Good to know
Good to Know
- Split International School — the only school in the area offering a full IB Diploma Programme plus an accredited American diploma pathway — is physically located in Dugopolje, about 15 km (roughly a 20-minute drive) northeast of central Split, not in the city itself, so factor commute time into any housing decision.
- For most of the smaller bilingual schools in Split (Harfa, the International School of Split, the International French School, and Deutsche Schule Split), tuition is not published online and requires directly emailing or calling the school for a current quote.
- Split International School offers need-based financial aid of up to 40% off base tuition and sibling discounts, which can meaningfully change the effective cost for relocating families.
- Public Croatian schools are free even for foreign residents with residency, but instruction is entirely in Croatian, which is why most expat families with school-age kids opt for one of these fee-paying international/bilingual options instead.
- Split International School's own admissions page frames December-January as the window to apply for popular grades — apply then, not in summer, if you want real choice of seat.
- Harfa International School doesn't publish an application deadline, so treat 'rolling admissions' with caution and contact them directly as early as possible rather than assuming space will be available closer to the school year.
- Split's closest full IB/American-track international school (Split International School) is technically about 15 km outside the city in Dugopolje, so factor in commute or the optional private bus service when planning where to live.
- If you're considering homeschooling instead of enrolling your child in a Croatian or international school in Split, be aware this is not currently a general legal option here — the country only permits at-home schooling for documented medical reasons, unlike some other EU countries.
- There isn't a confirmed local homeschooling co-op or meetup group in Split itself; the main Croatian homeschooling advocacy organization is based in Zagreb.
Schools And Curricula
Split International School
- Location
- Kninska ulica 9, Dugopolje (approx. 15 km / ~20 min drive northeast of Split city center)
- Curriculum
- International Baccalaureate (PYP/MYP/DP) plus an MSA-accredited American high school diploma; officially recognized by the Croatian Ministry of Education
- Ages Grades
- Grade 1 through Grade 12 (day school, no boarding)
- Language Of Instruction
- English, with Croatian language instruction and additional-language support for non-native English speakers
Tuition
- Discounts
- Sibling discounts (10% for two children, 15% for three or more) and need-based financial aid of up to 40% off base tuition for qualifying families
- School Year
- 2025-2026
By Grade
Grades 1-2
- Grades 1 2
- €9,000
Grades 3-4
- Grades 3 4
- €11,000
Grades 5-8
- Grades 5 8
- €13,000
Grades 9-10
- Grades 9 10
- €15,000
Grades 11-12
- Grades 11 12
- €17,000
Additional Fees
One-time Enrollment Fee
- One Time Enrollment Fee
- €500
Student Capital Fee
- Student Capital Fee
- €1,000
Optional Private Bus Transport
- Period
- per year
- Currency Local
- EUR
- Amount USD Range
- 1508-2552
- Amount Local Range
- 1300-2200
Harfa International School
- Location
- Split (city)
- Curriculum
- IB World School model — inquiry-based, multidisciplinary curriculum layered on top of the Croatian Ministry-mandated program
- Ages Grades
- Kindergarten through primary school currently operating; a secondary (ages 16-18) section is listed as upcoming, not yet running
- Language Of Instruction
- English from first grade, with Croatian taught daily as a mandatory subject to support bilingualism
Tuition
- Note
- Published fee figures were not available; tuition covers full-day classes (8am-4pm) and meals, but families must contact the school directly for current rates. Uniforms are billed separately from tuition.
International School of Split (ISS)
- Location
- Split (city)
- Curriculum
- International Baccalaureate (IB) programme
- Ages Grades
- Preschool through Grade 12
- Language Of Instruction
- English
Tuition
- Note
- No published tuition figures found in available sources; families need to contact the school (iss.hr) directly for current fees.
International French School of Split
- Location
- Split (city)
- Curriculum
- French national curriculum, part of the AEFE (Agence pour l'enseignement français à l'étranger) network of French schools abroad
- Ages Grades
- Preschool through Grade 6
- Language Of Instruction
- Bilingual French-Croatian
Tuition
- Note
- No published tuition figures found in available sources; contact the school directly for current fees.
Deutsche Schule Split
- Location
- Split (city)
- Curriculum
- German-based curriculum for young learners, with an intercultural, bilingual approach
- Ages Grades
- Preschool through elementary level
- Language Of Instruction
- Bilingual German-Croatian
Tuition
- Note
- No published tuition figures found in available sources; contact the school directly for current fees.
Enrollment And Homeschooling
Homeschooling
- Legal Status Detail
- Homeschooling (parent-led education in lieu of school attendance) is not currently permitted for Croatian nationals or residents under Croatian education law; officials interpret the compulsory-education statute (Zakon o odgoju i obrazovanju u osnovnoj i srednjoj školi, and related constitutional Articles 63 and 65 on the duty to school children) to require attendance at a registered public or accredited private school. The only recognized exception is 'nastava u kući' (schooling at home for medical reasons), which is a health-based accommodation administered through a school, not general parent-directed homeschooling.
- Country Legal Status
- illegal
- Current Developments
- A Croatian advocacy group, Homeschooling Hrvatska, has been actively campaigning to legalize homeschooling, and the Ministry of Science and Education has been reported as piloting a limited homeschooling program as of 2023; as of this writing the legal framework had not been generalized into a right to homeschool, so the practical legal position for a family in Split remains that a child must be enrolled in a registered school.
- Foreign Family Implication
- Foreign families relocating to Split with residence status are subject to the same compulsory school-enrollment rule as Croatian nationals; there is no confirmed separate legal carve-out for expatriates to homeschool instead of enrolling a resident child in a school.
- Local Community Or Coop In Split
- No documented, Split-specific homeschooling co-op or in-person community could be confirmed. The one genuinely identifiable Croatian homeschooling organization, Homeschooling Hrvatska, is based in Zagreb (not Split) and functions mainly as a national advocacy and support network (including an Instagram/Facebook presence) rather than a local Split meetup group.
International Bilingual Schools In Split
Split International School
- Curriculum
- IB (PYP/MYP/DP) plus an MSA-accredited American high school diploma track
- How To Apply
- Application is via an online Google Form or a downloadable PDF form emailed to the admissions team, with no application fee charged; families can request a tour and submit documents before committing.
- Waitlist Reality
- The school explicitly frames its December–January window as the time to apply for popular grade levels to secure a spot, implying limited seats fill up well before the academic year starts in September; it continues to admit relocation/transfer students through the summer on a space-available basis for less in-demand grades.
- Application Cycles
- The school runs staged application windows rather than a single deadline: an Early Cycle from December 1 to January 31, described as encouraged for popular grades to secure a place and allow time for relocation planning, followed by a Regular Cycle from February 1 to March 31 for standard, timely review.
- Tuition Note
- Annual tuition for 2025-2026 runs roughly EUR 9,000-17,000 depending on grade level, separate from the enrollment and capital fees above.
- Location Note
- Campus is in Dugopolje, roughly 15 km northeast of central Split (outside the ~10-minute city-center radius, but the only IB/American-track international school serving the Split area)
Fees On Acceptance
Enrollment Fee (One-time, Non-refundable, Due on Acceptance)
- Enrollment Fee (One Time, Non Refundable, Due On Acceptance)
- €500
Student Capital Fee (Annual, Covers Tech/equipment/campus)
- Student Capital Fee (Annual, Covers Tech/Equipment/Campus)
- €1,000
Harfa International School
- How To Apply
- No fixed public deadline is published; the school directs interested families to a contact form or phone call to arrange a meeting, suggesting a rolling, inquiry-first admissions process rather than fixed cycles.
- Location Note
- In Split; an IB World School offering kindergarten through high school (ages 6-18), with a bilingual English/Croatian model.
- Practical Note
- Because there is no published application-cycle calendar (unlike Split International School), families should contact the school directly as early as possible — ideally 6-12 months ahead for a September start — to learn about actual seat availability for their child's grade.
General Application Requirements For Foreign Families
- Language Barrier
- Public and most Croatian schools do not require the child to already speak Croatian to enroll, and children can enroll even without Croatian language skills, though international/bilingual private schools are generally the more practical route for non-Croatian-speaking families given classes are taught in English there.
- Realistic Timing Advice
- Given Split International School's own stated early-cycle window (Dec 1-Jan 31) for popular grades and Harfa's rolling, inquiry-based process with no published capacity data, foreign families should treat 6-9 months before a September start as the safer minimum lead time, and start with a direct email/call inquiry rather than assuming an open seat.
- Typical Documents Needed
- Enrolling a child from abroad in Croatia typically involves prior school records, certified translations, health/vaccination records, proof of citizenship, residence status documentation, and (once resident) an OIB personal identification number, in addition to whatever specific form each school requires.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
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Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.