Cairo American College Elementary is the primary division of the school most families on our Cairo city hub know as CAC. It is not a separate school but the elementary stage of Cairo American College, the American school founded in 1945 on a single campus in Digla, Maadi. This page covers the elementary years specifically, where children move from the early years into the inquiry led grades that lead up to middle school.
This profile is an independent reference page. No school pays GlobalSchoolGuide to be listed. The facts below were researched from the school and public sources at the time of writing, and unconfirmed details are marked not published. For the whole school across every stage, see the full Cairo city hub listing.
At a glance
Curriculum and academics
The elementary school at CAC is guided by the IB Primary Years Programme, the inquiry led framework that organises learning into units of understanding drawn across subjects. Children work through transdisciplinary themes that connect literacy, mathematics, science, social studies and the arts, supported by specialist teaching in areas such as music, physical education, Arabic and the library. The aim at this stage is to build strong foundational skills while keeping curiosity and independence at the centre of the day.
Because the elementary years sit on the same campus as the early years below and the middle school above, progression is continuous. Children carry the inquiry habits formed in the early years into the primary grades, then move up into the more departmental middle school without changing schools. Families weighing this inquiry led primary against a more traditional American or British model can read our IB Primary Years Programme guide to see how it shapes the primary day.
Comparing primary schools in Cairo?
Model the full cost of a primary place at CAC, from tuition to transport, before you commit.
Cairo American College Elementary fees
Elementary fees at CAC are part of the school's wider schedule, which sits at the premium end of the Cairo market in our Cairo international school fees guide. Primary tuition falls between the early years and the secondary grades on a ladder that rises with age, so an elementary place costs more than a prekindergarten one and less than a high school one. Confirm the current elementary schedule and billing currency directly, as the school bills to hold value against the Egyptian pound.
Budget beyond tuition for a registration or enrolment charge, a place deposit, school transport across greater Cairo, lunches, trips, after school activities and the materials primary children use through the year. Ask how fees are staged, and use our fee tools to model the real annual cost of an elementary place rather than the headline tuition.
Admissions
CAC admits into the elementary grades for an August or September start where space allows, and reviews applications through the year. Entry draws on prior school reports, teacher references and an age appropriate assessment used to place a child in the right grade and confirm readiness, particularly for children arriving from a different curriculum. The school's standing means popular grades can fill, so early application helps.
Families relocating with primary age children should apply ahead, ask directly about availability in their child's grade, and share full school records so the elementary team can place the child correctly. The admissions office can advise on the support available for a child moving into the IB Primary Years Programme from another system partway through the year.
Location and who goes there
The elementary school shares the single CAC campus in Digla, the residential core of Maadi in southern Cairo. For primary families the practical draw of Maadi is real: walkable compounds, sporting clubs, a large English speaking community and short commutes make daily school life manageable. Having elementary, early years and secondary on one site is a particular advantage for families with children spread across several stages.
The elementary community reflects the school as a whole, strongly international with a large North American presence alongside internationally minded Egyptian families and a wide mix of nationalities. For the wider picture of where families settle across the capital and how this American primary compares with the British and bilingual options, see the Cairo city hub and our guide to international school fees in Cairo.
Reviews
We do not yet hold verified parent reviews for the Cairo American College elementary school. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so we publish reviews only when we can confirm they come from real families. If your child has been through the elementary years at CAC, your account would help relocating parents. Share it through the school reviews hub.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Cairo American College Elementary fees?
Elementary fees fall between the early years and the secondary grades on CAC's fee ladder, which sits at the premium end of the Cairo market described in our Cairo fees guide. Confirm the current elementary schedule and billing currency directly, as the school bills to hold value against the Egyptian pound.
Is Cairo American College Elementary a good school?
The CAC elementary school is the primary stage of one of the region's oldest American schools, founded in 1945, guided by the IB Primary Years Programme. Whether it suits your child depends on your family and your plans, and we do not publish a rating without verified reviews.
What curriculum does the Cairo American College elementary follow?
The elementary school is guided by the IB Primary Years Programme within a US framework, working through transdisciplinary themes across literacy, mathematics, science, social studies and the arts, with specialist teaching in music, physical education, Arabic and the library.
What grades is Cairo American College Elementary?
The elementary school carries children through to grade 5, between the early years below and the middle school above, all on the single Maadi campus.
When do Cairo American College Elementary applications open?
The school admits for an August or September start and reviews applications through the year subject to space. Entry uses prior records and an age appropriate assessment, so families should apply ahead and confirm availability in their child's grade.
