Cities / Mexico City / American School Foundation
American School Foundation
One of Mexico City's oldest and largest international schools, founded in 1888, offering an American independent curriculum with IB Diploma for students aged 3 to 18. Annual tuition ranges from MXN 262,350 for Kindergarten to MXN 333,800 for Upper School…
In brief
The default choice for US-curriculum expat families in Mexico City, founded in 1888 and the oldest continuously operating American school outside the United States. Big, Cognia-accredited, IB across all three programmes, with an American diploma plus AP Capstone and the Mexican SEP diploma.
The Tacubaya campus runs Early Childhood through Grade 12 with around 2,500 students from more than 40 countries. The student body is majority Mexican rather than expat, and the bilingual programme expects every student to graduate proficient in English and Spanish.
Families with children entering in lower elementary tend to settle in well; the social adjustment is harder for older expat arrivals because peer groups are established and cliquey, and the cultural register differs from US suburban schools. The other practical filter is location, with many ASF families living in Lomas, Polanco, or Bosques to keep the commute manageable.
Fees
| Fee | Age | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten 1 | 3 | Annual | MX$262,350 |
| Kindergarten 2 | 4 | Annual | MX$262,350 |
| Kindergarten 3 | 5 | Annual | MX$262,350 |
| Grade 1 | 6 | Annual | MX$302,350 |
| Grade 2 | 7 | Annual | MX$302,350 |
| Grade 3 | 8 | Annual | MX$302,350 |
| Grade 4 | 9 | Annual | MX$302,350 |
| Grade 5 | 10 | Annual | MX$302,350 |
| Grade 6 | 11 | Annual | MX$326,700 |
| Grade 7 | 12 | Annual | MX$326,700 |
| Grade 8 | 13 | Annual | MX$326,700 |
| Grade 9 | 14 | Annual | MX$333,800 |
| Grade 10 | 15 | Annual | MX$333,800 |
| Grade 11 | 16 | Annual | MX$333,800 |
| Grade 12 | 17 | Annual | MX$333,800 |
| Registration Fee | One-time | MX$26,235 | |
| Admission Fee | One-time | MX$127,085 |
Reviews
- One of the oldest international schools in the world, founded in 1888 in Mexico City. forum threads return ASF as a default first recommendation when expat parents ask about CDMX schooling.
- Multiple posters who attended themselves, or whose families did, speak warmly of the school. One alumna said her family "speaks very highly of it," and another described herself and her peers as "diverse with kids from all over the world."
- Image carries a fresa edge. One Mexico City poster joked that meeting a former ASF student is a near-guarantee of an English-speaking, multilingual, well-off, city-elitist crowd.
- Demand far outstrips supply. One poster reported the waiting list "usually starts before the child is one year old, you must pay in advance, and it does not have a kindergarten." Outsiders describe entry as effectively limited to ambassadors' and grandchildren's families.
- Tuition near USD 25,000 a year, the highest tier in Mexico City alongside Greengates and Edron.
- For teachers, ASF is the highest-paying school in Mexico, with strong benefits and a culture multiple teachers describe as enjoyable. Workload appears reasonable.
Head of school
Kolia O'Connor
Kolia is currently the Head of School at the American School Foundation (ASF) in Mexico City, having most recently served as an advisor and mentor to educational leaders in the United States and around the world. He was formerly the Head of School at Sewickley Academy from 2003 until 2021. With a B.A. in English from Boston University, and an M.A. in English from the University of Avignon (France), Kolia began his career at a boarding school—teaching English, working in a dormitory, and coaching soccer. He spent the subsequent six years as an English teacher and Dean of Students at the all girls’ Chapin School in New York City. He then moved to The Browning School, an all boys’ school, where he served as Head of Upper School and was later appointed Associate Head of School. While in New York, Kolia earned an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Teachers College at Columbia University, served as secretary of the Assistant Heads Association, and was a founding member of the New York State Association of Independent Schools Diversity Committee. Kolia currently serves on the boards of The 1911 Group as the treasurer, and Safe Passage/Camino Seguro in Guatemala City. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools; Robert Morris University, where he was the chair of the Academic Affairs & Enrollment Management Committee; and the Assistant Heads Association, for which he served as secretary. Kolia and his wife, Susan, are the proud parents of two sons, Gus and Alex. They are kept company by their Golden Retriever, Atlas.
Accreditations
- Cognia 01
Academic results
- IB Diploma 2025 average 33 points
- AP Scholar 71
- AP Scholar with Honor 30
- AP Scholar with Distinction 71
- AP International Diploma 37
- AP Capstone 17