Dasman Bilingual School vs International School of Kuwait
Dasman Bilingual School and International School of Kuwait are both in Kuwait City, about 30 km apart. Both schools offer American and Advanced Placement (AP) programmes, and Dasman Bilingual School also offers BTEC Qualification and SEN. Published annual fees are KWD 1,786 - 3,101 at Dasman Bilingual School and KWD 1,750 - 4,500 at International School of Kuwait, which puts International School of Kuwait roughly 28% higher. Dasman Bilingual School takes pupils from 2 to 18, and International School of Kuwait from 3 to 18.
American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP), BTEC Qualification, SEN focussed
Curriculum
American Curriculum, Advanced Placement (AP)
Pupils
Pupils
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Pupils
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Typical class size
Typical class size
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Typical class size
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Instruction language
Instruction language
English, Arabic
Instruction language
Arabic, English
Opened
Opened
1996
Opened
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Bus service
Bus service
Yes
Bus service
Yes
Essentials
Essentials
Location
Location
Sharq, Kuwait City, Kuwait. The campus spans seven buildings on a large private campus in the Sharq district, with facilities including two swimming pools, two auditoriums, football fields, indoor play areas for younger students, indoor and outdoor basketball courts, music rooms, computer and science labs, and a spacious cafeteria. It offers bilingual instruction in English and Arabic, blending the American and Arabic curricula.
Location
The school is located in Mahboula, Block 3, Street 306, Kuwait.
Stages
Stages
Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle School, and High School (K-12).
Stages
Pre-K through Grade 12 (preK-12 programs).
School type
School type
Private bilingual day school.
School type
International school offering an American curriculum with AP courses and an American High School Diploma.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
Special Needs Division; inclusive support through Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and vocational training.
Additional learning support
Full support for students with additional learning needs.
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
United States and Kuwait.
Country affiliation
American curriculum; Cognia accreditation; academic affiliations with College Board and British Council.
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
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Religious affiliation
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School day structure
School day structure
School days start with a 7:00–7:30 a.m. drop-off for all divisions. Pick-up times vary by division: Kindergarten 12:50–13:15, Elementary 14:00–14:15, Middle School 14:15–14:30, High School 14:30–14:45, SEN (A, D, S) 12:55–13:30, and SEN/Vocational 13:30–13:45.
School day structure
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Bus service details
Bus service details
Bus service with division-specific drop-off and pick-up times.
Bus service details
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Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Application and reservation fee - Non-refundable registration / tuition deposit: KD 100 (deductible from the first installment; reserves the student's place only until the first day of the school year).
Tuition fees (annual and instalment breakdown by school division) - Pre‑K / KG1 / KG2: Annual tuition KD 1,786, payable in three instalments — 1st instalment KD 714 (due 01 Sep 2025 / first day of school), 2nd instalment KD 536 (due 01 Jan 2026), 3rd instalment KD 536 (due 01 Apr 2026). - Elementary (Grades 1–4): Annual tuition KD 2,784, payable in three instalments — 1st instalment KD 1,114 (01 Sep 2025), 2nd instalment KD 835 (01 Jan 2026), 3rd instalment KD 835 (01 Apr 2026). - Middle School (Grades 5–8): Annual tuition KD 3,006, payable in three instalments — 1st instalment KD 1,202 (01 Sep 2025), 2nd instalment KD 902 (01 Jan 2026), 3rd instalment KD 902 (01 Apr 2026). - High School (Grades 9–12): Annual tuition KD 3,101, payable in three instalments — 1st instalment KD 1,241 (01 Sep 2025), 2nd instalment KD 930 (01 Jan 2026), 3rd instalment KD 930 (01 Apr 2026). - Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision: Annual fee KD 7,185, payable in three instalments — KD 2,875 / KD 2,155 / KD 2,155. Resource Inclusion (RI) annual fee KD 3,910, payable in three instalments — KD 1,564 / KD 1,173 / KD 1,173.
Billing schedule and payment terms - Standard billing schedule: three instalments with settlement dates shown as the first day of the school year (1st instalment) and fixed calendar dates for the later instalments — 01 Jan and 01 Apr. The full first instalment must be paid on the first day of the academic year. - The KD 100 deposit is non-refundable but is credited to the first instalment. Delayed payments may result in the school withholding the student's report cards until outstanding fees are settled. - Late registration: tuition is calculated from the student's first day at Dasman (no charge is applied for periods prior to joining). Public Authority (PAD) funding and associated timing rules are applied when applicable.
Boarding fees - Boarding: Not applicable. Dasman Bilingual School operates as a day school and does not publish boarding or residential fees.
Other costs and mandatory items - Crèche / KG waiting-room fee: KD 300 (non‑refundable; payable once on admission for the KG department). - Resource Inclusion (RI) sessions: KD 300 per session for one subject (weekly sessions across the year); this charge is payable in two instalments where applicable. - Textbooks and stationery: the school bookstore supplies required Arabic and English textbooks and standardized notebooks; parents who buy externally must match the school's specified items. Cost depends on selections at the school bookstore. - School uniform: uniform is mandatory and available for purchase at the school store; specific uniform pricing is not published in the school's financial policy.
Refund and withdrawal rules - Withdrawal during the school year follows the Ministry of Education (Private Education Department) rules applied by the school: if withdrawal occurs after the first instalment due at the start of the academic year, the school is entitled to 40% of the annual fees; after the second instalment due (01 Jan) the school is entitled to 70% of the annual fees; if withdrawal occurs after the third instalment due date the school is entitled to the full annual fees. The KD 100 deposit is non‑refundable.
Fee payment options and how invoices are handled - The school publishes a Parent Portal link (dasman.parents.isamshosting.cloud) for parents' access to portals and parent resources; invoices and fee administration are managed through the school's published financial policy and parent systems. Specific accepted payment instruments (for example, named credit card brands, bank transfer details or online gateway names) are not listed in the publicly posted financial policy documents.
Notes on regulatory adjustments - Tuition and additional fee charges may be amended in line with decisions by the Ministry of Education – Department of Private Education or the Public Authority for the Disabled; any such amendments are applied to all students for the relevant academic year.
(End of fees overview.)
Fee details
Application & Registration Fees
- Registration / seat deposit: KWD 100 (this deposit secures the student's place until the first day of the school year).
Tuition fees (per grade) — installment amounts and annual total (currency: KWD)
(Instalment amounts and dates are published together as the school's tuition schedule.)
Billing schedule & payment terms
- Published instalment schedule (example dates shown on the published schedule): 1st instalment due 25 August; 2nd instalment due 1 January; 3rd instalment due 1 April. The first instalment must be paid in full before the commencement of the new academic year. - The KWD 100 registration/seat deposit holds the place until the student's first day of the school year. - The published tuition figures exclude additional charges (see next section).
Boarding fees
- Boarding is not listed as part of the school's published fee schedule; no boarding/residential fees are shown.
Other costs and fees
- Items excluded from the published tuition schedule and billed separately: books, uniform, extracurricular activities, extra examination fees and school trips. - Any specialty or optional program charges (for example extra-curricular trip fees, exam centre fees or subject-specific charges) are additional to the tuition amounts above.
Refund information
- The published schedule states that the KWD 100 deposit secures the place until the first day of the school year. Specific refund terms for the deposit or tuition (for withdrawal or cancellation) are not itemised on the published fee schedule.
Fee payment options
- The published fee schedule does not list specific accepted payment methods (for example card, cash or bank transfer) within the fee schedule document. For payment method instructions, the school's admissions and reception contact details are provided in school communications.
Additional administrative notes shown on the published fee schedule
- The school's published fees are subject to change based on Ministry of Education approval.
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
The school uses a bilingual curriculum that integrates American and Arabic standards. The curriculum is accredited by CIS and NEASC.
Curriculum details
American-influenced curriculum with Pre-Advanced Placement and Advanced Placement (Pre-AP and AP) courses and an American High School Diploma accredited by Cognia. ISK is a SAT examination center and has affiliations with the College Board and the British Council to support college readiness. Fusion™ is the core learning framework, a student-centered, collaborative, and inquiry-based approach that integrates STEM, the arts, and well-being. The Renaissance Education framework emphasizes holistic liberal-arts development and encourages students to pursue their individual talents.
Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
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Student teacher ratio
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Exam results
Exam results
The school reports a 100% graduation rate. 55% of graduates pursue higher education at prestigious colleges and universities abroad (UK and US), while 45% continue their studies in Kuwait and the GCC. It is a licensed SAT exam center and a College Board-approved provider for AP exams. 90% of students take the IELTS exam through a British Council partnership, with an average score of 6.5 or above.
Exam results
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Higher education progression
Higher education progression
Dasman graduates study at leading universities worldwide, including Harvard, MIT, University College London, and McGill, with placements in Medicine, Engineering, Business, Law, and Computer Science. Alumni pursue degrees across the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Kuwait, and beyond, with scholarships and global opportunities noted.
Higher education progression
Pre-AP and AP courses prepare students for higher education; AP courses are recognized by universities worldwide. The American High School Diploma is Cognia-accredited and supports college admissions, and ISK provides SAT preparation and has College Board affiliations to aid university applications.
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
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Special educational needs (SEN)
Special educational needs (SEN)
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Special educational needs (SEN)
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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
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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
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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
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Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
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Social & hobbies
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Community & service
Community & service
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Community & service
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Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
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Leadership & professional
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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
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Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
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Bilingual teaching
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Immersion programs
Immersion programs
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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
1. Make an Enquiry. The Admissions Team answers initial questions and guides families through the next steps. The unique nature of the programs and limited grade-level availability means families are encouraged to follow the steps to ensure their needs are met with care.
2. Visit Us. Experience Dasman Bilingual School by scheduling a campus tour. The Admissions Team offers daily tours at various times to explore facilities and meet members of the School Leadership Team. This visit provides firsthand insight into the school's bilingual environment.
3. Submit Your Online Application. Applications are accepted online only. Upload digital copies of key documents, including identification, academic records, and any relevant reports for special education applicants. Ensure attachments are clear and readable to avoid delays.
4. Assessment and Evaluation. After submitting the application, an assessment date will be scheduled and you will be notified by email. For international applicants unable to attend in person, remote assessments may be arranged. Assessment results are communicated within 2–3 working days. Assessments vary by grade level: Kindergarten uses an informal interview with KG Academic Staff, while Grades 1–12 require formal assessments in English, Math, and Arabic. Special Needs and Vocational applicants may require psychological assessments and classroom observations.
5. Admission Decision. The Admissions Team will notify parents of assessment results within 1 day for Kindergarten and 2–3 days for Grades 1–12.
6. After Acceptance. Upon acceptance, pay a non-refundable KD 100 deposit to secure the child's seat within two days of notification. Submit transfer documents from the child's previous school to the DBS Registrar's Office.