School costs and aid in Andalucía

Terms used

• Gratuidad — The gratuidad is Andalucía's programme giving free textbooks to pupils in publicly funded schools.
• Cheque-libro — The cheque-libro is a voucher the school gives you to exchange for textbooks at a bookshop.
• Comedor — The comedor is the school canteen serving lunch.
• Bonificación — The bonificación is an income-based discount on school service prices, either 50% or 100% in some cases.
• Plan de Apertura — The Plan de Apertura is Andalucía's scheme of early-morning care, lunch and afternoon activities in public schools.
• Aula matinal — The aula matinal is supervised care before school starts, usually from 7:30.
• Extraescolares — The extraescolares are optional afternoon activities at school, often until 18:00.

Key rules

• Textbooks: Books are free in public and concertada schools for Primary, ESO and special education, but they stay school property.
• Lunch discount: The comedor discount depends on income per person and household size, and you apply in spring.
• Extras: Aula matinal and extraescolares are paid services, with income-based discounts only for aula matinal and comedor.
• International schools: Each school sets its own fees yearly, and enrolment, deposit and uniform charges come on top.

Income bands, discount percentages, daily prices and international school fees change every year, so confirm current figures with the school or the regional education department.

What your budget rests on

In Andalucía, four things shape what schooling costs you: free textbooks, subsidised lunch, the optional services of public schools, and, if you choose one, an international school on the Costa del Sol. Public and concertada schools (privately run, publicly funded) are the cheapest route. International schools are a separate, much larger budget line.

Free textbooks

Pupils in Primary, ESO and special education at public and concertada schools get their books free under the gratuidad programme. The school gives you a cheque-libro, a voucher you exchange for books at a bookshop. Some schools instead hand out books from their own stock.

• The books belong to the school and are used for four years.
• Your child must keep them in good condition and return them at the end of the course or when leaving the school.
• You can be asked to replace lost or damaged books.
• A child who repeats a year keeps the books.

Levels and conditions are set in yearly instructions, so ask the school each year what applies.

School lunch and the bonificación

Public schools in the Plan de Apertura run a comedor (school canteen) that the regional education department subsidises. The bonificación is the discount on the meal price. It depends on your income per person and your household size.

• The lowest income band gets the meal free.
• Middle bands get a partial discount.
• Some groups qualify automatically, such as victims of gender or terrorist violence and children in care.
• The department sets the price per meal each year. You pay the part the discount does not cover.

You apply each spring, together with the school admission or renewal forms. Ask the school or the regional education department (Consejería de Desarrollo Educativo) for the current income limits, percentages and daily price before you budget.

Plan de Apertura services

The Plan de Apertura gives public infant and primary schools three services:

• Aula matinal: supervised care early in the morning, usually from 7:30. The price depends on how many days you use it.
• Comedor: lunch, as above.
• Actividades extraescolares: afternoon activities, often until 18:00. These are generally priced per activity.

Prices are public prices, charged per child by how much you use. Bonificaciones of 50% or 100% apply to aula matinal and comedor, based on income per person. Children in some protected situations get them automatically. Extraescolares are not covered by that discount. Prices and bands are revised, so ask the school for this year's figures.

International schools on the Costa del Sol

International private schools set their own fees and update them every year. Fees rise with your child's age: infant years cost the least, and secondary and IB years cost well above that. The Costa del Sol is slightly lower than or similar to Madrid and Barcelona. On top of tuition, expect enrolment, deposit and uniform charges. Ask each school for its full fee list for the year your child would start. Public-school extras are far cheaper than international school fees.

Common questions on damaged books, who gets free lunch and extras costs are in the FAQ below.

Frequently asked questions

What happens to the free textbooks if my child damages or loses one?

You can be asked to replace books that are lost or damaged. The books belong to the school and are used for four years, so your child must keep them in good condition and return them at the end of the course or when leaving. A pupil who repeats a year keeps the same books.

Who gets free school lunch through the comedor bonificación?

Families with income per person under the lowest band get a full bonificación, so the lunch is free. Middle income bands get a partial one, and some groups, such as children in care or victims of gender or terrorist violence, can qualify automatically. You pay the part not covered, and you apply each spring with the school admission or renewal forms.

How much do aula matinal and extraescolares cost in Andalucía?

Prices are public prices set by the Consejería de Desarrollo Educativo, and aula matinal is priced by the number of days you use it. A bonificación of 50% or 100% can apply to aula matinal and comedor, depending on family income per person. Extraescolares, the afternoon activities, are generally priced by the activity.

Do Costa del Sol international schools charge more than the extras at public schools?

Yes, international private schools on the Costa del Sol charge tuition that rises with age, on top of enrolment, deposit and uniform charges. Each school sets and updates its fees every year, so ask the school for its current fee list before you compare.