IB schools in Nairobi: the complete list

The Nairobi IB landscape in 2026

Nairobi has one of the deepest IB markets in sub-Saharan Africa. Seven schools currently hold IB authorisation across one or more of the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme, with three of those running the full IB continuum from PYP to DP. The Diploma cohort across the city numbers around 350 to 400 students per year, which makes Nairobi the largest IB Diploma market in East and Central Africa and broadly comparable to Johannesburg or Cairo on cohort size.

The strongest IB providers in 2026 are Aga Khan Academy Nairobi (full continuum, the deepest IB faculty in the country) and the International School of Kenya (Diploma alongside the American high school diploma, the most internationally recognised cohort). Brookhouse School Runda runs the IB Primary Years and Middle Years programmes alongside its British IGCSE and A-Level offer at senior level. Oshwal Academy Nairobi and Sabis International School run authorised Diploma programmes at smaller scale. Our IB curriculum hub covers the structure of the Diploma, and the Nairobi schools pillar covers the broader market context.

The seven authorised IB schools in Nairobi

The IB Organisation publishes the authoritative list of authorised schools. As of 2026 the Nairobi list comprises seven schools, summarised below with the programmes each currently runs.

Two qualifications are worth flagging. First, several schools run authorised PYP or MYP programmes but feed senior years into a non-IB qualification (IGCSE and A-Level at Brookhouse Runda and Hillcrest, the SABIS proprietary curriculum at Sabis International). Families wanting an IB Diploma at senior years should focus on Aga Khan Academy Nairobi, ISK, Oshwal Academy or Sabis International. Second, the IB Organisation distinguishes between authorised schools and candidate schools; only authorised schools can graduate students with the IB qualification.

Aga Khan Academy Nairobi

Aga Khan Academy Nairobi is the strongest IB school in Kenya in 2026 and the only Nairobi school running the full IB continuum from PYP through MYP to Diploma. The campus sits in Parklands on a substantial site and serves around 700 students from kindergarten to Year 13. The school is part of the worldwide Aga Khan Academies network, with sister schools in Mombasa, Hyderabad, Maputo and Dhaka, which creates genuine family mobility options. Faculty are a mix of internationally hired and senior Kenyan teachers, with notable continuity at senior leadership level.

Diploma averages at Aga Khan Academy Nairobi have sat comfortably above the global benchmark in recent years (the global average is around 30 points), with cohorts typically averaging in the 33 to 35 point range. Strong subjects at Higher Level include English Language and Literature, mathematics, biology, history and economics. University destinations include McGill, the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, several Russell Group universities in the UK, US liberal arts colleges and increasingly Asian universities. The fee position (around KES 1.5 million for senior years, USD 11,600) is materially below the ISK premium tier for broadly equivalent IB outcomes, which is a significant advantage for cost-conscious senior packages.

International School of Kenya (ISK)

The International School of Kenya runs the IB Diploma alongside the American high school diploma in Grades 11 and 12. The school is WASC-accredited as an American school and IB-authorised for the Diploma. The cohort splits roughly evenly between full IB Diploma students and AP-heavy American high school diploma students, with a smaller third group taking a mixed pathway. The full Diploma cohort numbers 40 to 60 students per year, which is smaller than Aga Khan Academy but produces consistent results.

Diploma averages at ISK have sat consistently above the global benchmark, with strong representation in Higher Level English, mathematics, biology, chemistry and history. Higher Level visual arts and Higher Level film also produce strong work, with the school's creative arts faculty unusually deep. University destinations skew North American, as the school's profile would suggest, with strong representation at top 50 US universities, McGill and the University of British Columbia. UK destinations are typically Russell Group with one or two Oxbridge applications most years. The fee position is the highest in the Nairobi IB field at around KES 3.3 million for senior years (USD 25,500), which reflects the WASC-accredited American school overhead alongside the Diploma offer.

Brookhouse School Runda (PYP and MYP)

Brookhouse School Runda runs the IB Primary Years and Middle Years programmes alongside the Cambridge British curriculum, with senior years (Year 12 and Year 13) at A-Level rather than IB Diploma. The PYP and MYP programmes give the lower and middle years an internationally portable framework, which suits expat families anticipating moves between countries during the child's school career. The transition to A-Level at sixth form is straightforward; most pupils continuing from MYP to A-Level enter the IGCSE programme at Year 10 and then progress to A-Level in the standard way.

The school is one of two Brookhouse campuses, alongside the older Karen campus that runs the Cambridge British curriculum throughout. Both campuses are governed by the same Brookhouse Schools Trust, which makes transfers between the campuses straightforward for families that move between south and north Nairobi. Brookhouse Runda's PYP and MYP authorisation makes it the natural option for families wanting an IB framework in lower and middle years without committing to the full Diploma at senior level.

Oshwal Academy Nairobi (MYP and DP)

Oshwal Academy Nairobi sits on Westlands Road and runs the IB Middle Years and Diploma Programmes alongside the Cambridge curriculum at IGCSE. The school is run by the Oshwal Education and Relief Board, which serves the Kenyan Jain community and operates several campuses across Nairobi, Mombasa and the wider region. The Nairobi flagship admits both community and non-community pupils, with the cohort majority drawn from the Kenyan Asian community and a meaningful expat minority. The Diploma cohort numbers 30 to 50 students per year.

Diploma averages at Oshwal Academy have sat in the high 20s to low 30s in recent years, with strong representation in Higher Level mathematics, business management, economics and biology. University destinations include UK Russell Group, Indian and Pakistani universities for the community cohort, and a growing US contingent. The fee position is the most affordable in the Nairobi IB field at around KES 1.1 million for senior years (USD 8,500), which makes Oshwal Academy the natural choice for cost-conscious families wanting Diploma outcomes without the ISK premium.

Sabis International School (DP option)

Sabis International School Runda runs the SABIS proprietary curriculum as its core offer, with the IB Diploma available as an option alongside in Grades 11 and 12. The Diploma cohort is the smallest in the Nairobi IB field at 20 to 35 students per year, with most senior students continuing on the SABIS pathway through to the SABIS High School Diploma. The school is part of the global SABIS network and benefits from the network's curriculum and assessment infrastructure.

Diploma averages at Sabis International have been more variable than at the longer-running providers, reflecting the small cohort and the school's more recent IB authorisation. University destinations include a strong UK Russell Group representation, several US universities, and a growing Middle East university contingent. The school is a credible option for families wanting the SABIS curriculum with the optional Diploma at senior years, particularly where the family has previous experience of SABIS schools in the wider region.

Diploma scores and university destinations

Diploma scores across the Nairobi IB field have trended upward over the past five years. The 2025 results showed Aga Khan Academy Nairobi and ISK both producing average points in the 33 to 35 range, comfortably above the global benchmark of 30. Oshwal Academy and Sabis International have produced more variable cohorts in the high 20s to low 30s. The standard advice for relocating families is to request the most recent three years of average points, pass rate, percentage of cohort scoring 40 or above, and the distribution of scores in the Higher Level subjects your child is likely to take.

University destinations are the more honest indicator for many families. Aga Khan Academy and ISK both publish credible destination summaries. Aga Khan Academy graduates have placed at McGill, the University of Toronto, several Russell Group universities, the major US liberal arts colleges and increasingly at Asian universities. ISK graduates have placed at the major US universities including the Ivy League, top liberal arts colleges, Russell Group universities and the major Canadian universities. Oshwal Academy and Sabis International produce more variable destination patterns and will share data on request at parent interview.

Choosing between the providers

For most relocating families with a Diploma-bound child, the working decision is between Aga Khan Academy Nairobi and ISK. The choice between them tends to come down to fee position and cultural fit. Aga Khan Academy offers the IB Diploma at around 45 per cent of the ISK fee for broadly equivalent academic outcomes, with a more cosmopolitan and Africa-focused student body. ISK offers a more globally recognised cohort, a deeper North American university pipeline and a more US-anchored faculty and culture. Families with US universities in mind and an existing American school history tend to prefer ISK; families optimising on cost, on cultural breadth and on the full IB continuum tend to prefer Aga Khan Academy.

For families wanting IB framework in lower and middle years but a return to A-Level or another tradition at senior years, Brookhouse Runda is the right choice. For cost-conscious families wanting Diploma at senior years only, Oshwal Academy is the natural choice. For families with SABIS history elsewhere in the region, Sabis International is the natural continuation. Apply early at all five; senior year IB places at Aga Khan Academy and ISK are typically full by February or March for September entry. The Nairobi city guide sets the broader expat context for the move.

Related guides

• Best international schools in Nairobi 2026
• International school fees in Nairobi
• Moving to Nairobi with kids

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