Schools in Paphos: British-curriculum schools, state schools and fees for Brits

Most British families in Paphos choose an English-curriculum private school, where children sit GCSEs or IGCSEs and A levels much as they would in Surrey. The state schools are free, but they teach in Greek.

The short version

• School is compulsory in Cyprus for children aged 4 to 15 [1].
• State schools are free and teach in Greek; they suit younger children and families staying long term.
• Paphos has private schools following the English National Curriculum, including The International School of Paphos, TLC Private School and Aspire Private British School [2][3][4].
• At The International School of Paphos, 2026/27 tuition runs from EUR 4,815 to EUR 9,515 a year (about £4,010–7,930) [2].
• Brits living in Cyprus only keep a route to UK home fees on courses starting before 1 January 2028, and only if they've lived in the EEA since 2020 [5].

Pound conversions use the Bank of England spot rate of 5 November 2026 (£1 = EUR 1.2002).

State schools: free, but in Greek

The FCDO's Living in Cyprus guide says all children aged 4 to 15 must attend school in Cyprus [1]. The Ministry of Education runs free state kindergartens, primary schools (dimotiko), gymnasiums for ages 12 to 15 and lyceums for 15 to 18, and lessons are in Greek.

For a five-year-old, that's often fine: young children pick up a new language fast, and a local school gives the whole family a way into Cypriot life. For a 13-year-old with no Greek, it's a much harder ask, and most British families with older children go private. The FCDO guide links to the Ministry's pages on enrolling in primary and secondary schools [1].

There's no government-funded childcare system as there is back home, though private nurseries are easy to find, and families with children aged 4 or under can apply for help with nursery fees [1].

English-curriculum schools in Paphos

These schools teach the English system, so a child moving from a school in Bristol can pick up where they left off. Visit before you commit, and ask about class sizes, waiting lists and exam results.

The International School of Paphos

ISOP is the biggest and oldest. It's registered with the Cyprus Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth and follows the English National Curriculum, and older students can leave with A levels and the Apolytirion, the Cypriot school-leaving certificate [2]. Admissions start with an enquiry and a campus visit, and there are entrance exams for Year 7 [2].

TLC Private School

TLC teaches from kindergarten to sixth form. Primary starts in the year a child turns six; secondary has a three-year foundation stage, then a two-year IGCSE and GCSE course, then A levels [3]. Admission involves an interview with parents and pupil and an assessment, and pupils can join at any point in the year [3]. The school says it runs at nearly full capacity, gives siblings priority, and shares fee illustrations at interview rather than online [3]. Parents sign a fee agreement binding for the full year [3].

Aspire Private British School

Aspire, in Chloraka just north of town, was founded in 2014 and teaches the English National Curriculum through IGCSE and GCSE to A levels [4]. Contact the school directly for fees and places.

Fees in 2026/27

Only ISOP publishes its full fee schedule online. These are its 2026/27 figures for a full year, 1 September to 31 August [2]:

On top come a one-off admissions fee of EUR 260 (about £220) and an assessment fee of EUR 115 (about £100) for new pupils, an annual composite fee of EUR 250 (about £210) in primary or EUR 375 (about £310) in secondary, primary books at EUR 340 (about £280), plus exams, trips and uniform [2]. A non-refundable EUR 1,000 (about £830) reservation deposit secures a place, and tuition is paid in three instalments [2]. There's 5% off for paying the year up front and sibling discounts of 10% for a second child, 20% for a third and 25% for a fourth [2]. The school warns fees can rise by up to 6% a year, and a pupil who leaves mid-year owes the full year [2].

For comparison, that's a fraction of a British private day school, but it adds up fast with two or three children.

How admissions work

1. Start early. Popular year groups fill up, and some schools ask for a deposit months before September [2][3].
2. Gather records: recent UK school reports, any SEN assessments or EHCP, and your child's passport. TLC says parents who don't disclose a known learning difficulty may be asked to withdraw their child if the school can't support them [3].
3. Visit and assess. Expect a tour, an interview and an assessment or entrance test [2][3].
4. Pay the deposit to hold the place, then sign the fee agreement.
5. Sort residence. Your child needs the right residence status alongside yours; see moving to Paphos as a Brit.

For exams taken outside school, the British Council in Nicosia runs International GCSE, A level and university exams for candidates across Cyprus [6].

University: UK, Cyprus or both

This is the big one for families with teenagers. UK universities charge "home" fees to students who meet residence rules, and international fees to everyone else, which can be several times more.

Since Brexit, UK nationals living in the EEA have a temporary route to home fee status and student support in England. It only applies if the course starts before 1 January 2028, you were living in the EEA or Switzerland on 31 December 2020, you've lived in the EEA, Switzerland, the UK or Gibraltar continuously since then, and you've lived there for at least the three years before the course starts [5]. Children can qualify alongside a parent who meets the conditions [5].

So a family who moved to Paphos in 2019 with a 16-year-old is probably fine for a 2027 start. A family who arrived in 2023 doesn't meet the 2020 test, and after 2027 the temporary route closes. Outside that route, the general rule is that you need to have been living in the UK for the three years before your course, so check with the university and Student Finance England well before UCAS applications go in. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own rules.

There's also a home-grown option: UCLan Cyprus, the Cyprus branch of the University of Central Lancashire in Pyla near Larnaca, offers UK and Cypriot double-awarded degrees [7]. If you're carrying a UK student loan yourself, see UK student loans while living abroad.

Wondering whether there's space in Year 4 or which bus route serves Chloraka? Ask in our community group for Brits in Cyprus.

Sources

1. GOV.UK (FCDO): Living in Cyprus (last updated 5 February 2026)
2. The International School of Paphos: Schedule of fees 2026–2027 and school website
3. TLC Private School: Entry requirements and fees
4. dom.com.cy: Best British and international schools in Cyprus (updated November 2026)
5. GOV.UK (DfE): UK nationals in the EEA and Switzerland, access to higher education and 19+ further education
6. British Council Cyprus: Contact
7. UCLan Cyprus

Keep reading

• Moving to Paphos as a Brit: visa and residence routes
• Renting in Paphos
• Cost of living in Paphos vs London and the UK average
• Registering a child born abroad and British citizenship by descent