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Curriculum American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP)
Taught languages Spanish, French
Typical class size 22
Strengths Sport, Languages, Visual and Creative Arts
Clubs Arts and Creative, Community and Service, Leadership and Professional
Stages Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle School, High School
Introduction
Balboa Academy is a private day, college-preparatory school in Panama City, located in Ciudad del Saber, Clayton. It offers a U.S. standards-based curriculum with English as the language of instruction and issues dual Panamanian and U.S. diplomas. The program serves PK3–12 with a 180-day, two-semester calendar. The middle and high schools provide English, Social Studies, Mathematics, Sciences, Modern Languages, Computer Science, and an Encore curriculum, with accelerated options and Spanish-language courses required by Panama. The high school offers 19 AP courses plus 4 Pre-AP courses; AP Capstone is available after completing at least four APs plus AP Seminar and AP Research. Balboa Academy operates on the Ciudad del Saber campus with three academic buildings, an Athletics Building, and access to a sports complex. A Costa Sur campus opens in 2027. The school joined Inspired Education Group, supporting Exchange Programs and Global Camps with participants from over 40 nationalities across continents.
Street Jorge Gil 100, Panama City, Panamá Province, Panama
The Essentials
Balboa Academy has 901 pupils, typical class sizes of 22, instruction in English.
Location
Balboa Academy is a private school in Panama City, located in the heart of the capital's vibrant community. The school sits in Ciudad del Saber (City of Knowledge) in Clayton, Panama City. This location places Balboa Academy in the Clayton neighborhood with convenient access to Panama City's amenities.
Stages
Balboa Academy serves students from PK-3 through 12th grade. Academic stages include Preschool (ages 3-4), Elementary (ages 5-10), Middle School (ages 11-14), and High School (ages 15-18).
Type
The school is a private day, college-preparatory school offering a U.S.-standards-based curriculum and dual Panamanian/U.S. diplomas.
Pupil Nationality Mix
Over 40 nationalities represented.
Additional learning support
Honor and support classes are offered.
Country affiliation
Panama and the United States. The school issues dual Panamanian and U.S. diplomas.
Bus transportation is available for all Balboa Academy students. The service is provided by TRANES PANAMA, S.A. Clayton is among the served areas; many neighborhoods across Panama City are included.
Fees
Annual tuition at Balboa Academy ranges from USD 1,993 to USD 16,005 for 2026/27.
Application and Admission fees - Application / evaluation fee: USD 150, paid online as part of the application process. - Admission fee (one-time, payable on acceptance/enrolment): USD 12,000.
Annual tuition — non‑sponsored students (full year) - PK3 & PK4: USD 7,966 per year. - Kindergarten: USD 12,541 per year. - Grades 1–5: USD 12,665 per year. - Grades 6–12: USD 14,006 per year.
Annual tuition — sponsored students (full year) - PK3 & PK4: USD 9,257 per year. - Kindergarten: USD 13,828 per year. - Grades 1–5: USD 13,965 per year. - Grades 6–12: USD 15,309 per year.
Tuition per term / instalments and billing schedule - The school calendar published for the 2025–26 year uses quarter/term blocks. The school does not publish a public per‑term invoice table on the fee pages; the website invites families to contact the admissions team about payment options. Where a school uses term or monthly instalments, per‑term amounts are normally calculated from the annual tuition and the school's chosen number of instalments; Balboa Academy's public fee pages do not list per‑term amounts or an explicit payment‑due calendar. - Application payment is taken online through the application link. For other billing cadence (annual, termly, monthly), accepted instalment plans and specific due dates are not detailed on the school's public fees page.
Boarding fees - No boarding provision or boarding fees are published for Balboa Academy. The school's materials describe the campus and programmes for day students; therefore boarding fees are not applicable.
Other costs and typical additional charges - Registration/annual administration fees (listed above) apply in addition to tuition. - Uniforms: uniforms are required and may be purchased through the school's listed supplier (Galapago Panama); individual uniform item prices are not published on the school fee pages. - Bus service: a paid bus service is available for multiple areas; route coverage is published but bus fares are not listed on the public pages. - School meals: a daily lunch service (partnered with Yaya's Kitchen) is offered and menus are available monthly; meal pricing is not published on the school's fee page. - After‑school and extracurricular activities: some activities may have additional costs; specific activity fees are not published on the general fees page.
Refunds and cancellations - No detailed public refund policy, pro‑rata withdrawal table or explicit refund rules for tuition or other fees are published on the school's public fees or admissions pages. Families are required to contact the admissions office for enrolment and fee terms; specific refund provisions are not listed.
Fee payment options (what is publicly stated) - The application/evaluation fee is paid via the application link during the application process. Beyond that, the school's public pages invite enquiries about payment options but do not enumerate accepted payment methods (credit card, bank transfer, local payment portals) or give step‑by‑step payment instructions on the general fees page. Families are directed to contact the admissions office for payment arrangements.
Summary of verified figures and totals - Key published figures (application fee, admission fee, annual fees, tuition rates for sponsored and non‑sponsored students) are taken from the school's public fees and admissions pages. Third‑party fee aggregators also reproduce these figures and show combined first‑year totals that include the one‑time admission/registration charges plus annual tuition.
What was not publicly available on the school's fee pages (brief note) - The school's public pages do not provide an itemised per‑term invoice table, explicit payment due dates or schedules, detailed payment‑method instructions (credit card vs bank transfer vs payment portal), per‑item uniform or meal prices, or a published refund/withdrawal refund schedule. For those items, families must contact the school's admissions or finance office to obtain the official payment schedule, instalment options, accepted payment methods and the school's refund policy.
Academics
Balboa Academy teaches American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP) for students aged 3 to 18.
Curriculum
Balboa Academy provides PK3-12 with a US standards-based curriculum and English as the language of instruction. The middle school offers courses in English, Social Studies, Mathematics, Sciences, Modern Languages, Computer Science, and an Encore curriculum, with accelerated options and Panama-required courses taught in Spanish. The school operates on a 180-day calendar with two semesters (August to mid-December; mid-January to mid-June). The high school offers 19 Advanced Placement (AP) courses and 4 PreAP courses; AP subjects include Art History, Biology, Calculus AB, Comparative Government, Computer Science Principles, English Language, English Literature, Environmental Science, Human Geography, Physics 1, Psychology, Seminar, Research, Spanish Language, Spanish Literature, Statistics, Studio Art 2D, Studio Art Drawing, and World History. The AP Capstone Diploma is available for students who complete at least 4 AP subjects in addition to AP Seminar and AP Research. All Balboa Academy graduates earn both a U.S. high school diploma and a Panamanian Bachiller en Ciencias y Letras.
Exam Results
In 2023, 210 Balboa Academy students took 403 AP exams, with 77% scoring 3+ on at least one AP exam.
Higher Education Progression
Class of 2025 received 779 university offers, with an average of 13.4 offers per student and an average of $848,000 in scholarships awarded per student. Graduates have gained admission to universities across the United States, Canada, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Panama; institutions include McGill University, University of Toronto, Western University, Columbia University, Georgetown University, Duke University, University of Florida, and University of Michigan, among others.
Gifted and Talented
Balboa Academy offers a rigorous AP program with 19 AP courses and 4 PreAP courses. AP Capstone Diploma is available for students who complete AP Seminar and AP Research along with at least 4 AP courses. AP courses receive a GPA weighting of 0.5.
Wellbeing
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
SEL is provided to all students and their parents. The Elementary School Counseling Program uses a three-tiered approach to social-emotional learning. It develops five social and emotional competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Through bi-monthly storybook-based mini-lessons for 1st–4th grade, students learn developmentally appropriate social-emotional skills such as making and keeping friends, empathy, compassion, and self-regulation. Some students participate in focused groups (e.g., new students, Girls in Real Life Situations) and peer mediation meetings, and Escuela Para Padres meetings provide tools to help parents support their children. Balboa Academy high school counselors work with students to support college-bound planning and personal development, and counselors are active members of professional associations related to college admissions.
Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Honor and support classes are offered.
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
Full English Immersion: Balboa Academy provides a comprehensive English language immersion experience starting from preschool.
Mental Wellbeing
Balboa Academy offers Social and Emotional Learning for all students and parents. Counseling programs across elementary, middle, and high school include classroom guidance, small group and individual counseling, student observations, parent conferences, mediation, referrals to services, and ongoing professional development for teachers. High School counselors work with students diagnosed with medical, psychological, behavioral, and/or social issues and promote family/parenting education and college counseling to support student wellbeing and success.
Safeguarding
Counselors promote mediation among students, parents, and teachers; they lead family/parenting education at school and maintain a list of community resources to refer students to when needed. This collaborative approach supports safeguarding and student welfare.
Admissions
Admissions
Make an enquiry by completing the Enquiry Form. The Admissions Team will contact you to arrange a visit to the campus. Complete Balboa Academy's online application and pay the $150 application and evaluation fee. Include copies of the child's passport, birth certificate, immunization records or the Immunization Form filled out by your child's pediatrician, copies of both parents' passports, and all academic records including the current school year's grades. Balboa Academy accepts copies in English or Spanish; originals translated into Spanish by a notarized translator in Panama are required by MEDUCA if records are not in Spanish. An in-person or virtual evaluation and interview will be scheduled. The evaluation for Preschool lasts about 30 minutes and for Kindergarten through 12th grade about an hour, and it is conducted entirely in English. The Admissions Committee reviews complete applications and makes a final decision within 10 calendar days. Students may be accepted without conditions, accepted with conditions, denied, or placed on the waiting list. If offered, enrolment fees are payable to join Balboa Academy. The school teaches in English.
Scholarships
The Nsouli Scholars Programme provides 50 full-scholarship places at Inspired schools at any one time for the duration of students' education. The endowment honours Nadim Nsouli, founder of Inspired, and scholarships are awarded with inclusivity in mind, including individuals of Lebanese origin.
Waitlist
Candidates may be placed on Balboa Academy's waiting list.
FAQs
What curriculum does Balboa Academy follow?
Balboa Academy offers a U.S. standards-based curriculum with English as the language of instruction. Students earn dual Panamanian and U.S. diplomas, with 19 AP courses and an AP Capstone Diploma pathway available.
What are the tuition fees?
Annual tuition ranges from approximately USD 7,966 for PK3/PK4 to USD 14,564 for Grades 9-12. A one-time admission fee of USD 12,000 applies, plus annual registration fees from USD 1,077 to USD 1,899.
What age range does the school serve?
Balboa Academy serves students from age 3 to 18, covering Preschool (PK3-PK4), Elementary (K-5), Middle School (6-8), and High School (9-12).
How diverse is the student body?
The school welcomes students from over 40 nationalities. With 901 students enrolled, it offers a truly international environment in the heart of Panama City.
What are the school hours?
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday hours are 8:00-12:30 for PK and 8:00-2:55 for K-12. Wednesdays are shorter: 8:00-11:30 for PK and 8:00-12:45 for K-12.
Is bus transportation available?
Yes, bus service is provided by TRANES PANAMA, S.A. and covers many neighbourhoods across Panama City, including Clayton where the campus is located.
What AP courses are offered?
Balboa Academy offers 19 Advanced Placement courses and 4 PreAP courses. In 2023, 77% of students scored 3 or higher on at least one AP exam. The AP Capstone Diploma is available.
What university outcomes do graduates achieve?
The Class of 2025 received 779 university offers averaging 13.4 per student, with an average of USD 848,000 in scholarships awarded per student. Graduates attend universities across the US, Canada, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Panama.
Does the school offer social-emotional learning support?
Yes, the elementary programme uses a three-tiered approach to SEL developing self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making through bi-monthly lessons and counselling.
What sports facilities are available?
The campus has a gymnasium, athletic fields, and the Dragon's Den. The adjacent Ciudad del Saber Sports Complex provides baseball, football, soccer fields, tennis courts, an Olympic pool, and fitness areas.
Is there a house system?
Yes, the school uses Color Teams in Elementary, Dragon Tribes in Middle School, and Dragon Houses in High School. Student councils operate at each level to promote leadership.
What scholarships are available?
The Nsouli Scholars Programme provides up to 50 full-scholarship places across Inspired schools worldwide. Balboa Academy is part of the Inspired Education Group.
Does the school serve lunch?
Yes, daily lunch is provided through Yaya's Kitchen. Families choose meals in advance from a monthly menu.
What languages are taught?
English is the language of instruction. French and Spanish are taught by subject specialists. Preschool provides English immersion to build early language skills.
