Aga Khan Academy Nairobi is one of the longest established international schools in Nairobi, an IB World School that has run since 1970 and now offers the full International Baccalaureate continuum on a single Parklands campus. It draws a large, multicultural intake and is a familiar name to families weighing the city's established options against the newer arrivals. For relocating parents the questions are what the IB continuum gives a child, where the fees land and how admissions work, and that is what this profile addresses.
Aga Khan Academy Nairobi at a glance
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and exam boards | International Baccalaureate continuum: Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme; authorised by the IB Organization |
| Stages | Early years through to the end of secondary (the IB Diploma). Confirm the current grade range and entry points with the school |
| Founded | 1970, under the Aga Khan Education Service |
| Accreditation | Authorised IB World School for the PYP, MYP and DP. Confirm any further association memberships directly with the school |
| Fee band | Mid to upper band for the Nairobi market, with a one off admissions fee on first enrolment |
| Campus area | Parklands, north of the Nairobi city centre |
Curriculum and academics
The academy's defining feature is that it offers the full International Baccalaureate continuum on one site, so a child can begin in the inquiry led Primary Years Programme, continue through the Middle Years Programme and finish on the Diploma Programme without changing schools or systems. That continuity is the main reason families choose an all through IB school, because the approach to learning carries through each phase rather than resetting at secondary. It is authorised by the IB Organization for all three programmes.
For relocating families the IB has two practical advantages, portability and a recognised endpoint. The Diploma is accepted by universities worldwide, which matters if your next move is uncertain, and the continuum means a child arriving from another IB school slots in with less disruption than a change of curriculum would bring. The trade off is that the IB is broad and demanding by design, so it suits a child who is willing to study across a spread of subjects rather than to specialise early. Ask the academy how it supports students who join mid continuum and where recent Diploma graduates have gone on to study.
The honest way to judge fit is to look at how your child learns. The IB rewards independent inquiry, extended writing and a balance of subjects, which is a strength for many children and a stretch for others, so it is worth weighing against a more specialised system if your child has clear academic leanings. Confirm the current subject options at Diploma level directly, as availability can vary year to year.
Work out what a Nairobi place really costs
Use our fee calculator to add tuition, registration, deposit and transport into one annual figure before you commit.
Aga Khan Academy Nairobi fees
Aga Khan Academy Nairobi sits in the mid to upper band for the city, an established IB school rather than one of the very highest priced options. Our Nairobi international school fees guide explains how the local market is tiered and where the IB schools fall within it. Tuition is not always published in full and varies by programme and by whether a place is day or residential, so the school's own schedule is the only reliable figure to plan against.
Alongside tuition, budget for the one off admissions fee charged on first enrolment, plus a deposit and optional costs such as meals, transport and, where offered, boarding. Fees tend to rise year on year, so plan for increases across a multi year stay rather than a flat rate, and ask whether sibling arrangements apply.
To see where that leaves you against the rest of the city, our fees guide groups Nairobi schools into broad tiers so you can compare the academy with the other names in our best international schools in Nairobi guide. Confirm the current programme fees with the admissions office before you set a budget.
Admissions
The academic year runs from August, and the academy assesses applicants alongside school reports and any prior records. As an all through IB school it takes children at several entry points across the continuum, so the assessment is shaped to the stage a child is joining rather than to a single examination.
Places at popular entry points can be limited given the academy's long standing reputation and large intake, so confirm your family's eligibility and the current requirements directly with the school early. A one off admissions fee applies on first enrolment, which is worth budgeting for at the application stage.
It is worth gathering recent school reports, any standardised assessment results and, for a child moving within the IB, their current programme records, and asking the academy how it supports students who join from a different curriculum. Register your interest as soon as your relocation is confirmed and ask about assessment dates for the coming intake.
Location and who goes there
The academy is in Parklands, a central residential district north of the Nairobi city centre with a long association with the city's South Asian and international communities. The location is well placed for families living across the inner suburbs and is more central than the schools out in Karen and Lang'ata, which is a practical advantage if you are basing yourself near the city.
The intake is large and multicultural, with many nationalities represented, and tends to include both long settled Nairobi families and internationally mobile parents drawn by the IB continuum. Relocating families considering the academy should weigh the central Parklands setting against the leafier suburban campuses, and think about commute times from wherever they expect to live.
To see how Aga Khan Academy Nairobi compares with the other international schools across the city and where comparable families tend to live, start from the Nairobi city hub and work outward by curriculum, stage and budget.
Aga Khan Academy Nairobi reviews
We do not yet hold any verified parent reviews for Aga Khan Academy Nairobi. GlobalSchoolGuide is an independent guide and no school pays to be listed, so we publish a rating only once we have collected enough verified first hand accounts to be fair to both the school and to families reading them. We would rather show nothing than show an invented score.
If your family has attended the academy we would value your account of the IB continuum, pastoral care, the Parklands campus and value for money. Share it through our school reviews hub and we will add verified contributions to this page.
Frequently asked questions
What curriculum does Aga Khan Academy Nairobi follow?
The academy is an IB World School authorised to offer the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme, so a child can move through the full International Baccalaureate continuum on one campus. Confirm the current programme range and entry points directly with the school.
How much are Aga Khan Academy Nairobi fees?
Tuition is not always published in full and varies by programme and by whether a place is day or residential. As an established IB school the academy sits in the mid to upper band for Nairobi rather than at the very top. A one off admissions fee applies on first enrolment. Confirm the current schedule with the school.
Is Aga Khan Academy Nairobi a good school?
It is one of the longest established IB schools in Kenya, with a large multicultural intake and the full IB continuum. Whether it suits your child depends on their fit with the IB approach, the Parklands location and your budget. We do not publish a rating until we hold verified parent reviews.
When do Aga Khan Academy Nairobi applications open?
The academic year runs from August, and the academy assesses applicants alongside school reports. Places at popular entry points can be limited, so apply ahead of the entry year and confirm the current admissions criteria and assessment dates directly with the school.
Where is Aga Khan Academy Nairobi?
The academy is in Parklands, a central residential district north of the Nairobi city centre that is well placed for families living across the inner suburbs.
