# Schools in Panama for your children Panama’s official school year runs from March to December, not from August to June, so plan the move around it. The country has eight IB World Schools, both private and public. Bring your children’s school records with an apostille, and if you hold a university degree you want recognized, the University of Panama charges B/. 500 to review it. [Free consultation](/contact/) [Photo: Mattias Hill, Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Panama_City_,_Panama.jpg)· [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) ## The school year starts in March For 2026 the Ministry of Education, MEDUCA, set the start of classes on Monday, March 2, and the end on December 11, for public and private schools alike, in three terms and 42 weeks of class. The first term ran to May 29, with a week of break from June 1 to 5, and the second from June 8 to September 4. A child arriving from a northern school in August lands in the second half of the Panamanian year, so talk to the new school before you book flights. | 2026 | Dates | | --- | --- | | First term | March 2 to May 29 | | Break | June 1 to 5 | | Second term | June 8 to September 4 | | Last day of class | December 11 | - [TVN, school calendar 2026 published by MEDUCA, press](https://www.tvn-2.com/nacionales/calendario-ano-escolar-2026-clases-inician-marzo-diciembre_1_2205476.html) - [La Prensa, MEDUCA first term breaks 2026, press](https://www.prensa.com/sociedad/estas-son-las-fechas-de-vacaciones-del-primer-trimestre-2026-segun-el-meduca/) ## International programs The International Baccalaureate counts eight IB World Schools in Panama. Seven offer the two-year Diploma Programme, four the Primary Years Programme and four the Middle Years Programme. Most are private, such as the International School of Panama, an IB school since 1992, but there is also a state school, Academia Panamá Para El Futuro, authorized in 2022. A school that follows an IB or a US curriculum may keep its own calendar, so ask each one for its dates. - [International Baccalaureate, Panama country page, read October 27, 2026](https://ibo.org/about-the-ib/the-ib-by-country-and-territory/p/panama/) - [International Baccalaureate, International School of Panama](https://ibo.org/school/000464/) - [International Baccalaureate, Academia Panamá Para El Futuro](https://ibo.org/programs/find-an-ib-school/iba/a/academia-panama-para-el-futuro/) ## What to bring from your old school Ask your current school for report cards, transcripts and a letter that states the last grade completed, and have them apostilled in your home country before you leave. It costs far less there than from Panama. We could not find a published MEDUCA procedure for placing a student who arrives from abroad, so each school will tell you what it needs; the apostilled records are the common ground. - Report cards and transcripts for the last two years - A letter stating the last grade completed - Vaccination record - Birth certificate and passport of the child - The apostille on each school document ## Your own degree If you need your university degree recognized in Panama, the University of Panama reviews foreign degrees through its General Secretariat. It asks for the diploma and the transcript of grades with an apostille, the study plan and course programs of your university, your passport, two photos and a non-refundable fee of B/. 500. Every document in another language goes with a translation into Spanish by an official translator. Recognition of a degree is one thing; being allowed to practice a regulated profession is another, and many professions in Panama are reserved for nationals. - [University of Panama, General Secretariat, requirements for foreigners](https://secretariageneral.up.ac.pa/sites/secretariageneral/files/2026-04/Requisitos_Homologacion_extranjeros.pdf) ## Getting to school School traffic shapes the morning rush in Panama City: the Transit Authority times some lane changes to the return to classes. MetroBus publishes a school fare, and many private schools run their own buses. Choosing a home near the school often matters more than choosing one near the office. [Photo: Envato Elements]()· [Envato Elements license](https://elements.envato.com/license-terms) - [Telemetro, ATTT plan for the return to classes, February 25, 2026, press](https://www.telemetro.com/nacionales/desde-el-2-marzo-attt-implementara-plan-reducir-el-tranque-panama-oeste-n6070928) - [MiBus, questions](https://www.mibus.com.pa/preguntas-frecuentes/) ## What we could not confirm We found no official list of tuition fees, no official register of US or British accreditations of Panamanian schools and no MEDUCA page for students who transfer from abroad. Each school publishes its own fees and admission rules. We will add them here only from an official source. - Compare the March to December school year with your move date. - Apostille report cards, transcripts and the last grade letter before you leave home. - Ask each school for its calendar, its fees and how it places new students. - If you need your degree recognized, budget B/. 500 and an official translation. - Look at homes near the school before homes near the office. Moving with children? Tell us their ages and your start date, and we will help you line up the residency paperwork with the school year. [Free consultation](/contact/) Free 15-minute call ## Not sure where to start? Book a free 15-minute call. We will confirm your eligibility and the route that fits you best. - A signed contract - An invoice for every expense - Licensed attorneys [Book your free call](/contact/) [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/50761970238?text=Hi%2C%20I%20would%20like%20a%20consultation%20about%20the%20Panama%20Friendly%20Nations%20Visa%2C%20from%20friendlynationspanama.com.) [contacto@iurispa.com](mailto:contacto@iurispa.com) A Panamanian lawyer replies within one business day, in English.