How many international secondaries operate in Seoul
Greater Seoul, including Songdo in Incheon and the Bundang district south of the river, hosts roughly 20 to 22 schools offering international secondary education from Year 7 to Year 13 or grade 6 to grade 12. Around 14 of those run a graduating sixth form or grade 12 cohort each year. The remainder are middle school programmes that feed into other Korean or international high schools.
The shape of the secondary market differs from the primary market in two important ways. First, the regulatory split between foreign-licensed international schools and Korean private schools with international streams is sharper at secondary level. Foreign-licensed schools admit only students with a qualifying foreign visa, and confirm visa status at every transition point. Korean private schools with international streams admit on academic and language assessment, regardless of nationality, but layer the Korean Ministry of Education's domestic accountability rules on top.
Second, the cost step at sixth form is real. Most schools carry a 10 to 15 percent fee uplift between Year 11 and Year 12, reflecting both the additional teaching contact and the university counselling load. Families planning a move into Seoul mid-secondary should budget for the uplift in advance and confirm whether sixth form is included in any employer school allowance package.
Pathways at sixth form
The IB Diploma is the most common pathway at Seoul international schools, running at about 10 schools across the capital, Songdo and Bundang. The graduating IB cohort tends to outperform global averages, helped by selective intake and high contact hours at sixth form level. A Level provision sits at four schools, principally Dulwich College Seoul, which carries the most comprehensive A Level offering in Korea, and Branksome Hall Asia on Jeju with a Seoul feeder relationship. Advanced Placement runs at five schools using a US high school diploma framework, including Yongsan International School of Seoul and Korea International School Pangyo. Korean SUNEUNG preparation runs in parallel at Korean private schools with international streams, useful for returnee Korean families targeting Seoul National University or Yonsei University.
For families weighing IB against A Level, our wider curriculum hubs at IB schools in Seoul and British curriculum schools in Seoul set out the trade-offs in more depth, particularly around university entry destinations.
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Illustrative example schools
The schools below illustrate the breadth of secondary and sixth form provision in Seoul. They are illustrative, not ranked.
Seoul Foreign School High School in Yonhi-dong delivers both the IB Diploma and the Advanced Placement programme alongside an American high school diploma, with sixth form graduates split roughly evenly between US, UK and Korean university destinations.
Dulwich College Seoul in Banpo offers GCSE and A Level on the English secondary model, the most established A Level provider in Korea, with strong alumni representation at Oxford, Cambridge and the Russell Group universities.
Yongsan International School of Seoul in Hannam runs an American high school diploma with Advanced Placement, drawing substantially from US Department of Defense and embassy-affiliated families and feeding strongly into North American universities.
Korea International School Pangyo, in the Bundang district south of the river, runs an American high school diploma with AP and is the established choice for families based in Pangyo's tech corridor or in the wider Gyeonggi-do area.
Where secondary families live
Secondary families in Seoul cluster around five zones, each shaped by school catchment, public transport, and the realities of teenagers travelling independently. Yongsan-gu, including Hannam-dong and Itaewon, serves Yongsan International School of Seoul and Dwight School Seoul. Apartment living dominates here. Seodaemun-gu and adjacent Mapo-gu, around Yonhi-dong, serve Seoul Foreign School families. Seocho-gu, particularly Banpo and Bangbae, serves Dulwich College Seoul families and is the most popular sixth form catchment for IB and A Level pathways. Bundang in southern Gyeonggi-do serves Korea International School Pangyo families, attractive to dual-career households at Samsung, NHN and the tech corridor. Songdo in Incheon serves Chadwick International families.
For sixth form students attending boarding programmes on Jeju Island, including Branksome Hall Asia and Korea International School Jeju, the family base often stays in Seoul with weekend or monthly travel. For a fuller picture of where international families settle, see our city hub at cities/seoul and the cost calculator.
Admissions and mid-cycle transfers
Secondary admissions in Seoul work on a two-stage cycle. The main intake is March for Korean academic year schools and August for international academic year schools. Applications open about six months before each intake. Mid-cycle entry into Year 10 and IB year one is possible but tighter. Schools assess academic standing through transcripts and run subject-specific entry tests in English and mathematics. Apply at least six months ahead. For students moving from a non-IB or non-British system, identify subject gaps early; the most common stumbling block is moving from a US elementary or middle school into an IB MYP curriculum that assumes second language proficiency. For total cost benchmarks, see Seoul international school fees.
To shortlist schools, use our compare tool to view sixth form pathway, university destinations and fee structure side by side for up to three Seoul secondaries at once.
Frequently asked questions
How many international secondary schools are there in Seoul?
Greater Seoul, including Songdo and Bundang, has roughly 20 to 22 schools offering an international secondary programme from Year 7 to Year 13 or grade 6 to grade 12. Around 14 of those run a sixth form or grade 11 and 12 graduating cohort each year.
What pathways do Seoul secondary schools offer at sixth form?
The IB Diploma is the most common pathway, running at about 10 schools in greater Seoul. A Level is offered at 4 schools, principally Dulwich College Seoul and Branksome Hall Asia. Advanced Placement runs at 5 schools using a US high school diploma. Korean SUNEUNG preparation runs alongside Korean private school streams.
How much do international secondary schools in Seoul cost?
Annual tuition at international secondary level in 2026 ranges from about $28,000 at Korean private schools with international streams to roughly $46,000 at premium IB Diploma and A Level providers in Hannam-dong and Banpo. Sixth form fees usually carry a 10 to 15 percent uplift on lower-secondary fees.
Where do Seoul secondary graduates go to university?
Top-tier Seoul international schools place around 30 to 45 percent of each graduating cohort at US universities including the Ivy League, Stanford and the UC system. Another 20 to 30 percent head to UK universities including Oxford, Cambridge and the Russell Group. The rest split between Korean universities, Canadian, Australian and continental European destinations.
Can my child transfer into a Seoul school at GCSE or IB year one?
Mid-cycle entry into Year 10 and IB year one is possible but tighter. Schools assess academic standing through transcripts and run subject-specific entry tests in English and mathematics. Apply at least six months ahead. For students moving from a non-IB or non-British system, identify subject gaps early.
