Galaxy International School Uganda vs Rainbow International School Uganda
Galaxy International School Uganda and Rainbow International School Uganda are both in Kampala, about 7 km apart. Both schools offer Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge A Levels programmes. Galaxy International School Uganda also offers Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary) and Cambridge International AS Levels, and Rainbow International School Uganda also offers EYFS, British, IPC and BTEC Qualification. Published annual fees are close, at UGX 6,050 - 15,000 for Galaxy International School Uganda and UGX 2,750 - 17,195 for Rainbow International School Uganda. Galaxy International School Uganda takes pupils from 3 to 18, and Rainbow International School Uganda from 2 to 18. Rainbow International School Uganda is the larger school, with around 800 pupils to Galaxy International School Uganda's 400. Typical class sizes are 20 at Galaxy International School Uganda and 12 at Rainbow International School Uganda.
Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary), Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels
Curriculum
EYFS (Early years foundation stage), British Curriculum, IPC (International Primary Curriculum), Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels, BTEC Qualification
Pupils
Pupils
400
Pupils
800
Typical class size
Typical class size
20
Typical class size
12
Instruction language
Instruction language
English
Instruction language
English
Opened
Opened
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Opened
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Bus service
Bus service
No
Bus service
No
Essentials
Essentials
Location
Location
GISU is located in Lubowa, along the Kampala–Entebbe Road, about 9 km from Kampala. Turn off before Roofings Ltd. and continue along the housing estate, with the school about 500 m from Quality Supermarket on the main road. The address is Plot 1077, Lubowa Estate, Entebbe Road, P.O. Box 11119 Kampala Uganda.
Early Years, Primary, Lower Secondary, IGCSE and Cambridge AS & A Level programmes.
Stages
Early Years, Primary and Secondary.
School type
School type
International, co-educational school offering Cambridge International Examinations (Checkpoint, IGCSE, AS & A Level) with boarding facilities.
School type
Co-educational day and boarding international school.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
GISU takes in children with mild additional needs and supports them accordingly; learners with additional educational needs receive education through addressing their differences and including them in activities, with accommodations such as extra time for assignments or exams, use of technology, or adaptive equipment as appropriate.
Additional learning support
Learning Support is provided in Primary and Early Years with in-class and small-group interventions; in-house occupational therapy and speech and language sessions; Secondary offers in-class and small-group support, with differentiation and life-skills activities; a dedicated School House for interventions.
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
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Country affiliation
Uganda
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
No explicit religious affiliation; the school welcomes students of different faiths.
Religious affiliation
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School day structure
School day structure
Regular school day runs from 08:00 to 15:30. Meals are served centrally in the dining hall.
Bus transport is available; transport costs depend on distance.
Bus service details
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Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Application / Admission fee
- A one-time admission (registration) fee is payable for new students. The admission fee is USD 1,000 (non-refundable).
Tuition fees (per term and annual totals, by year group)
- Kindergarten (KG2 & KG3) - Term 1: USD 2,650 - Term 2: USD 1,750 - Term 3: USD 1,650 - Annual total: USD 6,050.
- Reception - Term 1: USD 2,850 - Term 2: USD 1,850 - Term 3: USD 1,750 - Annual total: USD 6,450.
- Key Stage 1 (Years 1 & 2) - Term 1: USD 3,450 - Term 2: USD 2,400 - Term 3: USD 2,250 - Annual total: USD 8,100.
- Key Stage 2 (Years 3–6) - Term 1: USD 4,400 - Term 2: USD 3,050 - Term 3: USD 2,750 - Annual total: USD 10,200.
- Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9) - Term 1: USD 5,000 - Term 2: USD 3,450 - Term 3: USD 3,150 - Annual total: USD 11,600.
- IGCSE (Years 10 & 11) - Term 1: USD 5,450 - Term 2: USD 3,850 - Term 3: USD 3,500 - Annual total: USD 12,800.
- AS / A Level (Years 12 & 13) - Term 1: USD 6,450 - Term 2: USD 4,450 - Term 3: USD 4,100 - Annual total: USD 15,000.
Book, exam and other recurring academic charges
- Book fees (annual, paid at registration): - KG2 – Year 2: USD 250 - Years 3 – 9: USD 350 - Years 10 & 11: USD 450 - Years 12 & 13: USD 350.
- Cambridge examination fees are charged in the relevant exam year and are payable in addition to tuition and book fees. Lunch and other facility charges are included within tuition. Transport is provided by a third-party operator with separate charges that vary by route and distance. School uniform costs vary by grade.
Boarding fees (where applicable)
- Boarding is offered from Year 7 to Year 13. Boarding fees per boarding student are: - Term 1: USD 2,450 - Term 2: USD 1,750 - Term 3: USD 1,600 - Total (boarding for the full year): USD 5,800.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Tuition is billed by term (three terms). Book fees are charged annually and are payable at registration. Lunch and facility charges are included in the tuition amounts. Transport and other optional services are billed separately. An upfront payment discount of 5% is offered where parents pay the full year in advance. A sibling discount of 5% applies for families with two or more children enrolled. The admission fee is payable once on registration and is non-refundable.
Other costs and optional charges
- Uniform: prices vary depending on grade; uniform purchase is an additional cost. - Transport: charged separately by a third-party transport provider; cost depends on route and distance. - Extracurricular activities fees (termly): - Early Years: Term 1 USD 100; Terms 2 & 3 USD 100 each. - Years 1–6: Term 1 USD 150; Terms 2 & 3 USD 150 each. - Years 7–13: Term 1 USD 150; Terms 2 & 3 USD 150 each.
Refund information
- The admission (registration) fee is non-refundable. Other refund or cancellation rules are governed by the school's financial agreement; full details should be confirmed with the admissions office.
Fee payment options and practical note
- The publicly available fee schedule and registration materials specify amounts, term billing and discounts but do not list specific payment channels (for example, specific bank account details, credit-card acceptance, mobile-money or online payment provider names) in the published fee schedule documents reviewed. Confirmed channels commonly used by schools in the region include bank transfer and school-approved electronic payment platforms, but the school's admissions or finance office should be contacted to confirm accepted methods and any transaction details or payment references to use. Contact options: +256 781 468 000 or admissions@gisu.ac.ug.
Summary of the most important items for parents
- Plan for a one-time, non-refundable admission fee of USD 1,000 at registration. - Budget tuition by year group on a per-term basis (three terms); annual totals are shown above. - Include book fees, examination fees and optional transport or boarding charges where applicable. Boarding fees for Years 7–13 are billed per term and total USD 5,800 for the year.
Tuition fees — Early Years (Nursery & Kindergarten)
- Nursery — Full day: Annual USD 3,500; Term fee USD 1,167; Monthly USD 350. Day hours 08:00–16:00; includes morning snack, lunch and evening snack. - Nursery — Half day: Annual USD 2,750; Term fee USD 916.70; Monthly USD 275. Day options 08:00–13:00 or 12:00–16:00; includes morning snack and lunch. - Kindergarten (KG) — Full day: Annual USD 4,500; Term fee USD 1,500; Monthly USD 450. Day hours 08:00–16:00; includes morning snack, lunch and evening snack. - Kindergarten (KG) — Half day: Annual USD 3,750; Term fee USD 1,250; Monthly USD 375. Day options 08:00–13:00 or 12:00–16:00; includes morning snack and lunch. - Early Years health package: USD 40 annually.
Tuition fees — Reception to Year 13 (per year group and term amounts)
- Reception: Annual USD 5,945; Term 1 USD 2,378; Term 2 USD 1,784; Term 3 USD 1,784. - Year 1 & Year 2: Annual USD 7,555; Term 1 USD 3,022; Term 2 USD 2,267; Term 3 USD 2,267. - Years 3–6: Annual USD 10,295; Term 1 USD 4,118; Term 2 USD 3,089; Term 3 USD 3,089. - Years 7–9: Annual USD 12,380; Term 1 USD 4,952; Term 2 USD 3,714; Term 3 USD 3,714. - Year 10: Annual USD 14,465; Term 1 USD 5,786; Term 2 USD 4,340; Term 3 USD 4,340. - Year 11: Annual USD 14,465; Term amounts listed as USD 7,233 and USD 7,233 (as shown in the fee schedule). - Years 12–13: Annual USD 17,195; Term amounts listed as USD 8,598 and USD 8,598 (as shown in the fee schedule).
Boarding and boarding‑related fees
- Boarding fee (optional): USD 3,500 per term. - Boarding health package: USD 200 (separate from the annual health package).
Other compulsory and optional charges
- Capital levy: USD 500 (one‑off payment). - Caution deposit: USD 500 (refundable). - Annual health package (general school): USD 40. - School lunch (annual): Primary (Year 1–6) USD 700; Secondary (Year 7–13) USD 800. - School bus (termly): Both‑ways USD 655 (termly) and One‑way USD 655 (termly) as listed in the fee schedule. - BTEC registration/administration fee: GBP 1,000 (one‑off payment). - Cambridge assessment / exam charges: Exam fees are charged per subject when the student is registered for the exam. Additional activities (field trips, extra curricular providers such as Lamda or special events) may attract extra charges. - Uniform: An onsite uniform shop is available; uniform is purchased separately through the school's uniform shop.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Standard billing is termly using the term amounts shown above for each year group. - Admissions/one‑off charges (admission fee, capital levy, caution deposit, BTEC fee, admission test fee, etc.) are payable as specified at admission. - Pro‑rata / mid‑entry charging rules: When a student joins after Term 1, 70% of the annual tuition fee is charged for Nursery–Year 10; Term 2 and Term 3 are shown as 35% and 35% of annual fees respectively. For Year 11–13 joining after Term 1, 70% of the annual tuition fee is charged at admission.
Refunds and refundable charges
- The caution deposit (USD 500) is explicitly stated as refundable. Other fees are charged as specified; refundable items beyond the caution deposit are not listed in the fee schedules provided.
Accepted payment methods and practical payment notes
- Cash: Cash is accepted in United States Dollars or the equivalent in Uganda Shillings; the school's accounts office applies the exchange rate on the date of payment. - Cheque / bank draft: Cheques or drafts must be payable to “Rainbow International School 2003 Limited” and should be delivered to the school accounts office; parents are asked to write the name(s) of their child(ren) on the back of the cheque. - Electronic transfer (EFT/RTG/telegraphic transfer): Electronic transfers are accepted; parents should obtain bank/transfer details from the school accounts office when arranging a transfer. Cash deposits to the school's bank accounts are also used for payments.
Practical notes on optional/additional costs
- Field trips, specialist activities (for example extra external exam or vocational programme charges, sporting or external providers), extra‑curricular provider fees, and special events may incur additional charges that are billed separately. Exam entry fees for Cambridge and similar awarding bodies are charged per subject.
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
GISU delivers the Cambridge International Curriculum from Early Years to Upper Secondary. Early Years uses the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. In Primary and Secondary, GISU follows Cambridge Primary, Cambridge Lower Secondary, Cambridge Upper Secondary, Cambridge International IGCSE, and Cambridge AS & A Levels.
Curriculum details
Rainbow International School Uganda follows the English National Curriculum at all stages. The Rainbow curriculum is broad-based and creative, with emphasis on core subjects such as mathematics, science, English and ICT, and also includes humanities, arts and physical education. Investigation, reasoning, problem solving and independent learning are central to the curriculum. The IPC is used in Primary, embedding its units and the eight Personal Learning Goals to develop international mindedness and learner dispositions. In Secondary, the English National Curriculum leads to Cambridge IGCSE and A Levels, with Post-16 options including BTEC qualifications. RISU is a COBIS member and is registered with the UK Department for Education, reflecting international accreditation and standards.
Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
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Student teacher ratio
Primary class sizes are capped at 24 with a 1:12 teacher–student ratio; Early Years has an adult–child ratio of 1:6. Secondary class sizes are smaller in many IGCSE and A Level classes.
Exam results
Exam results
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Exam results
The Prospectus notes a proven track record of excellent examination results.
Higher education progression
Higher education progression
Students are prepared for university study and are sent to universities and colleges in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe and South Africa.
Higher education progression
Rainbow students are prepared for entry into top universities globally. The school provides a dedicated careers advisor and sixth form with weekly careers lessons, work experience opportunities and university visits, with graduates progressing to universities such as the University of British Columbia, University of Bristol, University of Manchester, University of Sheffield, University of Birmingham, University of Edinburgh, York University, McMaster University, Michigan State University, Penn State and Nottingham Trent University.
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
—
Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
—
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
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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
—
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
GISU admits students from all over the world and follows the Cambridge International Curriculum in both Primary and Secondary. Placement is dependent on the child's age, with other factors considered on a case-by-case basis. The Admission Package includes the following documents and forms: Application Form; Admission Form; Student Health Record Form; Report Cards from the past two years; Placement and Enrolment Policy and Procedure; Financial Agreement; Rules and Regulations; two passport-size photographs; School Calendar; Copy of Birth Certificate; Copy of Passport (for foreign students); and Payment of Admission Fee. Vacancies are available in Early Years, Years 1–6, Years 7–13. Plot 1077, Lubowa Estate, Entebbe Road (500 m after Quality Shopping Village).
Admissions
The school has an Enquiry Form for Admission to begin the application process. The form asks for the student's date of birth and how the family heard about RISU (options include Rainbow Website, Facebook, Twitter). After submission, the admissions officer will get back to you as soon as possible.
Scholarships
Scholarships
GISU Merit & Needs Based Scholarship Programme provides partial or full scholarships to academically and socially gifted students commencing IGCSE or AS/A Level. Scholarships are awarded for an academic year and aim to identify students who would thrive in an international setting and would not be able to attend GISU without financial support. Scholarships may cover up to 100% of school fees for self-funding or partial self-payers; boarding fees are not waived; admission and caution fees may be waived for full scholarship recipients applying from outside GISU; tuition is covered for the grade studied, while uniforms and transport/extra-curricular fees are the student's responsibility. Selection is open to all nationalities and targets students entering Grades 10–13 who are candidates for full IGCSE or AS/A Level programmes; Sports Scholarships are one example of scholarship categories with criteria including demonstrated sporting talent, leadership, and English proficiency. The applicant review process includes a Scholarship Application Pack, site assessments, interviews, and the Financial Assistance form; University placements are assisted from Grade 10, but no university scholarship is guaranteed. GISU reserves the right to withdraw scholarships or to adjust criteria and the number of scholarships awarded.