International College Beirut vs LWIS City International School

	I International College Beirut Beirut, Lebanon	L LWIS City International School Beirut, Lebanon
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year LBP 882,627,422 - 1,031,586,503	Fees / year LBP 717,875,089 - 1,005,025,125
Age range	Age range 3 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (DP), French Curriculum, American Curriculum	Curriculum IB (DP), American Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils 3,650	Pupils —
Typical class size	Typical class size 18	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English, French	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 1891	Opened 2003
Bus service	Bus service Yes	Bus service Yes
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Ras Beirut campus on Hamra Bliss Street, Beirut, Lebanon (113-5373). Ain Aar campus is in Ain Aar, Lebanon. Both campuses are located in the Beirut area.	Location Down Town Beirut, Lebanon. The school is a private, international, English-medium day school serving KG1 to Grade 12. It offers Arabic as a first and second language, French as a second language, and Spanish at the high school level.
Stages	Stages Pre-K through Grade 12; Early Childhood, Elementary School, Middle School, and High School.	Stages Preschool, Elementary, Middle School, Senior School. The school serves KG1 through Grade 12.
School type	School type Independent, non-profit international school.	School type Private international day school. It operates English-medium instruction.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix Over 3,500 students; most are Lebanese; students come from Lebanon and other countries in the region and around the world.	Pupil nationality mix 46 nationalities represented; most common nationality is Lebanese (40%); local to international ratio is 40% local to 60% international.
Additional learning support	Additional learning support Learning Support is provided by Learning Support Teachers; accommodations are offered for the Lebanese Baccalaureate, French Baccalaureate, and International Baccalaureate exams; support with SAT and university admissions.	Additional learning support Learning Support Services. Modified and Individualized Educational Programs (IEP) are offered; support for learners with dyslexia, mild developmental delays, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and social, emotional and behavioral needs; includes In and Out of Class Support, Special Programs, and Out of Class Remediation.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation Massachusetts, United States (chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts).	Country affiliation —
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details Bus service is provided for Ras Beirut Campus and Ain Aar Campus. Online bus forms are submitted; routes include lines A, B, C and 1-2-3-4-L-M-I. A mobile locator app tracks buses and school location; bus fees are billed in the second and third trimesters; places are limited.	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Academic year: 2025–2026. Application and one-time enrollment fees - Application fee (one-time, upon enrollment): USD 199 (cash). - Capital / Development fee (one-time, payable on enrollment for new students): USD 4,000 (cash). Tuition — installment (trimester) amounts and annual totals - School year payment structure: three installments (trimesters) with the scheduled dates shown below. Each trimester amount is listed in USD; the school also records equivalent Lebanese Pounds amounts. - Preschool (per trimester and annual total): - 1st Trimester (April 2025): USD 2,700. - 2nd Trimester (September 2025): USD 3,290. - 3rd Trimester (January 2026): USD 3,290. - Annual total (sum of three trimesters): USD 9,280. - Elementary School (per trimester and annual total): - 1st Trimester (April 2025): USD 2,700. - 2nd Trimester (September 2025): USD 3,456. - 3rd Trimester (January 2026): USD 3,457. - Annual total: USD 9,613. - Middle School (per trimester and annual total): - 1st Trimester (April 2025): USD 2,700. - 2nd Trimester (September 2025): USD 3,740. - 3rd Trimester (January 2026): USD 3,740. - Annual total: USD 10,180. - Secondary School (per trimester and annual total): - 1st Trimester (April 2025): USD 2,700. - 2nd Trimester (September 2025): USD 4,073. - 3rd Trimester (January 2026): USD 4,074. - Annual total: USD 10,847. Instructional materials and IB fees - Instructional materials (charged by trimester in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters): - Preschool: USD 150 per trimester (September and January), total USD 300. - Elementary: USD 200 per trimester (September and January), total USD 400. - IB programme fees (charged across the 2nd and 3rd trimesters): - IB I (secondary): USD 400 in September and USD 400 in January, total USD 800. - IB II (secondary): USD 400 in September and USD 400 in January, total USD 800. Billing schedule and payment terms - Payments are scheduled in three trimesters with the following dates used for the listed amounts: 1st trimester — April 2025; 2nd trimester — September 2025; 3rd trimester — January 2026. Each trimester invoice reflects the amount due for that period. - One-time fees (application and development) are payable upon enrollment of a new student. - The school issues fee notes and instructs payment through the Business Office or the banks named on the individual fee note; fee notes list the exact balance due and must be used when settling fees. Partial payments less than the due balance are not accepted. Accepted payment methods - For the 2025–2026 schedule, payments are accepted in cash only. The fee note and business-office instructions indicate payment can be made at the Business Office or at the banks listed on the fee note. Boarding - International College does not offer boarding; it does not accommodate boarding students. No boarding fees apply. Refund and withdrawal rules - Capital / Development fee for new students: refundable only if a written request is submitted to the Business Office before the specified deadline (deadline described in the school's published circulars). After that deadline no refund of the development fee is made in any case. - First-trimester fees (first installment) for newly enrolled students: non-refundable in all cases. For returning students, the first-trimester fee is refundable only if a written request is submitted to the Business Office before the deadline specified for that year; no refunds are issued after the deadline. - No refunds are made for the second and third-trimester school fees in any case and for any reason. School fees are non-transferable to a third party (including siblings) after the stated deadline. Withdrawal prior to the start of the academic year may be treated differently for newly admitted students (see the refund provisions above). Other costs and incidental fees - Instructional materials and IB fees are charged in addition to trimester tuition as shown above. Additional incidental costs such as uniforms, transportation, lunches, specialist activity fees, exam fees, insurance or optional trips are managed and invoiced separately; customary items charged in prior circulars include instructional materials and IB fees as listed. Specific uniform and auxiliary-service fees are published in the school's fee notes and circulars.	Fee details Tuition fees (annual, USD) - KG1 – KG2 – KG3 (Preschool): USD 8,000.-. - Grade 1 – Grade 2 – Grade 3 (Primary): USD 8,800.-. - Grade 4 – Grade 5 – Grade 6 / Year 6: USD 9,400.-. - Grade 7 / Year 7 – Grade 8 / Year 8 – Grade 9 / Year 9: USD 9,950.-. - Grade 10 / Sec 1 – Grade 11 / Sec 2: USD 10,500.-. - Grade 12 / Sec 3: USD 11,200.-. New-student, registration and one-time fees - Processing (application) fee: USD 200.- (non‑refundable). An additional USD 100.- applies for Special Education assessment when required. - Development Fund: USD 3,000.- (non‑refundable, one‑time payment due at registration). - Registration fee (place confirmation): USD 1,500.- (non‑refundable). This USD 1,500.- is deducted from the second tuition installment. What is included in tuition and additional academic charges - Tuition includes rental of hard-copy books, workbooks, e-books, instructional materials, software and insurance. - Family reductions: 10% reduction for the third child and 15% reduction for the fourth child. - IBDP (International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme) charge: IBDP students (Year 1 & Year 2) are charged an additional USD 1,500.- per year to cover IB programme costs; IBDP Year 2 examination fees are paid directly by the parent/guardian. Grade 12 fees include graduation fees. - Special Education Supplement / Learning Support: charged only if required and determined case-by-case. An additional Special Education assessment fee (USD 100.-) may apply. Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition is billed in installments. The registration fee is applied against the second tuition installment. Payment of the first tuition installment is collected prior to the start of the school year during the school's scheduled payment/collection period (payment of the first installment and collection of uniform takes place in the week before term starts). - Historical payment practice shows a two‑installment structure (first installment ~50% before the start of term; remaining tuition due in a mid‑year installment), and a late‑payment penalty has been applied in past schedules (a late fee equal to 5% of the total amount due following payment deadlines). Cheques were previously specified as a payment method (payable to “City International School”) in published fee materials. Boarding - Not applicable. LWIS‑CiS operates as a day school; there is no boarding programme. Other costs and optional fees - School buses are available to parents for a fee; parents may opt to enrol children on the school bus service or provide their own transport. Specific bus-route and pass fees are charged separately. - School uniform is available for purchase from the school office; uniform costs are charged to families at time of purchase. - After‑school activities and some extracurricular programmes are run as optional services and may carry separate fees; these are managed outside the core tuition charge. Refund and withdrawal rules - Processing fee, Development Fund and Registration fee are non‑refundable. - Withdrawal policy applied in previously published fee schedules: a student who withdraws before the published mid‑year payment deadline was exempt from the second installment (but remained liable for the first installment in full); withdrawal after that deadline required payment of tuition for the full year. This historical policy has been published in the school's fee schedules and parent materials. Fee payment options - Cheque payments have been specified in published fee documents (cheques payable to “City International School”). The school collects the first installment in person during the scheduled pre‑term payment period; parents should use the published payment windows. Specific accepted methods beyond cheque (credit card, bank transfer, etc.) are not detailed in the publicly available fee documents reviewed here. If you will place these entries into a database: use the listed annual tuition amounts for each grade band, record the one‑time non‑refundable Development Fund (USD 3,000.-), Registration Fee (USD 1,500.-) and Processing Fee (USD 200.-), note the additional IBDP charge (USD 1,500.- per IBDP year), record that transportation and uniform costs are billed separately, and flag the school as a day school (no boarding).
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 IC offers four programs: the Lebanese Program, the French Program, the International Baccalaureate (IB), and the American College Preparatory Program. IC implements the Primary Years Programme across all early years and primary grade levels. After the PYP, students choose their program of study. All programs require students to study three languages: Arabic as the host language; a language of instruction (French or English); and an additional language (French in the English stream and English in the French stream). Other languages are offered at the Secondary School, depending on the program chosen. The school fosters intercultural understanding through communication in a variety of languages. The school reports a 100% acceptance rate to top universities in Lebanon, Europe, North America, and worldwide.	Curriculum details LWIS-CiS is a private international English-medium day school serving KG1 through Grade 12, with Preschool, Elementary, Middle School, Senior School, and an IB Programme. Arabic is taught as a first and second language, French is taught as a second language, and Spanish is offered at the high school level. The school emphasizes a learner-centered philosophy and a multinational curriculum, staff, and learners. LWIS-CiS is an IB World School and NEASC-accredited since 2011, and is a member of the LWIS Network. The campus features ICT labs, libraries, art rooms, science labs, a cafeteria, sports facilities, and an infirmary.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio Ratio of student to teacher: 5.5 to 1.
Exam results	Exam results IC publishes official exam results annually. The Official Exams Results page presents the 2024-2025 results and the 2023-2024 results, and celebrates student achievements. It includes a section that highlights where graduates go next, indicating university destinations.	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression Graduates have been admitted to a wide range of international universities, including American University of Beirut (Lebanon), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (United States), Columbia University (United States), University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom), and University of Toronto (Canada), among others.	Higher education progression Two-thirds of KG1–G12 students apply to AUB, with 84% accepted. Ninety percent apply to LAU, with 91% accepted. About 25% apply to universities abroad, with acceptances from institutions including Imperial College London, University of the Arts London, Hult International Business School, and City University of London.
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 Phase I - Enrollment Application Submission and Initial Review: complete and submit the online application form with all required documents; an email confirmation is sent once submission is successful; all applications are reviewed for completeness and eligibility, and follow-up communication is sent if any documents are missing; details must be accurate, including academic records and current contact information. Phase II - Qualified Submitted Applications (QSA): after the initial review, eligible complete applications are designated as QSA and invited to pay the non-refundable application fee of $199 to proceed. Phase III - Assessments, Interviews, and Ranking on the Qualified Candidates List (QCL): exams and interviews; applicants to Pre-K/ Petite Section participate in a qualifying interview, while applicants for higher grades complete entrance exams and grade-appropriate interviews; exam subjects may include French, English, Math, Arabic, and others depending on the program. Ranking on the QCL is based on entrance exam performance, interview results, academic records, submitted videos (if applicable), school recommendations, priority status, and assessment of relevant skills and competencies. Phase IV - Final Selection of Candidates: the Admissions Committee makes final selection decisions based on rankings; those with the highest performance are offered admission subject to available vacancies; candidates who achieve top results but have no vacancies may remain on the QCL for the current academic year or may reapply for the following year. General notes: admission is considered complete only after registration is finalized.	Admissions —
Scholarships	Scholarships The Scholarship Program is spread over three years, starting with the 10th grade. It mentors students through volunteering with grassroots organizations and culminates with students leading Community Service Projects (CSPs). The program also exposes enrolled students to national, regional and international competitions in fields such as social entrepreneurship, project design, implementation and evaluation, and public speaking, with the aim of providing students with the skills and tools to become active agents of change. For more information, please click here.	Scholarships The school has awarded scholarships to students, including Lynn El Mir receiving a full scholarship to AUB and Mario Fares receiving a scholarship to Harvard University. The school lists university acceptances to institutions in the United Kingdom (e.g., Imperial College London, University of the Arts London, City University of London, others), the United States (including Harvard University), Canada (Simon Fraser University, Carleton University), Switzerland (Hotel Institute Montreux, Glion, IMI), the Netherlands (University of Amsterdam), Spain (EU Business School), and Italy (Politecnico di Torino).
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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