PYP levels to promote the development of thinking skills and problem-solving; sessions are conducted by the school's speech-language pathologist and aim to support thinking across the student body. 4. Individual Educational Plans: Based on the analysis of the diagnostic evaluation results, the student is placed at the level of attention that best fits their needs, and the Individual Educational Plan is designed in collaboration with the involved teachers. For Level IV plans, approval must be obtained by the Vice-Rector of the corresponding level or a higher authority if necessary, and the plan is discussed with the parents. Execution assigns responsibilities to teachers, parents, Special Services professionals, and the Vice-Rector, and a copy is kept in the student's file. Periodic evaluations are conducted and a closing summary is prepared at the end of the school year, with a possible reopening if needed.
School Events
The school has not added events
Search for more schools
Search schools in Colombia View all schools in Albania View all schools in Colombia IB curriculum schools in Colombia Open days & tours in Albania What is the IB curriculum? View all schools Search all schools