Acorns International School Kisaasi vs Orel-Vine International Academy
Acorns International School Kisaasi and Orel-Vine International Academy are both in Kampala, about 1 km apart. Both schools offer Cambridge A Levels programmes. Acorns International School Kisaasi also offers IB, and Orel-Vine International Academy also offers Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary), Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge International AS Levels. Published annual fees are UGX 2,240 - 11,058 at Acorns International School Kisaasi and UGX 450 - 9,900,000 at Orel-Vine International Academy, which puts Orel-Vine International Academy roughly 74351% higher. Both take pupils from 1 to 18. Typical class sizes are 20 at Acorns International School Kisaasi and 30 at Orel-Vine International Academy.
Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary), Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels
Pupils
Pupils
800
Pupils
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Typical class size
Typical class size
20
Typical class size
30
Instruction language
Instruction language
English
Instruction language
English
Opened
Opened
1996
Opened
2010
Bus service
Bus service
No
Bus service
No
Essentials
Essentials
Location
Location
Plot 328 Kisota Road, Kisasi, Kampala, Uganda (along the Northern Bypass, near Bukoto–Kisaasi). The Kisasi campus is part of Acorns International School, with other campuses in Bunga, Lubowa and Kigali.
Location
Uganda, Kampala area. Pre-school on Najjera (Kampala); Primary & Secondary on Nakasajja, Gayaza Road, Kampala.
Stages
Stages
Early Years (18 months–5 years), Primary (6–11 years), Middle Years (12–15 years), and Diploma Programme (16–18 years) within the IB Continuum (PYP, MYP, DP).
Stages
Pre-school; Primary; Secondary
School type
School type
International IB Continuum World School offering PYP, MYP and DP (and associated A Levels).
School type
Christian international school (Cambridge International education at primary and pre-school levels)
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
More than 50 nationalities represented among the student body.
Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
Learner Support Services (LSS) with an Inclusion Policy to identify and address learning needs.
Additional learning support
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Country affiliation
Country affiliation
Uganda
Country affiliation
Uganda
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
—
Religious affiliation
Christian
School day structure
School day structure
School days run 7:30 am–5:00 pm; Saturday 9:00 am–4:00 pm; Sundays closed.
School day structure
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Bus service details
Bus service details
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Bus service details
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Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Application and registration fees
- Registration (one‑time, non‑refundable): USD 400. Second child registration: USD 250. No registration fee for subsequent children. - Capital levy (one‑time, non‑refundable): USD 200 for the first child; USD 150 for the second child; USD 100 for subsequent children.
Tuition fees (per term and annual totals, by yearband)
- Crèche: Term USD 786 — Annual USD 2,240. - EYP1: Term USD 1,125 — Annual USD 3,206. - EYP2: Term USD 1,215 — Annual USD 3,463. - EYP3: Term USD 1,685 — Annual USD 4,803. - PYP1 & PYP2: Term USD 1,990 — Annual USD 5,671. - PYP3 & PYP4: Term USD 2,215 — Annual USD 6,313. - PYP5 & PYP6: Term USD 2,440 — Annual USD 6,954. - MYP1 & MYP2: Term USD 2,680 — Annual USD 7,638. - MYP3 & MYP4: Term USD 2,930 — Annual USD 8,349. - MYP5: Term USD 4,625 (two term entries listed) — Annual USD 8,788. - IB Diploma Programme: Term USD 5,820 (two term entries listed) — Annual USD 11,058. - Cambridge A Levels: Term USD 5,430 (two term entries listed) — Annual USD 10,317.
Textbooks and subject charges
- Textbook charges applied per programme and must be paid with tuition at enrollment or at the start of the academic year: MYP1–3 USD 220; MYP4–5 USD 380; IBDP USD 955; A Levels USD 430. Students must have required textbooks before their first class.
Other recurring or optional fees
- School lunches: Early Years USD 250 (term or plan as listed); Casual lunch USD 7 per meal; Primary & Secondary lunch plan USD 350. - After‑school clubs: EYP1–3 group package USD 400 (for 5 clubs); single club participation USD 100 per club. - After‑school care: EYP1–3 regular plan USD 310; Primary & Secondary plan USD 150. Casual after‑school care USD 5 per 30 minutes. Late pickup charge USD 5 per 15 minutes past regular after‑school hours. - Bus service (zone pricing): Zone 1 USD 300; Zone 2 USD 400; Zone 3 USD 500.
Uniforms and school clothing costs
- Secondary tie USD 8 per piece. PE kits USD 10 per piece. Primary trousers/skirts/polo T‑shirts USD 12 per piece. Secondary shirts/trousers USD 15 per piece. Sweaters USD 15 per piece. DP/A‑Levels blazer USD 45 per piece. PE uniform is compulsory for all students; full school uniform is compulsory from EYP3 onwards.
Discounts and referral
- Sibling discount: 7.5% discount on the tuition fee for subsequent child(ren). - Early payment discount: 5% discount on the tuition fee if the annual fee is paid before the start of the academic year. - Refer‑a‑friend: 15% reduction on one term's tuition following the introduction and admission of a new student.
Billing schedule, payment terms and penalties
- Billing schedule: Tuition is invoiced by term. Each term's fees are due by the end of Week 1 of that school term. - Penalties: Late payments incur a surcharge of 5%. Students with fees unpaid 30 days after the due date will be excluded from school unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Head of Finance. - Textbook charges (where applicable) must be paid with tuition at enrollment or at the start of the academic year.
Refunds and non‑refundability
- All one‑time charges at admission (registration and capital levy) are non‑refundable. Fees once paid are not refundable.
Payment methods and currency
- All fees are stated in USD. Payment in UGX is acceptable at the exchange rate indicated by the school office. Cheque payments are accepted payable to "Acorns International School." Bounced UGX cheques incur a UGX 50,000 bank fine and bounced USD cheques incur a USD 25 charge.
Boarding
- No boarding fees are listed; boarding is not applicable to this campus fee structure.
Notes on included items and exclusions
- Tuition covers classes, notebooks, stationery, basic supplies, and diaries but excludes examination fees, field trips, treks, and other specified charges.
Fee details
Tuition — Cambridge curriculum (per term) - Nursery: UGX 1,200,000 per term. Lunch: UGX 200,000 per term. - KG & PP: UGX 1,200,000 per term. Lunch: UGX 200,000 per term. - Year 1–Year 2: UGX 1,500,000 per term plus US$150 per term. Lunch: UGX 300,000 per term. Annual (3 terms): UGX 4,500,000 + US$450. - Year 3–Year 6: UGX 1,500,000 per term plus US$200 per term. Lunch: UGX 300,000 per term. Annual (3 terms): UGX 4,500,000 + US$600. - Year 7–Year 8: UGX 2,000,000 per term plus US$250 per term. Lunch: UGX 300,000 per term. Annual (3 terms): UGX 6,000,000 + US$750. - Year 9–Year 11: UGX 2,200,000 per term plus US$250 per term. Lunch: UGX 300,000 per term. Annual (3 terms): UGX 6,600,000 + US$750. - Year 12–Year 13: UGX 3,000,000 per term plus US$500 per term. Lunch: UGX 300,000 per term. Annual (3 terms): UGX 9,000,000 + US$1,500.
Tuition — National curriculum (per term) - P1–P7: UGX 800,000 per term. Lunch: UGX 800,000 per term (reported as the second column under National curriculum). Annual (3 terms): UGX 2,400,000 (tuition) + UGX 2,400,000 (lunch).
Family discounts - First child: full fees. - Second child: 10% discount. - Third child: 15% discount. - Fourth child: 20% discount.
Billing schedule and payment terms - Fees are published and charged on a per-term basis; the academic year is billed in three terms (trimester), so annual totals equal per-term amounts multiplied by three. - Fees are paid via bank (bank deposit / bank transfer). Bank slips can be collected from the school office. Specific due dates per term are not listed here.
Boarding - No boarding fees are listed; no boarding programme or boarding charges are indicated.
Other costs and typical additional charges - Lunch is charged per term as shown above and is listed separately from tuition. - No uniform fee, development fee, exam fee, or extracurricular price schedule is specified in the published fee structure provided here. Any optional club or activity fees and any exam or subject-specific charges are not listed in this fee schedule.
Refunds and adjustments - No refund policy or explicit refund terms are published in the fee schedule. Refunds or fee adjustments are not specified.
Accepted currencies and payment notes - Fees appear in Ugandan shillings (UGX) and in US dollars (USD) for certain year groups; the schedule notes that payments are made at the bank. Specific electronic payment methods (credit card, online payment portal, or mobile money) are not detailed in the published fee schedule.
Summary - Per-term tuition rates by year group and the separate per-term lunch charges are provided above; annual totals shown are calculated as three times the per-term amounts in line with the three-term billing structure. Registration is a one-time fee (UGX 100,000 for national registration or US$50 for international registration). Family discounts for multiple children apply as listed. Payment is made by bank deposit/transfer and bank slips can be collected from the school office.
Diving deeper
Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements
Boarding arrangements
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Boarding arrangements
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Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
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Uniform requirement
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Food options
Food options
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Food options
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House system
House system
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House system
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Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
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Governance and ownership
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Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
IB Continuum World School offering Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP), and Cambridge A Levels. The curricula span ages 18 months to 5 years; 6–11 years; 12–15 years; and 16–18 years. Languages Programmes include French, Kiswahili, family language and Spanish.
Curriculum details
The school offers Cambridge International Education at primary and pre-school levels.
Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
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Student teacher ratio
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Exam results
Exam results
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Exam results
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Higher education progression
Higher education progression
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Higher education progression
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Gifted and talented
Gifted and talented
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Gifted and talented
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Academic calendar
Academic calendar
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Academic calendar
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Wellbeing & support
Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning
Social & emotional learning
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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
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English as an additional language
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Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
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Mental wellbeing
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Safeguarding
Safeguarding
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Safeguarding
—
Safeguarding policy
Safeguarding policy
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Safeguarding policy
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Facilities
Facilities
Facilities overview
Facilities overview
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Facilities overview
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Sports facilities
Sports facilities
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Sports facilities
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Academic facilities
Academic facilities
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Academic facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
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Parent experience
Parent experience
History
History
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History
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Community
Community
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Community
—
Parent teacher association
Parent teacher association
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Parent teacher association
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Extra-curricular
Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual
Academic & intellectual
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Academic & intellectual
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Arts & creative
Arts & creative
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Arts & creative
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Cultural & language
Cultural & language
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Cultural & language
—
Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
—
Social & hobbies
—
Community & service
Community & service
—
Community & service
—
Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
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Leadership & professional
—
Lifestyle & wellbeing
Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
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Language provision
—
Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
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Bilingual teaching
—
Immersion programs
Immersion programs
—
Immersion programs
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Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
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Awards
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Accreditations
Accreditations
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Accreditations
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Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Step 1: Inquiry and Visiting Acorns. Families connect with the Admissions Office to schedule a personalised visit and tour of facilities. The visit provides a meaningful experience of classrooms, learning spaces, and extracurricular facilities. The Admissions Team supports families through this introductory step.
Step 2: Application Process. Families review the Year Band Guide, Fees Structure, and Admissions Policy. They confirm registration by paying the non-refundable registration fee of $600, with a discount for siblings. After registration, an online application form is shared by the Admissions Department.
Step 3: Placement Assessments. Applicants from PYP1 through DP1 complete placement assessments evaluating English, Mathematics, and Science to determine appropriate placement. These assessments also screen for learning readiness. For DP applicants, prior academic records and placement test scores guide placement decisions. Acorns does not admit students into MYP5 or DP2.
Step 4: Admission Confirmation. Enrollment is confirmed upon submission of all admission requirements. Families receive confirmation within 7–10 days. If a class is full, applicants are placed on a waiting list and notified as soon as space becomes available.
Admissions Timeline. Acorns operates rolling admissions. Applications are accepted throughout the academic year, subject to meeting admission requirements and space availability. Families may withdraw at any time during the academic year, in accordance with the withdrawal policy.
Enrollment under Learner Support Services (LSS). The school outlines clear strategies for identifying and addressing barriers to learning. Families share relevant developmental and learning information during the application process. Where support needs are identified, applications are reviewed by the LSS and Programme Curriculum Coordinators. Further details are available in the Enrichment and Inclusion Policy (download).
Admissions
1. Submit Admission Form. The school considers all applicants equally deserving and evaluates every application with great care. Families should take time to fill out the Admission Form in the Admissions section to provide the information the school uses to review applications. The Admission Form collects Student Info (Admission Number, Admission Date, First Name, Middle Name, Last Name, Date of Birth, Gender, Address, State, City, Zip Code, Mobile Number, Email, Previous School), Siblings Information, and Family Information to support the review. 2. Early Action timeline. Early Action applicants apply by the November 1 deadline and hear from the school by mid-December. The admissions team reviews each application with care. The process emphasizes careful evaluation of every application. Applicants should monitor communications from the admissions office for updates.
Scholarships
Scholarships
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Scholarships
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Waitlist
Waitlist
Waitlist: If a class is full, applicants are placed on a waiting list and notified as space becomes available.