Our school can initially cater for students with different levels of English and Spanish, or no Spanish at all, and gradually aim at a bilingual 50:50 curriculum, depending on the student’s grade upon school arrival, as well as his or her objectives and expectations.
We are an official school authorized by the Spanish Ministry of Education (Official Gazette, 1987) and the Regional Government of Galicia to teach at all levels from Early Learning to Grade 12 in US nomenclature.
Credits can be transferred directly under both the Spanish and US education systems in any year of schooling.
Provided that they meet the academic requirements set, students who complete Grade 12 (Year 2 of Bachillerato in the Spanish system) receive dual qualifications: the US High School Diploma and the Spanish Bachiller.
The College is accredited by the US accreditation agency COGNIA.
Chester College is an official examination center for The College BoardTM for university access exams (AP, SAT) in the USA for our own students and those from other schools.
We have also been an official examination center for Trinity College London since 1991, and are an active member of the Mediterranean Association of International Schools (MAIS).
Our main working languages are English and Spanish. The percentage of teaching in each one varies from one stage of education to another and depending on the level of fluency of students in each language.
The school encourages and works on bilingualism throughout schooling from the Early Learning stage onwards, but a lack of fluency in one language or the other is rarely an obstacle when it comes to admitting a student in any year (via individual learning support programs if needed).
By applying a high degree of mentoring and personalized attention, we strive to optimize students' time at Chester College from the year when they join us, in terms of both language fluency and other areas of study.
“I was only connected to Chester College for one year, as I have recently been transferred to Munich, but the impact of the school's educational project on me and above all on my two children - 5-year-old Uxía and 4-year-old Marko - will last a lifetime. I advise anyone who is reading this to go and take a look at the school, at the project and, above all, at the management, who are the driving force behind it all. And to all those who have already decided or who may decide in the future to get on board the project, I envy you and wish you all the very best!”.
Alexia López del Río, mother of 2 former students.
“The chance to study at Chester College was a real turning point in my studies. I had never seen such welcoming teachers: They are concerned for you and always looking to help, whatever you need. The range of options on offer, such as studying under two different education systems, opens so many doors for university studies that would never have occurred to you in your wildest dreams. You can choose the option that best suits your particular character.
Carmen de Santiago Piñeiro, former student. Currently studying Computer engineering at Salamanca University.
“What makes the school truly unique is the chance to study under two education systems at the same time, because it gives those students who so desire far broader options when it comes to setting goals for university. In academic terms, the skills and abilities that I learned at Chester College are continually proving useful to me at university. I often look back over my math and physics notes and recall the techniques for studying and time management that I learned at school”.
Alejandra Amaro Patiño, former student. Currently studying Math & Physics at the University of Edinburgh under an Academic Excellence scholarship.
This is a theoretical concept which is made real thanks to two essential characteristics of the school:
The school encourages parents to play an active role, and strives for consistency in criteria at school and at home.
Facilitating elements: progress reports, learning newsletters and regular tutorials in a context of continuous student assessment.
The project is centered on a rigorous, flexible, stimulating program of studies with credits fully transferable to the Spanish system year by year.
Intensive preparation for university entrance examinations in Spain and/or elsewhere.
We encourage our students to opt for science, using an active approach based on inquiry and observation.
We work transversally on critical thinking, communication skills (written and oral) and creativity.
We strive to spark and develop a love for learning in students as an attitude that keeps them active and awake, interested, and involved in the world that will surround them for the rest of their lives.
Curricular equivalenciesWe want the school to be a welcoming place where students feel happy and safe as they learn and deploy their abilities.
Languages are truly enriching!
They greatly increase opportunities for friendship, networks of contacts, knowledge, and travel.
At the school we are well aware of how much of an advantage it gives if we can make full use of the Early Learning and Primary stages to get children to acquire language skills and perfect their pronunciation naturally as their brains develop.
We strive for bilingualism in Spanish and English, and provide catch-up classes when necessary.
We also offer German as an optional foreign language from Primary onwards, with classes in normal school hours.
Other languages can be offered as extracurricular activities if families are interested.
All language classes are taught by native speakers of the language in question.
Many of our students wish to attend university in Spain, or at least to have the option of doing so. Preparing them thoroughly for the EBAU university entrance exam (formerly known as Selectividad) is therefore a priority for us.
Our students generally sit the EBAU run by the UNED (National University for Distance Education).
We can proudly boast a 95% pass rate, with excellent grades in many cases. This figure is based on results for the last 15 years.
We also have an excellent track record in US university entrance exams (SAT, AP).
We offer specific preparation for students who wish to attend university in the USA or elsewhere in Europe.
A high percentage of our students go on to university in Spain, but a very significant proportion increasingly opt to study elsewhere. Some have obtained academic excellence scholarships at renowned British and US universities.
The college building, dating from 1984, stands in spacious grounds surrounded by woodland, on a hilltop with views of Pico Sacro and the start of the Ulla Valley, 4km away from Santiago de Compostela's city centre. It has eight classrooms, a central hall, a science laboratory, an art room, a music room, a library, two football fields, a tennis/basketball court, and an outdoor pool.
School hours
From 09:20 to 16:40.
Extracurricular activities may stretch up to 17:40.
Nutrition
Lunch is included in the school day. The School has its own kitchen and chef, and all meals (2 courses and dessert) are cooked daily onsite, using fresh, local ingredients.
Lunch menus are sent to families at the beginning of the month.
We cater for students with special diets prescribed by a doctor, or on religious grounds. Chester College additionally provides a morning snack for all students at break time
(normally a small sandwich or a piece of fruit).
School uniform
There is a school uniform, which can be purchased locally
(details at the Office, upon school registration).
You may download our Day fees schedule here.
Would you like to explore this option further? We encourage you to get in touch
with our Admissions Team by filling in the Contact Form in the link below.
| U.S. Education System | Spanish Education System |
| Early Learning (Pre-K 1, Pre-K & Kindergarten) | Educación Infantil (4º - 6ª) |
| Primary School (Grades 1-5) | Educación Primaria (1º-5º) |
| Middle School (Grades 6-8) | 6º Primaria y 1º-2º ESO |
| High School (Grades 9-12) | 3º ESO – 2º Bachillerato |
