Asia Pacific International School (APIS)

At a glance

Where a detail is not officially published we mark it clearly rather than guess. Always confirm current figures with the school.

Curriculum and academics

Asia Pacific International School delivers an American education in English from the kindergarten years through to Grade 12, accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The high school years build toward the High School Diploma with Advanced Placement courses for students who want university level work and recognised credit, and the school describes its teaching style as project based, with students applying knowledge rather than only absorbing it. Alongside the core American programme, APIS layers in East Asian languages, offering Korean, Japanese and Chinese, which reflects its position and its student body.

One distinctive feature is that APIS is a single school across two campuses, with the East Asia campus in Seoul and a sister campus in Hawaii, which opens the possibility of study across the two locations. To understand how the American framework compares with other systems and where the High School Diploma and AP lead, see our pillar guide to the American curriculum, and our roundup of the best American schools in Seoul for the wider field.

For American families and for parents who want a United States style pathway to university, the AP track and the WASC accreditation are the practical reasons to consider APIS. The two campus structure and the project based approach are what set it apart from the other American options in the city.

Asia Pacific International School fees

Asia Pacific International School fees sit in the mid to upper-mid band for the city, in line with other private American schools in Seoul. The published cost is built from several components, so the headline tuition is only the starting point.

• Registration and application: a one off charge at the point of applying.
• Capital or facility costs: a contribution toward buildings and resources.
• Annual tuition: billed per year, often by semester.
• Extras: lunch, bus, materials and trips.

For a citywide comparison, our guide to international school fees in Seoul breaks the market into low, mid and premium tiers. American schools with an AP programme tend to sit in the middle and upper part of that range, so it is worth asking how registration and any capital costs are scheduled and whether sibling arrangements apply. We avoid quoting precise figures because schools revise them each year.

Admissions

The main intake aligns with the August start of the school year, with applications typically opening the preceding autumn. As an American curriculum school, admission considers prior school reports, an age appropriate assessment and, in the high school years, the student's readiness for Advanced Placement work. Popular year groups can fill early, so applying in the autumn window before your intended start gives the best chance of a place.

A campus visit is the best way to see the project based teaching in practice and to understand how the AP track is built in the senior years. Mid-year entry can be possible where a space opens outside transition years, so families relocating to Seoul partway through the cycle should contact the admissions office directly.

Location and who goes there

The Seoul campus sits in Nowon-gu in the north east of the city, an area with a strong concentration of families and good rail connections into central Seoul. The location suits families based in the northern and eastern districts who want an American programme without a daily journey across the whole city.

The community is international with a strong Korean American presence, which is part of what families value alongside the American pathway. For a fuller picture of districts, commutes and the wider schooling landscape, our Seoul city guide maps where expatriate families settle and how the schools are distributed across the city.

Reviews

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Frequently asked questions