· updated monthly
The five schools Budapest parents researched most this year, chosen from the 18 international schools in the city. Ranked by how many families opened each school’s profile and spent time reading it between July 2025 and June 2026, then the full picture on curricula, class sizes and fees.
The 2026 ranking
Ranked purely by parent interest — the number of families who opened each school’s profile and spent time reading it between July 2025 and June 2026.
Deutsche Schule Budapest is a German‑Hungarian bilingual school for ages 5 to 18. The campus sits in Budapest's XII district on a 3.6‑hectare forested site, with a modern building expanded in 2023 offering multimedia classrooms and specialist facilities. The school operates Grundschule (0. Klasse to 4. Klasse) and Gymnasium, with two language streams: Deutscher Zweig (German track) and Ungarischer Zweig (Hungarian track). Deutschunterricht is delivered as Deutsch als Fremdsprache or Deutsch als Muttersprache, with separate curricula for DaF (1–9) and DaM (5–12). The German‑language stream is taught mainly by native German‑speaking teachers, and KMK guidelines shape the curriculum. The Gymnasium includes Studienberatung, Orientierungsstufe, Mittelstufe and Oberstufe. Founded in 1990 as a German‑Hungarian encounter school, it is part of the international network of German Auslandsschulen and is sponsored by the Deutsche Schule Budapest Foundation, representing Germany, Hungary, Baden‑Württemberg and the City of Budapest. The campus features a well‑stocked library, an on‑site theatre, an in‑house kitchen, a gymnasium, outdoor sports grounds and a forest learning trail.
BME International Secondary Grammar School in Hungary is an IB World School delivering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP) to students aged 14 to 18. Instruction is in English, with Hungarian language development supported by a bilingual framework. The DP is taught by IB-trained teachers and includes six courses across groups, Theory of Knowledge, a Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) programme, and a 4,000-word Extended Essay, over two years. Students study English Language and Literature, plus Language Acquisition (French, German, German Ab Initio, or Spanish), and options in Individuals and Societies, Sciences, Mathematics, and The Arts. The school maintains dedicated IB laboratories, a new library with Questia access, modern computers, and an extension to support IB classes, with progress tracked on ManageBac. Founded in 1993 by the English Department of the Technical University of Budapest, the school emphasises international-mindedness, mobility, and European exchanges, while offering Hungarian as a Foreign Language for students worldwide.
The British International School Budapest (BISB) serves ages 3 to 18 within a British international framework. The Early Years Foundation Stage through the English National Curriculum guides learning, with Cambridge IGCSE offered in secondary and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in the final two years. English is the main language of instruction, with Hungarian, French, German, Spanish and Mandarin taught across the school. The hillside campus overlooks the Buda Hills and provides modern facilities for sport, performing arts and science. EdTech is central to daily lessons, featuring robotics, 3D printers and digital collaboration. An Early Years Centre offers outdoor spaces and Forest School, while a theatre, music production studio, ICT and science suites support high-tech learning. The library houses more than 25,000 resources. BISB also hosts a Music and Performing Arts collaboration with The Juilliard School and participates in Nord Anglia Education programmes, international expeditions and leadership activities and opportunities.
Orchidea Hungarian-English Bilingual School is a bilingual private school in Budapest offering education from kindergarten through secondary school. The school follows the Hungarian National Curriculum while delivering a Hungarian–English bilingual programme that enables students to study many subjects in English alongside Hungarian. English learning begins in kindergarten and becomes increasingly intensive, with secondary students following bilingual subject teaching designed to develop advanced language proficiency. The school aims for graduates to achieve C1-level English by the end of secondary education. Teaching takes place across three Budapest campuses serving kindergarten, primary and secondary students in a multicultural environment that welcomes both Hungarian and international families. A distinctive feature of OHEBS is its continuous bilingual pathway from early childhood through graduation, including a dedicated English preparatory year before the bilingual secondary programme. The school also supports students through small-group language instruction, student government activities and a variety of academic, artistic and community programmes that complement classroom learning.
International School of Budapest (ISB) is Hungary's bilingual international school, serving students aged 5 to 18 across preparatory, primary and secondary levels. Established in 1996, ISB offers two parallel academic pathways: the Cambridge International Programme (in English) and a Bilingual Programme that combines the Hungarian Curriculum Framework with Cambridge Examinations. Cambridge assessments include IGCSE results and progression to the IB Diploma Programme in Grade 11, with the Diploma exams in six subject areas. Since 2019, a Pre-IB Year provides targeted English-language support to help new students settle and achieve. The school is a Cambridge International School and IB World School, holding Hungarian accreditation as a bilingual institution (Ministry ID: 035019). The Budapest campus in District 11 has two buildings with modern classrooms, dedicated spaces for music, art and science, and a secure, accessible environment near Kopaszi Gát. A roster of clubs complements life, varied, including Robotics, MUN, arts and language activities.
What’s on offer
The mix of programmes and teaching languages across all 18 schools. Many offer more than one curriculum, so totals run higher than the school count.
Number of schools teaching each curriculum.
Number of schools teaching in each language.
Size & classes
School size and class size shape day-to-day experience as much as curriculum does.
Schools grouped by total enrolment.
Average school size is 448 students · based on the 12 schools that report enrolment.
Schools grouped by typical class size.
Average class size is 16.7 students · based on the 10 schools that report it.
What it costs
Fees shown are one year for a 12-year-old (or the closest age available), excluding one-time enrolment costs.
Across the 14 schools that publish a price for a 12-year-old. All figures in HUF.
How many schools sit in each annual-fee range.
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