American School of Bilbao

What American School of Bilbao does

The American School of Bilbao is a non-profit K-12 institution founded in 1967 in Berango, Bizkaia, Spain, legally constituted as Asociación Colegio Americano de Bilbao (ASOB). It delivers the full International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum — Primary Years (PYP), Middle Years (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP) — entirely in English, making it the only school in northern Spain authorized to offer all three IB programs in English. The school is governed by a Board of Trustees composed of current parents, is accredited by NEASC and CIS since 1985, and has been recognized by the Spanish Ministry of Education as a Foreign School since 1981.

Its core academic product spans four year-groups: Early Years (ages 2–5), Primary/PYP (ages 6–11), Middle School/MYP (ages 12–16), and IB Diploma (ages 16–18). Enrolment is intentionally capped at fewer than 300 students across 29 nationalities, supporting a 1:7 teacher-to-student ratio delivered by fewer than 60 faculty. The technology stack supporting school operations is commodity-grade: Alexia for student information, OpenApply for admissions, WhatsApp Business for parent communications, Google Workspace for productivity, and Google Analytics 4 for web analytics — none proprietary.

Revenue is generated through a combination of recurring annual tuition billed in 10 monthly installments (€7,160–€15,246 per student depending on program), one-time enrollment fees (€3,518–€6,300), and the ASB Experience sub-brand offering Summer immersion camps (€460–€995), Winter and Cambridge exam-prep courses (€144–€220/month), Adult Saturday English (€180/month), and an optional ancillary stack of bus transport, cafeteria catering, and student support services. Distribution operates primarily through direct on-campus enrollment at the Berango main campus and the Indautxu Cambridge Exam Center in central Bilbao, supplemented by OpenApply-managed inquiry flow, Meta and Google paid acquisition, and a Summer Buddy referral program.

Name

American School of Bilbao

Legal name

ASOCIACIÓN COLEGIO AMERICANO DE BILBAO

Website

https://asob.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

American School of Bilbao is a non-profit IB World School in Berango, Spain (founded 1967), serving fewer than 300 students from 29 nationalities via the only full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP) delivered in English in northern Spain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berango

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Enrollment Fees: Annual tuition fees charged across all programs (Early Years through IB Diploma). Fees vary by program level and grade. Includes an enrollment/registration fee (cuota de inscripción) paid once upon admission, and a pre-registration fee (cuota de pre-inscripción). Discounts apply for siblings (third, fourth, fifth+ children). Revenue is recurring annually, billed in 10 monthly installments or annually with a small discount.
2. Cambridge Exam Preparation Courses: Year-round and intensive Cambridge English exam preparation courses (B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency) offered at the ASB Exam Center in Indautxu, Bilbao. Fees are charged per course per academic year or per intensive term.
3. Winter English Programs: Winter English courses (October–May) for children ages 4 to adult, offered on Saturdays or Tuesday/Thursday evenings on the Berango campus, including transport.
4. Summer Experience Programs: Summer English immersion programs (July and August) for children ages 4–15, including full-day camp-style activities, meals not included. Cambridge exam preparation classes also offered during summer.
5. Adult English Courses: English courses for adults (ages 18+) on Saturday mornings at the Berango campus, billed monthly through the academic year (October–May).
6. Optional Transport and Cafeteria Services: Optional bus routes serving Greater Bilbao area (Getxo, Bilbao, Laukiz, Castro) and a fresh daily lunch catering service, both billed monthly in 10 installments.
7. Student Support Services: Additional academic or language support services available for students who need them, charged monthly.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

American School of Bilbao (ASB) is a non-profit IB World School delivering the complete International Baccalaureate continuum (PYP, MYP, DP) in English for students ages 2–18 at its Berango campus. Beyond full-time academics, ASB operates ASB Experience — a portfolio of supplementary English immersion programs including Summer and Winter courses, Cambridge English exam preparation (FCE/CAE/CPE), and adult English classes, alongside optional bus transport and cafeteria services.

Product overview

American School of Bilbao is a non-profit IB World School offering a complete IB continuum from Early Years (ages 2-5) through Primary (PYP, ages 6-11), Middle School (MYP, ages 12-16), to the IB Diploma Programme (DP, ages 16-18). The school provides full English-medium education with all three IB programmes, making it the only school in northern Spain offering the full IB continuum in English. Alongside its academic programmes, ASB operates ASB Experience, a portfolio of English language immersion programmes including Summer Experience (ages 4-15, July-August), Winter Programme (year-round), Cambridge Exam Preparation (ages 14+, authorized Cambridge exam center), and English for Adults courses at its Berango campus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ASB Experience: English immersion programs for children, teenagers, and adults on the ASB campus, including Summer Experience, Winter Program, Cambridge Exam preparation, and Adult English courses
• ASB Bilbao Exam Center

Products and services

• Early Years Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% average IB Diploma pass rate since 2015
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Llonín AbogadoscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLlonín Abogados directed the creation and implementation of ASB's comprehensive Compliance programme, conducting a global risk analysis of the school and its exposure to criminal liability. They established a risk map, designed preventive measures, appointed a Compliance Committee, and implemented a confidential reporting channel.
• Cambridge Assessment EnglishcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASB operates as an authorized Cambridge Assessment English Exam Center (ASB Bilbao Exam Center) in Indautxu, Bilbao, delivering official B2 First (FCE), C1 Advanced (CAE), and C2 Proficiency (CPE) examinations. ASB also offers year-round Cambridge preparation courses aligned with Cambridge's curriculum framework.
• International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASB is an authorized IB World School (since 2013) offering the full IB program continuum (PYP, MYP, DP) in English — the only school in northern Spain with this designation. The school follows IB curriculum frameworks, undergoes authorization and evaluation processes, and its IB results are externally verified by the IBO.
• NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASB has been accredited by NEASC since 1985, demonstrating compliance with internationally recognized educational standards. NEASC accreditation involves periodic peer reviews and evaluations.
• CIS (Council of International Schools)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASB has been internationally accredited by CIS since 1985, meeting global standards for international schools in academics, student support, governance, and institutional quality.
• OpenApplycoreTechnology or IntegrationOpenApply is the school's admissions and enrollment management platform, used for inquiries, campus tour bookings, application submissions, and ROI tracking. Families access the admissions process through asob.openapply.com.
• College BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASB operates as an authorized College Board SAT test center, enabling students to take SAT exams on campus for U.S. university applications without traveling abroad.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International School San Patricio (Madrid): Direct peer: private international school in Madrid offering IB programmes and English-medium instruction targeting expatriate and Spanish families. Comparable for similar premium positioning, IB authorization, and reliance on international accreditations.
• American School of Barcelona: Direct peer: non-profit American international school in Spain offering full IB continuum in English with very similar mission, structure, and accreditation profile (NEASC/CIS). Comparable because both target expatriate and locally aspirational families seeking English-medium IB education in Spain.
• Oak House School (Barcelona): Direct peer: small, premium English-medium school in Barcelona offering IB programmes with a similar intimate-by-design philosophy. Comparable for its small campus, high teacher-to-student attention model, and IB continuum in English aimed at expat and local families.
• American School of Madrid: Direct peer: U.S.-style international school in Spain offering IB programs in English from Early Years through Diploma. Comparable for the same English-medium IB value proposition targeting expat and Spanish families, though at larger scale in a different regional market.
• International School of Madrid: Direct peer: English-medium international school in Madrid offering IB programmes alongside a small, personalized learning environment. Comparable for the small-by-design model, English immersion from early years, and IB continuum aimed at internationally mobile families.
• British Council School (Madrid): Direct peer: long-established British international school in Madrid offering a British curriculum with IB Diploma, similar accreditations, and English-medium instruction. Comparable as an accredited international school in Spain serving expatriate and local aspirational families at premium tuition.
• The British School of Barcelona: Direct peer: British international school in Barcelona offering IB programmes in English from early years through diploma. Comparable for the same combination of English-medium instruction, IB authorization, premium tuition, and target audience of expat and locally aspirational Spanish families.
• Hastings School (Madrid): Direct peer: private international school in Madrid offering IB Diploma alongside British curriculum in English. Comparable in mission (English-medium, IB-authorized, expatriate and Spanish family mix) and in operating a similar small-by-design premium model.

Regional players

• Colegio Alemán (German School of Bilbao): Regional peer: long-established foreign school in Bilbao offering German-medium education and German university-track credentials, similarly recognized by the Spanish Ministry of Education as a Foreign School. Comparable because it serves the same Bilbao expatriate family base seeking internationally portable schooling, though with German rather than English/IB orientation.

Broad incumbents

• SEK International Schools: Broad incumbent: large multi-campus international school group operating across Spain and internationally with IB and other curricula in multiple languages. Comparable as a Spanish private international school competitor with broader geographic footprint and curriculum breadth than ASB's single-campus model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/americanschoolofbilbao
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-school-of-bilbao
• Instagraminstagram.com/americanschoolofbilbao

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American School of Bilbao