Website redesign for a private or international school in Brussels: budget, timeline and risks (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

For a private or international school in Uccle, Woluwe, Ixelles or Etterbeek, a redesign becomes urgent when the site no longer keeps up with the school community's three languages or when the admissions form collects too much about children. The budget runs from about €3,000 with a freelancer to more than €60,000 with a large Brussels agency, against Kolonell's fixed grid of €2,700, €4,500 or €8,200. Timing matters as much as price: going live in the middle of the admissions peak puts families' enquiries at needless risk.

Which signals say it is time to redesign?

• The French, Dutch and English versions no longer say the same thing, because there is no structured translation workflow.
• The admissions enquiry form asks for school reports, health information or special needs in an open field.
• Programme pages mention a curriculum, diploma or section the school no longer holds, or describe poorly those it does hold (IB, national curriculum, European sections).
• Families from the European institutions and international companies cannot find fees, calendar and admissions contact in 2 clicks.
• The gallery shows pupils' photos with no record of parental consent.

What budget should you plan in Brussels in 2026?

A 2026 ballpark based on typical quotes and public rate pages of Brussels agencies.

Every Kolonell tier includes a project manager reachable in Brussels hours, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready and 3 months of support. A native Dutch review, if handled by an independent translator, is a third-party cost. These always stay on quote: admissions portal, tuition fee payment, school management system integration and parent area. Tier details are on the international offer page.

What timeline works with the admissions cycle?

Allow 2 to 4 weeks beforehand on the school's side to gather copy, approved photos and sign-offs, especially in three languages.

Which risks should you watch, and how do you reduce them?

Search ranking loss. A school gets many searches on its name and admissions. Full URL inventory, page-to-page 301 redirect map, new sitemap and Search Console monitoring for at least 8 weeks.

Children's data. The first-contact form is limited to the parent's name and contact details, the child's age or target year group and preferred language. Reports, health and special needs go through a secure channel, later in the process. GDPR applies, under the supervision of the Data Protection Authority (APD/GBA). This is not legal advice.

Claims. No invented exam results, rankings, university admissions or pupil numbers; programmes cited only where the school holds them. Leadership review before go-live.

Integrations and downtime. The old form or portal stays live until the new one is tested; DNS switch on a quiet evening, TTL lowered 48 hours before.

Which questions should you ask, and when is a Brussels agency the better choice?

Ask the provider who produces the redirect map, how the three languages stay in sync, whether the domain stays in the school's name and exactly what support covers. A Brussels agency remains preferable if you want on-site photo sessions every term, an embedded Dutch-speaking writing team or a heavy integration with your school management system run through in-person meetings. To get a price, an inventory of your pages is enough.

Mini case study

Illustrative example. Marc, admissions director at the École internationale des Tilleuls, a fictional school in Uccle, receives a local quote of €32,000 for a redesign in French, Dutch and English. He compares it with Kolonell Premium at €8,200, languages set in the quote, and adds two third-party costs: an independent Dutch reviewer at €1,100 and a local photographer at €1,400. Total: €10,700, a €21,300 gap. The existing admissions portal is kept, and its integration will be priced on quote. Go-live is planned outside the admissions peak.

FAQ

When should a school start its redesign? Ideally 6 to 8 weeks before the quiet period you are aiming for, so that go-live falls outside the admissions peak. The project itself takes 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready.

Do we need all three languages? Not necessarily, but in Brussels French, Dutch and English reach most families. With Kolonell, that is the role of Premium at €8,200, the multilingual tier with languages set in the quote.

Can we publish photos of pupils? Only with parents' written consent, kept on file and withdrawable. A bank of 30 to 50 approved photos is usually enough for a full site.

Is the admissions portal included? No, the portal, fee payment and school management software are always lines on quote. Growth at €4,500 can simply link to the existing tool.

What happens to search rankings after the redesign? A temporary dip of 10 to 20% is common, then traffic settles if the 301 redirects are complete. Monitoring is included during the 3 months of support.

Let's scope your project. A redesign of 20 to 40 pages, from €4,500 in one language to €8,200 on the multilingual Premium tier, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks outside the admissions peak. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.