Why discounts matter for multi-child families
For families with three children at international school in a Tier 1 city, the difference between a school that offers sibling discounts and one that doesn't can be USD 30,000+ per year. Across a 6-year secondary stay, that compounds into the price of a substantial house. It is one of the highest-leverage decisions in the choice of school, and it is rarely on the brochure tour.
The structural reality: capacity-constrained schools (Singapore, Geneva, Hong Kong's top tier) have removed sibling discounts because they don't need them. Schools with capacity (Dubai's Tier 2, much of Bangkok and KL, post-2022 Lisbon) often still offer them, sometimes generously.
Schools that quietly removed sibling discounts in 2024 to 2025
Tracking the policy across our 1,200-school dataset, the schools that removed sibling discounts in the past 24 months include several big names. We don't list them by name here for editorial caution but they are documented in our True Cost guide. The pattern is clear: capacity-constrained schools removed the discount as one of several measures to manage demand.
Schools that have kept sibling discounts in this period tend to share three characteristics: spare capacity, family-business ownership, and a position outside Tier 1 in their city.
The 2026 sibling discount table
Selected schools across our 30 most-tracked cities that maintain sibling discounts in 2026 to 2027. Discount applies to second and subsequent children's tuition (not other fees, typically).
| City | School | 2nd child | 3rd child |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | GEMS World Academy | 5% | 10% |
| Dubai | Repton Dubai | 10% | 15% |
| Dubai | Dubai British School | 10% | 20% |
| Dubai | Hartland International | 5% | 10% |
| Abu Dhabi | Cranleigh Abu Dhabi | 5% | 10% |
| Abu Dhabi | Aldar Academies (group-wide) | 10% | 15% |
| Bangkok | Bangkok Patana School | 10% | 15% |
| Bangkok | Shrewsbury International | 10% | 15% |
| Bangkok | Harrow International | 5% | 10% |
| Kuala Lumpur | Garden International | 10% | 15% |
| Kuala Lumpur | Alice Smith School | 10% | 10% |
| Jakarta | British School Jakarta | 10% | 15% |
| Manila | Brent International | 10% | 20% |
| Lisbon | Carlucci American | 10% | 15% |
| Lisbon | St Julian's School | 10% | 15% |
| Madrid | King's College Madrid | 5% | 10% |
| Madrid | British Council School | 10% | 15% |
| Barcelona | British School of Barcelona | 10% | 15% |
| Barcelona | Benjamin Franklin Intl | 7% | 10% |
| Rome | St Stephen's School | 5% | 10% |
| Rome | Marymount International | 5% | 10% |
| Munich | Bavarian International | 10% | 15% |
| Berlin | Berlin Brandenburg International | 5% | 10% |
| Brussels | British School of Brussels | 10% | 15% |
| Cairo | Cairo American College | 5% | 10% |
| Nairobi | International School of Kenya | 10% | 15% |
| Mumbai | Dhirubhai Ambani International | 5% | 10% |
| New Delhi | British School Delhi | 10% | 15% |
| Mexico City | Greengates School | 10% | 15% |
| Sao Paulo | Graded School | 5% | 10% |
| Panama City | International School of Panama | 10% | 15% |
Tier 1 schools that have kept discounts in 2026 (less common) include several Geneva schools, the larger ESF schools in Hong Kong (modest 5% discount on younger sibling), and a handful of established Tokyo and Seoul schools. The bigger Tier 1 names in Singapore, Dubai's premium tier, and London's American international schools have largely removed them.
How to ask about sibling discounts properly
Three practical tips:
- Ask in writing, before applying. "What sibling discounts do you currently offer, on which charges, and is the policy guaranteed for the duration of enrolment?" Get the answer in email.
- Check whether the discount applies to capital levies and other charges. Many schools discount only tuition, not the full fee package.
- Negotiate. Particularly at Tier 2 and Tier 3 schools where capacity is available. A 5% sibling discount can become 10% with a clean negotiation in 2026.
Free download
Our True Cost of International School guide includes the full 2026 sibling-discount table covering 80+ schools across 30 cities.