Kuwait American School vs Northwest Bilingual School
Kuwait American School and Northwest Bilingual School are both in Kuwait City, about 15 km apart. Both schools offer American programmes. Kuwait American School also offers Advanced Placement (AP), and Northwest Bilingual School also offers Bespoke. Published annual fees are close, at KWD 1,756 - 3,488 for Kuwait American School and KWD 1,491 - 4,100 for Northwest Bilingual School. Kuwait American School takes pupils from 4 to 18, and Northwest Bilingual School from 3 to 18.
The school is located in Farwaniya, Kuwait. Address: Block 2, Street 132. The campus is Northwest Bilingual School, Farwaniya. General and department contact numbers are published for inquiries.
Stages
Stages
—
Stages
Kindergarten, Elementary School, Middle School, High School (K-12).
School type
School type
—
School type
private, college-preparatory school.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
—
Pupil nationality mix
—
Additional learning support
Additional learning support
—
Additional learning support
—
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
—
Country affiliation
—
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
—
Religious affiliation
—
School day structure
School day structure
—
School day structure
Kindergarten hours: Gate opens at 6:45 am; Morning Assembly 7:10–7:20 am; first lesson starts at 7:30 am; dismissal at 1:00 pm. Middle & High School hours: day starts at 7:35 am and ends at 2:10 pm; drop-off from 6:45 am–7:30 am; pick-up at 2:15 pm.
Bus service details
Bus service details
—
Bus service details
The school does not offer bus transportation for late clubs.
Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Application / Registration Fee - A one-time registration fee of KWD 100 is charged at initial enrolment (paid with the application/registration).
Tuition fees by year group (annual amounts) - Kindergarten 2 (K2 / age 4): KWD 1,756 per year. - Kindergarten 3 (K3 / age 5): KWD 1,953 per year. - Grade 1 (age 6): KWD 2,936 per year. - Grade 2 (age 7): KWD 2,936 per year. - Grade 3 (age 8): KWD 2,936 per year. - Grade 4 (age 9): KWD 2,936 per year. - Grade 5 (age 10): KWD 3,130 per year. - Grade 6 (age 11): KWD 3,130 per year. - Grade 7 (age 12): KWD 3,130 per year. - Grade 8 (age 13): KWD 3,130 per year. - Grade 9 (age 14): KWD 3,488 per year. - Grade 10 (age 15): KWD 3,488 per year. - Grade 11 (age 16): KWD 3,488 per year. - Grade 12 (age 17): KWD 3,488 per year.
First-year total (example) - For a newly enrolled K2 student the total payable on first year entry is KWD 1,856 (KWD 1,756 tuition + KWD 100 registration).
Billing schedule and payment terms - All student fees and charges are required to be paid before the start of term (the school requires payment one week prior to the first day of school). Parents may opt for the school's deferred payment plan in which the annual tuition is paid in three instalments; the first instalment must be paid prior to the student's first day. Late or missed payments are handled under the school's standard accounting procedures.
Sibling discount - A family discount of 5% is applied to tuition for the second (and subsequent) child from the same family.
Boarding / Residential fees - Kuwait American School operates as a day school; boarding / residential provision is not applicable.
Other costs and typical additional charges - The following items are commonly charged in addition to tuition and registration; parents should plan for these potential extra costs: uniforms, textbooks and workbooks, transportation (school bus), examination and external assessment fees, extra-curricular activities and trips, and learning-support or English-as-an-additional-language (EAL) support where applicable. These items are normally billed separately from the annual tuition.
Refunds and non-refundable items - The registration fee is treated as non-refundable in normal circumstances; when an assessment is required and the applicant does not pass, the registration payment may be refunded after deduction of assessment costs (the school's published practice includes a deduction for assessment expenses in that scenario). Refunds or partial refunds for tuition or other fees follow the school's enrolment and withdrawal policy and accounting rules.
Fee payment options and practical notes - The school requires payment of the registration deposit and tuition to secure enrolment; parents are instructed to complete the requisite payment to the school's accounts office or cashier by the prescribed due dates. Payment in person at the school office or by bank deposit/transfer are the routinely used methods for Kuwaiti private schools; parents should complete the payment to the school's accounts office as directed during registration.
- Installment structure: 40% of the total fee due in the 1st installment, 30% due in the 2nd installment, and 30% due in the 3rd installment. Installment due dates: 1st — 01/09/2026; 2nd — 01/01/2027; 3rd — 01/03/2027.
- Registration fee is payable at the time of registration or re-registration and is non-refundable.
- Cash payments are not accepted. Accepted payment channels: K‑NET, bank transfer, or the school payment link. Late or missed payments may result in loss of any granted discounts, withholding of student report cards, suspension of access to online educational platforms, and other administrative or legal actions.
*Boarding fees*
- Boarding is not applicable for this school (school operates as a P–KG to Grade 12 day school).
*Other costs and optional charges*
- Consumable textbooks and school uniform costs are not included in the tuition figures and must be paid separately.
- Transport and meal subscription options are administratively available (transportation and student meal forms exist), but specific amounts for transport or meal plans are not listed in the published financial policy.
- Employer/third-party payment arrangements: if an employer/third party will pay fees, the school requires written confirmation from that payer; failure to provide confirmation within the school's stated timeframe may result in cancellation of the student's place.
*Refund and withdrawal rules*
- Registration fee: non-refundable.
- Withdrawal charge schedule: - Students who withdraw after attending from the first day up to 30 November are charged the 1st installment plus the registration fee. - Students who withdraw between 1 December and the end of the winter break are charged the 1st and 2nd installments plus the registration fee. - Students who withdraw from the start of the second semester (even if they attend only one day) are charged tuition in full plus the registration fee. - Students who do not show up on the first day of school are charged the KWD 100 registration fee.
*Discounts and special terms affecting fees*
- Sibling discounts (applied only for full-year registration and applied on the third/final installment): first sibling 5%, second sibling 10%, third sibling 15%. - Students whose fees are paid by their employer or sponsoring organisation are not eligible for sibling discounts; the school requires a written undertaking from the paying employer.
*Summary of payment methods and administrative notes*
- Payment methods: K‑NET, bank transfer, or the school payment link. Cash is not accepted.
- The school requires timely payment according to the installment due dates; failure to comply may remove discounts and trigger administrative actions including withholding of records. Employer confirmations of payment responsibility should be provided within the school's stated timeframe to avoid place cancellation.
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
—
Curriculum details
Northwest Bilingual School offers an American-based curriculum from Kindergarten through high school. Kindergarten uses a comprehensive curriculum aligned with New York Learning Standards, emphasizing language, math, science, and social-emotional development. The Elementary program uses Common Core ELA and Math, builds literacy through a balanced literacy approach, and integrates Social Studies and Science with C3 and NGSS; Arabic subjects follow Kuwait MOE. The Middle School program continues core subjects aligned to Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) in English, Math, Social Studies, and Science, with Arabic taught per MOE and integrated IT, Art, and Multi-media. The High School program is aligned to Virginia SOL for academics; Arabic follows MOE; graduates complete 30 credits and take TOEFL or IELTS to earn the school diploma. Across grades, the curriculum emphasizes literacy, numeracy, critical thinking, collaboration, and technology integration.
Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
—
Student teacher ratio
—
Exam results
Exam results
—
Exam results
To earn a Northwest Bilingual School Diploma, students complete 30 credits and take TOEFL or IELTS.
Higher education progression
Higher education progression
—
Higher education progression
Graduates are well prepared to attend competitive colleges and universities.
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
—
Admissions
1) Age and grade eligibility. The Kuwait Ministry of Private Education guidelines apply. Pre-Kg is 3 years old by December 31; KG1 is 4 years old by December 31; KG2 is 5 years old by December 31; Grade 1 is 6 years old by December 31; and age requirements continue in the same pattern through Grade 12. These age requirements determine the appropriate grade level for admission.
2) General admission criteria. The school welcomes applicants from local private, government and international schools. Returning students are given preference if tuition obligations have been honored and conduct has been good; siblings enrolled in the school may receive priority for new admissions. Prospective students are evaluated on past records, transcripts and letters of recommendations and must pass a standardized test in Mathematics, English and Arabic. Completed applications are assessed by the Admissions Department before a test/interview appointment is scheduled, and test results along with the Admissions Committee's review determine admission. Parents are notified of acceptance or rejection.
3) Documents required for admission. Completed Enrollment Forms in English and Arabic signed by the legal guardian; Two passport-sized photographs; Copy of birth certificate; Copy of immunization records; Copy of student's passport / Civil ID; Copies of father's and mother's passports and Civil IDs; Three years of previous school records and transcripts; For Kuwaitis, copy of father's/guardian's Kuwaiti nationality. The Ministry of Education requires that these documents be submitted to the school after acceptance.
4) Health and post-acceptance documentation. The Ministry of Education requires a Student Health File for all students, including copies of immunization records; Children under five must receive a BCG vaccination; Government clinics only provide health files. For students transferring from another Kuwaiti school: a Transfer Certificate and a Financial Clearance Certificate are required.
5) Legal requirements and residency. The father or the educational guardian must sign the admission documents; the mother cannot sign without legal authority documents. All students admitted must live with their parent(s) or an authorized guardian. Non Kuwaiti students must have a valid residency. The school reserves the right to reject an application if any legal documents are incomplete.
6) Grade-specific notes. KG Department: Pre-KG and KG1 are interviewed; there are no academic requirements for Pre-KG and KG1; KG2 students undergo a skill-based screening; Pre-KG and KG students must be toilet trained before scheduling the entrance appointment; students must be able to speak and follow basic instructions. High School Department: Students are expected to complete Grade 12 prior to turning 20; NWBS will not accept Grade 12 applications from local Kuwait schools except for students coming from abroad or with a Ministry exemption; students from Kuwait should join at least one year before graduation.
7) Special needs and study support. Special Needs: Northwest Bilingual School is not registered, designed nor accredited to educate students with special needs. Study Support: English Language Learners (ELL) program; Reading Support; Learning Support in Mathematics and Study Skills; AFL- Arabic as a Foreign Language; ISL- Islamic as a second language.
8) Overseas applications. Students applying from overseas must bring copies of school report cards/transcripts for the last three years; Report cards/transcripts must be certified by the Kuwaiti Embassy or Consulate in the country of origin; Medical file, residency and civil ID (if issued).
9) Tuition fees and payment. After the student file is complete: a tuition fee deposit of KD 100 is required to reserve a seat; If withdrawal is requested before July 1, a KD 50 deposit refund is provided. The first instalment is due before the first day of school; If enrolling during the first semester, the full annual tuition is due; If enrolling in the second semester, 60% of the annual tuition is due.
