How many international secondary schools in Bangalore
Bangalore has roughly 25 schools offering an international secondary stage, by which we mean Year 7 to Year 13 running on the IB Middle Years and Diploma Programme, Cambridge IGCSE and A Level, or a recognised American AP framework. The figure excludes the much larger pool of CBSE and ICSE schools that some Indian and expat families use as a more affordable alternative through senior secondary.
The IB Diploma is the most common pre-university pathway, offered by around nine schools including TISB, Stonehill International, Indus International, Canadian International and Inventure Academy. Cambridge A Level is anchored by Greenwood High, Oakridge International and Trio World Academy. American AP is concentrated at Canadian International, Indus and Trio World, where it sits alongside a Diploma or A Level pathway rather than as the main offering.
Sixth form in Bangalore tends to be smaller than the lower secondary years. The typical Year 12 cohort sits between 60 and 110 students, against Year 7 cohorts of 90 to 160, because some families switch into the Indian boards for the cost saving in the final two years. That smaller scale gives Bangalore sixth forms an unusually high adult to student ratio compared to most international cities.
Fees and the Bangalore secondary tiers
International secondary fees in Bangalore divide into three bands. The value tier, INR 4 to 8 lakhs per year, captures schools such as Trio World Academy and Greenwood High. The mid tier, INR 8 to 13 lakhs, contains Inventure Academy, Canadian International School and Oakridge International. The premium tier, INR 13 to 18 lakhs, is TISB, Stonehill International and Indus International. Sixth form fees sit one to two lakhs above lower secondary because of the heavier subject and exam loadings.
Published tuition does not capture the full cost at secondary. Expect 15 to 25 percent in capital levies, transport, books, exam fees and overseas trips. A Diploma year that lists at INR 11 lakhs is closer to INR 14 lakhs once everything is paid, and that figure rises further if the school runs international exchange programmes or service expeditions to Ladakh or Sri Lanka. Our Bangalore fees guide contains the full breakdown.
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Illustrative example schools
The three secondary schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each has a long record at this stage, a settled leadership team, and a clear identity in the Bangalore market.
The International School Bangalore (TISB) in the Whitefield Wipro campus zone is the flagship IB Diploma provider in the city. Average Diploma scores consistently exceed 36 points, and the school operates a residential boarding option from Year 9, which is rare in India and useful for families on rolling assignments.
Stonehill International School, on a 34 acre campus near Tarahunise on the Hyderabad highway, is the cleanest pure IB option through to Year 13. PYP, MYP and Diploma only, no parallel boards. Smaller cohorts, strong sports programmes, and a steady track record of placing graduates into UK, US and Canadian universities.
Greenwood High International on Sarjapur Road runs Cambridge IGCSE through to A Level with an IB Diploma alternative for the strongest students. Larger cohorts than the premium IB schools, a wider sport and music offer, and a stronger reputation for engineering and STEM subjects.
Where secondary families live
Secondary families in Bangalore cluster in four broad zones. Whitefield and Hoodi for proximity to TISB, Indus and Greenwood, and to the IT employers including Wipro, SAP and Mphasis. Sarjapur Road and Bellandur for Inventure Academy and the newer tech corridor. Yelahanka and Hebbal for Canadian International, Stonehill and the airport-side relocators. HSR Layout and Koramangala for startup families who use the city centre as a base and run longer school buses to the suburbs.
Sixth form choice often drives a secondary move. Families whose children excel in the sciences and head for engineering tend to favour Cambridge A Level providers such as Greenwood and Oakridge. Families targeting the liberal arts in the US or the UK lean towards the IB Diploma at TISB, Stonehill or Indus. The Indian Institute of Technology entrance exam is taken by a noticeable minority of international school students in Bangalore, particularly at Indus and TISB, even where the main pathway is the IB Diploma.
Admissions calendar
Applications for the June 2026 academic year opened in most Bangalore international secondaries between October and December 2025. Premium tier schools close their main intakes for Year 7 and Year 12 by late January. Year 9 and Year 11 entry points are also competitive because the IGCSE and Diploma cohorts are decided at those stages. Late applicants for Year 12 are placed on waiting lists, and Diploma transfers after October of the first DP year are rarely accepted because subject choices and internal assessments are already in train.
The Indian academic calendar runs from June to April. Families relocating from a September-start system need to plan a six month cushion and confirm year-group placement in writing before exchanging paperwork. For a broader read on the curriculum trade-offs at sixth form, the IB Diploma primer and our Best IB schools in Bangalore guide sit alongside this hub.
Frequently asked questions
How many international secondary schools are there in Bangalore?
Bangalore has roughly 25 schools offering an international secondary stage. The largest cluster runs the IB Middle Years Programme and Diploma. Cambridge IGCSE and A Level is the second largest pathway, with American AP available at a handful of schools as a parallel route.
Which exam route is most common at sixth form?
The IB Diploma is the most common pre-university pathway at international schools in Bangalore, taken by roughly 60 percent of the international sixth form cohort. Cambridge A Level accounts for a further 30 percent, with American AP and the Ontario Diploma making up the remainder.
How much do secondary international schools cost in Bangalore?
Annual tuition ranges from about INR 4 lakhs at value-tier providers to INR 18 lakhs at the most premium schools. The median secondary fee sits near INR 10 lakhs, before transport, exam and capital levies which add 15 to 25 percent to the headline figure.
Can you transfer into Year 12 mid-year?
Year 12 mid-year transfers are difficult once the Diploma or A Level programme has started in June. IB Diploma transfers after October of the first DP year are rarely accepted because internal assessments are already underway. Mid-year transfers into Year 7, 8, 9 and 11 are more common.
Do Bangalore secondaries prepare students for the Indian JEE and NEET exams?
A small number do. Indus International, Trio World and Greenwood run optional after-school JEE and NEET preparation for sixth formers heading into Indian engineering or medical schools. The premium IB schools generally do not, leaving that preparation to external coaching institutes.
