How many US curriculum schools in Nairobi
Three schools deliver a recognisably American framework in the Nairobi area in 2026, from a wider city pool of roughly 35 international schools. This is a small market by global standards but concentrated, with two flagship schools serving the bulk of US expat, UN, World Bank and diplomatic families. The International School of Kenya (ISK) in Gigiri is the flagship US accredited school, serving roughly 1,000 students from across the diplomatic and corporate community. Rosslyn Academy, also in the northern arc of the city, is the American Christian affiliated school with a distinct but related community profile.
Nairobi International School delivers a smaller US framework offer at the entry to mid tier. Several broader international schools, including Brookhouse and parts of the Braeburn group, run individual Advanced Placement courses as electives within their wider Cambridge or IB programmes, giving students who are not enrolled at ISK or Rosslyn a partial American pathway. For a broader read see our best international schools in Nairobi overview.
US accreditation and the AP route
The two flagship US schools in Nairobi are accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, the standard US regional accreditation body for overseas international schools. This means a transcript from ISK or Rosslyn Academy is read by US college admissions in the same way as a US domestic high school transcript, with the standard GPA conversion, course rigour assessment and recommendation structure. Both schools run the US grade structure from elementary through to grade 12 and award a US high school diploma.
Advanced Placement is the standard senior phase enrichment route. ISK runs a broad AP programme spanning maths, sciences, humanities, languages and arts, with top students regularly graduating with multiple AP credits accepted by US universities. Rosslyn Academy delivers AP across a smaller course list. ISK also delivers the IB Diploma in parallel for families weighing the European and global pathway, which gives Year 12 students a credible choice between AP and the Diploma. For a comparison see our Nairobi IB schools hub and the parent American curriculum overview.
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Fees and the Nairobi US tiers
American curriculum fees in Nairobi run from KES 1.5 million to KES 3.3 million per year (around USD 11,600 to USD 25,500), with the curve steepening at the high school end. ISK sits at the top of the market at KES 2.6 million to KES 3.3 million for senior grades, with capital fees of KES 250,000 to KES 350,000 on top. Rosslyn Academy sits at KES 1.8 million to KES 2.4 million, with a smaller capital levy. Nairobi International School and the small US framework providers fill the entry to mid tier at KES 1.5 million to KES 1.8 million.
Both ISK and Rosslyn quote a substantial share of their fees in USD or peg KES fees to a USD reference, removing currency timing risk for families on USD denominated packages from multinational employers, NGOs and the diplomatic service. AP exam fees of USD 95 per subject sit on top in Year 11 and Year 12. For the all in family budget read our Nairobi international school fees explainer.
Illustrative example schools
The schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each runs a US accredited or US framework programme with a track record across multiple cohorts.
International School of Kenya (ISK) in Gigiri is the heritage US framework school for Nairobi, founded in 1976 and accredited by the Middle States Association. ISK runs grades pre kindergarten through to grade 12 with the US framework, the IB Diploma offered in parallel at the senior phase, and a broad Advanced Placement programme. Around 1,000 students, structured college counselling and strong placement into US, Canadian, UK and continental European universities.
Rosslyn Academy in the northern arc of Nairobi is the American Christian affiliated international school, accredited by the Middle States Association. Rosslyn runs grades pre kindergarten through to grade 12 with the US framework and AP, drawing families from the missionary, NGO and diplomatic communities, alongside US corporate expat families looking for a mid market alternative to ISK.
Nairobi International School delivers a smaller US framework offer at the entry to mid tier, suiting families who want the US grade structure at a lower fee point. Smaller cohort sizes and a more limited AP course list.
Where US families live
American families in Nairobi cluster overwhelmingly in Gigiri and the adjacent Runda residential estate in the north of the city. The Gigiri UN headquarters complex for Africa, the US embassy, several other diplomatic missions and ISK itself anchor the cluster. Housing is detached houses with gardens at the upper end of the Nairobi market, with security infrastructure designed for diplomatic occupancy. The streets are quiet, the residential rhythm is markedly slower than Westlands or Lavington and the social fabric is unmistakably UN and US embassy influenced.
For families with one partner working at the UN, an embassy or one of the larger US NGOs, Gigiri with ISK is the standard pattern and the school commute is essentially a five minute drive. A smaller US cluster sits around Rosslyn Academy slightly further north, with similar housing patterns and a closer fit for missionary and NGO families. The Lavington and Westlands belt picks up a smaller share of US corporate families with a working partner based in the central business district. For a deeper area read see Nairobi international schools by area and the moving to Nairobi with kids guide.
Admissions calendar
ISK and Rosslyn Academy run a US aligned school year from mid August to early June, with the academic year split into two semesters. Applications for the following August start open in October and November of the previous year, with priority allocations confirmed by February. Mid year placement at the elementary and middle school levels is common because of expatriate transfer cycles, with confirmation typically inside four to six weeks. Grade 11 and grade 12 entry is more tightly held because of AP and Diploma sequencing, particularly at ISK. For families weighing the AP versus IB Diploma decision and the city context, see the Nairobi city hub and the British curriculum hub.
Frequently asked questions
How many American curriculum schools are there in Nairobi?
Three schools deliver a recognisably American framework in the Nairobi area in 2026. The International School of Kenya (ISK) is the flagship US accredited school in Gigiri. Rosslyn Academy is an American Christian affiliated school nearby. Nairobi International School delivers a smaller US framework offer. Several broader international schools, such as Brookhouse, run AP courses as electives within their wider Cambridge or IB programmes.
Are ISK and Rosslyn Academy fully US accredited?
Yes. ISK is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and is recognised by US universities as a standard US high school transcript provider. Rosslyn Academy is accredited by the Middle States Association as well, with its own Christian affiliation and slightly different community profile. Both schools run the US grade structure from elementary through to grade 12 and award a US high school diploma.
How much do American curriculum schools in Nairobi cost?
American curriculum fees in Nairobi run from KES 1.5 million to KES 3.3 million per year (around USD 11,600 to USD 25,500). ISK sits at the top of the market for senior grades. Rosslyn Academy and Nairobi International School fall into the mid to upper tier. Most expat families on multinational packages land in the upper half of this range.
Do Nairobi US schools offer AP courses?
Yes. ISK runs a broad Advanced Placement programme spanning maths, sciences, humanities, languages and arts. Rosslyn Academy delivers AP across a smaller course list. Top students at ISK regularly graduate with multiple AP credits accepted by US universities. The IB Diploma is also delivered at ISK as a parallel route for families weighing the European and global pathway.
Where do American families live in Nairobi?
American families in Nairobi cluster overwhelmingly in Gigiri and the adjacent Runda residential estate in the north of the city. The Gigiri UN headquarters complex, the US embassy, several other diplomatic missions and ISK itself anchor the cluster. Detached houses with gardens and security infrastructure designed for diplomatic occupancy dominate the housing stock, with a five minute school commute for most families.
