HOPE International School vs International School of Phnom Penh

	H HOPE International School Phnom Penh, Cambodia	I International School of Phnom Penh Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year KHR 31,780,452 - 66,779,177	Fees / year KHR 38,450,324 - 118,806,593
Age range	Age range 3 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum EYFS (Early years foundation stage), British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, IB (DP)	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP)
Pupils	Pupils 400	Pupils 900
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size 22
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2002	Opened 1989
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location HOPE International School is on Street TryHeng 3 in Sangkat Krang Thnong, Khan Sen Sok, northwest Phnom Penh (close to the international airport). The school site gives a full postal address and phone contacts for the Front Office; the campus is described as a purpose-built site on the edge of the city with open spaces and sports fields.	Location ISPP's campus is on Hun Neang Boulevard, south of Phnom Penh city centre; the website includes a map and turn-by-turn directions. Two city bus lines (12B and 11C) stop within a short walk of the main gate; the school notes the nearest stop is about 200 m (≈4 minutes) away.
Stages	Stages HOPE runs from Preschool (entry from age 3) through Kindergarten and Primary (Grades 1–5), Middle School (Grades 6–8) and High School (Grades 9–12). High school students follow IGCSE in Grades 9–10 and may study either the IB Diploma or the HOPE School Diploma in Grades 11–12.	Stages ISPP serves ages 3 through Grade 12 (Early Years / PYP in Elementary, Grades 6–10 in MYP, Grades 11–12 in the IB Diploma). The site gives age/grade placement guidance and a chart for entry.
School type	School type HOPE is an international, co-educational day school that serves children of Christian workers and other international families. The school also operates a homeschool support program; boarding is not described on the official school pages (some third‑party listings mention boarding provision, so confirm with the Admissions office).	School type ISPP is an independent, non-profit, co-educational day school and an authorised IB World School offering PYP, MYP and DP; it is accredited by WASC and CIS. The school describes itself as parent-governed and reinvesting revenue into the campus.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support The website refers to a Student Support Team and procedures for wellbeing and pastoral care, and the school notes support for English language learners. Third‑party school listings indicate HOPE offers learning‑support roles (for example a Student Wellbeing Coordinator, guidance counsellor and Academic Resource Centre support staff); contact the school for current details and eligibility.	Additional learning support ISPP runs student support teams across Elementary and Secondary that include English as an Additional Language (EAL) programmes, targeted Learning Support (reading, maths, written language) and school counsellors; support can be in-class or in a Learning Support Centre. The site describes assessment on entry and exit criteria for EAL and collaboration with parents and external specialists as needed.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation HOPE is an international school based in Cambodia and was established to support missionary families; it is not presented as affiliated to a single foreign government or national system. Governance includes representatives from member mission organisations.	Country affiliation ISPP is an international school without affiliation to a single country; its materials describe a multinational student body and parent-governed structure.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation The school is explicitly Christian and describes its mission as providing Christ‑centred education; staff and board members sign a statement of Christian faith.	Religious affiliation ISPP is non-religious / secular in its stated information; the school presents itself as an inclusive international community rather than a faith-based institution.
School day structure	School day structure The campus opens to drop‑offs from about 7:30am and students arriving after 8:05am are recorded as late; whole‑school assemblies are scheduled around 7:50am and primary pickup procedures reference parents being allowed in hallways from about 2:25pm. The site also publishes a live school calendar (term dates, assemblies and half‑day events).	School day structure The school year runs August–June with about 180 instructional days; division-specific daily start and finish times are not posted on the public pages, and may vary by year group. ISPP's office hours are listed (07:00–16:30), and the After School Programme operates into the afternoon with late-bus departures at 4:15pm and 4:45pm. For exact daily start/end times and break/lunch schedules contact Admissions or the relevant division.
Bus service details	Bus service details The school's public pages do not include a dedicated daily bus‑transportation page, though the school calendar shows buses used for sports/event trips (for example buses leaving for fixtures). Third‑party listings are inconsistent about whether a regular daily bus service is offered, so it's best to confirm current daily transport options (routes, costs and registration) with Admissions or the Front Office.	Bus service details ISPP offers a limited paid daily bus/van service with seats allocated by route and priority for two-way riders and siblings; availability is not guaranteed for families outside established routes. The school publishes zone-based fees (Zone A / Zone B) and asks families to register at least five working days before service begins; the After School Programme also notes a late-bus option for activity participants. Check the school's bus page for current routes, zones and fees.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fees - A non‑refundable application fee of USD 100 per student is payable at application (cash or bank transfer accepted). One‑time / first‑year charges - New‑student enrolment/registration fee: KHR 2,406,000 (example shown for Kindergarten 1 as a one‑time charge). - Capital / school improvement charge (first year): KHR 4,090,200 (shown for K1). - These one‑time items are added to the first year's tuition total. Tuition fees by year group (annual totals by grade) - Kindergartens (K1, K2): KHR 31,679,001 per year (each). - K3 and Grades 1–5: KHR 46,475,901 per year (each). - Grades 6–8: KHR 52,571,101 per year (each). - Grades 9–10: KHR 63,558,502 per year (each). - Grades 11–12: KHR 66,566,002 per year (each). (Annual totals exclude the new‑student one‑time fees shown above.) Billing schedule and payment terms - New enrolments: once offered a place, families have one month to confirm by paying the required fee and specifying a start date. - Accepted payment methods listed by the school include cash or check to the cashier and bank transfer via ABA Bank (school finance handles invoicing and payment processing). Boarding fees - The school operates as a day school (no boarding facility listed). Other costs and typical additional charges - Typical additional charges shown in the school fee schedule include capital/campus fees and materials or technology charges and separate meal/canteen costs; meals are provided through the school canteen and billed separately. Exact items and amounts are invoiced in the school's additional fees schedule. Sibling discounts - Multi‑child discounts published are: 5% for a second child, 15% for a third child, 25% for fourth and subsequent children (applied to tuition). Refund information - The application fee is explicitly non‑refundable. Refundability of other fees (enrolment, capital, tuition pro‑rata rules) is defined in the school's fee schedule and standard finance terms; the application fee is stated as non‑refundable. Fee payment options - Cash or check to the school cashier; bank transfer (ABA Bank). The school's finance office handles payment processing and schedules.	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 HOPE delivers an English-medium curriculum taught with a Biblical worldview and links assessment closely to learning objectives; external IGCSE and IB examinations are used to validate student learning. Preschool (ages 3–5) follows the UK Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and reports against its seven areas of learning, with specialist Art, Music, Library and PE lessons. Primary (K–5) is based on the UK National Curriculum supplemented by integrated studies (science, health, social studies) and specialist subjects including Computing, Art, Music, Khmer or Korean language, Library and PE. Middle School (Grades 6–8) provides a continuum from Primary to IGCSE with core Mathematics, English, Science and SOSE plus Languages, Art, Music, Computer Science, PE, Christian Perspectives and a Health & Wellbeing programme. In High School, Grades 9–10 follow two-year Cambridge IGCSE courses (core English, English Literature, Maths, Coordinated Science and optional IGCSEs such as French, History, Computer Science and Additional Maths), and Grades 11–12 offer the two‑year International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (three HL, three SL, TOK, CAS and Extended Essay) with a HOPE Diploma pathway for students who do not complete the full IB Diploma.	Curriculum details International School of Phnom Penh serves students age 3 through Grade 12 and is an IB World School authorised to deliver the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes. Elementary (Early Years/Kindergarten–Grade 5) follows the IB Primary Years Programme, organised around transdisciplinary units with subject areas such as language, mathematics, personal/social/physical education, social studies, arts, and science & technology. Middle Years (Grades 6–10) follows the IB MYP framework in which students study two languages plus humanities, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical education and design, and complete a certificated personal project in the final year. Senior secondary (Grades 11–12) is the two‑year IB Diploma Programme: students choose six subjects across the IB groups (three at Higher Level and three at Standard Level) and complete the core components—Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge and Creativity, Activity, Service. ISPP also awards an ISPP (US-style) high school diploma accredited by WASC and offers alternatives for students not taking the full IB Diploma, including IBDP certificate courses and ISPP High Courses.
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. Initial enquiry and visit: Contact the Admissions office by phone, Telegram, or email to request information and arrange a school visit; the site lists phone numbers and the campus address for in-person visits. A visit is recommended so parents can see facilities, ask about grade-level placement, and confirm program fit before applying. Scheduling a visit also helps clarify fee expectations and the documents you will need to prepare. 2. Complete the online application and pay the application fee: Begin by filling out the school's online application form and submitting the required documents. A non‑refundable application fee of US$100 per student is due on submission and may be paid in cash or by bank transfer. Keep a copy of your payment receipt and the submitted application confirmation for your records. 3. Provide school records and (if applicable) missionary verification: Submit academic records for the past two school years (report cards preferred); if records are not in English, provide translated and authenticated copies. If you are applying as a missionary or full‑time Christian worker, include a verification letter from your organization with contact details and job information. These documents are used to assess historical placement and to advise on an appropriate grade level. 4. Placement testing (and ELL assessment if required): After the Admissions team reviews your application and documents, they will schedule placement testing—typically English and mathematics. Students who are English Language Learners will take an ELL assessment that covers writing, speaking, listening, and reading so staff can determine appropriate language support. Test results are considered together with records and recommendations when deciding grade placement. 5. Interview and admissions decision: The school may arrange an interview with a principal after reviewing application materials and test results. You will be notified of the admissions decision following the interview and review. If accepted, you have one month to confirm enrollment by paying the required fee and specifying a start date; if the student does not start within two months the offered placement may be withdrawn. 6. Enrollment formalities and orientation: Once tuition and required fees are paid, the school will complete the enrollment process and provide onboarding information for parents and students. New families are invited to attend an orientation session to learn school procedures, schedules, and expectations. Make sure you confirm payment deadlines and required documents (e.g., vaccinations, emergency contact details) before the first day. 7. Fees and follow-up details: HOPE publishes a dedicated Tuition & Other Fees document for the 2025–2026 school year and a separate Additional Fees document; these outline grade‑level tuition, payment methods, and any ancillary charges. The Admissions office can confirm current rates, available discount eligibility, and payment schedules—contact them if you need the specific fee table or a breakdown for your child's grade.	Admissions 1. Make an initial inquiry. Start by submitting the online Inquiry / pre-application through ISPP's admissions portal (OpenApply) so the school can confirm whether the grade you want is likely to have space and what the next steps will be. The Inquiry helps the admissions team provide grade-specific guidance and to tell you whether to proceed with the formal pre-application or tour. 2. Submit a pre-application and basic documents. If you decide to proceed, complete the Pre‑Application Form and pay the pre-application deposit (US$50). At this stage you should upload passport ID pages and recent passport-style photos and any reports related to learning needs; the pre-application places your family on the applicant list while you await confirmation of space. 3. Complete the full Application and pay the application fee once space is confirmed. When ISPP confirms a place is available you will be asked to finish the Application Form in OpenApply and pay the remainder of the application fee (total application fee US$250, which includes the US$50 pre-application deposit and a US$200 balance). Be prepared to provide at least two recent years of school reports in English, a copy of immunisation records, the completed ISPP immunisation form and, for Grades 2–5, a writing sample. 4. Provide school recommendation(s) and any additional documents requested. ISPP requires a confidential recommendation from the student's current school (submitted directly to ISPP) and may request extra documentation about academic history or support needs; recommendations must be provided by the current school via the specified contact method. Keep email contact details for the recommending teachers ready when you apply, since ISPP will not accept recommendations sent by other routes. 5. Expect staged assessment steps where needed. ISPP does not routinely require formal academic testing at admission but may request English language testing (for which a fee may apply) and/or an interview with the relevant Principal to confirm that the student can access the IB programme. Placement into EAL (English as an Additional Language) support will be used where appropriate and students exit EAL once they meet grade-level proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing. 6. Understand priority criteria and nationality limits. Applications are considered by priority (siblings of current students, enrolled students and children of diplomatic passport holders receive priority) and then by application date; ISPP also enforces nationality caps (Cambodian students are limited to 30% and other nationalities to 15% each) that can affect availability in many grades. Provide proof of nationality for the student and parents during the application process because the school uses that information to ensure compliance with the nationality limits. 7. Be clear about grade placement and age rules. ISPP places students by chronological age with specific September 1 cut-off ages (for example, Kindergarten = age 5 by September 1; Grade 6 typically age 11), and the school publishes a Dates of Birth / Grade Entry chart that you should check before applying. If a student's previous school calendar differs or there are other complexities, the Principal will make the final grade placement decision balancing age, academic continuity, language proficiency and social maturity. 8. Disclose any learning or support needs early. Parents must fully disclose any special education needs or learning-support history during the admissions process; ISPP reviews each case individually and may provide moderate learning support but may also decline or later ask a family to withdraw if the student's needs exceed the school's capacity. If your child receives therapies or specialist services, tell the admissions team and be prepared to provide formal reports so ISPP can assess whether it can meet those needs. 9. Receive an offer and attend to enrolment / entrance deposits and fees. If offered a place, you will be asked to pay an enrolment deposit or entrance fee (entrance fees are charged once for KG–Grade 12; an Early Years entrance deposit is applied if the child progresses to KG) and to complete final paperwork; parents or guardians are liable for fees on enrolment and for any re‑enrolment deposit required to secure a returning student's place. Review the school's tuition and fee schedule for payment options (annual, semester, term/quarter) and note that instalment plans incur a finance charge. 10. Know fee, refund and re-enrolment policies. Tuition fees are refundable only for full terms of non-attendance; other fees are non‑refundable, and late or non-payment can lead to penalties or de‑enrolment. Returning families must pay a re‑enrolment deposit (usually collected in the second semester) to hold a place for the next academic year—check the published timetable as the Board approves fee schedules in February and releases the following year's fee schedule in March.
Scholarships	Scholarships HOPE does not currently offer scholarships to prospective (incoming) students, according to the school's Frequently Asked Questions. However, the school states that enrolled families may be eligible for a limited scholarship program that provides temporary financial assistance in unforeseen circumstances, and that some discounts may be available for eligible applicants. For details about eligibility criteria, application procedures, and caps or durations of any assistance, contact the Admissions office directly; the school's fee documents for 2025–2026 and Admissions staff will clarify what temporary aid or discounts might be offered.	Scholarships ISPP operates a host-country scholarship programme that provides full scholarships to selected Cambodian students beginning at Grade 6 and continuing through graduation. The programme began in 2018–19 and each year ISPP has welcomed a new cohort into Grade 6; the school partners with community organisations (Cambodian Children's Fund and Indochina Starfish Foundation) to provide extra support to scholarship students and their families. Funding for the sustainable continuation of the scholarship programme is supported in part by the one-time application and entrance fees paid by new students, and the ISPP Board of Trustees has committed to maintaining these scholarships. The scholarship places are targeted to children from very low-income backgrounds and are selected in collaboration with the partner NGOs; the ISPP website lists current cohort counts and background on the programme.
Waitlist	Waitlist HOPE operates a waiting list system: if there is no immediate placement available after the admissions review, your child will be placed on a waiting list in accordance with the school's Admissions Policy. The published admissions information notes that offers must be confirmed within one month and that failure to begin within two months can result in loss of the offered placement; this timing also affects how long an offer is held before being released to another family. Parents should contact Admissions for their child's current position on the list and for guidance about likely wait times or alternative start dates—waiting‑list handling follows the formal Admissions Policy referenced on the school site.	Waitlist ISPP uses waiting lists when applications exceed available spaces in a given grade. Applicants who cannot be offered immediate placement are put on a waiting list and considered according to the school's priority rules (siblings, enrolled students, diplomatic passport holders, then by application date). ISPP staff will provide a realistic assessment of chances and timing where possible but do not publish waiting-list length or guaranteed timing; applicants may remain under consideration throughout the current academic year and also for the beginning of the following academic year (but new-year priorities apply). If the school cannot place an applicant by August of the following academic year, families are notified and offered the option to remain on the waiting list for the next year for an additional, non‑refundable fee. Families can also use the Pre‑Application to enter the applicant pool up to one year in advance (pre‑application deposit US$50) while they wait for space to open.
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