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American Community School Beirut

Lebanon, Beirut

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees LBP 31,330 - 35,890
Ages 1 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 885
Type Co-educational
Opened 1905
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (DP), American Curriculum
Taught languages Arabic, French
Typical class size 20
Strengths STEM, Performing Arts, Languages
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Leadership and Professional
Stages Infant/Toddler Care, Early Years, Preschool, Kindergarten, Primary School, Elementary, Middle School, High School
Introduction

American Community School Beirut is an independent private, coeducational day school in Beirut, Lebanon, serving students from ages 1 to 18. It is accredited by the Lebanese Ministry of Education. The school offers three diploma pathways in high school: International Baccalaureate (IB Diploma), Lebanese Baccalaureate, and American Diploma. In Grades 9–10, students begin high school coursework with an inquiry-based approach and Harkness method across subjects; in Grades 11–12, students select a diploma pathway to focus toward university admission. The campus supports divisions: Bright Beginnings Daycare, Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle, and High School, libraries that house 60,000 records and digital resources worldwide. Signature programs include Harkness Learning, Innovation and Design Spaces (a Buzwair Science and Engineering Wing and a Makerspace), Outdoor and Nature Education, and Week Without Walls. ACS ONE at Summit near Deir El Qamar and SEA Ras Beirut Campus with maritime facilities. 100% of graduates matriculate to four-year universities.

The Essentials

American Community School Beirut has 885 pupils, typical class sizes of 20, instruction in English.

Location

ACS Beirut is in the Manara neighborhood of Beirut, Lebanon, located near the Mediterranean Sea. The campus address is 67 Nigeria Street, Jal El-Bahr (P.O. Box 11-8129, Riad El Solh, 1107-2260 Lebanon), and it serves the city of Beirut with an international community of students. The school community includes around 30 nationalities.

Stages

Bright Beginnings Daycare; Early Childhood; Elementary School; Middle School; High School.

Type

Independent private coeducational day school.

Country affiliation

Lebanon; The Lebanese Ministry of Education accredits ACS Beirut.

Religious affiliation

No religious affiliation; ACS Beirut enrolls students without regard to religious beliefs.

School day structure

Students arrive at school before 8:00 am. Pre-School dismisses at 1:25 pm; Elementary, Middle, and High School dismiss at 3:15 pm.

Bus service

ACS Beirut offers a bus service for 2025-26 with three round-trip lines (Line A, Line B, Line C). Line A serves Achrafieh, Mina El-Hosn, Ras El-Nabee, Mazraa, Ramlet El-Baida, Verdun, Hamra, Rawsheh, Bir Hassan, Jnah, Forn El-Chibak, Sin El-Fil, and Chiyah; Line B serves Mansourieh, Hazmieh, Jal El-Dib, Antelias, Jdaideh, Baabda, and Lwaizeh; Line C serves Dawha, Jiyeh, Rmayli, Awkar, and Rabieh. The bus fee is paid in USD in two installments, with the first payment due upon registration and the second due by January 2026; refunds and cancellations apply under the stated terms. The service is provided by Allo Transport; inquiries can be sent to ACSBuses@acs.edu.lb.

Fees

Annual tuition at American Community School Beirut ranges from LBP 31,330 to LBP 35,890 for 2026/27.

Application fees

- Non-refundable application processing fee: USD 105.
- Non-refundable entrance/test fee (charged upon review of application): USD 100 (applies when testing is required).

One-time capital / development fee (new students only)

- Capital Development Fee (paid in USD cash by new students): USD 4,000.

Tuition fees (per term and total by year group)

All tuition amounts below are stated in US dollars with the per-installment schedule shown. Installment due dates are listed in the billing schedule section.

- Early Childhood — Nursery & KG I:
- 1st installment: USD 670
- 2nd installment: USD 4,510
- 3rd installment: USD 4,510
- 4th installment: USD 4,460
- Total annual tuition: USD 14,150.

- Early Childhood — KG II:
- 1st installment: USD 670
- 2nd installment: USD 5,200
- 3rd installment: USD 5,200
- 4th installment: USD 5,120
- Total annual tuition: USD 16,190.

- Grades 1–2:
- 1st installment: USD 670
- 2nd installment: USD 5,420
- 3rd installment: USD 5,420
- 4th installment: USD 5,340
- Total annual tuition: USD 16,850.

- Grades 3–5 (Elementary):
- 1st installment: USD 670
- 2nd installment: USD 5,420
- 3rd installment: USD 5,420
- 4th installment: USD 5,340
- Total annual tuition: USD 16,850.

- Grades 6–8 (Middle School):
- 1st installment: USD 670
- 2nd installment: USD 5,790
- 3rd installment: USD 5,790
- 4th installment: USD 5,770
- Total annual tuition: USD 18,020.

- Grades 9–10 (High School):
- 1st installment: USD 670
- 2nd installment: USD 6,050
- 3rd installment: USD 6,050
- 4th installment: USD 5,780
- Total annual tuition: USD 18,550.

- Grades 11–12 (High School):
- 1st installment: USD 670
- 2nd installment: USD 6,590
- 3rd installment: USD 6,590
- 4th installment: USD 6,420
- Total annual tuition: USD 20,270.

- Lebanese Baccalaureate (LB) Track (Grades 11–12 LB Track):
- 1st installment: USD 670
- 2nd installment: USD 6,320
- 3rd installment: USD 6,320
- 4th installment: USD 6,230
- Total annual tuition: USD 19,540.

Ancillary / auxiliary fees (separate from tuition)

- Ancillary Fee is charged in US dollars and is payable in USD cash in Lebanon or by transfer to the school's U.S. bank account. The Ancillary Fee is billed in installments aligned with tuition payments and may be waived if 100% of tuition is paid in USD cash or transferred to the U.S. bank account.
- Ancillary Fee instalment structure (example totals shown as charged per grade grouping):
- Nursery / KG I: installments USD 500, 4,250, 4,250, 4,230 — total USD 13,230.
- KG II: installments USD 500, 4,900, 4,900, 4,840 — total USD 15,140.
- Grades 1–5: installments USD 500, 5,100, 5,100, 5,050 — total USD 15,750.
- Grades 6–8: installments USD 500, 5,450, 5,450, 5,450 — total USD 16,850.
- Grades 9–10: installments USD 500, 5,700, 5,700, 5,440 — total USD 17,340.
- Grades 11–12: installments USD 500, 6,200, 6,200, 6,050 — total USD 18,950.
- LB Track: installments USD 500, 5,950, 5,950, 5,870 — total USD 18,270.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Standard tuition installment due dates (per the published fee schedule):
- 1st installment due: March 31 (first payment).
- 2nd installment due: July 25.
- 3rd installment due: October 31.
- 4th installment due: January 30.

- Tuition is stated in USD but billed in Lebanese Pounds (LBP) at the school's published LBP amounts or may be paid in USD cash; parents who pay tuition in LBP cash are required to pay the Ancillary Fee in USD cash (or transfer to the U.S. bank account to avoid the Ancillary Fee requirement).
- The first tuition installment and the capital/development fee for newly admitted students are required on acceptance; those payments are non-refundable.

Accepted payment methods and card surcharges

- Payment at the school cashier: local fresh checks, U.S.-based checks, and credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX) are accepted. Local and international USD credit cards incur processing surcharges when used at the Cashier Desk or online as posted by the Business Office. Specific surcharge rates published are:
- At the Cashier Desk: local USD card 2%; international USD card 3.5%.
- Online: U.S. card 3%; international card 5%.
- Wire transfers to the U.S. bank account and payments at local BLOM bank branches are accepted; U.S. checks can be mailed to the school's New York address with the student name indicated.

Transportation / bus fees (optional)

- Bus service is optional and billed separately. Fees are charged per route and are payable in two installments (first payment at registration; second payment due by January). Some routes require a minimum number of riders and may be cancelled with a full refund if minimums are not met. After two weeks of bus usage, no refund is made for the first payment in usual circumstances.
- Sample round-trip bus fees (two-installment split shown):
- Line A (central Beirut/nearby areas): USD 775 + USD 775 = USD 1,550 total.
- Line B (outlying areas such as Mansourieh, Hazmieh): USD 875 + USD 875 = USD 1,750 total.
- Line C (further suburban lines): USD 925 + USD 925 = USD 1,850 total.
- A 5% discount applies for the second child or more on two-way service only; one-way fares are 75% of the round-trip price. Payments for bus service are accepted in USD cash or by deposit to the transport account as instructed.

Uniforms and school store charges

- Physical Education (PE) uniforms are required and are ordered through the school's PE Uniforms online store; the store publishes ordering, collection, and exchange policies. Uniforms and bookstore purchases are additional costs borne by families.

Other potential charges

- Additional charges that are not part of tuition or the Ancillary Fee may include international exam fees (IB or other external examination fees), overseas book and educational supply costs, medical or health insurance components included in Ancillary calculations, activity or field-trip fees, and elective course fees where applicable. The Ancillary Fee covers many of the operational USD obligations such as technology licenses, IB fees, and some overseas educational supplies. Specific optional program fees (e.g., summer camp) are charged separately and follow their own payment and refund terms.

Refund information

- The first tuition installment and the development/capital fee paid on acceptance are non-refundable.
- Ancillary Fee refund rules: Ancillary installments may be eligible for partial refund if a withdrawal notice is submitted within the published refund windows; later installments generally have reduced or no refund entitlement. The school publishes specific refund deadlines and refund percentages for Ancillary installments (refund percentages vary by installment and by published deadline).
- Bus service refunds: if a route is cancelled due to insufficient riders, a full refund is issued; after two weeks of bus use, no refund is made for the first payment (exceptions apply only as specified in the bus terms).

Boarding / residential provision

- The school does not operate a boarding/residential program for current students; ACS functions as a day school. (Historically a boarding department existed but is no longer in operation.)

How billing appears and student billing access

- Itemised statements and bank details (including U.S. bank payment instructions) are available through the Student Billing Portal. The Business Office (Cashier Desk) handles in-person payments and can issue the online payment link; official payment channels include cashier, BLOM bank deposits, and wire transfers. Credit-card fees are applied as noted under accepted payment methods.

Summary of the principal fee items (concise)

- Application fee: USD 105; Test fee (when applicable): USD 100.
- New-student Capital Development Fee: USD 4,000 (USD cash).
- Annual tuition: ranges by grade from USD 14,150 (Nursery/KG I) through USD 20,270 (Grades 11–12), billed in four installments as listed above.
- Ancillary Fee: charged in USD in installments; totals depend on grade (examples listed above).
- Transport, uniforms, external exam/IB fees and optional program fees are additional.

(End of fees overview.)
Academics

American Community School Beirut teaches IB (DP), American Curriculum for students aged 1 to 18.

Curriculum

The school offers three diploma pathways in high school: International Baccalaureate (IB), Lebanese Baccalaureate, and American Diploma. In Grades 9–10, the school introduces students to high school coursework with an inquiry-based approach and the Harkness method across subject areas. In Grades 11–12, students choose one of the three diploma pathways to chart a focused path toward university. The school emphasizes clubs, community service, and arts initiatives through cross-divisional student-led activities and mentoring. University preparation is supported by University Counseling, PSAT/SAT testing, MaiaLearning college planning, and university visits, with 100% of graduates matriculating to four-year universities.

Student Teacher Ratio

The student-teacher ratio is 6:1. The High School average class size is 17.

Higher Education Progression

The school provides University Counseling to help students identify best-fit universities. It offers PSAT/SAT testing, MaiaLearning college planning, and university visits to support applications. All graduates matriculate to four-year universities.

Gifted and Talented

Gifted and Talented is considered in admissions; there is a Gifted and Talented designation on the application.

Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

Counseling services are an integral part of ACS. The SEL Counseling Program places emphasis on an integrative SEL approach aligned with the American School Counselor Association and the International School Counselor Association. It uses a proactive, student-centered, global approach to work with students, parents, and teachers from PreK through 12. Counselors provide prevention and interventions, help students develop executive functioning and interpersonal skills, offer individual, group, and family counseling, run parent and student workshops, manage transitions, and coordinate with Learning Support Services and the College Counselor to link families with ongoing therapy and community supports.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

The Learning Support Team enhances the learning experiences of students with diagnosed learning challenges who can attend regular classes with minimal support. They help students develop study habits, time management, organization, and self-advocacy; develop support plans that build on strengths; and coordinate with teachers, parents, and outside professionals to implement intervention strategies. They use a diverse range of assessments, including NWEA MAP and WIDA, to identify needs, target support efficiently, and monitor progress. They cannot provide individualized educational plans (IEP) or modify the curriculum for individual students.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

The English Language Learning (ELL) program enables students whose first language or prior language of instruction is not English to develop language skills and study at grade level. The ELL program is offered in grades 1–5; in grades 6–12, ELL is offered on an as-needed basis. The ELL team identifies students through proficiency assessment, provides differentiated support, and regularly reports progress to parents. An ELL Specialist plans and delivers the ELL services, which may include individual or small group instruction.

Mental Wellbeing

Promoting health and well-being is a vital component of ACS Student Services, taking a holistic approach to physical, mental, and emotional well-being. School nurses collaborate with teachers, administrators, and parents to provide a safe and supportive learning environment, promote health education, manage chronic diseases, conduct health screenings, respond to crises, support mental health, and monitor nutrition services and physical education. ACS has three certified registered nurses on campus during regular hours, two health centers fully equipped with medications and first-aid supplies, and an on-site doctor available three times per week.

Safeguarding

ACS Beirut has adopted a Child Protection Policy based on international law, Lebanese law, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child of which Lebanon is a signatory, with key articles on protection from abuse and sexual exploitation. ACS partners with local institutions such as Himaya and AUBMC to support safeguarding. The school provides age-appropriate personal safety lessons for all grade levels, information sessions for parents, and annual faculty training on safeguarding. The Safe Schools program and related safeguarding resources are in use, along with a Code of Conduct and additional materials.

Admissions

Admissions

1. Begin the online application. The Online Application Form takes about 30-40 minutes to complete in one sitting, provided that the documents are scanned and ready for upload. ACS enrolls students without regard to race, creed, national origin, gender, or religious beliefs. A non-refundable 105 USD application fee is charged. 2. Prepare the required documents. The required documents include full academic records (transcripts for the past three years; translations if not in English) and MAP test results if applicable. Identification documents include the student's passport, Lebanese ID or a recent civil status record, a recent passport-sized photo, and a birth certificate for Early Childhood. Recommendation forms are requested via the online application; specialist reports are required if applicable; Non-Lebanese Program Applicants must provide equivalency documentation from the Lebanese Ministry of Education. 3. Submit the application and await notification. After all parts are submitted and the fee is paid, the admissions committee reviews the application and will notify with either a letter of acceptance, a letter of regret, or a letter confirming a place in the wait pool until spots are available. 4. Admissions timeline and outcomes. The 2026-2027 admissions calendar exists and updates will follow the stated timeline. After the review, notifications are issued with acceptance, regret, or wait pool placement; stay informed about the calendar for timing of communications.

Scholarships

The Scholarships Fund helps ACS maintain a strong and diverse student body. Named Scholarships provide need-based support to outstanding students from communities across Lebanon. Named Scholarships enable qualified students from underserved communities to be successful in ACS programs and to add to the diversity of the community. The Palestinian Scholarships Fund provides scholarships to Palestinian refugee youth to help them achieve their full potential.

Waitlist

The school maintains a wait pool for applicants. After the online application is submitted and the fee paid, a place in the wait pool may be offered until spots become available.

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