American Pacific International School vs Paragon International School

	A American Pacific International School Phnom Penh, Cambodia	P Paragon International School Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year KHR 12,307,182 - 26,177,816	Fees / year KHR 22,077,001 - 42,929,731
Age range	Age range 2 - 18 years	Age range 2 - 17 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum Advanced Placement (AP), American Curriculum, Cambridge (Primary)	Curriculum Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary), Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, British Curriculum, Bespoke Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils 1,100
Typical class size	Typical class size 17	Typical class size 12
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English, Khmer
Opened	Opened 2008	Opened 1997
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 Paragon International School is located in the Svay Pak / Russey Keo area of Phnom Penh (Building No. 402, Plov Lom, Phum Lor Kombor, Sangkat Svay Pak, Khan Russey Keo). The campus is accessible from major parts of the city and the school lists a single consolidated campus address on its website.
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 runs Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary programmes (age bands shown as Kindergarten 2–5, Primary 6–11, Secondary 12–17). Age-level details and grade distribution are published on the school site.
School type	School type APIS is a private, co‑educational international day school operating two Phnom Penh campuses.	School type Paragon ISC is an independent international day school offering programmes from early years through Grade 12; the school operates multiple campus sections (Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary). The school website and campus pages do not advertise 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 Paragon publishes a Learning Support page describing a dedicated Learning Support department that works with teachers, teaching assistants and parents, runs awareness events (for example on dyslexia and ADHD), and participates in local SEN networks. The school uses in‑school interventions and refers to external specialists when needed.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation The school does not have any country affiliations.	Country affiliation The school is registered in Cambodia and is authorised/recognised by the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports; it also delivers Cambridge (CAIE) qualifications and holds international accreditation (CIS).
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation No religious affiliation is indicated by the school.	Religious affiliation Paragon ISC does not list any religious affiliation on its public ‘About' and accreditation pages; the provision is presented as secular/international.
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 Published information from school‑profile sources indicates a typical school day with families able to drop off from about 07:50 and school finishing around 15:30; exact start/finish times can vary by year group and term, so confirm with admissions for your child's year.
Bus service details	Bus service details APIS operates a school bus service.	Bus service details The school coordinates a contracted bus service for student commuting and lists a transport/registration page with contact details for bus enquiries; routes are organised into pickup/drop‑off zones and fees depend on location (term‑ or annual‑based payment options). For route details and registration you should contact the school transport team.
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 fees - Toddler–Pre-K: USD 60 (payable once on application). - KG–Grade 12: USD 120 (payable once on application). (These application fees are non‑refundable and non‑transferable.) One‑time enrolment / initial fees - Enrolment (one‑time on acceptance): Toddler–Pre‑K USD 750; KG–Grade 12 USD 1,500. These enrolment fees are non‑refundable and non‑transferable. Annual registration and capital fees - Registration (annual): USD 850 (paid annually; non‑refundable). - Capital fee (annual): Toddler–Pre‑K USD 600; KG–Grade 12 USD 1,200 (payable annually in two instalments; non‑refundable). Tuition fees — annual amounts by year group (USD, annual) - Kindergarten: Toddler (half day) USD 4,650; Toddler (full day) USD 5,500; Nursery half day USD 4,650; Nursery full day USD 5,500; Pre‑K (full day) USD 6,875; K (full day) USD 6,875. - Primary (Bilingual / International examples): Grade 1 Bilingual USD 7,660 / International USD 11,250; Grades 2–3 Bilingual ~USD 7,660 / International USD 11,250; Grades 4–6 Bilingual ~USD 7,970 / International USD 11,970. - Secondary (Bilingual / International examples): Grades 7–9 Bilingual USD 9,340 / International USD 12,910; Grades 10–12 Bilingual USD 9,720 / International USD 13,620. (Annual tuition varies by programme, campus and transfer status.) Billing schedule and payment terms - Payment options: full payment (early full payment discount: USD 100) or instalments. - Instalment schedules published include a two‑instalment option (1st due 31 August; 2nd due 31 December) or a four‑instalment option (1st due 31 August; 2nd due 31 October; 3rd due 31 December; 4th due 28 February). - Late payment penalties: USD 50 if less than 30 days overdue; USD 100 if over 30 days overdue. (If paying by instalments, equal splits of the annual tuition across the chosen number of instalments is a common practice — the dates above are the published due dates; instalment amounts will be set on the invoice / enrolment agreement.) Boarding - No boarding programme is listed for Paragon ISC; the school operates as a day school. Other costs and optional fees - Transport (school bus), lunch, clubs, external exam fees, extra uniforms and additional textbooks and co‑curricular charges are charged in addition to tuition; amounts vary by service. One set of school uniform and one PE set plus main subject textbooks are provided on registration. Refund information - The school explicitly states that application, enrolment, registration and capital fees are non‑refundable and non‑transferable. Refund rules for tuition or other charges are determined in the enrolment agreement and invoicing (no separate general tuition refund schedule is published on the public fee pages). Payment methods - Onsite payment at the Finance Office; online payment (enter school ID in payment remarks); bank transfer to ABA Bank (PARAGON EDUCATION CO., LTD.) with campus‑specific account numbers provided by the school. The school publishes bank transfer details on the fee page.
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 Paragon ISC's Kindergarten (ages 3–6) follows the Cambridge Early Years framework, organised into six learning areas: Communication, Creative Expression, Mathematics, Personal, Social & Emotional Development, Physical Development and Understanding the World. Primary (Grades 1–6) integrates the Cambodian National Curriculum with the Cambridge Primary International Curriculum and teaches core programmes such as English, Chinese, Khmer, mathematics, science, ICT, global perspectives, art, music, PE and robotics. Secondary offers both a Bilingual pathway (national curriculum in Khmer with selected Cambridge subjects) and an International pathway based on Cambridge: Cambridge Lower Secondary (ages 11–14), a two‑year IGCSE in Grades 9–10, and Cambridge Advanced (AS/A Levels) for pre‑university study, with subjects organised into Languages, Humanities, Sciences, Mathematics and Creative/ICT/PE. Paragon states its International Programme high‑school diploma is submitted to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport for equivalency with the national Grade 12 diploma; International Programme students are exempt from the Grade 6/9/12 national exams, while local students in the International stream must complete Khmer language, history and culture requirements for equivalency. The school also provides Cambridge assessment services (including Young Learners of English), functions as an SAT test centre, and runs extensive co‑curricular clubs, college counselling and awards (e.g., Duke of Edinburgh) to support student development and university progression.
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 1. Start an application (online form). Begin by completing the school's online application form; the form saves progress so you can return to it if you need more documents. The admissions page is the official first step and the Admissions Team will confirm receipt and outline next steps. 2. Pay the application fee when you submit. Paragon's published policy requires an application fee that differs by age group (e.g., Toddler–Pre-K and KG–Grade 12 are quoted separately on the school fees page); this fee is payable once at submission and is non‑refundable. Parents should have a USD payment method ready and note the exact amount for the child's level before submission. 3. Admission assessment (test/observation) and parent/student interview. After the application is reviewed, the school schedules the relevant entrance assessment — for younger children this may be an observation, for older children a placement/entrance test — and usually an interview that includes parents and the student. Bring recent school reports (if available), identification and any information about learning support needs; the school uses these to place students at the appropriate level. 4. Offer of place and confirmation steps. Successful applicants receive an Acceptance Letter; to finalise enrolment parents must sign the agreement form and pay the one‑time enrolment fee indicated in the school's fee policy. Be aware the enrolment fee is described as non‑refundable and non‑transferable in the school's published fee rules. 5. Registration and capital fees to secure the school year. In addition to the enrolment fee, Paragon publishes an annual registration fee and a capital fee (amounts vary by programme and age); the registration fee secures the child's place for the coming academic year and is also non‑refundable. Confirm which fees apply to your child's campus/programme (Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary and Bilingual vs International programmes can differ). 6. Payment methods, instalments and deadlines. All fees are stated in USD and the school lists bank transfer details and on‑campus payment options; Paragon allows full payment or instalment plans, and publishes discounts for full payment and sibling/alumnus/referral discounts. Ask the Finance Office for the current instalment schedule and any early‑payment discount deadlines before you accept an offer. 7. Final steps before term starts. After fees are paid parents will be advised about uniform and textbook provisioning (the school states one set of uniforms and main subject textbooks are provided on registration), transport, lunch options and optional charges (clubs, trips, external exam fees). The Admissions Team will tell you which original documents they need to see in person and will confirm the student's start date once the registration is complete.
Scholarships	Scholarships APIS does not publicly advertise an ongoing academic scholarship programme.	Scholarships Paragon publishes several scholarship routes and criteria on its campus pages. A common pathway is a scholarship examination or top public exam performance for students progressing into Secondary: examples on the school site include Grade 6 scholarship arrangements (scholarship examination and/or top Primary Checkpoint results) with awards that may be cash‑value grants or tuition coverage; the school page notes the top three Grade 6 candidates may receive awards (examples include a listed US$2,000 award in one notice and, in other notices, 100%/75%/50% tuition scholarships for the top three scorers) and states that registration and enrolment fees are waived for those winners. Other published scholarship criteria include high achievers at Grade 8, Grade 10 (IGCSE) and Grade 11–12 (AS/A level) with differing award levels, and some schemes are explicitly for Cambodian citizens. Scholarship places are limited and the school runs a specific scholarship examination or selection process — dates, qualifying rules and how many awards are available are set each year, so parents must contact Admissions for the current schedule and application requirements.
Waitlist	Waitlist The school does not publicly disclose information on existing waitlist.	Waitlist Paragon's public admissions pages do not publish a formal waiting‑list policy. Instead, their published process instructs families to secure a place by completing the application and paying the registration/enrolment fees once an offer is made; that implies places are confirmed on payment rather than via a publicly described waiting‑list mechanism. If you are concerned about capacity for a particular grade or intake, contact the Admissions Office directly — the school's site lists dedicated admissions contacts for Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary.
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