Acorns International School Bunga vs Galaxy International School Uganda

	A Acorns International School Bunga Kampala, Uganda	G Galaxy International School Uganda Kampala, Uganda
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year UGX 1,410 - 6,130	Fees / year UGX 6,050 - 15,000
Age range	Age range 1 - 16 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational, Co-educational (boarding)
Curriculum	Curriculum Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary), Cambridge IGCSE	Curriculum Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary), Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels
Pupils	Pupils 150	Pupils 400
Typical class size	Typical class size 15	Typical class size 20
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2015	Opened —
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Plot 4769 Hamis Kiggundu Rd, Kampala, Uganda. The Acorns International School \| Bunga campus is part of a network with other campuses in Kisaasi (Uganda), Lubowa (Uganda) and Kigali (Rwanda).	Location GISU is located in Lubowa, along the Kampala–Entebbe Road, about 9 km from Kampala. Turn off before Roofings Ltd. and continue along the housing estate, with the school about 500 m from Quality Supermarket on the main road. The address is Plot 1077, Lubowa Estate, Entebbe Road, P.O. Box 11119 Kampala Uganda.
Stages	Stages Early Years (from 18 months) through Primary education.	Stages Early Years, Primary, Lower Secondary, IGCSE and Cambridge AS & A Level programmes.
School type	School type International school offering the Cambridge Curriculum; Cambridge International Exam Center for Checkpoint exams.	School type International, co-educational school offering Cambridge International Examinations (Checkpoint, IGCSE, AS & A Level) with boarding facilities.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support GISU takes in children with mild additional needs and supports them accordingly; learners with additional educational needs receive education through addressing their differences and including them in activities, with accommodations such as extra time for assignments or exams, use of technology, or adaptive equipment as appropriate.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation Uganda	Country affiliation —
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation No explicit religious affiliation; the school welcomes students of different faiths.
School day structure	School day structure The school day runs from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm on school days.	School day structure Regular school day runs from 08:00 to 15:30. Meals are served centrally in the dining hall.
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details Bus transport is available; transport costs depend on distance.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application & Registration Fees - Registration (non-refundable) at point of admission: USD 300. USD 200 for the second child; no registration fee for subsequent children. Tuition fees by year group (per term and annual amounts) - Crèche: Term I USD 495, Term II USD 495, Term III USD 495; Annual USD 1,410. - EC1: Term I USD 550, Term II USD 550, Term III USD 550; Annual USD 1,570. - Reception (08:45–14:40): Term I USD 725, Term II USD 725, Term III USD 725; Annual USD 2,065. - Year 1 & 2 (08:00–15:15): Term I USD 810, Term II USD 810, Term III USD 810; Annual USD 2,310. - Year 3 & 4 (08:00–15:15): Term I USD 960, Term II USD 960, Term III USD 960; Annual USD 2,735. - Year 5: Term I USD 1,095, Term II USD 1,095, Term III USD 1,095; Annual USD 3,120. - Year 6: Term I USD 1,645, Term II USD 1,645, Term III (not listed); Annual USD 3,120. - Year 7 & 8 (08:00–15:30): Term I USD 1,150, Term II USD 1,150, Term III USD 1,150; Annual USD 3,280. - Year 9 & 10: Term I USD 1,340, Term II USD 1,340, Term III USD 1,340; Annual USD 3,820. - Year 11: Term I USD 2,265, Term II USD 2,265, Term III (not listed); Annual USD 4,305. - Year 12: Term I USD 2,000, Term II USD 2,000, Term III USD 2,000; Annual USD 5,700. - Year 13: Term I USD 3,000, Term II USD 3,000, Term III (not listed); Annual USD 5,700. - Tuition fee is inclusive of educational materials and diaries (exclusions stated for candidate-level exam fees, field trips and trekking trips). Textbook charges (payable with tuition at enrolment or start of academic year) - Reception: USD 125. - Year 1 & 2: USD 125. - Year 3 & 4: USD 110. - Year 5: USD 115. - Year 6: USD 115. - Year 7 & 8: USD 175. - Year 9 & 10: USD 350. - Year 11 to 13: USD 430. Billing schedule and payment terms - Each term's fees are due by the end of Week 1 of the school term. Late payments are subject to a surcharge of 5%. Students with fees unpaid after 30 days of the due date will be excluded unless otherwise agreed in writing by Management. - Early payment discount: 5% discount on tuition fee if the annual fee is paid before the start of the academic year. - Sibling discount: USD 200 registration fee for the second child; no registration fee for subsequent children, plus a 5% discount on tuition for subsequent children. - Refer-a-friend: 15% reduction on one term's tuition fees following the introduction and admission of a new student. Boarding fees - No boarding fees are listed; boarding is not provided. Other costs and regular extras - School uniforms (prices): Secondary tie USD 8; Primary trousers/skirts/polo T-shirts USD 12; Secondary shirts & trousers USD 15; Sweaters USD 20; PE kit USD 20; A-level blazer USD 45. PE uniforms are compulsory for all students; school uniforms are compulsory from EC2 onwards. - Lunch plans: Early Childhood USD 175; Primary USD 225; Secondary USD 250; Casual lunch USD 7. Students may bring lunch but cannot leave campus or receive food deliveries during the day. - School clubs / after-school activities: Primary clubs (03:30–04:15) USD 200. Students wishing to participate in a specific activity will be charged USD 100 per club. - Bus service (zone-based rates): Two-way: Zone 1 USD 250, Zone 2 USD 300, Zone 3 USD 350, Zone 4 USD 500. One-way: Zone 1 USD 175, Zone 2 USD 200, Zone 3 USD 275, Zone 4 USD 300. Refund information - Fees once paid are not refundable. Registration fee is non-refundable. Fee payment options and currency - All fees are stated in USD. Payment in UGX is acceptable at the rate indicated by the school office. Specific accepted payment channels (bank transfer, card, cheque, etc.) are handled by the school office; confirm with the accounts office for available methods and any applicable bank charges.	Fee details Application / Admission fee - A one-time admission (registration) fee is payable for new students. The admission fee is USD 1,000 (non-refundable). Tuition fees (per term and annual totals, by year group) - Kindergarten (KG2 & KG3) - Term 1: USD 2,650 - Term 2: USD 1,750 - Term 3: USD 1,650 - Annual total: USD 6,050. - Reception - Term 1: USD 2,850 - Term 2: USD 1,850 - Term 3: USD 1,750 - Annual total: USD 6,450. - Key Stage 1 (Years 1 & 2) - Term 1: USD 3,450 - Term 2: USD 2,400 - Term 3: USD 2,250 - Annual total: USD 8,100. - Key Stage 2 (Years 3–6) - Term 1: USD 4,400 - Term 2: USD 3,050 - Term 3: USD 2,750 - Annual total: USD 10,200. - Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9) - Term 1: USD 5,000 - Term 2: USD 3,450 - Term 3: USD 3,150 - Annual total: USD 11,600. - IGCSE (Years 10 & 11) - Term 1: USD 5,450 - Term 2: USD 3,850 - Term 3: USD 3,500 - Annual total: USD 12,800. - AS / A Level (Years 12 & 13) - Term 1: USD 6,450 - Term 2: USD 4,450 - Term 3: USD 4,100 - Annual total: USD 15,000. Book, exam and other recurring academic charges - Book fees (annual, paid at registration): - KG2 – Year 2: USD 250 - Years 3 – 9: USD 350 - Years 10 & 11: USD 450 - Years 12 & 13: USD 350. - Cambridge examination fees are charged in the relevant exam year and are payable in addition to tuition and book fees. Lunch and other facility charges are included within tuition. Transport is provided by a third-party operator with separate charges that vary by route and distance. School uniform costs vary by grade. Boarding fees (where applicable) - Boarding is offered from Year 7 to Year 13. Boarding fees per boarding student are: - Term 1: USD 2,450 - Term 2: USD 1,750 - Term 3: USD 1,600 - Total (boarding for the full year): USD 5,800. Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition is billed by term (three terms). Book fees are charged annually and are payable at registration. Lunch and facility charges are included in the tuition amounts. Transport and other optional services are billed separately. An upfront payment discount of 5% is offered where parents pay the full year in advance. A sibling discount of 5% applies for families with two or more children enrolled. The admission fee is payable once on registration and is non-refundable. Other costs and optional charges - Uniform: prices vary depending on grade; uniform purchase is an additional cost. - Transport: charged separately by a third-party transport provider; cost depends on route and distance. - Extracurricular activities fees (termly): - Early Years: Term 1 USD 100; Terms 2 & 3 USD 100 each. - Years 1–6: Term 1 USD 150; Terms 2 & 3 USD 150 each. - Years 7–13: Term 1 USD 150; Terms 2 & 3 USD 150 each. Refund information - The admission (registration) fee is non-refundable. Other refund or cancellation rules are governed by the school's financial agreement; full details should be confirmed with the admissions office. Fee payment options and practical note - The publicly available fee schedule and registration materials specify amounts, term billing and discounts but do not list specific payment channels (for example, specific bank account details, credit-card acceptance, mobile-money or online payment provider names) in the published fee schedule documents reviewed. Confirmed channels commonly used by schools in the region include bank transfer and school-approved electronic payment platforms, but the school's admissions or finance office should be contacted to confirm accepted methods and any transaction details or payment references to use. Contact options: +256 781 468 000 or admissions@gisu.ac.ug. Summary of the most important items for parents - Plan for a one-time, non-refundable admission fee of USD 1,000 at registration. - Budget tuition by year group on a per-term basis (three terms); annual totals are shown above. - Include book fees, examination fees and optional transport or boarding charges where applicable. Boarding fees for Years 7–13 are billed per term and total USD 5,800 for the year.
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 The school teaches the Cambridge Curriculum, emphasizes holistic development (swimming, art and craft, dance, music and drama), and is accredited as a Cambridge International Exam Center for Checkpoint exams.	Curriculum details GISU delivers the Cambridge International Curriculum from Early Years to Upper Secondary. Early Years uses the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. In Primary and Secondary, GISU follows Cambridge Primary, Cambridge Lower Secondary, Cambridge Upper Secondary, Cambridge International IGCSE, and Cambridge AS & A Levels.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio The school has an excellent student-teacher ratio.	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression Students are prepared for university study and are sent to universities and colleges in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe and South Africa.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	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 1. Begin the admissions process by visiting the campus or contacting the admissions team. Prospective parents and students can visit the campus on weekdays between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm for orientation. To start admissions, pay the non-refundable admission fee and fill out the admissions forms. Interviews are conducted to determine the appropriate class for the student. 2. Assessment. The assessment can occur during a routine school visit or at a later date. The student takes tests in English, Maths and Science to determine placement in a suitable class. The results guide placement to the appropriate class. 3. Acceptance. After the assessments, reserve a place by paying the non-refundable admission fee and completing the admission forms. The placement aims to ensure the student is enrolled in the correct year level. 4. Documents. Along with the admission forms, provide: 1 coloured passport photo of the child; 1 passport photo for the person responsible for picking up the child; medical information including immunization, allergies and any other health concerns.	Admissions GISU admits students from all over the world and follows the Cambridge International Curriculum in both Primary and Secondary. Placement is dependent on the child's age, with other factors considered on a case-by-case basis. The Admission Package includes the following documents and forms: Application Form; Admission Form; Student Health Record Form; Report Cards from the past two years; Placement and Enrolment Policy and Procedure; Financial Agreement; Rules and Regulations; two passport-size photographs; School Calendar; Copy of Birth Certificate; Copy of Passport (for foreign students); and Payment of Admission Fee. Vacancies are available in Early Years, Years 1–6, Years 7–13. Plot 1077, Lubowa Estate, Entebbe Road (500 m after Quality Shopping Village).
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships GISU Merit & Needs Based Scholarship Programme provides partial or full scholarships to academically and socially gifted students commencing IGCSE or AS/A Level. Scholarships are awarded for an academic year and aim to identify students who would thrive in an international setting and would not be able to attend GISU without financial support. Scholarships may cover up to 100% of school fees for self-funding or partial self-payers; boarding fees are not waived; admission and caution fees may be waived for full scholarship recipients applying from outside GISU; tuition is covered for the grade studied, while uniforms and transport/extra-curricular fees are the student's responsibility. Selection is open to all nationalities and targets students entering Grades 10–13 who are candidates for full IGCSE or AS/A Level programmes; Sports Scholarships are one example of scholarship categories with criteria including demonstrated sporting talent, leadership, and English proficiency. The applicant review process includes a Scholarship Application Pack, site assessments, interviews, and the Financial Assistance form; University placements are assisted from Grade 10, but no university scholarship is guaranteed. GISU reserves the right to withdraw scholarships or to adjust criteria and the number of scholarships awarded.
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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