The verdict in three sentences
For an IB international day school in Port Louis serving both expatriate and Mauritian families, the website has to convince two audiences who read different things: the first look for continuity into the Diploma Programme, the second compare with national pathways and British exams. A Mauritian agency is the better choice if you rely on campus video, frequent meetings and deep knowledge of the local market. A remote studio is enough, and keeps the budget predictable, if your main challenge is a clean admissions funnel in English and French with a provider available during shared working hours.
What should the site do at each step of the admissions journey?
In an IB day school, enrolment takes months. Expatriate families often search from abroad, sometimes six months before arriving, and want to understand everything without calling. Local families visit earlier and compare with other private schools on the island. The table below links each step to what the site must deliver, and shows which type of provider handles it best.
| Step | What the site must do | Provider most at ease |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery (from abroad) | Clear PYP, MYP, DP pages, comparison with home systems | Remote studio (native EN/FR copy) |
| Enquiry | Short form, automatic reply, sorting by year group | Either |
| Visit or virtual tour | Online booking, campus video | Local agency (on-site filming) |
| Application | Document list, calendar, link to the admissions tool | Either (integration on quote at Kolonell) |
| Tuition fees | Transparent page: ranges, registration fees, sibling policy | Either |
| Re-enrolment | Reminder, form, link to the parent portal | Either (integration on quote) |
The takeaway: only two steps truly require on-site presence, video and sometimes classroom photography. The rest depends on the quality of copy and structure.
What does each option cost over three years?
2026 ballpark, based on public rate pages of Mauritian agencies and typical agency quotes for private school websites. Local rupee amounts are converted to USD approximately (about MUR 46 to USD 1). Market maintenance amounts are assumptions, never Kolonell prices.
| Item (3 years) | Mauritian freelancer | Mauritian agency | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build | MUR 80,000 to 200,000 (≈ USD 1,700 to 4,300) | MUR 250,000 to 700,000 (≈ USD 5,400 to 15,200) | USD 2,900, 4,900 or 8,900 |
| Native bilingual copywriting | rarely included | often subcontracted | included (native English or French) |
| Campus video | budget separately | often offered | local videographer separately |
| Maintenance (market assumption, USD 100 to 250/month) | USD 3,600 to 9,000 | USD 3,600 to 9,000 | on quote after 3 included months |
| Delivery time | 6 to 12 weeks | 8 to 16 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Parent portal or SIS integration | varies | on quote | on quote |
At Kolonell, Starter is USD 2,900, Growth USD 4,900 and Premium USD 8,900. Premium is the multilingual tier, with languages set in the quote: it is the one that fits a full English and French site. Every tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks and 3 months of support. See the international offer.
On time zones: Mauritius is a few hours ahead of Western Europe, and the shared window with a European or West African studio covers the Mauritian afternoon, 4 to 5 working hours. That is enough for a weekly call and same-day answers.
When to prefer the Mauritian agency, and what to ask
The local agency is clearly preferable if:
- video is your main selling point, with a shoot every term (sport, arts, CAS, graduation);
- your board wants to sign off in person at every stage;
- you want a Kreol version or a strong local media presence run by the same team.
Questions to ask both types of provider:
- Will the domain, hosting and code be in the school's name, with admin access from day one?
- Who writes the PYP, MYP and DP pages, and do they know IB vocabulary? Use of the IB name and logo follows rules set by the IB, to check with your coordinator.
- How does the admissions form protect children's data (access, retention, deletion)?
- How fast is the site restored if it goes down during admissions season?
Local frame: Mauritius has the Data Protection Act 2017, enforced by the Data Protection Office. Pupil data, medical information and children's photos need a legal basis, a defined retention period and written parental consent for any publication. For accessibility, aim for WCAG 2.1 AA (or 2.2 AA). This is not legal advice.
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Mini case study
Illustrative example. Priya, head of admissions at a 600-pupil IB day school near Port Louis, welcomes about 90 new pupils a year, half from expatriate families. She reasons in website cost per new pupil over three years.
- Local agency option: build at around USD 13,000, maintenance (market assumption) at USD 170 a month, so USD 6,120 over three years. Total: USD 19,120 for 270 new pupils, about USD 71 per pupil.
- Kolonell Premium option: USD 8,900, plus a local videographer at USD 1,200, so USD 10,100 excluding maintenance (on quote). For 270 new pupils, about USD 37 per pupil before maintenance.
Priya picks Kolonell for the website and the local agency for two videos a year. The deciding factor is not the price gap but native copy on the programme pages for families discovering the school from Johannesburg, Paris or Mumbai.
FAQ
Can a remote studio handle the September admissions season?
Yes, if the site launches at least 8 weeks before admissions open. Production takes 3 to 4 weeks once content is approved.
Which tier for an English and French site?
Premium at USD 8,900, the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote. An English-only site can start with Growth at USD 4,900.
Should we publish tuition fees?
Expatriate families expect them: a page with ranges per stage and registration fees cuts first-contact emails. Update it every year, before open days.
Can the site connect to our SIS or admissions tool?
A link to the existing tool is simple; automatic data exchange is priced on quote. Allow 1 to 2 extra weeks depending on the vendor.
How should we handle pupil photos?
Written parental consent at the start of every school year, removal within 48 hours on request, and never a full name next to a face. Group shots from behind or at a distance reduce the risk.
Let's scope your project. A bilingual IB school website with a complete admissions journey, Premium at USD 8,900, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.