Relocating to Warsaw: corporate and diplomatic families

International American School of Warsaw has worked with internationally mobile families since 1989. This page explains how that works, so that an HR team, a relocation adviser or an embassy administrator can find the information without having to ask for a brochure first.

Working with companies, embassies and institutions

IAS works directly with employers, diplomatic missions and other institutions that support staff relocating to Warsaw. These arrangements usually cover the practical side of enrolment: how places are confirmed, how invoicing is handled, and how a family is guided through admission when they are still living in another country.

A child who joins through an institutional relationship is not in a separate programme. They enter the same classes, follow the same curriculum and are taught by the same teachers as every other student. There is no parallel track.

If your organisation is relocating staff to Poland and would like to discuss an arrangement, the admissions office is the right first contact: [email protected] or +48 22 649 14 40.

Arriving mid-year

Relocation rarely lines up with the academic calendar. IAS accepts applications during the school year, subject to availability of places in the relevant grade. Because classes are kept small, availability varies by year group, and the honest answer to “is there a place?” depends on the grade and the month.

For a child moving between school systems, the transition is usually more than administrative. Students arrive from national curricula, from other international schools, and sometimes from a period of home schooling during a move. Teachers work from where the child is, not from where the syllabus assumes they should be.

Children who are still learning English

Instruction at IAS is in English. Students who need to develop their English receive English as an Additional Language support. The aim is not only to help a student follow lessons, but to reach the point where they can take part in a discussion, disagree with someone, and explain their reasoning.

Roughly 40 nationalities are represented at the school, so arriving without fluent English is ordinary here.

Three ways to finish school

Families on international postings often cannot say with certainty where a child will apply to university. IAS offers three diploma pathways, which is useful when plans change:

• International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. IAS has been an authorised IB World School for the Diploma Programme since 2006.
• American High School Diploma, a credit based route, accredited by Cognia.
• Polish Matura, within the framework of the Polish Ministry of Education.

A student who expects to stay in Poland and later decides to apply abroad, or the reverse, does not have to change schools to change direction.

Practical details

• Ages: Kindergarten through Grade 12, from age 4 to 18.
• Class size: kept small, usually up to about 18 students, with roughly seven students per teacher.
• Location: ul. Dembego 18, Ursynow, Warsaw, near the Kabaty forest and the metro.
• Accreditation: International Baccalaureate Organization, Cognia, and the Polish Ministry of Education.
• Admissions for 2026/2027: currently open.

Questions about tuition, available places in a specific grade, or an arrangement for a group of relocating employees are best sent to [email protected].

Questions we are asked by HR teams and relocating parents

Do you work with companies relocating employees to Warsaw?

Yes. IAS works with employers, embassies and institutions moving staff to Poland. Arrangements normally cover how places are confirmed, how invoicing is handled, and how a family is guided through admission while still living abroad. Write to [email protected] and the admissions office will take it from there.

Can a child join partway through the school year?

Yes, subject to availability in that grade. Relocation rarely matches the academic calendar, so mid-year entry is normal here. Because classes are kept small, availability genuinely varies by year group and by month, so ask about a specific grade, not about the school as a whole.

Our child does not speak English yet. Is that a problem?

No. Teaching is in English, and students who need to build their English receive EAL support, which stands for English as an Additional Language. With around 40 nationalities in the school, arriving without fluent English is ordinary. The goal is not only that a child can follow lessons, but that they can join a discussion, disagree with someone, and explain why.

We are an expat family on a fixed-term posting. Which diploma makes sense?

That depends on where your child is likely to apply to university, and the honest answer for many expat families is that they do not yet know. IAS offers the IB Diploma Programme, the American High School Diploma and the Polish Matura at one school, so a change of plan partway through does not have to mean a change of school.

How quickly can admissions be completed from abroad?

Most of the process can be handled remotely, including the interview and assessment. The practical limit is usually getting records out of the previous school. Little of the delay is at this end. Start by emailing [email protected] with your child’s age and current grade.

Are diplomatic and embassy families treated differently?

Only in how enrolment is arranged. A child joining through an institutional or corporate relationship is in the same classes, following the same curriculum, taught by the same teachers. There is no separate track and no separate programme.

Part of our guide for families relocating here: moving to Warsaw with children, covering districts and commutes, renting, the Polish school system, and enrolment.