Cairo American College, almost always called CAC, is one of the anchor institutions on our Cairo city hub. Founded in 1945, it is among the oldest and largest American schools in the region and has educated diplomatic and multinational families in Maadi for generations. It runs the full prekindergarten to grade 12 span on a single campus in Digla, the residential heart of Maadi, and graduates students with an American High School Diploma alongside the option of the IB Diploma.
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At a glance
Curriculum and academics
CAC delivers a US standards based programme from prekindergarten through grade 12. The elementary school is guided by the IB Primary Years Programme, the inquiry led framework that organises learning around units of understanding rather than subjects in isolation. The middle school bridges into a more departmental American structure, and the high school leads to the American High School Diploma. From grade 11, students may elect to pursue the full IB Diploma alongside or in place of the standard diploma track, giving an internationally portable qualification for those who want it.
This combination of a US diploma with an IB option is the school's distinctive feature, and it shapes university outcomes that span North American, European and regional destinations. Families comparing the broad two year Diploma with a credits based American senior year can read our IB Diploma guide to see how the assessment and university signalling differ before deciding which route suits their child.
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Cairo American College fees
CAC sits at the premium end of the Cairo market. Our Cairo international school fees guide places the city's premium international schools, CAC among them, in the highest local band, with senior years the most expensive. The school bills in a way designed to hold value against movements in the Egyptian pound, which most expatriate employers now mirror by structuring education allowances in US dollars. Confirm the current schedule and billing currency directly before budgeting from abroad.
Plan beyond tuition. A one off registration or enrolment charge, a place deposit, school transport across greater Cairo, lunches, trips, activities and, for Diploma candidates, IB examination entry fees all add to the annual bill. Ask how fees are staged across the year, and use our fee tools to model the full cost of a premium American place rather than the tuition line alone.
Admissions
CAC admits for an August or September start aligned to the North American academic year and reviews applications through the year where space allows. Entry draws on prior school records, teacher references and an assessment suited to the year group, with priority arrangements that reflect the school's long standing role serving the diplomatic and multinational community. Places in the most sought after grades can be limited, so early application matters.
Families planning a move should apply well ahead, ask directly about availability in their child's grade, and discuss the Diploma pathway early if their child is approaching the senior school, since the choice between the standard diploma and the full IB Diploma shapes the final two years. The admissions team can advise on placement for children arriving mid year from other American or international systems.
Location and who goes there
The campus sits in Digla, the residential core of Maadi in southern Cairo, a district of tree lined streets, sporting clubs and a long established English speaking population. Maadi has been the natural home of diplomatic and oil and gas families for decades, and CAC has grown up at its centre, within a short drive of where most of its families live. The single site holds the whole prekindergarten to grade 12 span, which suits families with children in several stages at once.
The community is strongly international with a large North American presence, reflecting the curriculum and the school's history, alongside internationally minded Egyptian families and a wide mix of other nationalities. For the wider picture of where expatriate families settle across the capital and how the American option compares with the British, IB and bilingual schools, see the Cairo city hub and our guide to the best international schools in Cairo.
Reviews
We do not yet hold verified parent reviews for Cairo American College. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so we publish reviews only once we can confirm they come from real families. If your child attends or has attended CAC, we would value your first hand account. Share it through the school reviews hub and help the next relocating family decide with better information.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Cairo American College fees?
Cairo American College sits at the premium end of the Cairo market, in the highest local band described in our Cairo fees guide, with senior years the most expensive. The school bills to hold value against the Egyptian pound and most employers structure allowances in US dollars, so confirm the current schedule and billing currency directly.
Is Cairo American College a good school?
Cairo American College is one of the oldest and largest American schools in the region, founded in 1945, offering a US curriculum with the IB Primary Years Programme in elementary and the IB Diploma as a senior elective. It is accredited by the Middle States Association and the Council of International Schools. Whether it suits depends on your child, and we do not publish a rating without verified reviews.
What curriculum does Cairo American College follow?
The school follows a US standards based curriculum, guided by the IB Primary Years Programme in the elementary school, and leads to the American High School Diploma with the option of the full IB Diploma from grade 11.
Where is Cairo American College located?
The school is on a single campus in Digla, in the heart of Maadi in southern Cairo, the long established expatriate district of the capital.
When do Cairo American College applications open?
The school admits for an August or September start on the North American calendar and reviews applications through the year subject to space. Families planning a move should apply ahead and confirm availability in their child's grade.
