At a glance
AISJ traces its history to 1952, when it opened as the Parent Cooperative School to teach the children of the American airline staff who had come to help establish Saudia, the national carrier. That makes it one of the oldest international schools in the Kingdom, and over the decades it has grown into a Pre Kindergarten to Grade 12 institution serving more than seventy nationalities. It teaches a US curriculum, adds the rigour of Advanced Placement in the high school and, since 2022, the IB Diploma, and holds American regional accreditation. You can place it within the wider market of international schools in Jeddah through our city hub.
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and exam boards | US curriculum (AERO Plus and Common Core); Advanced Placement; IB Diploma |
| Stages | Early years through Grade 12 |
| Founded | 1952 (originally the Parent Cooperative School) |
| Accreditation | Middle States Association; member of the Council of International Schools and NESA |
| Fee band | Upper to premium (see the Jeddah city hub) |
| Campus area | Al Muhammadiyah, north Jeddah |
Curriculum and academics
AISJ follows an American curriculum built on the AERO Plus and Common Core standards, which gives families moving from a US school a familiar progression of grades and subjects. In the high school the school offers a broad slate of Advanced Placement courses, the college level examinations recognised by universities in the United States and increasingly elsewhere. Since 2022 it has also offered the IB Diploma, giving older pupils a choice between the American diploma with Advanced Placement and the internationally framed IB route. That dual pathway is unusual in Jeddah and is one of the clearest reasons families shortlist the school. As a US accredited institution AISJ is reviewed by the Middle States Association and belongs to the Council of International Schools and the Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools, the bodies that benchmark teaching and safeguarding. We describe the programme in the terms the school uses and do not publish examination figures we cannot verify, so ask the school directly for recent AP and IB results and university destinations.
American International School of Jeddah fees
American International School of Jeddah fees sit in the upper to premium band for the city, which is what you would expect from an established US accredited school that recruits much of its faculty internationally and runs both Advanced Placement and the IB Diploma. Annual tuition rises by grade, with the high school the most expensive stage. We do not print a single headline figure here because the school revises fees each year and issues the current schedule to applicants, and you can place the band in context through the Jeddah city hub. Beyond tuition, budget for a registration fee, a capital or building levy and optional transport. To model a full year across tuition and the extras, use our school finder to shortlist comparable schools and weigh the cost against the pathway you want.
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Admissions
Admission runs across the academic year, which at AISJ follows a US style calendar from August to June, with the main intake at the start of the year and places offered into other grades where space exists. Families relocating to Jeddah should apply ahead of the year they need a place, as popular grades at an established school fill early. Assessment is age appropriate, with readiness checks for the youngest children and curriculum based testing in English and mathematics for older applicants, alongside school reports and references from the previous school. The school sets out the documents it asks for, including residency and transfer papers, during the application, which matters for families moving into the Kingdom on a new visa.
Location and who goes there
AISJ sits in the Al Muhammadiyah district on the north side of Jeddah, close to the Red Sea coast and to the diplomatic and corporate addresses where many international families live and work. As a long established US school it draws North American and other Western expatriate families, Saudi families who want the American or IB route and the corporate and diplomatic community attached to the consulates and energy sector. The right school in Jeddah usually comes down to the curriculum you want, the fee band you can sustain across several years and the commute, so it is worth visiting in person and comparing shortlisted schools side by side. For the wider picture of where families settle across the city and how the schools compare, return to the Jeddah city hub, or see our roundup of the best American schools in Jeddah.
Reviews
No verified reviews yet. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so we publish parent reviews only once they are verified. If your child attends or has attended the American International School of Jeddah, you can submit a review to help other relocating families. We never display a star rating without real, checked reviews behind it.
Frequently asked questions
How much are American International School of Jeddah fees?
American International School of Jeddah fees sit in the upper to premium band for the city, in line with an established US accredited school that recruits much of its faculty internationally. Tuition rises by grade, with the high school the most expensive stage. Budget separately for registration, a capital or building fee and optional transport. The school issues current rates to applicants.
Is American International School of Jeddah a good school?
AISJ is one of the oldest international schools in Saudi Arabia, founded in 1952, and is accredited by the Middle States Association and a member of the Council of International Schools. It offers a US curriculum with Advanced Placement and the IB Diploma. Whether it suits your child depends on budget, the American or IB pathway you want and proximity to Al Muhammadiyah.
What curriculum does American International School of Jeddah follow?
AISJ follows a US curriculum based on AERO Plus and Common Core standards, with Advanced Placement courses in the high school and the International Baccalaureate Diploma, which it began offering in 2022.
When do American International School of Jeddah applications open?
Admission runs across the academic year, which at AISJ follows a US style August to June calendar. Apply ahead of the year you need a place, as popular grades fill early at established schools.
Where is American International School of Jeddah located?
The school is in the Al Muhammadiyah district on the north side of Jeddah, close to the Red Sea coast.
