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Gonzaga International School Palermo

Italy, Palermo

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English, Italian
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 1 - 18 years
Type Co-educational
Opened 2008
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP)
Taught languages Italian, Spanish, English
Strengths Languages, Performing Arts, Service and Sustainability
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Leadership and Professional
Stages Infant/Toddler Care, Early Years, Preschool, Kindergarten, Primary School, Middle School, High School, Sixth Form
Introduction

Gonzaga International School Palermo (ISP) is a private international day school in the heart of Palermo offering the International Baccalaureate continuum from early childhood through graduation. Founded within Istituto Gonzaga in 2008 as part of the Society of Jesus' Jesuit educational network, ISP provides English-medium instruction delivered by native English-speaking teachers, with Italian language and culture integrated to support local heritage. The school serves ages 0–18 and follows the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP), organized in two bienniums (MYP M4–M5 and DP DP1–DP2). Students engage in six IB subject groups, the Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge and CAS, with Higher and Standard Level options and bilingual diploma possibilities. The campus at Via Piersanti Mattarella houses both Italian and International School programs, a library, laboratories, a chapel, a gym, an auditorium and outdoor spaces, plus a transport link to Polisportiva Gonzaga for after-school sports. Extracurriculars span arts, sports, service learning and leadership activities anchored in Jesuit values and global-minded university preparation.

Via Piersanti Mattarella, 38-42, 90141 Palermo PA, Italy

The Essentials

Gonzaga International School Palermo has instruction in English, Italian.

Location
Located in the heart of Palermo at Via Piersanti Mattarella 38/42, 90141 Palermo, Italy. It is easily accessible by car and public transport and is well connected to major urban bus lines. The campus is near Viale della Libertà and Piazza Croci.

Stages
Pre-School through High School; IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP).

Type
Private international day school offering the IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP).

Pupil Nationality Mix
30+ nationalities represented; open to all nationalities.

Country affiliation
Italy

Religious affiliation
Jesuit

School day structure
Open from morning to evening; campus designed around students with flexible teaching models.
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
Full uniform is required; students must be clean, modest and appropriately dressed.

Food Options
Canteen Service - Bar: An internal cafeteria-bar service offers a healthy, balanced diet prepared daily, with attention to ingredient quality, menu variety and dietary needs. Next to the cafeteria there is an internal bar for snacks and drinks in a supervised space.

Governance and Ownership
Gonzaga Institute of Palermo heads the International School Palermo; ISP is promoted by Saint Peter's Preparatory School in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA.
Fees
Application fees

- No one-time application, registration, or enrollment fee amount is published on the school's public information for the International School Palermo.

Tuition fees by school year (per term / per year)

- The school does not publish a breakdown of tuition by year group or per term for Pre‑School, Kindergarten/Transition, Primary (PYP), Middle School (MYP) or High School / Diploma Programme (DP). Exact per‑term and per‑year tuition amounts are not publicly available.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- No published billing schedule, instalment plan, payment deadlines, or standard payment terms (including penalties for late payment) are available in the school's public information.

Boarding fees (if applicable)

- The International School Palermo does not list a boarding (residential) programme among its services; no boarding fees are published. Boarding is not presented as an available option in the school's public programme descriptions.

Other costs or fees (uniforms, meals, transport, activities, materials)

- The Gonzaga Campus includes a canteen and an extensive sports programme (Polisportiva), but no public price list for meals, school uniforms, transport/shuttle (navetta), extracurricular activity charges, school trip fees, learning‑materials contributions, or equipment costs is published for the International School Palermo. Specific ancillary charges are not listed.

Refund information

- There is no publicly posted fee‑refund policy, nor are specific terms for refunds, cancellations, or withdrawals from enrolment published in the school's public information for the International School Palermo.

Fee payment options

- The school's public pages do not list accepted payment methods (credit card, bank transfer, etc.). For fee queries and payment arrangements the school provides administrative contact channels: Phone 091.302093 and email addresses including segreteriaisp@gonzagapalermo.it and segreteria@gonzagapalermo.it.

Note on availability of fee details

- The International School Palermo's publicly accessible information describes the curriculum (full IB continuum from early years to DP), campus services and contacts, but does not publish a current, itemised fee schedule, per‑year tuition figures, billing calendar, or formal fee policies. No per‑term or per‑year tuition figures, no application/registration fee amounts, no boarding fees, no uniform/meals/transport price lists, and no published refund terms were found in the school's public pages.
Academics

Gonzaga International School Palermo teaches IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP) for students aged 1 to 18.

Curriculum
International School Palermo offers the complete IB continuum from early childhood through graduation, including the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP). All courses are delivered entirely in English by native English-speaking teachers. The High School program is organized in two bienniums: the first (MYP M4–M5) and the second (DP DP1–DP2), with six IB subject groups, the Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge, and CAS requirements. There are Higher Level and Standard Level subject choices, and bilingual diploma options are available. The curriculum emphasizes inquiry-based learning, global citizenship, university preparation, and seamless transition from MYP to DP, with university orientation and broad access to European, UK, US, and other international universities.

Exam Results
The IB Diploma is recognised with very high scores for admission to the world's most prestigious universities.

Higher Education Progression
University orientation is an integral part of the High School path, with a rate of access to international universities very high and destinations in Europe, the United Kingdom, the USA and beyond.
Parent Experience

History
Founded in 1919 by the Society of Jesus, Istituto Gonzaga is the heir of the Collegio Massimo established in Palermo in 1539. Gonzaga is part of a global Jesuit network of over 1,000 institutions and nearly 1.5 million students worldwide. In 2008, the International School Palermo was founded by the Society of Jesus within Istituto Gonzaga to offer a service to the city of Palermo and the new generations of southern Italy. It is the first and only IB-accredited school in southern Italy.

Community
ISP is part of Gonzaga Campus, a Jesuit educational community that includes the Italian School, the International School, and the Polisportiva. The campus is open and inclusive, with Jesuits and laypeople, teachers and families working together on a shared project, guided by Ignatian cura personalis. The campus embodies a welcoming environment with spaces such as a park, historic buildings, a canteen, a library and shared areas designed to support safe, holistic learning. The mission expresses a bold, shared dream to renew the world through education, rooted in dialogue, justice, development and employment.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Gonzaga Campus is in the heart of Palermo at Via Piersanti Mattarella 38/42. The campus hosts the Italian School and the International School within a single, mission-driven community focused on learning, socialization and growth. External and internal spaces include classrooms, a gym, the library, a chapel, laboratories, a playground and an educational garden. The spaces were renewed to support a safe, flexible environment that encourages social interaction and well-being. A transport service connects ISP students to Polisportiva Gonzaga for afternoon sports activities.

Sports Facilities
Facilities include a FIGC-approved 9-a-side football field (renovated in 2019) with bar and changing rooms. There are two regulation 5-a-side football pitches with bar and changing rooms. A 3x3 football field is designed for training and development, including spaces for coaching and recovery sessions. There is a tennis court with a renovated surface and lighting. A Tensile Structure indoor multipurpose field supports basketball, volleyball and other disciplines, and there is a multipurpose outdoor field and an indoor gym for ju jitsu, artistic gymnastics and athletics.

Academic Facilities
The International School Palermo offers the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) for students aged 11 to 15, with eight disciplinary areas including Language and Literature in English and Italian, Mathematics and Science, Arts, Physical Education and Design. Teaching uses an inquiry-based approach and global contexts, aligning with Jesuit pedagogy. The program prepares students for the International Baccalaureate Diploma in high school, with the option to take the Italian Terza Media exam in parallel. Lessons in the Middle School are taught in English, with Spanish studied as a third language. The ISP library provides volumes in Italian, English and Spanish to support interdisciplinary study and IB projects.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Extracurricular life includes after-school clubs such as Lego, creativity and homework support. Polisportiva Gonzaga operates on campus, offering private courses, group lessons and field rentals, with transport available to afternoon sports activities on campus.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school uses an inquiry-based approach to teaching. Students develop critical thinking and research skills through a transdisciplinary, concept-driven curriculum. The program emphasizes student-centered learning, autonomy and self-directed learning, and transdisciplinary connections to real-world issues. Action-oriented pedagogy includes service learning and community engagement.

Arts & Creative
Arts are integrated across the curriculum, with The Arts including Drama, Music and Visual Arts. The school provides a Music Room and an Art Room, and an Auditorium for performances and dance. Performing arts productions are held in December and June, and talent shows and creative collaborations are part of school life. The Middle School also emphasizes Visual Arts, Music, and Drama as core subjects.

Cultural & Language
English is the language of instruction, with native-speaking teachers ensuring authentic language acquisition and cultural immersion. Italian Language & Culture is strongly emphasized to maintain connection with local heritage. Additional Foreign Languages are offered to foster multilingualism. Global Perspective highlights community service and engagement with global issues to develop international-mindedness.

Social & Hobbies
Book Week is celebrated with a variety of activities organized by the school Librarian. There are performing arts productions in December and June, along with talent shows and creative collaborations. Various sporting activities and cultural events are organized throughout the year to enrich student life.

Community & Service
CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) is at the heart of the IB Diploma Programme, requiring a minimum of 150 hours over two years. Service learning and community engagement are integral to the school's approach to developing principled, caring, open-minded students.

Leadership & Professional
Forum Scuola del Futuro is a virtual space where students, teachers, families, professionals and others meet to discuss and propose innovative solutions for education. It fosters open dialogue, innovative ideas and concrete impact on school life.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Gonzaga Polisportiva offers a range of sports including Soccer, Basketball, Tennis, Volleyball, Artistic Gymnastics, Figure Skating, Ju Jitsu, Kickboxing and Modern Dance, with both recreational and competitive programs. Competitive teams participate in regional leagues, providing pathways to higher levels of sport. A transport service is provided to take students to the Polisportiva facilities for afternoon activities.
Languages

Language Provision
English is the primary language of instruction. All courses are delivered entirely in English by native English-speaking teachers. Italian language and culture are taught with a strong emphasis to maintain connection with local heritage. Additional foreign languages are offered to foster multilingualism.

Immersion Programs
English-language immersion with native-English-speaking teachers; authentic language acquisition and cultural immersion.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Request Information and Visit: Contact the admissions office to learn more about ISP programs, schedule a campus tour, and meet with our team. We welcome students from all backgrounds who are eager to learn, grow, and contribute to our international community. ISP is the first and only IB-accredited school in southern Italy and provides a full IB continuum from early childhood through graduation. All courses are taught in English by native English-speaking teachers.
2. Submit Application: Complete the application form and submit all required documents, including academic records and recommendations.
3. Wait for Confirmation: Our admissions committee will review your application and notify you of the decision within the specified timeframe.
School Events
The school has not added events
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