Tools

Overseas School Finder

Find out which overseas schools say they can support your child. Pick a country, tick the kinds of support your child may need, and see what each school reports in its State Department Special Needs Profile.
Unofficial, personal project: not affiliated with the U.S. Department of State. Always confirm with the school. If you find a problem, contact us at myforeignservicepal@gmail.com.

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About this tool

How the Overseas School Finder works

This finder lists the 191 overseas schools in the State Department's Overseas Schools program and shows what each school says it can do for students with special needs. Pick a country, tick the kinds of support your child may need, and the schools that say yes come to the top. It's built for the question families ask while bidding: can my child be supported there?

What you enter

  • A country, or all countries.
  • Any of the 11 categories of support your child may need. A school counts as a match only when it says yes to every one you pick.
  • Optionally, the level of support: mild, moderate or more intensive.
  • Optionally, part of a school's name.

What you get

A list of schools sorted by fit. Schools that say yes to everything you picked come first. Schools with no readable answers sit in their own group, because a missing answer isn't a no. Each school shows its size, the support level it describes, the categories it says it can and can't accommodate, and links to the State Department's own fact sheet and Special Needs Profile.

Where the information comes from

  • The State Department's Overseas Schools fact sheets and Special Needs Profiles, which the schools fill in for the Office of Overseas Schools.
  • The profiles were collected from the schools in 2025 and 2026. The page says when we gathered the list.
  • We don't rate or rank schools, and we don't add anything the schools didn't say.

What it leaves out

The finder shows the school's own statement. It doesn't cover admissions decisions, waitlists, how good a program is in practice, or local schools that aren't in the State Department's list. The full Special Needs Profile has more detail, such as staffing, therapies and services in English, so open it for any school you're serious about. Prices appear only as the fact sheet words them.

Common questions

Is this an official State Department tool?

No. myFSpal is an unofficial personal project and isn't affiliated with the U.S. Department of State. The facts come from the Department's public fact sheets, and every school links back to the official page so you can check.

How current is the information?

The fact sheets are dated 2026, and the Special Needs Profiles were collected from schools in 2025 and 2026. We refresh the list about once a year, when the State Department publishes new sheets. Schools change quickly, so confirm anything important with the school.

What does "able and willing to accommodate" mean?

It's the school's own answer, for each of the 11 categories, to whether it can enroll and support students in that category. A yes applies up to the support level the school describes. A school that says yes to every category but mild support only isn't saying it can handle intensive needs.

What do mild, moderate and more intensive mean?

They're the schools' words for how much learning support they can give. Schools use them differently, so ask the school what they look like in practice, such as how many hours of support a student gets each week.

Why does a school say "No data about this at this time."?

For a few schools we couldn't read any special needs answers, or the State Department hasn't published a profile for them. It doesn't mean the school can't help. Open the profile link if one exists, or contact the school directly.

Does a yes mean my child will be accepted or get services?

No. A yes tells you the school says it can support that category. Admission and the exact services are the school's decision, so ask the school and your regional education officer early.

What if my child's needs aren't on the list?

The 11 categories are the ones the State Department asks every school about. If your child's needs don't map neatly onto one, read the school's full Special Needs Profile and ask the school. The Child and Family Program team (MEDCFP@state.gov) and the Office of Overseas Schools (overseasschools@state.gov) also answer questions from families.

Does myFSpal see or save what I pick?

No. Your choices stay in your browser and are never sent to us. The web address updates as you pick, so you can bookmark it or send it to your spouse. Anyone who opens that address will see the same choices.

Does the education allowance cover special education?

The Education Allowance Estimator prices the regular allowance only. Special education needs can change what's allowed, so ask the Child and Family Program team and read DSSR 270 before you count on a figure.

Is every overseas school here?

No. These are the schools in the State Department's assisted schools program. Other private and local schools exist at most posts, and you'll need to ask the post about them.

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