Public schools
With legal status for the child they are usually accepted at a colegio público free (or nearly free). Needed: passport/ID, status document, vaccinations, sometimes apostilled school records. Practice varies by municipio and school.
Quality varies a lot by district and school - read parent reviews in chats and check proximity (Bogotá rush hour traffic kills the day). Refugee context: Refugee status.
Private daycare and schools
Jardín / preescolar
Daycare: partial to full day. Prices in Medellín/Bogotá - from moderate private to premium in Poblado / north Bogotá.
Colegio privado / bilingüe
Spanish + English (or another language). Matrícula + monthly fee; a year easily runs into thousands of USD. Waitlists can be a semester ahead.
International
IB / American / European programs - most expensive; convenient for families who move often.
Price ranges and “how to get in” are best gathered in community chats and on school visits: open day, trial day, document list.
What to check when choosing
- Language of instruction and child’s English/Spanish level.
- Commute: one-way time at rush hour.
- Calendar of festivos and holidays (often longer than “European” expectations).
- Meals, after-school care, school bus, device policy.
Family-friendly areas often named: Envigado / Sabaneta (Medellín) and Usaquén / Cedritos (Bogotá) - see Medellín, Bogotá.
For adults
Universities, Visa V Estudiante, ICETEX, SENA: Education in Colombia. Language schools and phrases: Spanish.
Know a good jardín/colegio from experience - message Telegram, we will add contacts.