American Pacific International School vs Lycée Français René Descartes

	A American Pacific International School Phnom Penh, Cambodia	L Lycée Français René Descartes Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year KHR 12,307,182 - 26,177,816	Fees / year KHR 24,225,554 - 31,611,492
Age range	Age range 2 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 17 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational, Co-educational (boarding)
Curriculum	Curriculum Advanced Placement (AP), American Curriculum, Cambridge (Primary)	Curriculum French Curriculum, American Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils 1,150
Typical class size	Typical class size 17	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language French, English
Opened	Opened 2008	Opened 1951
Bus service	Bus service Yes	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location APIS operates two campuses in Phnom Penh: Daun Penh (central city, near Pasteur Street / Psar Thmey 3) and Pet Loksang (Toul Kork district). Both campuses are in established neighbourhoods with road links across the city. The Daun Penh site is in the city centre while Pet Loksang sits in a more residential/suburban area of Toul Kork.	Location The Lycée Français René Descartes is located at Rue Christopher Howes (Rue 96), Wat Phnom, BP 1132, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The campus sits in the Daun Penh district in central Phnom Penh, near the Wat Phnom area, with access to local transport such as taxis and tuk-tuks. The address is publicly listed as part of its Phnom Penh footprint.
Stages	Stages The school provides an Early Years/Early Childhood programme through Primary and up to Secondary (Nursery / Early Years to Grade 12). APIS follows international curricula including Cambridge programmes (IGCSE) and offers upper‑secondary qualifications.	Stages The school serves preschool through terminale (the final year of lycée). Classes range from petite section (maternelle) to terminale, and the curriculum includes the Brevet des Collèges and the Baccalauréat.
School type	School type APIS is a private, co‑educational international day school operating two Phnom Penh campuses.	School type The school is a co-educational day school; there are no public indications of boarding facilities.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support The school provides learning‑support and EAL-style assistance and has counselling services. A learning support specialist is provided. APIS is not presented as a specialist SEN institution.	Additional learning support The school follows an inclusive education approach. For students with special educational needs, LFRD provides three specialized teachers, an orthophoniste (speech-language pathologist), and a school psychologist who work with families to create an action plan and an individualized support arrangement.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation The school does not have any country affiliations.	Country affiliation The school is affiliated with France through the AEFE network (Agency for French Education Abroad) under agreement with the French government.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation No religious affiliation is indicated by the school.	Religious affiliation Religious affiliation is not listed; the school operates as a secular French international school.
School day structure	School day structure Typical hours around 07:30 start and 16:30 finish, with supervised before/after care offered (families can drop from about 07:00 and collection options extend into the evening).	School day structure Exact start and end times are not published publicly. The school provides on-site meals: Kindergarten meals around $3.60 per meal; Primary/Middle/High school meals around $4 per meal.
Bus service details	Bus service details APIS operates a school bus service.	Bus service details A publicly listed school bus service is not indicated on the site.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application & one-time fees - Registration / one‑time enrolment charges: KHR 881,949 (one‑time; registration). - Other one‑off first‑year items commonly shown in the school's published first‑year breakdown include a Material Fee (KHR 701,750), Capital Fee (KHR 461,150) and License/administration charge (KHR 320,800). These one‑time items are billed on first enrolment and are separate from annual tuition. Tuition — full annual amounts by year group (day students) - Nursery / Early Years (age 2, Nurs.2): KHR 12,310,700 per year. - Kindergarten 1 – Kindergarten 3: KHR 16,681,600 per year (K1–K3). - Grade 1: KHR 17,283,100 per year. - Grade 2: KHR 17,964,800 per year. - Grade 3: KHR 18,486,100 per year. - Grade 4: KHR 19,167,801 per year. - Grade 5: KHR 19,849,501 per year. - Grade 6: KHR 20,491,101 per year. - Grade 7 & Grade 8: KHR 22,696,601 per year (each). - Grade 9 & Grade 10: KHR 25,182,801 per year (each). - Grade 11 & Grade 12: KHR 26,185,301 per year (each). How tuition is presented / per‑term billing The school offers standard payment options (including payment of the full year) and promotional discounts for families who commit to a one‑year payment. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school publishes annual tuition amounts and applies one‑time first‑year charges at enrolment. The school promotes discounts for parents who pay for a full year in advance (one‑year payment offers have been advertised at enrolment events). Boarding fees - No boarding/dormitory fees are listed. Sibling discount - A sibling discount is published: 5% off tuition for the second child and 10% off tuition for the third and any subsequent children enrolled at the school.	Fee details Application and registration fees - First (initial) enrolment fee: USD 2,300 for students of Cambodian and/or French nationality; USD 3,042 for students of other nationalities. - Re-enrolment (registration) fee: USD 496 for Cambodian and/or French nationality; USD 571 for other nationalities. Annual tuition fees by school level - Primary (per year): USD 5,526 for Cambodian and/or French nationality; USD 7,415 for other nationalities. - Collège / Middle school (per year): USD 6,512 for Cambodian and/or French nationality; USD 8,720 for other nationalities. - Lycée / High school (per year): USD 7,362 for Cambodian and/or French nationality; USD 9,855 for other nationalities. Billing schedule and per-term amounts (annual fees split over three terms) - The school bills fees in three periods (trimesters) and applies the standard split of 40% of the annual tuition for the first term, 30% for the second term and 30% for the third term. Invoices are issued at the start of each period and are payable within 15 days of the invoice date. - Per-term amounts calculated on that 40% / 30% / 30% basis (amounts shown in USD): - Primary (Cambodian/French): 1st term USD 2,210.40; 2nd term USD 1,657.80; 3rd term USD 1,657.80. - Primary (other nationalities): 1st term USD 2,966.00; 2nd term USD 2,224.50; 3rd term USD 2,224.50. - Collège (Cambodian/French): 1st term USD 2,604.80; 2nd term USD 1,953.60; 3rd term USD 1,953.60. - Collège (other nationalities): 1st term USD 3,488.00; 2nd term USD 2,616.00; 3rd term USD 2,616.00. - Lycée (Cambodian/French): 1st term USD 2,944.80; 2nd term USD 2,208.60; 3rd term USD 2,208.60. - Lycée (other nationalities): 1st term USD 3,942.00; 2nd term USD 2,956.50; 3rd term USD 2,956.50. - Standard trimester calendar: 1st term = September–December; 2nd term = January–March; 3rd term = April–June. Billing and payment terms (key points) - Families may choose to pay annually or by trimester; invoices for each period are issued in advance and are payable within 15 days of the invoice date. - A family may request exceptional monthly instalment arrangements; such requests must be submitted in writing and require approval by the school's management/board. - Arrivals or departures during a trimester are handled on a prorata temporis basis with the rule that any month begun is due in full. - Consequences of non-payment include suspension of participation in activities, temporary exclusion from classes, and possible cancellation of registration if invoices remain unpaid beyond the stated deadlines. Boarding (internat) fees - Boarding is available for students in third (3ème) to terminale. The annual boarding fee (including accommodation and meals) is USD 5,200 per academic year. Pupils receiving school bursaries receive support on the same scale as their awarded bursary; transport for bursary students to family homes is included at the bursary rate. Other costs and typical ancillary fees - School meals: USD 3.60 per meal for kindergarten (maternelle); USD 4.00 per meal for primary, collège and lycée. - Extracurricular activities: charged per semester; indicative price ranges by activity are published (examples: homework help USD 55–70 per semester; various sports and arts activities typically USD 20–120 per semester depending on level and frequency). - Exam/registration-related fees and some other charges (exam entries, specific activity fees, certain material fees) are billed separately when applicable; exam fees are billed when registrations are made and are not refundable once the school has completed the registration with the examining authority. - The standard tuition fee covers several items: membership to the parents' association, loan of textbooks, civil-liability insurance, school supplies for primary and art materials for collège, as specified in the school's financial regulations. - No uniform charge is listed as a compulsory school fee on the published fee schedule; costs for optional items or specific equipment (sports kit, special materials) may apply and are billed separately when required. Refunds and non‑refundables - Initial enrolment (first-inscription) fees are non‑refundable. Exam registration fees are not refundable once the school has processed the entries with the examining authority. - For families leaving the school during a trimester, a prorated adjustment is applied with the policy that any month started is payable in full; the school requires account settlement and return of loaned materials before final departure formalities are completed. Accepted payment methods and practical notes - Accepted payment methods include bank transfer (bank details are provided on invoices), payment by cheque where applicable, and cash deposits following the instructions printed on the invoice; bank transfer fees are borne by the payer. Credit-card payment is not listed as a standard method in the published financial regulations. - Bank transfers must include the pupil's name, class and the period being paid so the school can allocate the payment correctly. Families whose fees are paid by an employer remain contractually responsible for timely payment and should ensure the school receives the funds by the invoice due date. Sibling discounts and reductions - Sibling reductions are published: discounts on first-inscription fees (e.g., a USD 50 reduction for the third child and USD 100 per child from the fourth child onward) and reductions on annual tuition (for example, 2nd and 3rd child: 8% annual reduction; 4th child and beyond: 10% annual reduction) as set out in the fee schedule. Contact for finance matters - The school's finance department can be contacted by phone at +855 77 414 965 or by email at finance@lfrd.net for invoice queries, payment instructions and confirmation of bank details. (Amounts and procedural rules are given in USD as published in the school's official fees and financial regulations.)
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 American Pacific International School (Phnom Penh) runs Early Years, Primary and Secondary programmes delivered within the Cambridge International framework and is described as a Cambridge-accredited institution. Early Years is play-based (preschool from about age 3) and the Primary programme (Grades 1–6) covers core subjects such as English, mathematics, science and social studies alongside arts, PE and language support. Lower and upper Secondary prepare students for Cambridge IGCSE examinations, and the school advertises post‑16 teaching posts and reports Grade 12 diploma outcomes consistent with A‑level/post‑16 qualifications. APIS also publishes English‑language support/immersion options, extracurricular programmes and on‑site facilities (labs, sports, arts), and operates a special‑needs preschool provision.	Curriculum details Lycée Français René Descartes (LFRD) in Phnom Penh provides the French national curriculum from preschool through terminale, aligned with AEFE standards and supported by the French Embassy. Instruction is delivered primarily in French, with English and Khmer offered as language options and language learning placed at the heart of the program. Cycle 2 (grades 1–3) covers French and mathematics, adds English and the host-country language, plus arts, physical education and civic education. Cycle 3 (grades 4–6) continues consolidation and prepares for secondary education; in the lycée, the 10th grade introduces Economics and Social Sciences (SES) and Digital Sciences and Technology (SNT) with electives and a weekly hours framework around 26–30 hours. From Seconde (10th) to Terminale (12th), core subjects include French, history-geography, sciences and modern languages, with a range of electives in 11th grade and Philosophy becoming compulsory in Terminale; final results count toward the Baccalauréat, with pathways to the Baccalauréat Français International (BFI) and a Section Internationale Américaine (SIA) available.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression —
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. Enquiry and campus visit Contact APIS Admissions to confirm which campus you want (Pet Loksang or Daun Penh) and which campus offers the required year level. Request an admissions pack or application link and ask about open days or arranging a guided visit. 2. Application form and documents Complete the application form (online or paper). Prepare the required documents, typically including the child’s birth certificate or passport, parents’ ID, recent school reports (for KG1 and above), immunisation records, passport photos, and proof of address. Confirm the exact document list with Admissions as requirements may vary by age and campus. 3. Application and registration fees Submit the application and pay any required application or registration fees. APIS publishes one-time and annual fees in its fee schedule. Keep payment receipts and confirm refund or transfer policies in case of non-attendance or withdrawal. 4. Assessment or trial Students may be asked to attend an observation, trial class, or placement assessment depending on age. Older students usually complete basic literacy, numeracy, and English assessments and a short interview. Ask whether trial classes or immersion options are available and how English support is provided if needed. 5. Offer and acceptance If a place is offered, review the offer letter carefully and pay the required entrance or registration fee and any deposit or first tuition instalment by the stated deadline. Check which fees are non-refundable and whether any promotional discounts apply. 6. Enrolment administration After payment, the school will confirm enrolment details, including start date, orientation, timetable, uniforms, lunch arrangements, and transport options. Complete all required medical and emergency forms and request any official letters needed for visa or residency purposes. 7. Orientation and transition support Attend parent and student orientation before the term starts. If English support is required, confirm EAL arrangements, progress reviews, points of contact, and any additional fees. Keep copies of all signed documents, offer letters, and payment receipts.	Admissions Step 1. Pre-registration for new admissions is conducted online via the EDUKA platform. The pre-registration campaign for the 202502026 school year for children not currently enrolled at LFRD is closed. A strict list of criteria governs first-time enrollment due to high demand. Step 2. Enrollment decisions for new registrations are processed online via EDUKA, with selection based on the established criteria. The school is accredited by AEFE and follows official curricula. Step 3. Required documents for new admissions include a valid passport, an ID photo, and a vaccination record; expired documents are not accepted. Step 4. Re-enrollment is completed in EDUKA using the Re-enrollment tab; the 202502026 re-enrollment campaign is closed. Payments must be made by May 8, balances must be zero, and scholarship applicants may have post-results payment arrangements. Step 5. For assistance, contact the Admission office via email and phone.
Scholarships	Scholarships APIS does not publicly advertise an ongoing academic scholarship programme.	Scholarships Two scholarship campaigns are organized each year by the French Embassy in Cambodia, in January and September. Scholarships are awarded under conditions of resources and are available to French residents in the consular district enrolled in AEFE-homologated schools. For more information, refer to the school's scholarship details and contact the secretariat for guidance.
Waitlist	Waitlist The school does not publicly disclose information on existing waitlist.	Waitlist —
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