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International School of Florence - Upper School Campus

Italy, Florence

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees €14,950 - 26,420
Ages 11 - 18 years
Type Co-educational, Co-educational (boarding)
Opened 1952
Bus Service Yes
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (MYP), IB (DP), American Curriculum
Taught languages Italian, French, Spanish
Typical class size 13
Strengths Sport, Languages, Academic Enrichment
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Leadership and Professional
Stages Secondary School
Introduction

The International School of Florence (ISF), founded in 1952, offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years, Middle Years, and Diploma Programmes for students aged 3 to 18. The Upper School operates out of Villa Torri di Gattaia, located a short walk from Piazzale Michelangelo, while physical education takes place at the nearby Olympus sports complex. Instruction is entirely in English, supplemented by language courses in Italian, French, Spanish, Mandarin, and Japanese. Students participate in signature initiatives such as the Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) programme, which includes the student-led Florence Model United Nations (FloMUN) and an independently organized TEDx event held each November. Unique to ISF is the Tuskan Times, the student-run newspaper named after the school mascot. The school also offers a Monday-to-Friday weekday boarding option, allowing students to live on campus during the week while spending weekends with their families.

Viuzzo di Gattaia, 9, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy

The Essentials

International School of Florence - Upper School Campus has typical class sizes of 13, instruction in English.

Location
The International School of Florence operates on two campuses in the Florence area. The Junior School is at Villa le Tavernule, Via del Carota 23/25, Bagno a Ripoli, 50012 FI, Italy, about a 20‑minute drive from central Florence. The Upper School is at Villa Torri di Gattaia, Viuzzo di Gattaia 9, 50125 Florence, FI, Italy, a five‑minute walk from Piazzale Michelangelo and close to the historic center. (ISF Our Campuses) (ISF Home)

Stages
The school serves Early Years (ages 3–5), Junior School (ages 6–11), Middle School (ages 11–13), and High School (ages 14–18). The school offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme for Early Years and Junior School, the IB Middle Years Programme for Middle School, and the IB Diploma Programme for High School. (ISF Home) (ISF Home)

Type
The school is an international IB World School offering PYP, MYP and DP. The two campuses are located in Florence, Italy, and the school is accredited by multiple international bodies including the Middle States Association, CIS, WIDA, and IB, reflecting its international accreditation profile. (Accreditations and Affiliations) (ISF Home)

Pupil Nationality Mix
38+ countries represented.

Additional learning support
The Early Years program provides a teacher‑to‑child ratio of 1:8 with a lead teacher and bilingual assistant in each class, supporting language development and learning. (Early Years)
Diving Deeper

Boarding Arrangements
The school has a Boarding House. The weekday boarding program runs from Monday to Friday, so students can spend Friday night and weekends with their families.

Uniform Requirement
The school requires uniforms for EY1 to Grade 10. Grades 11 and 12 may not wear the uniform, but must dress respectfully and appropriately for a learning environment.

Food Options
Lunch is provided at the Junior School based on the local school's set menu with additions, including two first courses and vegetables; dietary accommodations are available, and EY1 and EY2 eat lunch in their own lunchroom. Students may also bring their own lunch. Upper School has a lunch service; registration is via the ISF CAFÉ app, and meals can be charged to a credit account with printed or digital cards; weekly menus are posted.

Governance and Ownership
The school is a not-for-profit organization incorporated in the United States as American Schools Abroad, Inc. (ASA). The Board governs the school, focusing on financial health and excellence of its educational programs and facilities; board members are volunteers and serve on five committees: Executive, Finance, Facilities, Marketing, and Strategic Planning.
Fees

Annual tuition at International School of Florence - Upper School Campus ranges from EUR 14,950 to EUR 26,420 for 2026/27.

Application and Enrollment Fees

- Application Fee (new applicants only, non-refundable): €400. The Application Fee covers two consecutive application years.
- Entrance Fee (payable on initial enrollment, non-refundable): €7,800; to be paid within 15 days of receipt of the official acceptance letter.
- Re-Enrollment Fee (for currently enrolled families): €400, due at re-enrollment.
- Non-refundable Advance Payment (applies to enrolled students and is part of total annual tuition): €3,000, due at re-enrollment.

Annual Tuition Fees (Standard rates by year group)

- Early Years Program (ages 3–5): €14,950 per year.
- Foundation – Grade 5: €19,400 per year.
- Middle School (Grades 6–8): €21,340 per year.
- High School (Grades 9–10): €22,500 per year.
- IB Diploma Programme (Grades 11–12): €25,900 per year.

Payment instalments and full fee detail (standard fee breakdowns)

Current family payment plan (standard fees) — columns show: Re-Enrollment Fee; Advance Payment; 1st instalment (due 15 July); 2nd instalment (due 30 Sept); Total tuition (including Re-Enrollment Fee):

- Early Years: Re-Enrollment €400; Advance Payment €3,000; 1st instalment €5,730; 2nd instalment €6,220; Total €15,350.
- Foundation – Grade 5: Re-Enrollment €400; Advance Payment €3,000; 1st instalment €7,870; 2nd instalment €8,530; Total €19,800.
- Middle School (G6–G8): Re-Enrollment €400; Advance Payment €3,000; 1st instalment €8,800; 2nd instalment €9,540; Total €21,740.
- High School (G9–G10): Re-Enrollment €400; Advance Payment €3,000; 1st instalment €9,360; 2nd instalment €10,140; Total €22,900.
- IB Diploma (G11–G12): Re-Enrollment €400; Advance Payment €3,000; 1st instalment €10,990; 2nd instalment €11,910; Total €26,300.

New family payment plan (standard fees) — columns show: Application Fee (on application); Entrance Fee (within 15 days of acceptance); 1st instalment (due 15 July); 2nd instalment (due 30 Sept); Total tuition (including Application + Entrance fee):

- Early Years: Application €400; Entrance €7,800; 1st instalment €8,970; 2nd instalment €5,980; Total €23,150.
- Foundation – Grade 5: Application €400; Entrance €7,800; 1st instalment €11,640; 2nd instalment €7,760; Total €27,600.
- Middle School (G6–G8): Application €400; Entrance €7,800; 1st instalment €12,800; 2nd instalment €8,540; Total €29,540.
- High School (G9–G10): Application €400; Entrance €7,800; 1st instalment €13,500; 2nd instalment €9,000; Total €30,700.
- IB Diploma (G11–G12): Application €400; Entrance €7,800; 1st instalment €15,540; 2nd instalment €10,360; Total €34,100.

- An additional €2 duty stamp will be applied to each bill.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- School fees for the following academic year are billed in May.
- Re-Enrollment Fee and the Advance Payment are due at re-enrollment (payment dates indicated on bills).
- Instalment due dates: 1st instalment due by 15 July; 2nd instalment due by 30 September.
- All late payments are subject to legal interest.

Boarding Fees

- Boarding is not applicable. No boarding fees are listed.

Other costs and fees (items not included in tuition)

- Tuition includes: loan of selected school textbooks (subject to conditions), one yearbook per family, academic curriculum-related local daytime field trips (may require supplements), orientation field trips (may require partial contribution), and IB final examination registration fees (additional IB fees may be incurred by the family).
- Tuition does not include: Extra-Curricular Activities (ECA) programme fees; lunch service; private door-to-door driving service; school uniforms and PE kits (provided by external suppliers and paid by families); overnight field trips and non-academic curriculum trips (day and overnight).

Refunds, withdrawals and related policies

- Application Fee and Entrance Fee are non-refundable.
- Student withdrawal for the second semester: fees for attendance for the first semester are equal to 60% of the annual tuition and must be paid by 15 July. If a student attends only the first semester and the school is not notified of withdrawal before the end of November, full tuition for the year is mandatory and may be subject to debt recovery procedures.
- Semester-only enrolments (new and current students) follow specific billing rules: first-semester-only and second-semester-only arrangements require payment of 60% of annual tuition plus applicable application/entrance or re-enrollment fees as specified in the billing schedule.
- Re-Enrollment is contingent on families maintaining good standing with tuition and fee payments and adherence to school policies; failure to remain in good standing may affect guaranteed enrolment.
Academics

International School of Florence - Upper School Campus teaches IB (MYP), IB (DP), American Curriculum for students aged 11 to 18.

Curriculum
ISF uses the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) for Early Years through Grade 5 and the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) for Grades 6–10, with an optional Italian Programme for host-country students. In High School, ISF offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP) and an American High School Diploma. English is the language of instruction; Italian is taught as part of the integrated Italian Programme. ISF has been an IB World School since 1983 and is accredited by the Council of International Schools and the Middle States Association.

Student Teacher Ratio
There are 518 students and 100 full-time faculty, giving an approximate student–teacher ratio of 5.2 to 1.

Exam Results
IBDP results show a top score of 41 (out of 45) and an average score of 33 (out of 45) for the Class of 2025. From 2022–2025, DP pass rates ranged from 85% to 95%, with bilingual diplomas ranging from 33% to 50%. The number of students sitting the full DP was 41 (2022), 61 (2023), 42 (2024), and 51 (2025).

Higher Education Progression
The College and Careers Counseling Program provides university preparation workshops, personal visits by university representatives to ISF, and organized trips to university fairs in Italy.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The school emphasizes an internationally minded environment with a Florentine identity, supported by a community that engages in school-wide activities and programs.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
The school provides support for learning within its IB framework and resources, including language development through WIDA for linguistically diverse students.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
ISF teaches in English as the primary language of instruction and also offers Italian to all students as part of its internationally minded program.

Mental Wellbeing
The school provides wellbeing and student support services as part of its holistic education, with programs integrated into the IB framework.

Safeguarding
The school maintains safeguarding and child protection policies to ensure student safety and well-being.
Parent Experience

History
The International School of Florence is a non-profit independent, co-educational, college-preparatory day school founded in Rome in 1952 by Paul Burke-Mahony and Horace Gibson. Eleven years after its founding it moved to a farmhouse on Via del Guarlone outside Florence, then to Torre Bellosguardo in 1968, and in 1980 settled at Villa Torri di Gattaia in Bagno a Ripoli. Two campuses exist: the Junior School at Via del Carota 23/25 in Bagno a Ripoli and the Upper School at Viuzzo di Gattaia in Florence. The 15th‑century Villa Torri di Gattaia was purchased with the generosity of Julie Jenkins and the Gucci family, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme was introduced in 1983; in 2003 the school was renamed the International School of Florence as the Middle/High School operation moved to Villa Torri di Gattaia. ISF is fully accredited by the Council of International Schools and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and the IB Diploma Programme is recognized for admission to universities worldwide.

Community
ISF serves families from more than 40 countries and enrolls around 545 students across two campuses. Community life includes events like Cross Country and Field Day that bring students, families and staff together. The school runs a Community Service Program (CAS) for Upper School students and a Parent Engagement Program to involve families in learning. Leadership emphasizes collaboration with the Florentine community to connect classrooms with Florence's history, art, and culture.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The International School of Florence Parent Association supports the educational goals and strategic vision by partnering with faculty, students, and the broader community to plan events, facilitate communication, and provide a welcoming social environment. It is a group of enthusiastic parents from many nationalities who plan and assist with events including our annual field day, career forum, autumn bazaar, new family welcome breakfast, fundraising gala, and the festival of song. Everyone is welcome; the PA requires no initiation – being a parent automatically qualifies you as a member. Volunteers help connect families with the Florentine community and support school life.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The Junior School is located at Villa le Tavernule in Bagno a Ripoli, and the Upper School is housed in Villa Torri di Gattaia near Piazzale Michelangelo. The Junior School building was restored to accommodate classrooms, the Eli Emery Computer Room, the Horace W. Gibson Aula Magna and the Paul Burke-Mahoney Library, with a formal garden overlooking the Tuscan countryside. The Junior campus has an all-weather sports field, two playgrounds, and a surfaced play area for Early Years and Foundation classes. The Upper School features a covered terrace lunch room, an Aula Magna, a science wing, a art studio, and a two-tiered wireless library. Olympus, a large sports complex, hosts the ISF PE program and is within easy walking distance. The campuses are set in a historic and scenic area of Florence with direct access to the city's cultural resources.

Sports Facilities
Junior School has an all-weather sports field, two playgrounds, and a surfaced play area for Early Years and Foundation classes. Upper School has Olympus, a large sports complex that hosts the PE program and is within easy walking distance. Both campuses provide spaces for a range of team and individual sports as part of the physical education program. The locations enable outdoor activity opportunities in Florence and its surroundings.

Academic Facilities
Junior School has the Eli Emery Computer Room, Horace W. Gibson Aula Magna and the Paul Burke-Mahoney Library. Upper School contains a science wing and an art studio, a covered terrace lunch room, and a two-tiered wireless access library. The Junior and Upper School campuses support IB programmes: the Junior School offers the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and the Upper School offers the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP). All ISF students meeting graduation requirements receive the externally-accredited ISF American High School Diploma.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Learning beyond the classroom is integrated across all levels through visits and projects. TEDxYouth@ISF is held annually. Model United Nations provides opportunities to research, debate and participate in international conferences. The Duke of Edinburgh International Award broadens horizons and develops essential skills. World Speech Day is celebrated with public speaking events. Cantabile Choir and ISF's Got Talent showcase student talents beyond the classroom. Field trips to sites around Italy support interdisciplinary learning.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
FloMUN provides opportunities to research real-world topics and debate as part of Model United Nations. FloMUN and Florence Model United Nations give ISF students international platforms for discussion and collaboration. STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art and Math) activities involve hands-on projects such as rocketry, gardening, and kitchen chemistry. The Duke of Edinburgh International Award is offered with Bronze and Silver levels, consisting of four sections (Volunteering, Physical, Skills, Expedition) and builds confidence, resilience and self-esteem.

Arts & Creative
Cantabile Choir provides music education and has performed at events such as the Meyer Foundation charity gala in 2023. The choir was established in 2018 by Ms. Tanja Kuštrin, the artistic director of the ISF Cantabile Choir. ISF's Got Talent offers a platform for student creativity and performance.

Cultural & Language
In Grades 9 and 10, a third language option is French or Spanish. FloMUN exposes students to international peers, promoting cross-cultural understanding. ISF is an IB World School offering the Primary Years Programme and the Diploma Programme.

Social & Hobbies
Junior School Extracurricular Activities (ECAs) include Drama Club and Visual Arts Club. Upper School ECAs include Student Councils, MUN, TEDxISF Youth, Cantabile Choir, Team Sports, STEAM, and more.

Community & Service
ISF offers a Community Service Program (CAS) as part of ECAs. The Pre-CAS program in High School introduces students to community service through projects in and outside school. The Duke of Edinburgh Award includes volunteering as part of its Bronze and Silver levels.

Leadership & Professional
ISF has Junior and Upper School Student Councils that provide student leadership opportunities. The Duke of Edinburgh Award fosters leadership, teamwork, and self-motivation. The College Counseling program supports post-secondary planning with university visits, workshops, and guidance on testing (SAT, ACT, Oxbridge) and PSAT.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
The Life Skills Program supports students' wellbeing, emotional literacy, and voice in the school community, with strands focused on health, relationships, and living in the wider world. ISF offers extensive athletic and fitness activities, including soccer, basketball, volleyball, running, and dance. The Positive Education Enhanced Curriculum (PEEC) and related wellbeing practices support student growth.
Languages

Language Provision
English is the primary language of instruction. Italian language development and cultural awareness are integral, and Italian is taught to all students as either an additional language or home language. Italian Program (IP) begins in Grade 1, and from Grade 3 IP students work toward the Esame di Quinta, with daily Italian lessons covering Mathematics, Science, History, Geography and Italian grammar and writing. In Middle School (Grades 6-8), students follow either the Italian Programme or the International Programme, and all students study three languages throughout Middle School according to their levels and preferences. In High School (Grades 9-10), a third language is either French or Spanish.
Reputation

Accreditations
Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools — ISF is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools in the USA; first accreditation obtained in 1981; current accreditation runs through 12/01/2023.
Duke of Edinburgh's Award — The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is a youth awards programme founded in the United Kingdom in 1956 by the Duke of Edinburgh, which has since expanded to 144 nations.
Council of International Schools — CIS is a non-profit membership organisation that provides high-quality education services to schools and higher education institutions.
World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment — WIDA advances academic language development and academic achievement for linguistically diverse students through high quality standards, assessments, research, and professional development for educators.
International Baccalaureate — ISF is an IB World School authorized to teach the IB Diploma Programme (grades 11-12); the IB World School has been an IB World School since 1984.
Association of International Baccalaureate World Schools in Italy — The Association is non-profit and provides a forum where member schools can collaborate and share best practice; a resource for schools going through the IB authorization process.
Admissions

Admissions
1. The application process usually begins in October and runs through February, in conjunction with the re-enrollment process. Applications received thereafter will be considered based on projected enrollment numbers. 2. To complete an application, families submit a series of supporting documents, sit a student interview and admissions test, and secure the Application Fee. 3. Applicants are required to complete their application within two weeks of registration in order to be part of the evaluation process. 4. ISF receives applications from around the world and from a variety of educational systems. Refer to the chart to determine which ISF grade aligns with your child's current grade level. 5. Important dates and deadlines: Application submission for the 2026-2027 academic year will be available starting Monday 6 October 2025; the application deadline is 7 January 2026; re-enrollment for current families typically begins in December and ends in February; final responses for yearly applicants are typically provided by early March; final responses for semester applicants are typically provided during the summer.

Scholarships
Three-Year Scholarship Opportunity for a Local Student. International School of Florence is offering a three-year scholarship opportunity for a motivated and academically capable student from the local Florentine community who is not currently enrolled at ISF. The student will enter Grade 6 in the 2026-2027 academic year. This scholarship will support the selected student from Grade 6 through Grade 8, concluding with the Terza Media examination, and is designed to provide access to a high-quality international education within a supportive, globally minded learning environment. It will combine an international English-language education with continued connection to the Italian system.
School Events
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