In this guide
IB in Manila: the picture in 2026
The International Baccalaureate has been present in Manila since 1994, when International School Manila (ISM) became the first authorised school in the country. The IB Diploma is now the dominant sixth-form pathway for the city's full international tier, with British School Manila (BSM), Brent International School and Reedley International School all running parallel DP cohorts alongside their American or British curricula. Beacon Academy is the only pure IB school in the city, built from the ground up around the MYP and DP. Several Filipino-international hybrid schools also run an IB option as a small premium track.
For families targeting universities outside the United States, the IB Diploma is the most portable curriculum option in Manila. UK universities welcome it on equal terms with A Levels; Canadian, Australian, Hong Kong and Singapore universities all accept it directly; US universities accept it and recognise the rigour, though they will still expect SAT or AP for some highly selective applications. See the IB curriculum hub for the programme structure across PYP, MYP and DP.
The IB schools, one by one
International School Manila (ISM)
The largest IB Diploma cohort in the city, typically 80 to 110 candidates per year. Recent cohort averages have run 35 to 37 points, comfortably above the global mean of around 31. Strong subject breadth at HL, including the higher-level sciences and mathematics. The IB pathway runs in parallel with the school's American AP track; families choose at the end of Grade 10.
British School Manila (BSM)
BSM runs the British IGCSE programme through Year 11, then the IB Diploma in years 12 and 13. Cohort sizes 40 to 60. Recent averages above 36 points across multiple years; a meaningful share of bilingual diplomas. Strong UK university destinations, with growing US, Australian and Asian-university streams. The HL subject menu is narrower than ISM but the academic depth is consistent.
Brent International School Manila
The strongest value tier-one IB option in Manila. Cohorts 30 to 60 candidates a year, averages around 33 to 35 points across recent years. Strong pastoral framework rooted in the school's Episcopalian heritage. The southern-corridor campus suits families living in Alabang or Sta. Rosa. Sister campuses in Subic and Boracay enable internal transfers.
Reedley International School
Smaller cohort than the tier-one trio (15 to 30 students per year). Averages have moved up sharply in recent years, into the 33 to 35 point range. Pasig location works well for Ortigas and central families. Suited to academically motivated students wanting a smaller IB cohort and more direct teacher access than at ISM or BSM.
Beacon Academy
The only pure-IB school in Manila. MYP from Grade 7, DP at sixth form. Cohorts 30 to 50 candidates. Built around the IB framework rather than retrofitting an American or British curriculum, which gives the academic culture a distinct continuity. Particularly suited to families committing to the IB pathway from middle school, and to families in the southern corridor wanting an alternative to Brent.
Southville International School and Colleges (SISC)
A Filipino-international hybrid school with a recognised IB Diploma cohort sitting alongside the Filipino K to 12 programme. Cohort sizes vary year to year (typically 10 to 25 candidates). Outcomes are reasonable for the price point. A practical option for families wanting the IB pathway without tier-one or tier-two fees.
Singapore School Manila (IB pathway)
Primarily a Cambridge IGCSE and A Level school, with a small IB Diploma option introduced in recent years. Cohort sizes still small (under 20). Suited to families wanting Asian-curriculum rigour with an IB exit. Worth checking the current year IB status at the school directly, as IB programme breadth is evolving.
Compare Manila IB schools side by side
Use the compare tool to place up to three Manila IB schools next to each other on cohort size, recent averages, HL subject breadth and fees. The school finder filters by IB programme. Talk to our team for a personal shortlist review against your family's specific priorities.
Choosing between them
For families with a clear preference for the IB Diploma, the practical decision usually comes down to four variables: cohort size, neighbourhood and commute, fee tier, and the upper secondary subject breadth. ISM offers the largest cohort and the broadest HL menu but the highest fees. BSM offers a strong cohort with British IGCSE feeding it. Brent offers tier-one academic depth at materially lower fees. Reedley and Beacon offer smaller, more personal IB environments. Southville offers the cheapest IB option in the city.
The IB pathway choice intersects with the curriculum question at Year 7 entry. ISM, BSM and Brent all run a single curriculum through middle school; the IB or AP choice is then made at the end of Grade 10 (BSM is IB only at sixth form). Beacon commits to the IB framework from middle school onwards. Reedley follows a similar Grade 10 branching model. For the wider curriculum debate, see our piece on AP Capstone versus the IB Extended Essay.
What IB outcomes actually look like
Average IB Diploma points across Manila's six full-DP schools have trended up over the past five years, partly through better teacher development and partly through schools being more selective at the point of entry into the DP cohort. The global IB average sits at around 31 points; Manila's tier one trio (ISM, BSM, Brent) all run above 33 points consistently, with ISM and BSM commonly above 35.
| School | Recent cohort size | Recent average points | Bilingual diplomas |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISM | 80 to 110 | 35 to 37 | Small share |
| BSM | 40 to 60 | 36 to 38 | Meaningful share |
| Brent | 30 to 60 | 33 to 35 | Small share |
| Reedley | 15 to 30 | 33 to 35 | Limited |
| Beacon | 30 to 50 | 32 to 34 | Limited |
| Southville | 10 to 25 | 29 to 32 | Limited |
Average points are an honest snapshot of the cohort but not a clean comparison: cohort selectivity, subject mix and the size of the bilingual diploma share all influence the headline figure. For university applications the more useful number is the spread, particularly the share of cohort achieving 38 points and above (the threshold for the most selective UK and Asian universities). ISM, BSM and Brent all reliably produce such candidates; Beacon increasingly does. See IB versus AP university outcomes for the comparison with the American pathway.
Fees and the all-in IB cost
IB sixth form is the most expensive year-pair at every Manila international school. Tuition steps up 15 to 25 per cent at Grade 11 compared to Grade 10, partly because of smaller cohort sizes and partly because IB Diploma assessment and external examination costs are heavier than the equivalent American or British final years. Realistic all-in IB sixth-form cost ranges USD 12,000 at the cheapest Filipino-hybrid end to USD 40,000 at ISM all in.
One Manila-specific point: most schools bill IB external examination fees separately from tuition, usually USD 1,000 to USD 1,600 in the final year of sixth form, plus Extended Essay supervision charges in some cases. Some packages cover this; many do not. Worth knowing in advance. The full fee picture sits in our international school fees in Manila piece, and you can model your specific shortlist via the fees explorer.
Admissions and timing
Entry into IB cohorts at tier-one Manila schools is competitive but not gated by selective testing in the way that some Asian markets are. ISM, BSM and Brent will typically admit any Grade 10 student in good standing into the Grade 11 IB pathway, with course choices at HL constrained by previous performance. External entry into Grade 11 IB is harder. Most schools accept a small number of Year 12 (Grade 11) external candidates each year, conditional on academic record, recommendations and assessment, but the place is far from guaranteed.
For families moving to Manila with a child entering the IB years, apply at least 9 months ahead and request a course-availability conversation early. The tier-one schools occasionally hold places open for known incoming families through corporate group sponsor agreements; this is worth raising with your employer's mobility team. For the broader admissions framework see best international schools in Manila and admissions timing by city.
MYP and PYP options in Manila
The IB Diploma gets most of the airtime in conversations about IB in Manila, but the MYP (Middle Years Programme) and PYP (Primary Years Programme) also matter for families committing to the IB continuum. ISM runs the full PYP, MYP and DP continuum. Beacon Academy runs MYP from Grade 7 and DP at sixth form, but does not offer primary years. Brent and Reedley do not run formal MYP or PYP authorisation but their middle-school curricula are designed to feed cleanly into the DP. For families wanting a fully consistent inquiry-led IB pedagogy from age four onwards, ISM is the only Manila option.
The trade-off worth understanding is that MYP and PYP outcomes are not formally reported in the way DP averages are. Families therefore have to judge primary and middle school quality on classroom observation and faculty interaction rather than on outcomes data. Visits, sample lesson observation and parent references are the more useful inputs at that stage.
The bilingual diploma and language pathways
One of the IB Diploma's underused features is the bilingual diploma, awarded when a candidate completes two language A subjects (typically Filipino and English in the Manila context) or completes specified group subjects in their second language. BSM has historically produced a meaningful share of bilingual diplomas, often in Spanish or Mandarin alongside English. ISM and Brent produce smaller numbers. For Filipino-heritage families, Filipino A SL or HL is offered by several schools and is a strong route into the bilingual diploma for native speakers.
Language choice at HL is one of the more consequential subject decisions. The school's HL menu is set partly by demand and partly by teacher availability; not every school can offer every HL combination. Always confirm the HL options for the specific year your child will enter, rather than relying on the published prospectus alone.