The 15 questions parents ask us most often. If you don't see your question here, the answer is probably on one of our curriculum or city pages. or just ask us directly.
Start with three questions: where will you live, what's your budget, and where will your child go to university. The intersection of those three usually narrows 10,000+ schools to a manageable shortlist of 5-10.
From there, take our 5-minute quiz or browse our city pages to get a tailored shortlist within 24 hours. If you want personalised guidance, contact us for a free 30-minute consultation.
There's no universal "best." It depends on where your child will go to university and how often you move:
IB is most globally portable. best for families who relocate every 2-4 years. British (A-Levels) is the gold standard for UK universities. American (AP) is the gold standard for US colleges. French Bac and German Abitur offer excellent value for francophone/germanophone families. Bilingual schools deliver native-level fluency in two languages.
See our curriculum guides for detailed comparisons.
Tuition is typically 70-85% of total cost. Add:
Registration fees ($500-$5K one-off) + capital levies ($5K-$50K, sometimes refundable) + transport ($2K-$5K/yr) + lunch ($1.2K-$2.5K/yr) + uniforms and supplies ($500-$1.5K/yr) + ECAs ($500-$3K/yr) + exam fees ($1K-$2K in final years).
Use our fee calculator for city-specific true costs.
As early as possible. Top international schools have 12-24 month waiting lists in cities like Singapore and Hong Kong. Most schools open admissions 12-18 months before entry.
For top-tier schools, prepare to apply at least 12 months before your relocation date. Some schools offer expedited processing for confirmed corporate relocations. always ask.
IB DP: 6 subjects + Theory of Knowledge + Extended Essay + Creativity-Activity-Service. Most globally portable.
A-Levels: 3-4 subjects studied in depth. UK universities prefer this.
AP: voluntary 4-8 subjects within American HS. US colleges prefer this.
They're different assessment philosophies. see our IB, British and American curriculum guides for detailed comparisons.
Yes, but with timing trade-offs. IGCSE to IB DP at age 16 is very common. IB MYP transfers easily to IB DP. Switching from American HS to A-Levels mid-Year 12 is much harder.
We strongly recommend avoiding curriculum switches in the final two years (Years 12-13 / Grades 11-12). The new curriculum's first months are difficult and exam preparation suffers.
Yes, if the school delivers a recognised credential. IB Diploma, A-Levels, AP/HS Diploma, French Bac, German Abitur and Australian HSC/VCE/WACE/QCE are all globally recognised. Local national curricula may need translation for international university applications.
Check our university recognition tables on each curriculum guide page for specific entry scores by region.
Not quite. Private schools follow the host country's national curriculum. International schools follow a non-national curriculum (IB, British, American, etc.) and primarily serve expat families.
Many international schools accept local national students too. The distinction matters for visa eligibility, accreditation, and university targeting.
Both work. Larger established schools (UWCSEA, ASIJ, ISB) offer broader curriculum, more ECAs, larger university counselling teams, and stronger global reputation. Smaller boutique schools (e.g., Halcyon London, IGS Sydney) offer smaller class sizes, individualised attention and tighter community.
Match the school size to your child's personality. Introverted children often thrive in smaller schools; extroverted children sometimes prefer the energy of larger ones.
Yes, especially in Singapore (UWCSEA, Tanglin, SAS), Hong Kong (HKIS, CIS, ESF schools), London (ASL, ACS) and Beijing (ISB, WAB, Dulwich). Top schools regularly run 12-24 month waiting lists.
Mid-tier schools usually have spaces available year-round. Always have a backup option in your shortlist.
Look at four signals:
1. Official inspection ratings. KHDA (Dubai), ADEK (Abu Dhabi), OFSTED, BSO, CIS, NEASC, WASC.
2. Academic outcomes. IB DP scores, A-Level results, AP averages, university destinations.
3. Accreditation status. confirms the credential is internationally recognised.
4. Verified parent reviews. read both positive and negative.
Single signals can mislead. Combine all four for a balanced view. Our city pages show all four for every featured school.
SEN provision varies dramatically between international schools. Some have dedicated SEN units (Dover Court Singapore is well-known); most have basic learning support; a few have no provision and decline to admit.
Always disclose needs upfront. schools that admit and then cannot support cause more harm than schools that decline. Our team can help match SEN profiles to appropriate schools.
Yes, and many expat families do use them. especially in Finland, Germany (SESB Berlin's free bilingual public schools), Netherlands, and Scandinavia where public schools are excellent and accommodate non-native speakers well.
In most other expat destinations, language barriers and curriculum continuity make public schools impractical for short-term postings. Worth investigating if you're moving for 5+ years to one of these countries.
Many schools offer:
Sibling discounts. typically 5-15% from the second child onwards.
Corporate enrolment discounts. where the employer has a school agreement.
Early-payment discounts. 1-3% for full-year payment.
Merit scholarships. rare but available at some heritage schools.
Always ask the admissions office. discounts are rarely advertised but commonly available.
Many international schools charge a one-off capital levy ($5K-$50K) on top of tuition for new families. Some Hong Kong and Singapore schools also issue debentures. refundable bonds that can range from $30K to $5M.
Read the fine print before signing. Use our fee calculator to factor capital costs into your true annual cost. Debenture-heavy schools can be cheaper for long-stay families if you get the deposit back on departure.
Yes. The basic consultation, shortlist and curriculum advice are free. We also offer paid research engagements for families wanting deeper analysis (e.g., comparing 8-10 schools across multiple cities, complex SEN matching, or custom city-relocation reports). The free tier covers most family needs.
Take our quiz or contact us to start.
Three streams:
1. Paid research engagements for families wanting deeper help.
2. Affiliate partnerships with relocation services (banks, insurance, moving companies. never schools) for our Relocate Hub.
3. Clearly labelled sponsored guides on banking and insurance.
None of this funding influences our school recommendations. We deliberately keep school content separate from any commercial revenue stream.
No. Never. Our entire business model is to be honest with parents. Selling rankings would destroy the only thing that makes us valuable.
We have no advertising from schools, no featured-listing payments, and no commercial relationships with any school in our directory. We say this in our About page and we mean it.
Our research team responds to every email within one business day. Tell us what you're trying to figure out. we'll help.
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