How many American curriculum schools in Manila
Metro Manila has four schools that lead with an American curriculum framework, by which we mean US elementary structures through middle school and high school, an Advanced Placement programme at the senior stage, and a college counselling team oriented towards US university applications. The two flagships are the International School Manila in Bonifacio Global City and Brent International School Manila in Mamplasan. Both schools run an IB Diploma alongside the American pathway, and the AP programme sits as an alternative or supplemental route for families specifically targeting US universities.
The American cohort in Manila is one of the largest expatriate groups in the city, reflecting a deep historical relationship between the Philippines and the United States. Roughly a third of the expatriate enrolment at International School Manila holds a US passport, with a further large cohort of Filipino-American dual citizens. Families typically work in financial services, business process outsourcing, energy and the diplomatic mission, with a steady flow of academic and missionary families across the Episcopal and Catholic networks.
American schools in Manila operate an August to June academic year, with semester boundaries in December and a Spring break in March or April. The structure mirrors a US public high school calendar more closely than the UK or Australian pattern, which helps families managing simultaneous applications back into the US system.
Fees at American schools in Manila
American curriculum tuition in Manila sits towards the top of the metropolitan range. International School Manila publishes annual tuition from USD 22,400 in elementary up to USD 27,800 in Grade 12. Brent International School Manila is slightly below at USD 16,200 to USD 22,400. Smaller American-leaning schools, including Reedley International, sit in the USD 16,000 to 20,000 band.
Capital and membership fees on admission are a feature of the American sector in particular. ISM operates a USD 12,000 capital levy, refundable after a tenure of seven years, and a smaller annual facilities fee on top. Brent's structure is broadly similar. These payments are sometimes a corporate relocation benefit, but families on direct hires need to factor them into the relocation budget. Our Manila international school fees guide walks through every loading.
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Illustrative example schools
The two schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Both have a long American curriculum record in Manila and a clear identity in the market.
International School Manila (ISM) in Bonifacio Global City is the largest international school in the Philippines and the flagship American curriculum provider. It runs US elementary, middle school and high school structures through to Grade 12, with both AP and the IB Diploma available at the senior stage. The college counselling team is unusually large, with each senior counsellor managing a portfolio of around 35 students.
Brent International School Manila on the Mamplasan campus south of the metropolitan area is the other long-established American provider. It is an Episcopal foundation, runs strong arts and athletics programmes, and operates sister campuses in Subic Bay and Baguio that share the same diploma framework, which is useful for families on rotation around the country.
Where American families live
American expatriate families in Manila concentrate in three broad zones. Bonifacio Global City and Taguig for International School Manila and the densest cluster of expatriate professional families, with new build apartment towers, supermarkets that stock US brands and the US Embassy commissary nearby. Makati for the slightly older expatriate cohort and the school bus routes serving ISM. Alabang and the southern suburbs for Brent International, where families trade a longer commute for larger homes and access to country clubs.
Most American families pick their neighbourhood before they pick the school, often using the corporate sponsor's housing preferences as the starting point. The Skyway elevated highway has made Alabang a realistic catchment for Makati and BGC workers, which has lifted Brent's expatriate intake noticeably since 2021.
Admissions calendar
Manila American schools run on a US-aligned calendar. Applications for the August 2026 academic year opened in October 2025. ISM and Brent both operate a rolling admissions model with priority deadlines in January and March. Most relocators target the August start, but mid-year transfers in January are common, especially for North American families on academic calendars that align cleanly across the December break.
For Grade 12 transfers, both ISM and Brent require a strong academic record and will not accept students whose GPA falls below the cohort floor. Senior year transfers are rare and usually require an interview with the college counselling team to confirm the application pathway is realistic. For a broader read on AP versus the IB Diploma at sixth form, the American curriculum primer sits alongside this hub.
Frequently asked questions
How many American curriculum schools are there in Manila?
Metro Manila has four schools leading with an American curriculum framework. The two flagships are International School Manila and Brent International School Manila. Both run an AP pathway at the senior stage alongside the IB Diploma.
How much do American schools in Manila cost?
Annual tuition ranges from USD 16,200 to USD 27,800 across the four main American curriculum schools. Capital and membership fees on admission, refundable after a minimum tenure, add USD 8,000 to 25,000 on top of the headline figure.
Do Manila American schools offer AP or IB?
Both flagships, ISM and Brent, offer AP and the IB Diploma in parallel at sixth form. Families choose between the two routes after Grade 10. The smaller American-leaning schools in Manila typically offer AP only, with no IB Diploma alternative.
Will an American school in Manila prepare my child for US colleges?
Yes. Both ISM and Brent have dedicated college counselling teams that handle the US Common Application, SAT and ACT preparation, and recommendation letters. Around 60 percent of ISM graduates and 45 percent of Brent graduates head to US universities each year.
Can my child transfer from a US public school mid-year?
Yes. Manila American schools are well used to mid-year transfers from US public and private schools. The biggest practical issue is the August to June calendar, which can mean a child arriving mid-Spring is placed in the same grade rather than promoted, depending on prior coverage.
