Acacia International School vs Kampala International School Uganda

	A Acacia International School Kampala, Uganda	K Kampala International School Uganda Kampala, Uganda
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year UGX 26,925,798 - 46,986,683	Fees / year UGX 16,647,325 - 105,433,060
Age range	Age range 3 - 18 years	Age range 1 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum Bespoke Curriculum, American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge IGCSE	Curriculum British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, IB (DP)
Pupils	Pupils 280	Pupils 500
Typical class size	Typical class size 22	Typical class size 15
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2012	Opened 1993
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Located in Kampala, Uganda. The main address is Plot 1222 Zzimwe Road, Kampala, Uganda. The school serves students from Early Years through High School, with a Lakeside Campus development underway to expand facilities.	Location Plot No. 447, Block 213, Kyebando - Kisalosalo Road, Bukoto, Kampala, Uganda. P.O. Box Number 34249, Kampala, Uganda.
Stages	Stages Levels include Early Years (ages 3–5); Elementary (K5–Grade 5); Middle School (Grades 6–8); High School (Grades 9–12).	Stages Early Years; Primary School (Key Stage 1; Key Stage 2); IB Diploma
School type	School type The school is a Christian international day school.	School type International day school offering the IB Diploma Programme.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix Over 450 students representing 46+ nationalities.
Additional learning support	Additional learning support Limited support for mild special educational needs; assessed case-by-case with probationary enrollment and an independent assessment; parents billed for the consultant. English language support is available and provided where appropriate.	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation —	Country affiliation —
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation Christian	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details There is no school bus service; independent bus companies serve some students and some families carpool.	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application & Admissions Fees - Admissions assessment (English & Mathematics): USD 50 (payable before the assessment). - WIDA MODEL online English proficiency assessment (Grades 6–12, English language learners): USD 40. - Admissions fee: a non-specified Admissions Fee must be paid within two weeks of an offer to secure a place; payment of this fee confirms the student's place. (Exact Admissions Fee amount is listed in the school's full fee schedule.) Tuition fees (overview by year / term) - Annual fee range (published): USD 6,000–USD 13,000 per year (this is the published annual range for the 2025–2026 fee materials). The school describes its fees as all-inclusive (see list of included items below). - Detailed, grade-by-grade fee amounts and per-term figures are published in the school's formal fee schedule documents. Those fee-schedule documents contain the full breakdown by year group and by term. The school's published 2025–2026 fee schedule is the most recent detailed schedule available. What the annual tuition covers (all-inclusive items) - Field trips, textbooks, stationery, and sports coaching for the International Schools Association of Kampala (ISSAK) league are included in the tuition. For students in Grades 10–12, external examination entry charges are included in the tuition. Billing schedule and payment terms - Annual payment: The school notes that families can save money by paying annually. - Admissions fee: must be paid within two weeks of an offer to secure the place. - Receipting: bank deposit slips must be brought to the finance office so receipts can be issued and parent accounts updated. - The formal fee schedule documents provide the school's standard billing instalment options and any deadlines (per-term due dates and late-payment conditions). See the school's fee schedule for exact instalment dates and any discounts or penalties. Boarding fees - Boarding is not available at present. The school is in the process of developing a Lakeside campus that will include boarding facilities; therefore, there are no current boarding fees. Other costs or fees - Uniforms, lunches, and after-school-club charges are billed separately; cash is accepted at the finance office for these smaller payments. Exact uniform and meal prices are set out in the full fee schedule and the school's shop/finance notices. - Special-needs assessment: when an independent special-needs assessment is required, the parents are billed for the cost of that consultant. - Third-child discount: a 30% discount applies for a third child in the same family. - Bursary program: the school operates a limited bursary program for gifted students enrolling in Grades 9 and 10; eligibility and the value of bursaries vary. Refund information - The public admissions and fee-overview material does not list a detailed refund policy in the summary information. The school's full fee schedule provides the specific refund, withdrawal, and cancellation terms (including any forfeiture of the Admissions Fee or terms for pro-rated refunds). Consult the school's formal fee schedule or the finance office for precise refund rules and any applicable deadlines. Fee payment options (accepted methods and bank details) - Bank deposit (US$ only). Deposit slips must be brought to the finance office for a receipt. Account name: Acacia Education Services Limited; Bank: Stanbic; Account Number: 9030015341377; Branch: Forest Mall, Kampala. - Check: accepted in US$ or UGX (make payable to Acacia Education Services). - Wire transfer (US$ only): Stanbic Bank Ltd; Swift: SBICUGKX; Sort Code: 040147; Account Name: Acacia Education Services Ltd; Dollar Account Number: 9030015341377. - Cash: accepted only at the finance office for smaller items (e.g., after-school clubs, uniforms, lunches). Tuition payments should be made at Stanbic Bank as per the school's instructions. Summary of what I located and what remains to be extracted - Located and confirmed: admissions-assessment fees (USD 50; WIDA MODEL USD 40), published annual fee range (USD 6,000–USD 13,000 for the 2025–2026 materials), which items are included in tuition, the lack of current boarding, the third-child discount (30%), bursary availability for Grades 9–10, accepted payment methods, and bank account details. - Remaining detail required by your brief that is contained in the school's formal fee schedule but was not extractable in this summary: the full, grade-by-grade tuition figures (showing per-term and per-year amounts for each specific year group), the precise Admissions Fee amount, the explicit per-item charges for uniforms/meals if any, and the school's detailed refund/cancellation timetable and penalties. Those items are published in the school's formal fee schedule documents for 2025–2026. Contact for finance queries: finance@acaciaschool.org (use this address for precise per-grade figures, admissions fee amount, the current academic-year fee schedule, and full refund terms).	Fee details Application / Enrolment fees - Enrolment fee for Early Years (KG & Reception): USD 580. A top-up of USD 2,630 is applied when a pupil moves into Year 1, yielding the full enrolment charge for Early Years → Year 1 entry. - Enrolment fee for Year 1 through IB2 (one-time): USD 3,200 (presented as the standard enrolment/entrance charge for Year 1–IB2). - A separate school statement of financial terms also records an enrolment amount of USD 2,350 to be paid on the day of enrolment and notes this fee as non-refundable; this figure appears alongside the other published enrolment amounts. Tuition fees — Term fees (per term) - Kindergarten 1–3: Tuition USD 1,540; Lunch USD 430; Total per term USD 1,970. - Reception: Tuition USD 3,870; Lunch USD 440; Total per term USD 4,310. - Year 1 & 2: Tuition USD 7,030; Lunch USD 550; Total per term USD 7,580. - Year 3–6: Tuition USD 7,680; Lunch USD 550; Total per term USD 8,230. - Year 7–9: Tuition USD 8,830; Lunch USD 600; Total per term USD 9,430. - Year 10: Tuition USD 8,830; lunch is optional at USD 600 — total per term USD 8,830 (without lunch) or USD 9,430 (with lunch). - Year 11: Tuition USD 13,225 per term; lunch optional at USD 600 — total per term USD 13,225 (without lunch) or USD 13,825 (with lunch). Year 11 is payable in two half-yearly payments (school notes the payment frequency for Year 11). - IB1 (Year 12): Tuition USD 14,630 per term; lunch optional at USD 600 — total per term USD 14,630 (without lunch) or USD 15,230 (with lunch). IB1 is shown as payable in two half‑yearly payments. - IB2 (Year 13): Tuition USD 14,630 per term; lunch optional at USD 600 — total per term USD 14,630 (without lunch) or USD 15,230 (with lunch). IB2 is shown as payable in two half‑yearly payments. Tuition fees — Annual fees (per year) - Kindergarten 1–3: Tuition USD 4,600; Lunch USD 1,240; Total per year USD 5,840. - Reception: Tuition USD 11,560; Lunch USD 1,300; Total per year USD 12,860. - Year 1 & 2: Tuition USD 21,060; Lunch USD 1,600; Total per year USD 22,660. - Year 3–6: Tuition USD 23,010; Lunch USD 1,600; Total per year USD 24,610. - Year 7–9: Tuition USD 26,450; Lunch USD 1,760; Total per year USD 28,210. - Year 10: Tuition USD 26,450 per year; lunch optional USD 1,760 — total per year USD 26,450 (without lunch) or USD 28,210 (with lunch). - Year 11: Tuition USD 26,450 per year; lunch optional USD 1,760 — total per year USD 26,450 (without lunch) or USD 28,210 (with lunch). Year 11 payment frequency is listed as two half‑yearly payments in the published schedule. - IB1 (Year 12): Tuition USD 29,250 per year; lunch optional USD 1,760 — total per year USD 29,250 (without lunch) or USD 31,010 (with lunch). IB1 is shown as payable in two half‑yearly payments. - IB2 (Year 13): Tuition USD 29,250 per year; lunch optional USD 1,760 — total per year USD 29,250 (without lunch) or USD 31,010 (with lunch). IB2 is shown as payable in two half‑yearly payments. Transport (bus) fees - Bus fee per term: One‑way USD 495; Two‑way USD 680. Billing schedule and payment terms - Some year groups (Year 11 and the two IB years) are shown as payable in two half‑yearly payments; other year groups are presented with term and annual totals so fees are billed on a term or annual basis as indicated. - All fees must be paid by the published due date; parents must pay fees for the next term before the last day of the current term. Outstanding accounts may result in exclusion from class or withholding of official documents. - External examination fees (IGCSE and IB) are billed separately and must be paid prior to exam registration. Boarding fees - Boarding is not available at this school; there are no published boarding fees. Other costs and charges - Lunch: lunch fees are shown separately for each year group and may be optional for some grades (Year 10, Year 11, IB1, IB2 show optional lunch at the published rate). These lunch charges are included in the term and annual totals where noted. - Enrolment / admission-related top‑ups and staged enrolment charges (Early Years top‑up to Year 1, and the larger single enrolment charge for Year 1–IB2) are published as set amounts under the enrolment section. - External examination fees (IGCSE and IB) and other exam‑related charges are billed separately. - Co‑curricular clubs and activity sessions may charge separately; the school's published CCA guidance specifies that fees for CCA blocks are non‑refundable if a pupil cannot attend all sessions. - International trips and optional excursions are described as part of the school programme; such trips are typically charged separately from tuition and will appear as additional costs when offered. - Uniform costs are not listed in the published fee schedule and are not given as fixed amounts in the publicly available fee documents. Parents should expect separate uniform purchases or charges arranged through the school or approved suppliers. Refunds and cancellation policy - Fees once paid are non‑refundable. The published financial agreement states that if a child is absent for more than three weeks or withdraws from the school, no refund will be issued. If a child is asked to leave for disciplinary reasons, no fees will be refunded. Fee payment arrangements and contact for payment instructions - The school's financial terms state that payment is to be made to the Bursar's office; parents are required to follow the school's invoicing and bursar procedures and to settle all outstanding fees by the due dates. Specific bank account details or card/payment processor details are not published on the fee schedule pages; contact the Admissions or Office email addresses for the school's accepted payment methods and bank details. - Admissions and finance contact details published with the fee materials: admissions@kisu.com and office@kisu.com; Admissions phone +256 752 711882. Notes on inconsistencies in published enrolment figures - The school's published materials include more than one enrolment figure: the Fees Structure shows Early Years as USD 580 (with top‑up) and USD 3,200 for Year 1–IB2, while the Agreement of Financial Terms and Conditions page records an enrolment fee amount of USD 2,350 payable on the day of enrolment. These differing published figures should be clarified with school admissions or the Bursar's office when arranging enrolment and payment.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options —	Food options —
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership —
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details Kindergarten to Grade 8 follows the Core Knowledge scope and sequence in most subjects. This is a Classical curriculum developed in the United States for a diverse, international classroom. World history is studied through Story of the World, and Mathematics follows Singapore Math. In Grades 9–10, students prepare for Cambridge IGCSEs, with Bible, Physical Education and a Service Project component. In Grades 11–12, Acacia offers an American curriculum with Advanced Placement (AP) courses, culminating in an American High School Diploma with AP.	Curriculum details The school follows the National Curriculum for England with modifications for the Ugandan setting.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio Class sizes are kept small with a soft cap of 22 students per class, rising to 24 in consultation with the homeroom teacher.	Student teacher ratio There are 32 certified teachers and over 450 students, giving an approximate student–teacher ratio of about 14:1.
Exam results	Exam results Cambridge IGCSE results (Grade 10) 2025: 109 exam entries; 100% pass rate; 92% achieved 5 A–C including English and Mathematics. AP results (2025): 90% of AP exams scored 3 or higher; 16 AP subjects offered; 8 AP Scholars; 5 AP Scholars with Distinction; 1 AP Scholar with Honor; 1 AP International Diploma; 1 AP Capstone International recipient.	Exam results The IB Diploma Programme is offered at KISU. DP results have steadily improved, and the school underwent an IBO review in 2018 that commended its Diploma Programme. To begin the full Diploma Programme, students must achieve a grade B or higher in their IGCSE for Higher Level subjects and a grade C or higher for Standard Level; for Physics or Mathematics at Higher Level, an A is required. There are three DP pathways: the full Diploma Programme, a trial Diploma, and IB Courses certificates.
Higher education progression	Higher education progression Graduates are prepared for higher education globally, with readiness for universities in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Europe, and Africa.	Higher education progression —
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented The school offers a limited bursary program for gifted students enrolling in 9th and 10th grade.	Gifted and talented —
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning —	Social & emotional learning —
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language —	English as an additional language —
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing —	Mental wellbeing —
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview —
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities —
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities —
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History —	History —
Community	Community —	Community —
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association —	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual —
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision —
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions Step 1: Visit the School (Recommended). Visiting before applying is encouraged for families in Uganda. The visit helps families assess fit with Acacia's rigorous academics, Christ-centered approach, and sense of community. Step 2: Submit a Complete Application. A complete online application includes the online application form, student health form, a parent essay, the most recent school report, a copy of the student's passport or Ugandan birth certificate, and a passport‑size photo. Incomplete applications cannot be reviewed. Step 3: Admissions Assessments. Short-listed students take English and Mathematics admissions tests (USD 50). English Language Learners in Grades 6–12 must complete the WIDA MODEL English proficiency assessment (USD 40). Step 4: Admissions Decision. The Admissions Committee reviews completed applications and communicates decisions within two weeks of completion (August intake: applications due in March; decisions issued in April). Mid-year admissions are considered as they are received. Step 5: Confirmation of Place. Upon an offer, families must pay the Admissions Fee within two weeks to secure the student's place. Early application does not guarantee placement, and the school does not maintain a long-term waiting list.	Admissions 1. Step 1: Parents ask for an application pack, complete it, and return all required documents. Incomplete applications are discarded after 30 days. Applications are reviewed to assess the student's ability to succeed in an English-language environment, taking into account prior academic records and developmental history. The application must include all documents outlined in the procedure to be processed. 2. Step 2: Admissions invites the family for a campus tour, an interview, and interactions or assessments with the student. For grades 10–12, discussion may include IGCSE or IB options. Interviews may be conducted face-to-face or online, and English and Math assessments may be used as part of placement. Parents are interviewed to ensure understanding and alignment with the school's mission and policies. 3. Step 3: Admissions informs the family of the decision. The final admission decision rests with the Director. Accepted students are placed in the appropriate grade level if space allows; accepted conditionally are monitored and may be promoted or required to repeat a year. A waiting list is used when the grade level is full, with priority to the earliest completed application; if a seat is not found within the year, parents may apply for the following academic year; the option to decline is issued if the applicant does not meet requirements.
Scholarships	Scholarships A limited bursary program is available for gifted students enrolling in 9th and 10th grade, for families with financial needs.	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist Early application does not guarantee placement, and the school does not maintain a long-term waiting list.	Waitlist Waiting list is used when a grade level is full but admission requirements are met. Priority on the waiting list goes to the earliest completed application. If a seat is not found within the current academic year, parents may apply for the following academic year by contacting the admissions office by the beginning of May. Applications do not automatically roll over to the next academic year.
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