How to get your kids into private schools in Medellín, Colombia

February 9, 2024
|
Education

Ah the complicated and elitist web that is the private school system in Medellín. If you ask a Colombian local about private schools, they will have Big Opinions. I'm here to tell you to let go of all that drama. The average Colombian private school is almost certainly going to be better than whatever school your kid was at back home, but that's just my very biased opinion. I wouldn't worry overmuch about finding the "Best School in Medellín", when instead you may want to be more focused on the right school for YOUR CHILD. However, you must be prepared to deal with a lack of good communication, overly complicated entrance processes, and navigating some pretty terrible websites. If you can't deal with all of that with some amount of patience, Medellín might not be the place for you. #sorrynotsorry

Before you get started, keep in mind that you will need student visas for your children if they're going to attend school legally. Most schools are very nitpicky about their rules, and I wouldn't advise that you try to break this one. First you will need to establish your own residency and then sign your own kids on as dependents. You can get a lot of good information about this process on an expat resources page like International Living.

Now, take a deep breath, find that well of patience and understanding, and get ready for some culture shock. This is a whole new ballgame, and the other kids' parents are playing to win. The first step is deciding which kind of school is for you because there are some very different choices.

Deciding on a School

If you know anything about me, you know I'm a Waldorf mom. Woowoo, hippie, artsy fartsy, whatever you want to call it, I am not trying to send my kids to prep school, y'all. So I very much advocate for sending your kids to what they call an "alternative school" here in Medellín, which is their polite way of saying weirdo school. My kids go to Colegio Waldorf Isolda Echavarría and love it, love it, love it. If you don't like the idea of your kindergartner bringing home piles of homework every day, you might want to look into an alternative education for your kiddos too, because the traditional private schools in Medellín ain't playing around with the rigorous academics. Here are some "alternative" options to look into:

• Colegio Waldorf Isolda Echavarría (my personal fave, but good luck finding a spot)

• Colegio Rudolf Steiner

• Colegio de Musica Diego Echavarría

• Colegio Fontán

• El Gimnasio Internacional

• Colombo Francés

• Colegio Reggio Emilia

• The New School (sort of)

• Hontanares (not sure about this one yet, but this is what I hear)

These are the ones I know of off-hand, but I'm sure there are more. (Note - Colegio Montessori has nothing to do with Montessori methodology; this is as traditional and hyper-academic as it gets. Academic is fine, if that's your thing, but don't go looking to Colegio Montessori for anything that actually resembles Montessori methodology.)

Now if you're looking for a list of traditional, preppy, super-academic schools that'll make you and your kids feel rich and important, that ain't my jam. I can't in good conscience recommend those because I believe deeply in letting kids be kids. But if that's your thing, look into lists like this one.

Finally, I hear a lot of "But my child doesn't speak Spanish so they absolutely must go to a bilingual school". My answer to this is, why are you sending your child to school in Colombia? To speak English? If you want your child to learn Spanish well and quickly, throw them in the deep end. Go full Spanish and watch them learn with shocking speed. Otherwise, if you go with a bilingual school, your child will find English-speaking friends, revert back to their comfortable, easy mother-tongue whenever possible, and it will take them years longer to learn Spanish. I know a family who has raised their children in Colombia since they were toddlers, but they have always sent them to bilingual schools and the poor kids still speak Spanish like gringos as teens. My daughter has been fully immersed in full-Spanish schools since she was three however, and she speaks the most beautiful Paisa Spanish you'll ever hear. So keep this in mind if you're afraid to go full Spanish. I say, just do it!

Get on the Waiting List

Now, you've got your student visas in hand, or you've at least filed for them, right? Right?? OK, once that's done you can get on that waiting list. It's never too early to start inquiring about the waiting list. I've seen pregnant mothers touring preschools to get on the waiting list three years out. This is not necessary for every school, but it can never hurt to ask, often and early.

Before you go off emailing these institutions, let me just stop you right there. Colombian school admissions departments rarely, if ever, answer emails. So your very best bet with most schools is to make an old-fashioned phone-call, and to do it in Spanish. If you do not speak Spanish, find a friend who will do you the favor. Otherwise, use your best ChatGPT translate skills to call and ask for a Whatsapp number to the admissions department. They will have one. And you can try to communicate via WhatsApp in Spanish, hoping against hope that they aren't just sending you five-minute-long audios. Oh yeah, that's a thing. Remember what I told you at the beginning of this article? Go put your patience pants on. This is a long ride. Here's some things you'll want to ask:

  1. Do you have any spots open for [your child's grade]?
  2. If not, can you get on the waiting list for that grade in case one opens up?
  3. Can you do a school tour?
  4. What is the admission process to get on the list?
  5. What is the current tuition?
  6. What forms of payment are accepted?
  7. What documents will be required?
  8. When is the next orientation or visitation day for prospective parents to learn more about the school?

I'm sure you will have your own questions to ask, but these will get you started. And remember, unless you're dealing with a bilingual school, all of this will need to be done in Spanish. I suggest you go through this communication phase with at least three schools, so you have a first, second, and third choice lined up. There may not be any open spots at either of your first choices.

The Paperwork

Oh boy, get ready for lots of forms! These schools love to set up lots of hoops and red tape. I think it's mostly because of government regulations, to be fair, but once you get to question #265: "How did you give birth to your baby and were there any complications?" you may start to feel frustrated. I don't know why they ask all these questions, but I can promise, if you get into the right school for your kids, it will be worth it. Power on through! There will be very invasive questions about your sources of income and financial affairs. Answer them. The school just wants to know that they will be paid with legally acquired funds (not, ahem... cartel money, for example). Besides boring application forms about your child's educational history and life story, you will be required to come up with the following documents:

• Student Visa (obvi)

• Birth certificate

• Vaccine history

• Previous school transcript (in some cases translated and apostilled)

• Proof of health insurance

• Proof of income or financial security (for some schools)

Depending on the school, you may or may not have to get these documents officially translated, but I would just play dumb; try to give them your original English documents first, and just see what they say. I'm very much a fan of the "try it first, ask forgiveness later" policy anytime it may save me some time and headaches.

Payment system

Now here it can get tricky. Oh you thought it was already tricky? Sorry, more trickery awaits I'm afraid. Many schools do not allow you to pay with an American credit card or in cash. If that's the case, you'll be faced with transferring or withdrawing money and doing a direct transfer at a Colombian bank. This is something that may or may not be a headache depending on how you are making a living in Colombia. If you are making dollars or any other type of foreign income, you may have to pay foreign transaction fees or high exchange rates for doing these types of transfers and withdrawals, so make sure you understand the payment situation beforehand.

All the Extras

Here are few more tips to help you along the way:

  1. Start up to six months or even years in advance if possible; this process can take a long time.
  2. Try to find other parents at the schools you have in mind. Ask them what are the best and worst things about the school. Their answers might surprise you. Also, if you feel comfortable, ask if you can put their name on the application as a reference.
  3. Leave your home country behind. Don't come in with any cultural expectations. You came to become part of the Colombian culture, so don't expect them to adapt to you; you have to adapt to them. For example, don't expect a Colombian school to bend-over backwards for your kids' food allergies, anxiety issues, or unusual pronouns. That's not how they do things here, and if that's not OK with you, maybe explore homeschool instead.
  4. Come in with an open mind and an open heart; embrace the new and interesting differences!

That's all for now. I have an informational guide coming out soon with even more info! Stay tuned.