The American School of Rio de Janeiro is a private, independent, coeducational day school which offers an educational program from preschool through grade 12 for students from 32 nationalities. The school was founded in 1937. The school year consists of two semesters extending from early August to mid-December and from early February to mid-June.
Organization: A 13-member board of directors governs the school. The school is incorporated and tax-exempt in Brazil.
Curriculum: The curriculum is a U.S. college-preparatory program. Instruction is in English with Portuguese as a foreign language. Music, art, band, drama, sports and community service are among the curricular activities offered. There is no religious instruction. There is a chapter of the National Honor Society on campus. The school offers the American, Brazilian and International Baccalaureate (IB) diplomas. EARJ is a candidate school for the International Baccalaureate®️ Primary Years Program and Middle Years Program and pursuing authorization as an IB World School. Escola Americana’s strong college preparatory program prepares graduates for university attendance worldwide. Our class of 2022 graduates were accepted into universities directly after graduation, breaking down: 59% in the USA; 11% in the UK; 11% in Europe; 10% in Canada; 6% in Brazil and 3% in other countries. The school is fully accredited by Cognia, is recognized by the Brazilian Ministry of Education and the Secretary for the State of Rio de Janeiro and is also affiliated with the IB Organization.
Faculty: In the 2022-2023 school year, EARJ has 356 total staff including 172 teachers, 39 of whom are U.S. citizens, 105 host-country nationals, and 28 third-country nationals. The breakdown is as follows: Brazil 61%, USA 22.67%, 16.27% other countries.
Enrollment: At the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, enrollment was 1,275. Of the total, 111 were U.S. citizens, 968 were host-country nationals, and 196 were third-country nationals.
Facilities: The school currently has two campuses, in Gávea (N-12) and Barra (N-12) neighborhoods. Both campuses have, apart from the classrooms, playgrounds, science labs, maker space classrooms, sport facilities, cafeteria, etc. The 12-acre site in Gávea has over 700 students and is located at the edge of Tijuca National Forest. The tropical climate provides lush vegetation and abundant flowering shrubs and trees throughout the school grounds, as well as wildlife native to the tropical forest. Located in a different setting than Gávea, but nonetheless charming, the Barra Campus is a modern building located in the heart of Barra da Tijuca neighborhood in a pleasant residential area and has close to 500 students.
Finances: In the 2022-2023 school year, about 93% of the school’s income derives from regular day school tuition. Annual tuition average rates are as follows: $25,800 for all grade levels. An entrance fee of $ 8,400 is required. All fees are payable in Brazilian Reais. (All fees quoted in U.S. dollars.)
Special Needs: Download the Special Needs Profile (2023 Special Needs- Brazil, Rio de Janeiro-Gavea and 2023 Special Needs- Brazil, Rio de Janeiro-Barra) for this school to learn more about their capability to support students with exceptionalities.
This Fact Sheet is intended to provide general information. Prospective users of the schools may wish to inquire further of A/OPR/OS or contact the school directly for more specific and up-to-the-minute information. Information and statistics are current as of September 2022 and provided by the school.