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Pacific Rim International School

United States, San Mateo

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English, Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish
Fees $37,000 - 45,600
Ages 0 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 51
Type Co-educational
Opened 1989
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum Montessori Curriculum
Taught languages English, Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish
Typical class size 6
Strengths Languages, Performing Arts, Visual and Creative Arts
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Social and Hobbies
Stages Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle School, High School
Introduction

Pacific Rim International School (PRINTS) is an independent Montessori program serving children from infancy through high school with two campuses in San Mateo and Emeryville. The school delivers dual-immersion Montessori education with Mandarin-English, Japanese-English, and Spanish-English tracks, supported by AMI-trained guides at every level. This makes PRINTS one of the first Montessori programs to offer Mandarin, Japanese, and Spanish across the full age span. The Upper School is accredited by ACS WASC, reflecting ongoing program review. PRINTS traces its origins to 1989 in Berkeley as a Mandarin-English bilingual Montessori school, expanding to Emeryville in 1995 and San Mateo in 1997; a second Children's House opened there in 1999. The 2023 relocation brought a new San Mateo campus, and the school has evolved with programs such as Nido (2014) and a Spanish-English track (2021). Beyond academics, PRINTS offers art, language, dance, and music classes, with new offerings each year.

2600 Campus Drive, San Mateo, CA 94403

The Essentials

Pacific Rim International School has 51 pupils, typical class sizes of 6, instruction in English, Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish.

Location
San Mateo, California. Campus address: 2600 Campus Drive, San Mateo, CA 94403.

Stages
Nido; Infant Community; Children's House; Elementary; Erdkinder: Junior High & High School

Type
Independent Montessori school offering a bilingual dual-immersion program.

Pupil Nationality Mix
International and multicultural orientation; accepts students from diverse backgrounds.

School day structure
Core school day: Nido, Infant Community and Children's House 9:00 am–3:00 pm; Elementary 8:15 am–3:15 pm; Erdkinder 8:15 am–3:45 pm. Extended Day operates 8:00 am–6:00 pm with optional extracurricular activities.
Diving Deeper

Boarding Arrangements
Extended Day is offered; PRINTS' doors are open from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday. The core school day is 9:00 am–3:00 pm for Nido, Infant Community and Children's House; 8:15 am–3:15 pm for Elementary; and 8:15 am–3:45 pm for Erdkinder, with early arrival at 8:00 am and aftercare until 6:00 pm.
Fees

Annual tuition at Pacific Rim International School ranges from USD 37,000 to USD 45,600 for 2026/27.

Academic year covered

- Academic Year 2026–2027.

Application fees

- A non‑refundable application fee is required with each application. For international applicants the application fee is USD 520 (this includes the I‑20 fee). Application fees can be paid by U.S. personal check, cashier's check, cash, credit card, or direct wire transfer.

Tuition — Lower School (San Mateo campus; annual amounts by program and daily hours)

- Nido (ages 3–18 months):
- 3.5 hours: USD 34,600 per year.
- 6 hours: USD 38,560 per year.
- 8.5 hours: USD 42,860 per year.
- 9.5 hours: USD 42,860 per year.
- Voucher hours: USD 23.00 per hour.
- Registration fee (one‑time at enrollment): USD 2,700.

- Infant Community (18–36 months):
- 3.5 hours: USD 32,800 per year.
- 6 hours: USD 36,700 per year.
- 8.5 hours: USD 43,760 per year.
- 9.5 hours: USD 40,860 per year.
- Voucher hours: USD 23.00 per hour.
- Registration fee (one‑time at enrollment): USD 4,800.

- Children's House (ages 3–6):
- 4 hours: USD 32,800 per year.
- 6 hours: USD 36,700 per year.
- 8.5 hours: USD 43,790 per year.
- 9.5 hours: USD 40,860 per year.
- Voucher hours: USD 22.00 per hour.
- Registration fee (one‑time at enrollment): USD 4,200.

- Elementary (1st–6th grade):
- 7 hours: USD 37,000 per year.
- 8.5 hours: USD 45,465 per year.
- 9.5 hours: USD 41,700 per year.
- Voucher hours: USD 22.00 per hour.
- Registration fee (one‑time at enrollment): USD 4,600.

Tuition — Upper School (Erdkinder; San Mateo campus, annual amounts by daily hours)

- Erdkinder (7th–12th grade):
- 7.5 hours: USD 45,600 per year.
- 8.5 hours: USD 50,700 per year.
- 9.5 hours: USD 47,600 per year.
- Voucher hours: USD 22.00 per hour.
- Registration fee (one‑time at enrollment): USD 6,800.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- The listed tuition covers the academic year (the Lower‑school page shows the 2026–2027 academic year running September 8, 2026 through June 18, 2027). Families must return a signed Enrollment Agreement and pay a last‑month, non‑refundable tuition deposit equal to 10% of the tuition at that time. Tuition may be paid in full or in ten equal monthly installments. Families choosing installment payments are required to participate in the school's Tuition Refund Plan; the Tuition Refund Plan varies by class and enrolled hours.

Boarding / on‑campus housing

- Boarding is not applicable to the San Mateo campus program listings; PRINTS does not list an on‑campus boarding program. International students follow the school's international admissions procedures (I‑20 processing, proof of funds, insurance, etc.).

Other required or typical additional costs

- Registration fee: a one‑time, non‑refundable registration fee is charged at enrollment (amounts vary by program — see the registration fee line for each program above). Registration fees include organic hot lunch, technology, insurance and other operating costs; for Nido and Infant Community the registration fee also covers cloth diapers and training pants where applicable.

- Health insurance (international students): an annual insurance amount is noted for international students (the international page lists an insurance figure as part of international fees). International students are required to have health insurance while studying in the United States; the I‑20 processing fee is covered in part by the international application fee. Estimated annual insurance and books/other fees for international students are listed separately in the international student section.

- Books and other student‑specific fees: international students are shown an approximate books/other fees estimate (approximately USD 1,500 per year). Additional optional costs such as summer program fees, extracurricular activities, school trips, special program fees, uniforms, school photos, and other incidentals may apply and are billed separately when applicable. Voucher hours (for before/after care) are available and charged per hour as listed above.

Refund information

- The last‑month tuition deposit is non‑refundable. Families who opt for installment payments must participate in the Tuition Refund Plan; the Tuition Refund Plan's terms vary depending on class and hours enrolled. Specific refund schedules (for withdrawal, dismissal, or visa refusals for international students) and any refund processing fees are managed under the school's refund/Tuition Refund Plan policy.

Fee payment methods accepted

- Accepted payment methods include U.S. personal check, cashier's check, cash, credit card, and direct wire transfer for application fees and commonly for tuition payments. Families paying from abroad are able to use wire transfer; contact the school for wire instructions.

Notes on timing and extras

- Summer program fees are separate from the academic‑year tuition. Voucher hours are purchased in advance when needed for occasional early arrival or late pickup. Registration fees are charged at enrollment and cover specified items (lunch, insurance, technology). Participation in installment plans requires enrollment in the Tuition Refund Plan.
Academics

Pacific Rim International School teaches Montessori Curriculum for students aged 0 to 18.

Curriculum
The school offers dual-immersion Montessori education for children from infancy through high school. Language programs include Mandarin-English, Japanese-English, and Spanish-English. AMI Montessori guides are provided at every academic level. The school is the first Montessori program to include Mandarin, Japanese, and Spanish. The Upper School is accredited by ACS WASC.

Higher Education Progression
Graduates pursue higher education at universities in the United States, including the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Emotional development is part of the First Plane (ages 0–6) in PRINTS' Montessori program. The First Plane centers on physical and emotional development. The school promotes a bilingual, multicultural environment that fosters social awareness and interdependence across cultures. Children gain fluency in two languages and learn to operate across Eastern and Western cultures. Students leaving PRINTS are well-prepared with social competence to collaborate with people of all ages.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
PRINTS provides fluency in English and a second language (Mandarin Chinese-English, Japanese-English, or Spanish-English). The aims of the multilingual experience are to cultivate curiosity about language and culture and to enable students to think and communicate in two or more languages. The dual immersion approach enables students to be proficient speakers, readers and writers in both English and the second language. The Japanese Program is currently available at the San Mateo campus.

Mental Wellbeing
Montessori education at PRINTS supports holistic development, including emotional development in the First Plane (ages 0–6). The planes of development outline how early years progress through stages that emphasize emotional and social growth. The program also fosters social competence and independence, preparing students to collaborate with people of all ages.
Parent Experience

History
PRINTS opened in 1989 as one of the first Mandarin-English bilingual Montessori schools at the Julia Morgan Center in Berkeley, with six children. An Elementary Community was established in 1991 as enrollment grew. Construction of the Emeryville Campus began in 1993, PRINTS relocated there in 1995, and the Japanese-English program began that year. PRINTS opened a second campus in San Mateo in 1997, with a second Children's House added there in 1999. From 2005 onward, PRINTS expanded with an Upper School in 2005, IB accreditation in 2009, Hands-on-PRINTS in 2013, a Nido program opened in 2014, a Spanish-English program in 2021, and a relocation to a new San Mateo campus in 2023.

Community
PRINTS operates two Bay Area campuses, Emeryville and San Mateo. Silent Journey and Discovery is held each fall for PRINTS parents. Extracurricular Activities include art, language, dance, and music classes for all ages, and a Summer Program is offered. In 2021 PRINTS launched a Spanish-English program, becoming the Bay Area's first Montessori school to offer four languages.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The school has two campuses in San Mateo and Emeryville.

Extra Curricular Facilities
The school offers art classes, language classes, dance classes, and music classes for all ages. New offerings appear each year.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
PRINTS provides a Montessori education with dual-immersion language programs for ages 3 months to 18 years. AMI-trained Montessori guides support students at every level, and the Upper School is accredited by ACS WASC. The language tracks include Mandarin-English, Japanese-English, and Spanish-English dual-immersion programs. The school serves students from Nido through Erdkinder (Junior High & High School) to 12th grade.

Arts & Creative
PRINTS offers art classes, dance classes, and music classes for all ages. The extracurricular program changes each year with new offerings. Students can explore creativity through a broad array of artistic activities alongside language work.

Cultural & Language
The school runs dual-immersion language programs in Japanese-English, Mandarin Chinese-English, and Spanish-English. Each track pairs a non-English language with English-language instruction. The presence of multiple language tracks supports immersive language learning across age groups from infancy through high school.

Social & Hobbies
PRINTS offers a broad range of extracurricular activities, including art, language, dance, and music classes for all ages, with new offerings introduced regularly.
Languages

Language Provision
Languages taught include English, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish; dual-immersion tracks pair English with Mandarin, Japanese, or Spanish.

Bilingual Teaching
The school offers bilingual instruction in Japanese-English, Mandarin-English, and Spanish-English.

Immersion Programs
PRINTS runs dual-immersion Montessori programs for children from 3 months to 18 years, with Mandarin-English, Japanese-English, and Spanish-English tracks.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Consultation — Fill out the Orientation Tour Form for the campus of choice; a PRINTS representative will reach out to schedule a phone consultation. The Lower School spans 3 months to 6th grade and the Upper School spans 7th to 12th grade, both at the San Mateo Campus. Lower School admissions are accepted year-round; Upper School admissions begin at the start of each academic year, with mid-year consideration possible under special circumstances. After the consultation, families understand the next steps in the process. 2. Campus Visit — Following the phone consultation, you can schedule a campus visit to observe how students learn and work in the environments. The orientation tour includes a one-on-one discussion with a PRINTS representative about the school's philosophy and curriculum. For safety, virtual tours are currently the only option. 3. Application Submission — Complete and submit the online application form. All applications are processed upon submission of the completed form and payment of a non-refundable application fee. Lower School applications are for 3 months to 6th grade; Upper School applications are for 7th-12th grade, both at the San Mateo Campus. 4. Decision Letter — After review of the application, a decision letter will be sent.

Scholarships
Financial assistance is available for Elementary and Upper School students who meet need-based criteria. PRINTS uses the Financial Aid for School Tuition (FAST) service to process applications. Financial assistance is offered in two forms: an Installment Payment Plan and a Scholarship.
School Events
The school has not added events
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