The American School of Belo Horizonte is an independent, nonprofit association serving students in grades PK-12 in a full day program. EABH offers the American and Brazilian curricula within an international framework accredited by Cognia and the Brazilian Ministry of Education and authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization and the College Board. We are a culturally diverse community that fosters educational excellence and develops life-long learners. The 2022-2023 school year covers two semesters extending from August 01 to December 16 and from January 19 to June 09.
Organization: The school is governed by a seven-member board of directors elected for two-year terms by the members of the International Educational Association of Belo Horizonte. Membership in the association is automatically conferred to all parents of children enrolled in the school. The school is registered in Brazil under Associação Internacional de Educação de Belo Horizonte and is known as the Escola Americana de Belo Horizonte (EABH). It is not incorporated in the United States.
Curriculum: The curriculum is similar to that of an American school. Instruction is in English, with Portuguese taught to all students. The school is accredited by Cognia, is recognized by the Brazilian Ministry of Education, and is authorized as an International Baccalaureate PYP and MYP World School. Advanced Placement and online courses are offered in a variety of subjects for students from G9-G12. The school offers the following three diplomas: the Brazilian, the American, and the AP Capstone Diploma from College Board.
Faculty: In the 2022-2023 school year, EABH has 124 total staff including 71 teachers, 20 of whom are U.S. citizens, 40 host-country nationals, and 11 third-country nationals. Our faculty and staff represent a total of 13 nationalities, including American, Brazilian, Colombian, Bosnian, Australian, British, Canadian, Spanish, Malaysian, Peruvian, South African, Ugandan, Italian. All teaching faculty maintain a teaching certificate/credential e.g., Diploma of Teaching/registered Teacher’s certificate from their countries of origin. Here is a breakdown – Doctorate Degree: 1, Master’s Degree: 26, Post graduate Degree: 7, Bachelor’s Degree: 77, High school Degree: 13.
Enrollment: At the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, enrollment was 511 (PreK – G5: 298; G6-G8:122; G9-G12: 91.) Of the total, 41 were U.S. citizens, 419 were host-country nationals, and 51 were third-country nationals.
Facilities: The school is located on a seven-acre site in a suburban setting and has two main buildings (one of them is brand new building, whose construction was concluded at the end of 2021. It hosts 12 new learning spaces and an open area on the rooftop) containing classrooms, library, and labs for upper school and lower school (G1-G5). There are separate buildings that house the PK and Kindergarten classrooms; additional upper school classrooms; an outdoor learning space called the “Yellow Submarine” and a specialized building featuring spaces for art, drama, music, and for multipurpose learning. There are also two administration buildings, three playgrounds, a restaurant, a soccer field, a covered outdoor court, and an indoor gymnasium.
Finances: In the 2022-2023 academic year, about 90% of the school´s income derives from tuition and fees. Annual Tuition rates are as follows: PreK – G5: $14,835; G6-G8: $16,383; G9-G12: $17,534. A onetime registration fee of $4,606 is charged at the time of enrollment. These fees are payable in Brazilian reais (All fees quoted in U.S. dollars = exchange rate R$ 5.21)
Special Needs: Download the Special Needs Profile (2023 Special Needs- Brazil, Belo Horizonte) 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.