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Olinca International School

Mexico, Mexico City

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The school at a glance
Instructs in Spanish, English, French
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 1 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 1600
Type Co-educational
Opened 1973
Bus Service No
Part of
Olinca International School
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary), Indian Curriculum
Taught languages French
Typical class size 22
Strengths STEM, Languages, Sport
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language
Stages Infant/Toddler Care, Early Years, Preschool, Primary School, Secondary School, Sixth Form
Introduction

Olinca International School is an IB World School in Mexico City serving ages 1 to 18, with campuses Altavista (San Ángel) and Periférico Sur (Pedregal de Carrasco). It offers the IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP) and Cambridge Primary/Secondary, along with an Indian Curriculum, all within a bilingual framework using Spanish and English, with French at Periférico. It runs bilingual integrated programs SEP-IB-Olinca and CCH-IB-Olinca, emphasizing inquiry, collaboration, and international-mindedness. Since its founding in 1973 by Miss Tere, Olinca has been part of the expansion of the IB framework in Mexico and joined Cognita in 2022. Facilities include science and technology laboratories, coding and digital design rooms, STEAM spaces, libraries, auditoriums, a gym and climbing wall, plus green areas. The school supports project-based learning, UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and enrichment programs such as República Olinca and OLINMUN. Olinca aims to develop open-minded learners ready for life beyond school and partnerships.

This campus is part of Olinca International School

Av. Altavista 130, San Ángel, Álvaro Obregón, 01060 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

The Essentials

Olinca International School has 1,600 pupils, typical class sizes of 22, instruction in Spanish, English, French.

Location
Olinca operates two campuses in Mexico City: San Ángel Campus at Av. Altavista 130, San Ángel, Álvaro Obregón, 01060, and Pedregal Campus at Periférico Sur 5170, Pedregal de Carrasco, Coyoacán, 04700. The campuses are located in southern Mexico City neighborhoods. The Altavista campus serves students from 18 months to 11 years old; the Pedregal campus serves from 18 months to 18 years old. Both campuses provide school transportation.

Stages
Early Learning; Preschool; Primary School (PYP); Secondary School (MYP); High School/Diploma

Type
International school (IB World School) with bilingual and international programmes (SEP-IB-Olinca / CCH-IB-Olinca)

Additional learning support
Socio-emotional support for all students

Country affiliation
Mexico

Bus service
School transportation is provided at both the San Ángel and Pedregal campuses.
Diving Deeper

Governance and Ownership
The school is owned by Cognita. It is part of Cognita's global network of private international schools.
Fees
Application / Evaluation fee
- An application/evaluation fee is required for most year groups as part of the admissions process; Preschool applicants are exempt from this evaluation fee.

Tuition fees by school year (per term / per year)
- The school does not publish a public table of tuition amounts by year group. Detailed tuition amounts and the official per-term / per-year schedule are issued directly to families through the school's family payment portal and in admissions communications. Accepted applicants receive an admissions email that specifies the fees to be paid.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Billing frequency: Tuition is billed monthly and payments are expected on a consecutive monthly basis; payments not made consecutively are applied to the oldest outstanding balance. A discount is applied only if the payment is made within the early-payment window each month (the first five natural days). A late surcharge of 10% is applied to the regular monthly tuition from the 21st day of the month.
- Payment methods supported:
- Online payment via the family portal (Comunidad Olinca) through the Santander payment engine (Motor de Pagos Santander).
- Online payment via the Olinca mobile application using family credentials.
- Bank transfer or payment at bank counter into the school's account (bank details provided by the school); when paying by transfer, families must request the correct payment concept from the school's cashier and email the bank receipt to the school's administrative email address. Cash payments at the school or at bank windows are not accepted. The school's published bank details (for transfers) include: Banco Santander — Cuenta: 65-50964476-0 — CLABE: 014180655096447608.
- Payment posting and receipts: Online and app payments post automatically to the school's accounting system; for bank transfers families must send the transfer receipt by email with the family surname in the subject to the school's designated administrative email so the payment can be posted.
- Consequences of late or partial payment: If payment is made after the early-payment window, the full regular monthly tuition is charged; if payment is not consecutive the payment will be allocated to the oldest outstanding balance and surcharges may apply.

Boarding / Overnight accommodation
- The school operates as day campuses (San Ángel and Periférico) and does not provide boarding accommodation. Transportation and afternoon activity transport are offered as day services where applicable; there is no published boarding program.

Other costs and regularly charged items
- School insurance: An accident insurance policy for students is in place and may be handled through the school; this insurance provides reimbursement for medical expenses caused by accidents at school.
- School transportation: Transportation is available and some groups are enrolled in mandatory transportation programs depending on campus and year group; transportation is billed separately. Specific routes, schedules and transport fees are provided seasonally to families.
- Books, school supplies and uniforms: Books and supplies are sold online in August before the start of classes; uniforms are sold in August (Periférico campus noted) and are charged separately. Additional identification credentials beyond the two complimentary authorizations per student incur a small additional fee.
- Extracurricular activities / after-school workshops: Optional after-school activities (talleres/actividades vespertinas) carry separate fees; schedules and costs are published to families (typically in August) and billed separately.
- Certification and examination fees: Costs for external examinations and certifications (IB PYP/MYP/DP certification fees, language certification fees and UNAM preparatory incorporation fees where applicable) are charged in a single payment and are set by the external certifying organisations. These certification and registration fees are billed separately when applicable.
- Additional small administrative fees: Certain administrative items (extra ID credentials, special service costs) can carry small additional charges paid at the school cashier.

Refund information
- No public, itemized tuition refund schedule is published in broadly available admissions materials. Standard payment terms state how payments are applied and how surcharges are assessed for late payment; specific refund policies (for withdrawal, overpayment or cancelled services) are handled through the school's administrative office and finance notices distributed to families.

How fees are communicated to families
- Official tuition amounts, payment deadlines and the detailed fee schedule for each year group are communicated to families through the school's family portal (Comunidad Olinca) and via admissions emails to accepted applicants; the family portal and admissions communications contain the current cycle's definitive fee tables and payment calendar.

Summary of key payment details (concise)
- Evaluation/application fee: required for most year groups; Preschool exempt.
- Monthly tuition: billed monthly; payments must be consecutive; early-payment discount applies in the first five days of each month; 10% surcharge applies from day 21.
- Payment channels: family portal (Comunidad Olinca) via Santander payment engine, Olinca app, bank transfer using the school's Santander account; cash at school is not accepted.
- Additional charges: transport, books/supplies, uniforms, extracurriculars, certification/exam fees and some administrative fees are charged separately.

Notes:
- Exact per-term and per-year tuition amounts for specific year groups are not published in the public admissions brochure; families receive the detailed fee schedule and payment calendar through the school's family portal and in admissions communications.
Academics

Olinca International School teaches IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary), Indian Curriculum for students aged 1 to 18.

Curriculum
The school offers an IB continuum and bilingual integrated academic programs (SEP-IB-Olinca / CCH-IB-Olinca). Olinca is an IB World School authorized to offer the Primary Years Programme for ages 3 to 12, the Middle Years Programme for ages 11 to 16, and the Diploma Programme for ages 16 to 19. The curriculum is bilingual and integrates academic content across subjects with a focus on inquiry and international mindedness. Since the founding of the school in 1973, Olinca has been at the forefront of IB in Mexico, adopting the IB framework in the 1980s. The educational model emphasizes project based learning, UN global goals, and the use of technology, with enrichment programs such as República Olinca and OLINMUN. The school educates for life with a strong social and environmental commitment and aims to develop autonomous, open minded learners.

Higher Education Progression
Almost all Olinca graduates continue their studies in colleges in Mexico or abroad. There are collaboration agreements with ITAM, UP, UDLAP, IBERO, ELD and other institutions offering automatic passes and excellence scholarships. The College and beyond page notes that more than 80 percent of graduates report that their first college choice is a reality and highlights automatic passes and scholarships for several partner universities.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Olinca provides social-emotional accompaniment to all students. Socio-emotional support is a pillar of the educational model, alongside academic excellence and international programmes. The school emphasizes care for others, self-knowledge, and personal growth as essential life skills. It integrates wellbeing into its curriculum through community service, student projects, and programmes that foster global citizenship. The school supports students to develop resilience, empathy, and responsible decision-making.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
Altavista teaches Spanish and English; Periférico teaches Spanish, English and French. Olinca uses bilingual and integrated academic programs (SEP-IB-Olinca / CCH-IB-Olinca).

Mental Wellbeing
Mental wellbeing is supported through socio-emotional development and ongoing support. The educational model promotes self-knowledge, wellbeing, and a sense of global citizenship through programmes such as República Olinca, Conozca México, pastoral care, and socio-emotional workshops. Students participate in community service and exchanges that reinforce wellbeing and personal growth.

Safeguarding
Safeguarding is Olinca's commitment to protecting the wellbeing, physical and mental health, and safety of students. Safeguarding Culture promotes a fluid, supportive environment with policies and training in child and youth protection, climate of good treatment, safe educational outings, safe recruitment, risk behaviours, safe use of Internet/technology, and facility security. All staff receive training to recognize signs of abuse or neglect and intervene quickly. There is a downloadable Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy.
Parent Experience

History
Olinca was founded in 1973 by María Teresa Compeán Palacios, known as Miss Tere, who opened Colegio Olinca with the mission of forming better human beings and brought the International Baccalaureate to Mexico, promoting national and international exchanges and community service. The name Olinca comes from two Nahuatl words, ollin (movement) and atl (water), meaning water in movement, which reflects the school's spirit of movement and evolution. Since its foundation, Olinca has been at the forefront of educational trends, including the adoption of the IB in the 1980s and the incorporation of a community service program and, more recently, the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Goals across all academic programs. Since 2022, Olinca has been part of Cognita, a London-based network of select schools.

Community
Olinca has two campuses in the south of Mexico City: Altavista in San Ángel and Periferico near the Bosque de Tlalpan National Park. The Periferico campus offers bilingual education in English and Spanish for children from 18 months to 18 years, with French as an additional language from Secondary/MYP, while Altavista offers bilingual education in English and Spanish for children from 18 months to 11 years. The campus facilities include green areas, sports facilities, laboratories, auditoriums, libraries, and STEAM spaces, and the school emphasises its Pillars: Care, Grow, Inspire, Focus, Expand, which cover social and environmental commitment, socio-emotional support, and a global perspective.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The Olinca school has two campuses in south Mexico City: Altavista in San Ángel and Periférico Sur in Pedregal de Carrasco. The Periférico campus is a modern complex spread over more than 16,000 m2 with green areas and sports facilities. It also has science and technology laboratories, auditoriums, an art room, a coding room, a digital design room, a library and STEAM areas, plus a gym of more than 500 m2, a climbing wall and a parking lot. The Altavista campus has green areas, multipurpose rooms, a library, sports facilities, and science, art and technology laboratories with STEAM spaces. Altavista languages are Spanish and English; Periférico languages are Spanish, English and French. The campuses are located in southern Mexico City near UNAM6 University City and in the San Ángel area.

Sports Facilities
Periférico has a gym of more than 500 m2 and a climbing wall as part of its sports facilities. Altavista has sports facilities. Both campuses include sports facilities and green spaces for outdoor activity.

Academic Facilities
Periférico has science and technology laboratories, auditoriums, an art room, a coding room and a digital design room. It also has a library and STEAM areas. Altavista has science, art and technology laboratories with STEAM spaces and a library.

Extra Curricular Facilities
We offer a wide range of extracurricular activities including chess, art lab, musical comedy, crossfit, karate, cheerleading, soccer, yoga and basketball. Preschool activities include chess, basketball, color lab (art), food technology, karate, cheerleading, tiny dancers and yoga. Primary school/PYP activities include chess, art lab, basketball, first Holy Communion preparation, musical comedy, literary creation, Crossfit, karate, creative hands (art), cheerleading, yoga and Zumba kids. Secondary school/MYP activities include fitness training, art lab, basketball, Crossfit and cheerleading. High school/Diploma activities include fitness, basketball and Crossfit.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
We offer a wide range of extracurricular activities to enrich and complement our regular curriculum. At the start of each school year, students may enroll in a variety of sports, plus artistic and cultural workshops, at an additional monthly cost. Chess is offered as an extracurricular activity. Primary students have access to literary creation as an intellectual enrichment option.

Arts & Creative
Art lab is part of the extracurricular program. Preschool includes color lab (art) to foster creativity. Primary offers art lab and creative hands (art), and includes musical comedy. Secondary includes art lab among its offerings.

Cultural & Language
Altavista campus languages: Spanish and English. Periférico campus languages: Spanish, English and French. Olinmun is an extracurricular program related to Model United Nations. Olinca is a school of academic excellence with bilingual and international programmes (SEP-IB-Olinca / CCH-IB-Olinca).

Social & Hobbies
A variety of sports and fitness activities are offered as extracurriculars. Preschool includes chess, basketball, color lab (art), food technology, karate, cheerleading, tiny dancers, and yoga. Primary includes chess, art lab, basketball, musical comedy, literary creation, Crossfit, karate, creative hands (art), cheerleading, yoga, and Zumba kids. Secondary includes fitness training, art lab, basketball, crossfit, and cheerleading; High School includes fitness, basketball, crossfit.

Community & Service
Care is a pillar of Olinca with a focus on social and environmental commitment. Socio-emotional support is provided to students. The school empowers students to discover their unique talents and contribute to the community. Education focuses on key competencies, life skills, and a global perspective.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Wellbeing is supported through sports and fitness activities, including Crossfit, Yoga, fitness training, and basketball. Preschool and Primary offer a range of physical activities such as tiny dancers and Zumba. The program emphasizes expanding with an international outlook as part of Olinca's identity.
Languages

Language Provision
Altavista languages: Spanish and English. Periférico languages: Spanish, English and French. The school is an IB World School offering PYP, MYP and Diploma, with SEP-IB-Olinca / CCH-IB-Olinca.

Bilingual Teaching
Olinca is an IB World School offering bilingual and international programmes (SEP-IB-Olinca / CCH-IB-Olinca). Altavista campus serves students from 1.6 to 11 years old and teaches Spanish and English. Periférico campus serves students from 18 months to 18 years old and teaches Spanish, English and French. Olinca has two campuses in Mexico City—Altavista in San Ángel and Periférico Sur—and has offered IB programmes since 1980.
Admissions

Admissions
Olinca is a private international school located in Mexico City. It is an IB World School teaching the International Baccalaureate curriculum and was the first IB school in Mexico. It welcomes students from 18 months to 18 years. The school educates well-rounded, confident, capable, and committed human beings. The teaching methodology rests on four pillars: Care (social and environmental commitment); Grow (socio-emotional support); Inspire (empowering students to discover their unique talents with a focus on future vision and community); Focus (education in key competencies and life skills); Expand (international perspective). If considering enrolling, contact Olinca for more information, to arrange a visit, and to begin the admissions process. The registration process is six steps long: Step 1 is a briefing meeting (in-person or online information sessions). Step 2 is the application form (complete the form, including submission of report card and evaluation fee, except Preschool; the form is mailed after the meeting). Step 3 is the student evaluation (Preschool: Olinteractive with an interview of the Preschool Head and Psychologist; Preschool I–III Visiting Day; Pre-elementary session with the Elementary school psychologist; Grades 1–5: Visiting Day with leadership evaluation and same-day results; Grades 6–9: Mathematics, English, Spanish and Psychometric tests, interview with Psychologist and English Coordinator, day of school visit; Grades 10–12: Mathematics, English and Spanish and Psychometric tests, interview with Psychologist Department and English Coordinator, school tour with high school students). Step 4 is the delivery of results (the admissions team contacts Middle and High school families by phone to communicate acceptance). Step 5 is the admissions email (accepted applicants receive an email with next steps and fees). Step 6 is informative emails (pre-entry messages including a username and password for the Olinca Community webpage, a list of books and supplies, information on the upcoming term, an invitation to orientation activities, and a welcome reception). ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE WITH PURPOSE: Olinca is a school of academic excellence with bilingual and international programmes (SEP-IB-Olinca / CCH-IB-Olinca).
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