ACS Athens (American Community Schools)

ACS Athens is located in the northern Athens suburb of Chalandri (Halandri), on the foothills of the Hymettus mountain, about 5 km from central Athens. The campus address is 129 Aghias Paraskevis Ave. & Kazantzaki Street, Halandri 15234, Athens, Greece. It is accessible by road and is near the Aghias Paraskevi metro station.

Early Childhood (ages 3-5); Elementary School (Grades 1-5); Middle School (Grades 6-8); Academy (Grades 9-12); ACS Athens Virtual.

Private nonprofit international day school

Language Support ESL/EFL across all three schools; Optimal Learning Support provides accommodations for mild learning differences, subject to availability.

American

The Middle School Bell Schedule for 2025-2026 shows the day starts at 9:00 and ends at 3:45, with multiple instructional periods, short passing times, and a lunch period; schedules vary by division.

Bus services are contracted by ACS Athens parents and cover virtually the entire Athens area. Buses are supervised by monitors and are not door-to-door. For 2025-2026, bus prices are €1,404 (Zone A), €1,860 (Zone B), and €2,100 (Zone C). After-school late buses are available for Grades 6-12 at no charge, with published routes; a Transportation Contract and Waiver forms are provided for families.

The school offers the American Diploma (MSA-CESS accredited) with a requirement of twenty-six Carnegie Units earned over eight semesters for the Academy Diploma. The International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB Diploma) is offered for grades 11–12, with six subject groups and core requirements (Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, and CAS). The Advanced Placement (AP) Program is available with AP courses such as AP Calculus, AP Environmental Science, and AP Spanish. The language of instruction is English, with Greek taught as a second language.

9:1.

The IB Diploma is awarded by the IBO after May external examinations, with assessments that include both internal and external components and a scoring system that culminates in the 1–7 scale per subject and a total score; a minimum of 24 points is typically required for the IB Diploma. 95%–100% of ACS Athens students are accepted to U.S., British, and other universities worldwide, with scholarships totaling about $1.3 million awarded to the Class of 2022.

University acceptances are reported at 95%–100% of students, with approximately $1.3 million in college scholarships awarded to the Class of 2022.

The ACS Athens Scholar Diploma is a four-year program awarded to students who complete authentic ACS Athens honors courses, a Senior Honors Research Project, and meaningful community service; it includes four integrated interdisciplinary courses and may include International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement courses.

The Center for Student Success provides counseling, social-emotional support, college guidance and activity/interest group/community service guidance. The school values a holistic, meaningful and harmonious education. School counselors and wellness specialists are integral to student life. Through the counseling offices, students know that they will find an advocate, as well as a safe place for discussion about their grades, their lives, or their future goals and aspirations. ACS Athens works to provide a place of belonging, trust and care for all its students, and staff are committed to educating students and the community about child safety and responsible personal and social behaviors.

Optimal Learning Program (OLP) offers learning support and testing accommodations to students with documented mild learning differences. Accommodations allow students to learn the same material using different methods without changing the instructional level or content. Optimal Learning Support services are offered subject to availability. Shadow Teachers provide additional support to OLP students, helping fill in learning gaps, build self-confidence and promote positive classroom interaction. LEP (Learning Enhancement Program) provides after-school homework and math support in small groups to empower students to become confident, independent learners.

The ESL/EFL Program supports English-language learners in building skills in English for a variety of purposes. ESL/EFL language development and learning support classes are provided at three levels according to English competence, following international placement standards. Across schools, ESL/EFL classes focus on reading, writing, listening and speaking. In Elementary School there are three levels per grade (A, B, C) with an Elementary ESL Foundation Program that combines language development with content-focused Flex-Support sessions. In Middle School, a two-year foundation program (EFL 1 and EFL 2) precedes ESL 1 or ESL 2, and in the Academy there are ESL Intermediate and ESL Advanced options, with language development tied to media literacy and IELTS exit preparation. A standardized exit test is offered twice a year to confirm level and readiness to mainstream.

Wellness is provided by the Wellness Center, offering social-emotional support to students JK-12 in confidentiality, individually or in small groups. The program encourages thinking about health across four domains: physical, social, emotional and cognitive. The Wellness framework includes guided reflection and routines to support healthy daily practices and overall well-being.

ACS Athens is a student-centered international school, with staff committed to child safety and responsible personal and social behaviors. When there is reasonable cause to believe a child is suffering or at significant risk, staff must report the suspected incidents to appropriate school personnel. Authorized personnel follow up on all referrals. The school provides a Child Protection Protocol Handbook and maintains safeguarding policies and procedures in line with best educational practices and local law.

ACS Athens accepts applications throughout the academic year. The Application Process at a glance includes five steps: Step 1: Submit an Application Form for each applicant with the required documents and pay a non-refundable application fee of 100€ for the first child and 50€ for each additional child. Step 2: Submit required documentation. Step 3: Arrange Admissions Testing for Grades 6-12 or Interview/Assessment for Grades PJ-5. Step 4: The Application file is reviewed by the Admissions Committee and decisions are communicated by email. Step 5: Registration and scheduling after admission. Admissibility is determined by how well the student aligns with the school's academic standards and space availability; factors include prior academic history, disciplinary or socio-emotional issues, and classroom size. ACS Athens reserves the right to deny admission if the needs cannot be met. All applicants entering Grades 6-12 must take English and Math tests (on campus or online). English proficiency by grade is: Grade 6: CEFR A2; Grade 7: A2; Grade 8: B1; Grade 9: B1; Grade 10: B2; Grades 11-12: C1. The U.S. High School Diploma can be awarded to transfer students who have spent at least two years in the American education system. Academic credit transfer allows up to seven credits per grade level for transfers into Grades 9-10. IB Diploma Applicants must meet the ACS Athens American High School Diploma credit requirements and the C1 English Proficiency level.

The Christos M. Perakis Academic Scholarship exists at ACS Athens. Eligibility requires admission to ACS Athens before scholarship consideration. Criteria include academic excellence with a GPA of 3.5 or 18 and above; Greek school attendance and Greek citizenship; Fluent in English; Demonstrates leadership; intends to pursue studies abroad in Global Management, Communications or Computer Sciences; Demonstrates conscious citizenship; Demonstrates financial need; Provides a personal statement; Finalists participate in an in-person interview. This scholarship refers to the 2026-2027 academic year (begins September 2026) and is for high school students only (grades 9-12). It can be applied toward tuition at ACS Athens.