Advanced Learning Schools, known across the city as ALS, is an English medium day school in northern Riyadh that runs the full International Baccalaureate continuum, the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme, for boys and girls aged 4 to 18. It sits among the established Riyadh international schools and holds both International Baccalaureate authorisation and Council of International Schools accreditation, which places it in the upper part of the city for academic credentials rather than for headline fees.
This profile sets out the programme, the fee position, the admissions route and the community around the school. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so what follows is an editorial reference rather than a prospectus. ALS is one of the English medium options we cover in our guide to the best American schools in Riyadh, where families compare the international day schools side by side.
Advanced Learning Schools (ALS) at a glance
| Curriculum and exam boards | International Baccalaureate continuum: PYP, MYP and Diploma Programme. Leaving qualification is the IB Diploma |
|---|---|
| Stage range | Kindergarten to Grade 12, roughly ages 4 to 18 |
| Founded | Not published |
| Accreditation | International Baccalaureate authorised; accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS); recognised by the Saudi Ministry of Education |
| Fee band | Not published by the school; mid to upper tier for Riyadh (see Riyadh fees guide) |
| Campus area | An Nakheel district, northern Riyadh |
Curriculum and academics
ALS organises its programme into four divisions, the Early Primary Years from Kindergarten to Grade 3, the Upper Primary Years across Grades 4 to 6, the Middle Years across Grades 7 to 10 and the Diploma Years in Grades 11 and 12. Standards and benchmarks draw on the McREL framework and the International Baccalaureate, so families who want the structured progression of the IB curriculum will recognise the inquiry led approach from the earliest years. Around a fifth of the timetable is taught in Arabic, covering Arabic language, Arabic social studies and Islamic studies, which reflects the school's intent to root international pupils in the host culture.
English is the main language of instruction, with language support for pupils who are not yet fluent and additional classes in Arabic, French and Spanish. The senior school leads to the IB Diploma, the qualification most widely recognised by universities worldwide, and average class sizes sit at around seventeen. Ask the admissions team about recent Diploma results and university destinations, which the school shares with prospective families rather than publishing openly.
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Advanced Learning Schools fees
ALS does not make its tuition public, so treat any third party figure with caution and confirm the current schedule with the school directly. On the evidence of its IB authorisation and northern Riyadh campus it sits in the mid to upper tier of the city market, below the most expensive American and British campuses but above the budget end. Its position is mapped in our Riyadh school fees guide, which sets out the tiers across the city in Saudi riyals.
Plan for the costs that sit above headline tuition. International schools in Riyadh typically charge a registration or assessment fee on application, a refundable or partly refundable deposit to hold a place, and separate charges for transport, uniform and examination entry in the Diploma years. Budget for annual fee inflation as well, since the guide tracks rises of several per cent a year across the city.
Admissions and intake
The academic year begins in August and ALS admits across year groups subject to availability, with pupils able to join after the year has started and no fixed registration deadline. Entry is based on an entrance assessment that checks English and Arabic language proficiency alongside mathematics, together with prior school reports.
Kindergarten and the start of the Middle Years are natural entry points, and places in popular grades can be limited, so register early once a move to the city is confirmed. Applications are made through the school and require recent reports, passport documentation and, for transfers, a leaving record from the previous school.
Location and who goes there
The campus is in the An Nakheel area of northern Riyadh, within reach of the residential districts and compounds where many internationally mobile families live. As a day school the daily commute matters, so weigh the location against your likely neighbourhood and your employer's location before committing.
Pupils come from a broad mix of Saudi and expatriate households drawn to the English medium IB route. For the wider picture of how the IB, American and British schools sit across the city, including fee tiers and neighbourhoods, see the Riyadh schools hub.
Advanced Learning Schools (ALS) reviews
No verified parent reviews of Advanced Learning Schools have been submitted to GlobalSchoolGuide yet. We hold back from publishing a star rating until we have enough verified first hand accounts to represent the school fairly, and we never fabricate ratings. If your family attends or has attended ALS, please consider sharing your experience through our school reviews page to help other relocating families.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Advanced Learning Schools fees?
ALS does not publish its tuition openly, so confirm the current schedule with the school. On the strength of its IB authorisation and northern Riyadh campus it sits in the mid to upper tier of the city, and families should budget separately for registration, a deposit, transport and Diploma examination entry.
Is Advanced Learning Schools a good school?
ALS is an authorised International Baccalaureate World School accredited by the Council of International Schools, which signals externally checked standards. Whether it suits your family depends on whether the IB route and an English medium day school fit your child. Confirm current Diploma results and university destinations directly with the school.
What curriculum does Advanced Learning Schools follow?
ALS runs the full International Baccalaureate continuum, the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme, taught in English with around a fifth of the timetable in Arabic. The leaving qualification is the IB Diploma.
When do Advanced Learning Schools applications open?
The school year starts in August and ALS admits across the year subject to availability, with no fixed registration deadline and the option to join after term begins. Apply early once a move is confirmed because places in popular grades can fill.
Where is Advanced Learning Schools located?
ALS is in the An Nakheel district of northern Riyadh, within reach of the residential areas and compounds where many international families live.
