If you're moving to Madrid with children, or you already live here and have just realised that September 2027 is closer than it sounds, this is the guide I wish more families read before opening twelve browser tabs at once.

I'm Peruvian, I live in Madrid and I run VA in Madrid, a team that helps foreign families and companies with paperwork and admin. That's the lens here. I won't tell you which colegio is the best (I don't rank schools, and be wary of anyone who ranks them from a spreadsheet). I'll explain how the process works, what you'll be asked for and where to check each date. This guide is about private and international schools, which handle their own admissions.

Why November is the month to start

Admissions for September don't wait until September. Third-party guides to international school admissions describe open days starting in October and applications running roughly from November to March for entry the following September. Many schools also take applications on a rolling basis, so availability can change during the year. Ask each school about places in your child's year group.

I can't give you one calendar that fits every school, because there isn't one. Each school sets its own dates, and the only reliable source is the admissions page of the school itself. What I can give you is the order of the work, and starting now gives you room to breathe.

Step one: decide what you're actually shopping for

Before you book a single visit, write down four things:

• The curriculum your child needs to continue. British, American, French, German, IB and Spanish programmes don't line up neatly, so switching between them can be harder than starting fresh.
• The language of instruction, and how much support there is for a child who doesn't speak Spanish or English yet.
• The commute. Madrid is big, and a school that looks close on the map can mean a long morning. Check the route and whether the school runs buses.
• The budget. Fees vary by school and by year, and they can come with extras like enrolment fees, uniforms, lunch and transport. Ask each school for its current fee schedule in writing, for the exact year you're applying to.

Step two: the visits and the application

Schools may offer open days or private tours, and some ask you to register first. After the visit you'll typically fill in an online application form and pay an application fee if the school charges one. Some schools then invite the child for an assessment or a conversation, and ask for a report from the current school.

Every school does this a little differently, so treat this as a map of the terrain, not a timetable. Confirm each step with the admissions office, and ask what happens if you apply after their main round.

The paperwork pile

This is where families lose weeks. Start collecting early, because some items depend on other offices:

• Passports for the child and the parents, plus the child's birth certificate.
• School reports and transcripts from the last two or three years. If they're in another language, ask the school whether it wants a translation and which kind.
• Vaccination records, which many schools request.
• Proof of address. In Spain that usually means the padrón certificate, which you can only get once you're registered at your address. If you haven't done it yet, our guide to empadronamiento in Madrid walks you through it.
• Identity and residence documents. Ask the school which ones it requires. If you need an NIE, our NIE guide covers it.
• Health coverage details, if the school asks for them. If your family will use the public system, see our guide to the tarjeta sanitaria.

Not every school asks for every item, so use this as a list to compare against each school's own list, not the other way round. I'm not a lawyer or a gestor, so for anything about your residency status, talk to a professional.

Apostilla, translations and homologación

Foreign school documents sometimes need extra steps before a Spanish body accepts them, such as an apostille and a sworn translation. Our Spanish-language guide to apostilla, traducción jurada y homologación explains the general process.

One distinction is worth knowing. According to the Spanish Ministry of Education's information sheet, homologación declares a foreign title or studies equivalent to a Spanish one, while convalidación matches foreign studies to Spanish school years so a student can keep studying in a Spanish school. The same sheet says students joining Primaria or ESO don't need convalidación, and that the application is filled in through the Ministry's electronic office, then printed and submitted with the documents at an official registry, with no closed filing window. Read the sheet yourself and ask your school whether it needs anything from the Ministry in your child's case. That's a question for the school and the Ministry, not for me.

A new name on the map: Brighton College Madrid

If you've been following the news, you may have seen that Brighton College is opening a school in Madrid for September 2027. The school says it will open up to Year 9 and add older year groups after that, with IGCSE and the IB Diploma planned for the upper years. Applications are already open on its website, so check the current fee schedule with its admissions team. I'm mentioning it because it's new and people ask, not because I'm recommending it or any other school.

What I'd do this week

1. Make a shortlist of three to five schools based on curriculum, language, commute and budget.
2. Open each school's admissions page and put its dates in one calendar.
3. Start the padrón and any document requests that depend on another office.
4. Book visits and ask for the written fee schedule.

FAQ

When should I apply for September 2027?
Third-party guides describe applications running roughly from November to March, but each school sets its own dates, so check the admissions page of every school on your list.

Do I need the padrón certificate to apply?
Some schools ask for proof of address, and in Spain the padrón certificate is the usual document. Ask each school what it accepts.

Does my child need homologación or convalidación?
Per the Ministry's information sheet, students entering Primaria or ESO don't need convalidación. Confirm your child's case with the school and the Ministry.

Do you rank international schools?
No. Fit depends on curriculum, language, location, budget and your child, so visit and ask questions.

Is this legal advice?
No. It describes the process. For residency or legal questions, ask a gestor or a lawyer.

Want a second pair of eyes on your document checklist? Write to us on WhatsApp or through the contact form on our website.

Prefer Spanish? Read this guide in Spanish: Colegios internacionales en Madrid para septiembre de 2027: plazos y papeles.

Sources: the Spanish Ministry of Education information sheet on homologación and convalidación, Brighton College's announcement of its European schools and Brighton College Madrid's admissions page.