United States, Hoboken
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Tessa International School in Hoboken, New Jersey, is a private bilingual international school that blends French and English-language schooling with IB principles. It offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, integrated with the French National Curriculum through Mission Laïque Française, to create a coherent Programme of Inquiry across six transdisciplinary themes. Instruction is bilingual, with English plus language tracks in French, Mandarin, or Spanish; Preschool immersion reaches 80% in the target language and Primary immersion is 50/50. The campus occupies three floors of the Monroe Center, featuring bright classrooms, a STEM Lab, a Library, a Music Room, and dedicated language spaces. Students benefit from daily outdoor time, gymnasium facilities, and on-site playgrounds. After-school programs total more than 30, including language, sport, art, coding, and chess, with language clubs and science/tech activities aligned to the bilingual international focus. The school is IB-accredited (2021) and Cognia-accredited (2019). It welcomes families worldwide today.
720 Monroe St Suite E105-106, Hoboken, NJ 07030, United States
Tessa International School has 280 pupils, typical class sizes of 18, instruction in English, French, Mandarin, Spanish.
The school is located in the Monroe Center in Hoboken, New Jersey. The address is 720 Monroe Street, Suites E105-106, Hoboken, NJ 07030 (between 7th and 8th Streets). It sits in a renovated historic industrial site with nearby parks and high-end apartment buildings, in the heart of Hoboken and convenient for families in Hoboken, Jersey City, and the surrounding area. Access is via the Hudson Light Rail stop at 9th Street/Congress Street, NJ Transit Bus Route 126 stops at 8th Street & Willow Avenue or 8th Street & Washington Street, and there is parking nearby at 700 Harrison Street.
Nursery, Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary (PK2 through 5th Grade).
Private bilingual international school.
France
Secular
School hours: 8:30 AM – 3:15 PM, with before-care from 7:30 AM and after-care until 7:00 PM.
Van transportation is available with student pickups typically in Port Imperial and north of Hoboken; arrangements are made via transportation@tessais.org. The school is accessible by NJ Transit Bus Route 126 (stops at 8th Street & Willow Avenue or 8th Street & Washington Street) and by the Hudson Light Rail (9th Street/Congress Street); there is parking nearby.
Annual tuition at Tessa International School ranges from USD 32,630 to USD 33,710 for 2026/27.
Tessa International School teaches IB (PYP), French Curriculum, American Curriculum.
Integrates the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme with the French National Curriculum as part of Mission Laïque Française. The Primary Years Programme is structured around six transdisciplinary themes developed into a Program of Inquiry. Language/Literacy follows the IB PYP scope and sequence and, where possible, the French Cycle 1 standards; instruction is bilingual in English and the target language (French, Mandarin, or Spanish). Mathematics follows the IB PYP scope and sequence and the French Cycle 1 standards. Social/Emotional Learning uses the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence approach with the RULER framework, and Arts, Music and PSPE are integrated across the units. The school offers English plus language tracks in French, Mandarin, or Spanish, with Preschool immersion at 80% in the target language and Primary immersion at 50/50.
Adult-to-child ratios do not exceed 1:6 in Nursery, 1:10 in Preschool, 1:12 in Kindergarten, and 1:15 in Primary; class size does not exceed 18 students.
Age requirements: Nursery (PreK2) 2 by December 31; PreK3 3 by December 31; PreK4 4 by December 31; Kindergarten 5 by December 31; Elementary students generally advance to the next grade. Toilet training: Nursery and PreK3 do not require toilet training; PreK4 requires full potty-training. Language proficiency: Preschool and Kindergarten accept students with all levels of fluency in the target language; for Grades 1-3, beginners and all levels in Spanish, French, and Mandarin are accepted, with additional language support available as needed. Applicants may reapply for the next admissions year. Application: online submission with an $85 application fee. Admissions are rolling, with decisions typically made within a few weeks after the application is completed.
French government scholarship: Means-tested scholarships are available to French families and are allocated to the school; they may cover all or part of annual tuition, the new student registration fee, or transportation; the 2026-2027 scholarship campaign is open with a February 20, 2026 deadline. Financial aid: Financial assistance is available to families with demonstrated need; applicants must submit the financial aid application concurrently with the admissions application, and only accepted students who have completed the financial aid process are considered; the school uses a third-party evaluator (TADS) to assess financial need, with a $60 application fee for financial aid.
If no place is available, the child may be placed on a waitlist.
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