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St. Stephen’s School, Rome

An American international day & boarding school — and Italy’s first IB World School — at the foot of the Aventine, a stone’s throw from the Colosseum, the Circus Maximus, and the Roman Forum.

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Founded 1964~300 students · 47 boardersIB avg 35 · six perfect 45sGrades 9–12

Our Story

An American school, a Roman soul

Founded in 1964 as a non-profit, non-denominational, co-educational school, St. Stephen’s brought an American liberal-arts education to the heart of Rome — and in 1975 became the first school in Italy to offer the International Baccalaureate. Named one of the world’s most beautiful boarding schools by Architectural Digest.

Care

A close community where every student is known.

Scholarship

Rigour worthy of an IB World School.

Independence

Young people who can think, and act, for themselves.

Integrity

Character as the ground of everything.

Creativity

The confidence to make, question, and imagine.

Students in a St. Stephen's science laboratory

Academics

Three pathways, one standard

Students pursue the American High School Diploma, the full IB Diploma, and Advanced Placement — taught by faculty drawn from around the world in a genuinely international classroom.

1975

First IB in Italy

Average IB score

Six

Perfect 45s

English & LanguagesClassicsEconomics & HistoryMathematicsScienceThe ArtsThe Writing CenterUniversity Counseling

Rome as Your Classroom

The city is part of the curriculum

History, art, and classics don’t stay on the page. St. Stephen’s teaches courses built around the city itself — and the greatest sites of the ancient world are a short walk from the front door.

The City of Rome I & IIClassical Greek & Roman StudiesHistory of ArtLatin & GreekArabic & Italian

Circus Maximus~5 min walk
Baths of Caracalla~10 min walk
Aventine Hill & the Orange Garden~10 min walk
Roman Forum & Palatine~15 min walk
The Colosseum~15–20 min walk

The Whole Student

Beyond the classroom

Creativity and character are cultivated as deliberately as scholarship — in the studio, on the pitch, and across a full co-curricular life.

Community & Boarding

A nuclear family of forty-seven

Boarders live in a genuinely small, close residential community with resident faculty — inside a student body drawn from dozens of countries, most of them living far from home.

Boarders

Nationalities

~70%

International

9–12

Grades (ages 14–19)

Alumni & Outcomes

Where St. Stephen’s leads

Dr. Fred “Rusty” Gage ’68

Geneticist; former President of the Salk Institute

Nicola Formichetti ’96

Fashion designer & creative director

Diva Tommei ’02

Investment Director, ICT

Dr. Ettore Vulcano ’01

Orthopaedic surgeon

Diana Paredes ’02

CEO & co-founder, Suade

CambridgeColumbiaEdinburghÉcole Polytechnique

Universities popular among St. Stephen’s graduates, per public alumni profiles. Ask the College Counseling office for the school’s current matriculation list.

Admissions

The journey to St. Stephen’s

Apply

Submit the online application with the application fee, through the school’s admissions portal.

Visit

Come to an Open House — see the villa, meet faculty and students, and feel the community.

Assess

An entrance assessment and interview, measuring potential rather than preparation.

Application deadlines, Open House and test dates, tuition, and financial aid change each cycle — the Admissions and Affording pages carry the current details, and aid is available for qualifying families.

Ask Admissions Dates, tuition & aid