Berda Claude International School is one of the schools families weigh when they research the international schools in Phuket and want a recognised European pathway without paying the island's top tier fees. It opened in 2017 in Chalong, in the south of Muang Phuket, and is unusual in running both a Cambridge British stream and a full French stream on one campus, so siblings from a mixed language household can follow different systems in the same place. For relocating parents that flexibility, alongside Council of International Schools accreditation, is the main reason the school appears on a Phuket shortlist.
Berda Claude at a glance
| Curriculum and exam boards | Cambridge British curriculum to IGCSE and A Level; French National Curriculum to Brevet and Baccalaureat |
|---|---|
| Stages | Age 2 to 18 (coeducational) |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Accreditation | Council of International Schools (CIS); Cambridge Assessment International Education; French Ministry of Education; Thai Ministry of Education |
| Type | Private coeducational international school |
| Fee band | Mid tier for Phuket; below British International School Phuket and UWC Thailand |
| Campus area | Chalong, south of Muang Phuket |
Curriculum and academics
BCIS runs two distinct academic streams in parallel. The British stream follows the Cambridge British curriculum, taking pupils through to IGCSE and then A Level, the qualifications most widely recognised by universities across the English speaking world. The French stream follows the full French National Curriculum, leading to the Diplome National du Brevet and then the French Baccalaureat, which keeps a child aligned with the system in France and the wider Francophone network. The school's Cambridge programme is certified by Cambridge Assessment International Education and its French provision works to the standards of the French Ministry of Education, so the qualifications travel if a family relocates again.
Teaching is in English in the British stream and in French in the French stream, with the other language and Thai taught alongside, which suits the bilingual and trilingual households that cluster in southern Phuket. The dual structure is the school's defining feature: rather than asking a French speaking family to switch into an English only system, or the reverse, BCIS lets each child stay in the curriculum that matches their next likely destination. Council of International Schools accreditation, which is built on a cycle of self study and external inspection, is the external marker of quality a parent can check.
Compare Berda Claude with other Phuket schools
Put up to three schools side by side on curriculum, fees and location before you shortlist.
Berda Claude International School fees
Berda Claude International School fees sit in the mid tier of the island's market, comfortably below British International School Phuket and UWC Thailand at the top. Our guide to international school fees in Phuket places BCIS published tuition at roughly THB 250,000 in early years, rising through about THB 330,000 in primary and THB 440,000 in secondary to around THB 520,000 at sixth form. Early years and primary therefore cost materially less than the headline secondary figure, which is the pattern across the island.
Tuition is not the whole bill. Phuket schools typically add a one off capital levy, generally larger at the top tier than the mid tier, a non refundable registration fee, and recurring costs for the school bus, uniform and examinations, with IGCSE, A Level and Baccalaureat entry fees landing in the final years. To bring tuition and these extras into a single annual figure, use our fee calculator and confirm the current published fees with the school's admissions office, as the bands above are drawn from our market tracking rather than from an invented price list.
Admissions
As an international school, BCIS accepts applications through the year rather than to a single fixed deadline, with the main intake aligned to the August start of the academic year. Entry is generally by application, prior school reports and an assessment of the child's level in the chosen stream's language of instruction, which matters more in the French stream for a child arriving from an English speaking school, and the reverse. The school advises on which year group fits a child's age and prior schooling, and on whether the Cambridge or French route is the better long term match.
Families relocating mid year should contact admissions early, because individual year groups can fill, particularly in the popular early years and primary classes. Useful documents to have ready are recent school reports, passports and visa paperwork, and any prior assessment records. Because the two streams run separately, it is worth confirming that the intended year group has a place in the specific stream you want, not just at the school overall.
Location and who goes there
The campus is in Chalong, in the south of Muang Phuket, which places it within a manageable commute of Chalong, Rawai and the southern beaches where a large share of the island's resident expatriate families live. That southern position is one of the reasons the school draws a mixed international intake rather than a single national community, with British, French and other European families alongside Thai and regional ones, reflecting the bilingual offer.
Compared with the schools clustered around Cherngtalay and the Laguna area in the north west, BCIS is more convenient for families based around Chalong and Rawai, and the southern bias of its catchment shows in its community. For how Chalong and the south compare with the northern school belt and the wider relocation picture, the Phuket city hub sets out the map, and our roundup of the best international schools in Phuket shows where Berda Claude sits among the alternatives.
Reviews
No verified reviews yet. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so we publish parent reviews only once we can confirm the reviewer is part of the school community. If you have experience of Berda Claude International School, please share it through our school reviews hub to help other families.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Berda Claude International School fees?
Berda Claude sits in the mid tier of the Phuket market. Our Phuket fees guide places its published tuition at roughly THB 250,000 in early years rising to around THB 520,000 at sixth form, with a registration fee, a capital levy and the school bus on top. Confirm the current figures with the school.
Which curriculum does Berda Claude International School teach?
BCIS runs two parallel streams. The British stream follows the Cambridge curriculum to IGCSE and A Level, and the French stream follows the French National Curriculum to the Brevet and the Baccalaureat. Families choose one pathway at entry.
Is Berda Claude International School a good school?
It is a Council of International Schools accredited school offering a rare choice between the Cambridge and French systems on one campus. We do not assign a star rating without verified parent reviews, so we describe its curriculum, accreditation and entry rather than score it.
When do Berda Claude International School applications open?
The main intake aligns with the August start of the academic year, but as an international school BCIS accepts applications year round subject to places. Families relocating mid year should contact admissions early to confirm availability in the right year group.
Where is Berda Claude International School?
The campus is in Chalong, in the south of Muang Phuket, within reach of Chalong, Rawai and the wider south of the island where many expatriate families live.
