Schooling is often the deciding factor for UK families choosing where to work abroad. In some destinations, world-class state schooling is free and conducted in English; in others, the only viable option for English-speaking children is a British-curriculum international school charging £15,000–£45,000 per child per year. This guide ranks our twenty working-abroad destinations on education quality and affordability.
Key takeaways
- Canada, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand offer free or low-cost English-medium state schooling
- Sweden and Denmark have world-class state schooling, increasingly with English-medium options
- Gulf and Asian destinations charge £10,000–£45,000 per child per year for international schools
- With two school-age children, school fees can exceed rent in expensive destinations
- The planning tools on Wealth365 can help you model school fees alongside salary and pension impact
State schooling abroad: the English-language advantage
UK families have the easiest transition in destinations where state schools teach in English or offer strong English-medium programmes. The top tier for state schooling — free, high-quality, and accessible to children on a dependent visa — includes:
- Canada — Free state schooling in English and French. Ranked 2nd in the OECD PISA 2022 for reading (top tier in all three domains). The curriculum varies by province, but standards are consistently high. No fees for children on a family/permanent residence pathway.
- Australia — State schooling is free or heavily subsidised for children on most visa types (permanent resident and some temporary). Strong PISA performance; the national curriculum is standardised. Government school fees for temporary visa holders vary by state (typically A$4,000–A$9,000/year).
- Ireland — Free state schooling; no visa required for UK families under the CTA. Standards are good; the Leaving Certificate is internationally recognised. English is the teaching language with Irish as a mandatory subject.
- New Zealand — Free state schooling; English-medium; consistent PISA performance. Children on a work visa are entitled to state schooling at no charge.
Our financial planning tools can help you factor school fees — or the saving from free state schooling — into your full family budget before you make a decision.
World-class state schooling: the Scandinavian and European leaders
If your destination is within Europe, two countries stand out for the quality of their state education, even though most teaching is not in English:
- Sweden — State schools are free for all residents, including children on a work permit. Swedish is the teaching language, but international state schools (Internationella skolor) operate in English and are free or low-cost. Swedish children consistently perform well above OECD averages, and the school wellbeing model emphasises creativity and critical thinking.
- Denmark — Free state schooling; the Danish model is famous for low stress, high wellbeing, and strong pupil autonomy. Several international schools run in English at low or no cost in Copenhagen. Danish children score well above PISA averages, and school life is widely regarded as the least stressful in Europe.
Germany and the Netherlands also offer strong state schooling — though with different access routes for expat families. See the full per-country guides: Germany and Netherlands.
International schools: where they are and what they cost
In destinations where state schooling is conducted in another language, or where the curriculum is very different from the UK, most UK expat families opt for an international or British-curriculum school. Costs vary enormously:
| Destination | Typical int’l school fee/year | Curriculum options |
|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | £25,000–£45,000/child | IB, British, Swiss Matura |
| Singapore | £18,000–£32,000/child | IB, British (IGCSE/A-Level), local |
| UAE (Dubai) | £10,000–£22,000/child | British, IB, American, UAE national |
| Hong Kong | £14,000–£28,000/child | British, IB, local DSS |
| Japan (Tokyo) | £14,000–£28,000/child | British, IB, American, Japanese |
| Germany | £12,000–£24,000/child | IB, British, German Gymnasium |
| Netherlands | £8,000–£20,000/child | IB, British, Dutch bilingual |
| France | £8,000–£18,000/child | British (IGCSE/A-Level), IB, French lycee |
| Spain | £7,000–£16,000/child | British, IB, Spanish concertado |
| Qatar | £8,000–£18,000/child | British, IB, American, Qatar national |
For families with two or three school-age children, school fees can be the single largest budget item — exceeding rent in some destinations. Our planning tools can help you stress-test whether the salary on offer covers all costs at your chosen school.
Education quality vs affordability: the verdict
The best value combination — high education quality AND low or no school fees — is found in Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, and Denmark. These destinations offer either English-medium state schooling or very high-quality state schooling at minimal cost to expat families.
The highest-quality but most expensive option is Singapore and Switzerland, where state schools are excellent but expats typically pay for international schooling. The widest international school choice — British, IB, American, and local — is found in Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
For the full picture on what a family of four spends in each destination, including school fees, read our cost-of-living comparison, and for the complete family guide to each destination, start at the Working Abroad complete guide.
All fees are illustrative ranges sourced as of June 2026. Fees change annually and vary between schools in the same city. Always check directly with schools in your target area. Nothing here is financial, tax, immigration, or relocation advice.
Important: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Tax rules can change and individual circumstances vary. If you need advice tailored to your situation, please consult a qualified, FCA-regulated financial adviser. You can browse advisers in our adviser directory.
