Public, concertado, private and international schools all work differently, and they do not all apply at the same time of year. This guide sets out the options on the Costa del Sol, how each one takes applications, and what to have ready.
The first is the type of school. The second is where you live, because places at public and concertado schools are scored partly on your home or work address. Families often pick the area after they have chosen the school, not the other way round.
If you are still comparing towns, look at schools before you sign a rental contract. It saves a lot of driving later.
| School type | Who it suits | Language | Cost | How to apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public schoolColegio público | Families staying longer term who want their children to settle into local life and the local language. | Spanish, with English taught as a subject. Some schools are bilingual. | State funded. Families usually pay for books, materials, trips, and lunch or after school care if they use it. | Through the Junta de Andalucía admission round, in March and early April for the following school year. |
| Semi-private schoolColegio concertado | Families who want a state funded place but prefer a school with its own character, often faith based. | Mainly Spanish. Many offer bilingual programmes. | Publicly funded teaching, with voluntary contributions and extras charged by the school. | Same Junta de Andalucía admission round as public schools, in March and early April. |
| Private Spanish schoolColegio privado | Families who want the Spanish curriculum with smaller classes or a specific school approach. | Mainly Spanish, often with strong English teaching. | Fees set by the school. Ask for the full year cost including registration, materials, transport and lunch. | Directly with the school, on the school's own timetable. |
| International and British schoolColegio internacional | Families staying a few years, arriving mid school career, or wanting to keep their home curriculum. | Usually English, with Spanish taught daily. Other curricula and languages exist too. | Fees set by the school. Registration, exam fees, uniform, bus and lunch are often separate. | Directly with the school. Many take applications all year, subject to places in the year group. |
| Montessori and other approachesEscuelas alternativas | Families looking for a smaller setting or a different learning style, often in the early years. | Varies by setting. Many are bilingual. | Fees set by the setting. | Directly with the setting. Ask what official recognition it holds before you enrol. |
| Nursery and pre-schoolGuardería, escuela infantil, 0 to 3 | Families with children under three, or under six who are not yet in school. | Mostly Spanish in local settings, English or bilingual in international ones. | Private settings set their own fees. Publicly funded places for 0 to 3 have their own means tested system. | Public 0 to 3 places have a separate application round from the school one. Private settings take enquiries directly. |
These share one admission round run by the Junta de Andalucía, with the same dates across the region. You list your preferred schools, the application is scored, and places are published on a set date. Applications for the 2026/27 school year run from 1 March to 7 April 2026.
Dates from the Junta de Andalucía escolarización calendar for 2026/27. See the official calendar
These run their own admissions. You apply to the school itself, usually at any point in the year, and a place depends on space in that year group. Popular year groups fill early, so contact schools well before you move and ask to be put on a waiting list if the year is full.
If you arrive outside the March round, you apply for a place through the local education office rather than the normal process. You may be offered a school that has space rather than your first choice, and you can usually apply again in the next round.
Junta de Andalucía escolarización portalThe 0 to 3 stage is not part of the school admission round. Publicly funded nursery places have their own application process and their own dates, and private nurseries take enquiries directly all year.
Exact requirements vary by school and by town hall, so treat this as a starting point and confirm with the school or the official forms page.
Take these with you when you visit. The answers tell you more than any brochure.
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We list schools and nurseries with details taken from each school's own website. If one is missing, tell us and we will look into adding it.
The moving checklist covers school and nursery alongside the padrón, healthcare and the rest of the first months.
Other parents nearby have already chosen a school, sat through the paperwork and settled a child who spoke no Spanish. Answer a few questions and we will suggest circles near you.
Find my villageThis guide is a practical starting point, not school placement or legal advice. Dates, scoring and requirements can change and vary by town hall and school. Always confirm with the school or the Junta de Andalucía before you make a decision.