Updated November 2026 The school is taking enrolments for the current year and now teaches a bilingual Italian–English programme; we have removed the 2018 fee table, so ask the school for current fees.
The Italian School in Tehran, officially the Pietro Della Valle Italian School, is one of the city’s longest-established embassy schools and takes children from nursery age right through to the end of secondary school. If you are moving to Tehran with children and want a European curriculum taught in a small, international setting, it is well worth a look alongside the other foreign schools in Tehran.
Where it is and what the campus is like
The school sits in Farmanieh, in leafy north Tehran, opposite the Italian ambassador’s residence. Its listed address is 47 Lavassani Avenue, Farmanieh. At around 1,600 metres above sea level, this part of the city is noticeably cooler and greener than the centre, which makes a difference in the hot months.
The campus combines the original 1970s building with newer and renovated blocks. Facilities include a gymnasium with changing rooms, computer, science, physics and art labs, a multipurpose hall used for music, theatre and PE, student and staff libraries, a canteen with its own kitchen, a playground and a roof garden. A school doctor is on site two days a week and a psychologist offers counselling one day a week. The building has step-free access, including a ramp and goods lift to the roof garden.
Year groups and curriculum
The school is co-educational and is organised along Italian lines:
- Nursery (scuola dell’infanzia): a group for three- and four-year-olds and a preparatory year for five-year-olds.
- Primary: five years.
- Lower secondary (scuola media): three years, ending with the Italian state exam.
- Upper secondary: a four-year liceo scientifico, a science-focused high school ending with the Italian state diploma.
It follows the Italian national curriculum and has been formally recognised by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1976, with full state parity for all its levels since the mid-2000s. That recognition matters if your child may later move to a school or university in Italy or elsewhere in the EU, because the qualifications carry over directly.
Languages
All year groups now follow a bilingual Italian–English programme. Persian is taught as the local language from primary school upwards, and Spanish is added in lower secondary. Children who arrive without Italian are supported by a dedicated team that helps them learn it as a second language, so a non-Italian family should not be put off, although younger children will adapt far more easily than teenagers.
The school also runs Italian language courses for adults, structured around the Common European Framework (CEFR) levels, which can be useful for parents or for anyone in Tehran planning to study in Italy.
Fees and admission
Fees are set in euros and are published each year, with a registration fee on top of annual tuition. In the past the school has offered a discount for paying the full year up front and reductions for second and third siblings, but terms change, so ask the secretariat for the current fee schedule and payment options before you commit. Bear in mind that paying euro fees from inside Iran is not straightforward because of banking restrictions; many families arrange payment through an employer or an account abroad. For a wider picture of what family life costs, see our Iran price trackers.
The school describes its pupils as Italian children and students from many other countries, and it accepts enrolments during the school year as well as at the start. Places in each section are limited because classes are small. Check eligibility with the school early, particularly if your child holds an Iranian passport or is a dual national, as rules on Iranian nationals attending foreign schools are strict.
Enrolment forms for the current year are available through the school’s website. The secretariat works by appointment, so email first rather than turning up at the gate.
Contact details
- Address: 47 Lavassani Avenue, Farmanieh, Tehran
- Email: scuolaitalianateheran@yahoo.it
- Website: scuolaitalianatehran.com
The Italian Embassy in Tehran reopened in June 2026 after a three-month closure during the conflict, according to ANSA; if you are relocating, confirm the school’s current timetable directly with the secretariat before you travel.
