American Baccalaureate School vs American International School of Kuwait

	A American Baccalaureate School Kuwait City, Kuwait	A American International School of Kuwait Kuwait City, Kuwait
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year KWD 2,650 - 4,810	Fees / year KWD 2,650 - 4,531
Age range	Age range 3 - 18 years	Age range 4 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP)	Curriculum American Curriculum, IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP)
Pupils	Pupils 1,081	Pupils 2,100
Typical class size	Typical class size 23	Typical class size 22
Instruction language	Instruction language English, Arabic	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2006	Opened 1991
Bus service	Bus service Yes	Bus service Yes
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Abraq Khaitan, Block 6, Street #59, Ibn Zuhair Street, Kuwait. The campus is located in Kuwait. The facilities include over 100 classrooms, a networked library and media center, fully equipped science labs, four state-of-the-art computer labs, two full cafeterias serving hot meals, a gymnasium, and an indoor semi-Olympic size swimming pool.	Location Located in Salmiya, Kuwait (PO Box 3267, 22033). Mailing address: American International School Kuwait, Salmiya 22033. Courier address: American International School, Hamood Al-Naser Street, Medan Hawalli, Kuwait.
Stages	Stages Kindergarten; Elementary; Middle and High School	Stages Kindergarten through Grade 12, organized into Early Childhood, Elementary School, Middle School, and High School.
School type	School type Private, non-profit college preparatory school	School type Private, independent, co-educational day school offering an IB Continuum and an American curriculum.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix High school student body is 99% Kuwaiti.	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation The school has American affiliation.	Country affiliation No formal country affiliation; based in Kuwait.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure The school week runs Sunday through Thursday. The school day begins at 7:30 a.m. and includes a daily 20-minute homeroom advisory period, followed by seven 48-minute instructional periods. Extracurricular activities occur after school.	School day structure AIS Kuwait uses division-based schedules across EC, ES, MS and HS. EC and ES gates open around 6:45 AM; EC dismissal around 1:12 PM and ES around 2:00 PM; MS/HS bus gate operations and regular dismissal around 2:25 PM (bus) or 3:00 PM depending on division. Elementary starts at 7:20 AM; High School starts around 7:40 AM.
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details AIS provides bus transportation. Families register with the Transportation Supervisor. Buses are staffed by licensed drivers. AIS maintains a Bus Procedure Manual and Transportation Maintenance Manual.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fees - Application fee (new applicants): KWD 50 (non‑refundable). - Registration fee (payable at registration): KWD 200 (non‑refundable). Tuition fees by year group (annual and per installment for the 2025–2026 academic year) - Pre‑K: Annual tuition KWD 2,243. Installments: 1st KWD 1,025 (due 31 Aug 2025), 2nd KWD 1,018 (due 31 Jan 2026). - KG‑1: Annual tuition KWD 2,815. Installments: 1st KWD 1,310 (due 31 Aug 2025), 2nd KWD 1,305 (due 31 Jan 2026). - KG‑2: Annual tuition KWD 2,954. Installments: 1st KWD 1,380 (due 31 Aug 2025), 2nd KWD 1,374 (due 31 Jan 2026). - Grades 1–4: Annual tuition KWD 4,408. Installments: 1st KWD 2,105 (due 31 Aug 2025), 2nd KWD 2,103 (due 31 Jan 2026). - Grades 5–8: Annual tuition KWD 4,645. Installments: 1st KWD 2,225 (due 31 Aug 2025), 2nd KWD 2,220 (due 31 Jan 2026). - Grades 9–12: Annual tuition KWD 4,885. Installments: 1st KWD 2,345 (due 31 Aug 2025), 2nd KWD 2,340 (due 31 Jan 2026). Billing schedule and payment terms - Standard tuition billing is in two installments with due dates shown as 31 August and 31 January for the academic year schedule above. Installment amounts are listed beside each grade above. - Cheques should be drawn payable to: "Oxford International for Educational Services." Payment dates and installment arrangements are subject to change per school policy. - Sibling discounts: first child—no discount; second child—KWD 100 discount; third child—10% discount; fourth child—10% discount. Boarding fees - No boarding/hostel fees are published. Boarding services are not listed as part of the school's fee schedule. Other costs and mandatory additional fees - Photo: KWD 10 (mandatory). - Locker (Grades 3–12): KWD 10. - PSAT exam (Grades 9–11): KWD 10. - Agenda/planner (Grades 3–12): KWD 7. - Textbook fees, consumable text fees, lab fees, course‑specific materials (e.g., oceanography book, culinary arts class), Windows laptop requirement (Grades 3–12), and school supplies for KG are additional charges that are not included in the annual tuition and will be billed separately as applicable. Transportation charges and extra‑curricular activity fees are charged separately. Specific amounts for these items are set per item/program and billed in addition to tuition. Refund information - Amounts paid to the school are non‑refundable for the application fee (KWD 50), registration fee (KWD 200), tuition fee, textbook fee, transportation charges, and extra‑curricular activities fees. Fee payment options and notes on payment methods - The published fee schedule specifies cheques to be drawn to "Oxford International for Educational Services." No alternative payment methods (credit card, online portal, bank transfer) are specified on the published tuition and fees schedule. Parents should use the cheque instruction as the named payee when submitting payment per the billing schedule.	Fee details —
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 American Baccalaureate School uses the Common Core Standards. For grades K-8, there are grade-by-grade standards in English language arts/literacy and mathematics; for grades 9-12, standards are grouped into 9-10 and 11-12 bands. The standards are research-based, clear and aligned with college and career expectations, emphasize rigorous content and higher-order thinking, and mastery of the standards is essential for success in college, career, and life. They draw on international models and input from educators, researchers, assessment developers, professional organizations, parents and students, to prepare students for the global economy. A range of supports is provided for all students, including those with special needs and English language learners. The Diploma Program emphasizes strong foundations in English and Arabic literacy.	Curriculum details The school offers an International Baccalaureate (IB) Continuum with the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP). English is the language of instruction. Languages offered include English, Arabic (Language and Literature), Arabic as a Foreign Language (AFL), and French for language acquisition. The curriculum is standards-based and aligned with Kuwait's Ministry of Education requirements; Arabic is studied through Grade 9 and Muslim students study Islamic Studies. Science follows the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and IB DP alignment; Mathematics aligns with CCSS; Physical Education follows The Ontario Curriculum Health and Physical Education. AIS emphasizes university preparation and provides pathways to leading universities around the globe.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio Average class size is 20-23 students. ABS has a teaching staff of 229 individuals from over 39 countries.	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression The School Profile 2024-2025 shows graduates gaining admission to universities in the United States, Kuwait, the United Kingdom, and beyond. Examples of U.S. institutions include the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, UC Irvine, the University of Colorado, Michigan State University, Yale University among others. Kuwait institutions listed include Kuwait University, GUST, and the American University of Kuwait, and UK institutions include the University of Glasgow, Bristol University, City, University of London, and the University of Manchester.	Higher education progression Many AIS graduates attend top universities worldwide, with pathways to leading universities around the globe.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented Advanced Placement (AP) courses are offered to high school students starting in their junior year, including AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, AP English Literature and Composition, AP English Language and Composition, AP Computer Science Principles, and AP Biology. AP exams are held each May and can earn college credit or advanced placement depending on scores.	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. Eligibility and program fit. The school offers admission to both Arabic- and non-Arabic-speaking students. It provides a full English immersion program with an American-based curriculum for Kindergarten through Grade 12, taught by Western-trained teachers. The school invites families to visit the campus and contact the Admissions Office for enrollment guidance. 2. Application materials and submission. The application form and the Parent Checklist for KG, Elementary and MSHS are available for download. Complete these documents and submit them to the Admissions Office together with the required items. The Registration Office is open Sunday to Thursday from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm, and Saturday from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. 3. Screening, transcripts and immunizations. New students must demonstrate an ability performance level within ABS programs and provide report cards and/or transcripts from previous schools. Satisfactory screening/testing is administered by ABS or the Oxford Learning Center. An immunization record or waiver must be on file prior to the start of school. 4. Admissions decision and waiting list. When the capacity of each class is reached, those meeting the above criteria but not admitted will be placed on a waiting list in case an opening occurs. Families will be contacted according to the stated criteria if space becomes available. Applications for the following school year must be resubmitted during spring registration. 5. Priorities for admission. New students will be considered for admission in descending priorities on a space-available basis: children with siblings currently in attendance; Kuwaiti children applying from an American School; American children applying from an American school; all other children applying from an American school. Admissions decisions take into account the capacity of each class and the ability to meet program requirements. 6. Special needs and program scope. ABS does not have the programs and resources to assist those children who have special academic, social or physical needs.	Admissions —
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist The school maintains a waiting list when class capacity is reached. Eligible applicants meeting the criteria will be placed on the waiting list and contacted in the event that an opening becomes available. For the next school year, applications must be resubmitted during spring registration. Openings are offered based on space availability and the ordering of the criteria set by the school.	Waitlist The Admissions Committee may place the applicant on a waiting list.
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