Saudi Arabia, Riyadh
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British International School Riyadh operates across seven campuses in Saudi Arabia, including three in Riyadh: Al Hamra, Diplomatic Quarter, and Al Waha. In Riyadh, Al Hamra is located at 2786 Ibrahim Mubarak Said Ad Dusari in the Gharnatah District; the Diplomatic Quarter campus is at 3586 Alradaef Street, Al Safarat District; and Al Waha sits at 2822 Muhammad Ali Janah Street in the Gharnatah District. These campuses are part of one not-for-profit British international school network and offer cross-campus collaboration for families living in and around Riyadh.
BISR is an all-through school for ages 3–18, with nurseries through Year 12 on its Riyadh campuses. The Diplomatic Quarter campus offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for the 16–18 age group, while other campuses follow the English National Curriculum with GCSE and A‑Level pathways.
The school is co-educational (mixed-gender) and operates as a day school. Boarding is not offered.
Limited support for Additional Learning Needs (SEN). The school runs a Student Services programme with capacity for mild to moderate needs (e.g., dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, autism) and offers limited EAL support.
BISR is a British international school overseas and is accredited as a British School Overseas (BSO) and by the Council of International Schools (CIS).
There is no formal religious affiliation stated for the school.
Most campuses run a day that starts around 07:45 and finishes around 16:00, with breaks and a lunch period. At the Diplomatic Quarter campus, students may bring lunch or use catering options where available.
School transport is organized and run by the residential compounds in Riyadh. Families should register for transportation with their compound management; BIS does not operate a dedicated in-house bus fleet.
Tuition fees (per year and per term)
- Foundation 1 (Foundation): Annual (excl. VAT) SR 42,691; VAT 15% SR 6,404; Annual (incl. VAT) SR 49,095; Termly (incl. VAT) SR 16,365.
- Foundation 2 (Foundation): Annual (excl. VAT) SR 57,821; VAT 15% SR 8,673; Annual (incl. VAT) SR 66,494; Termly (incl. VAT) SR 22,165.
- Key Stage 1 (Year 1 & 2): Annual (excl. VAT) SR 60,071; VAT 15% SR 9,011; Annual (incl. VAT) SR 69,082; Termly (incl. VAT) SR 23,027.
- Key Stage 2 (Years 3–6): Annual (excl. VAT) SR 66,200; VAT 15% SR 9,930; Annual (incl. VAT) SR 76,130; Termly (incl. VAT) SR 25,377.
- Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9): Annual (excl. VAT) SR 72,717; VAT 15% SR 10,908; Annual (incl. VAT) SR 83,625; Termly (incl. VAT) SR 27,875.
- Key Stage 4 (Years 10 & 11): Annual (excl. VAT) SR 88,186; VAT 15% SR 13,228; Annual (incl. VAT) SR 101,414; Termly (incl. VAT) SR 33,805.
- Key Stage 5 (Years 12 & 13): Annual (excl. VAT) SR 93,855; VAT 15% SR 14,078; Annual (incl. VAT) SR 107,933; Termly (incl. VAT) SR 35,978.
Application and one-off/ancillary fees
- Application fee (new students at Al Hamra, Al Waha and Diplomatic Quarter campuses): non‑refundable SR 575 (inclusive of VAT). Not applicable to BAE schools.
- Assessment fee: non‑refundable SR 1,150 (inclusive of VAT); payable by bank transfer.
- Registration fee (new students): single non‑refundable fee SR 11,500 (inclusive of VAT). Re‑registration required (fee payable again) if a student has been away from school for three clear terms.
- Capital Development Fee (one‑time, non‑refundable for new students at non‑BAE campuses and for students moving from BAE schools): SR 11,500 (inclusive of VAT).
- Seat deposit: single refundable deposit SR 5,000 (no VAT). Refund conditions: refunded when the family no longer has a child at the school provided one month's written notice during term time is given to the Registrar and all issued school IDs (including those issued to family helpers/drivers) are returned.
- Resource deposit: single refundable deposit SR 1,500 (no VAT) (applies to the eldest child only). Repaid less deductions for damaged or lost school resources when the family no longer has a child at the school.
- Sibling discount: SR 1,000 per term discount for the third child; SR 1,500 per term for the fourth and any subsequent children.
- External examination fees (GCSE, AS/A‑level etc.): candidates pay their own entry fees plus a fair share of administrative costs (invigilation, courier, moderation). Costs for approved access arrangements are shared equally among candidates.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Tuition fees are invoiced per term in advance (invoices issued towards the end of the preceding term). Parents are required to pay the term tuition by the due date stated on the invoice.
- As part of onboarding, a virtual account is allocated by the finance team and tuition fees should be transferred into that virtual account (bank transfer). Assessment fees are explicitly payable by bank transfer. Failure to pay fees or failure to return for the commencement of the new academic year will result in the student being deemed to have left the school; re‑entry requires completion of initial registration procedures.
Boarding
- No boarding provision applies; the school operates as an international day school. There are no boarding fees.
Other costs and typical additional charges
- Uniform: full school uniform is required. Uniform guidance is published and uniform is available to order online via the official supplier Zaks (costs are charged separately at point of purchase).
- Transport: school bus services are organised and operated by residential compounds; families register for bus transport through their compound management office and associated transport charges apply through those providers.
- After‑school activities and external enrichment: some activities are delivered by external providers and may carry additional fees payable to those providers.
Refunds and non‑refundables (summary)
- Non‑refundable: application fee, assessment fee, registration fee, capital development fee.
- Refundable: seat deposit (SR 5,000) and resource deposit (SR 1,500) are refundable subject to the stated conditions and less any deductions for damaged or missing resources.
VAT and exemptions
- VAT is applied at 15% where indicated in the fee breakdown. Saudi nationals are eligible for VAT exemption where applicable; families who believe they are eligible should contact the school finance department for assistance.
Payment methods accepted (summary)
- Tuition and other charges are paid by bank transfer into the allocated virtual account established by the school finance team. Assessment fees are payable by bank transfer. Specific campus onboarding provides the virtual account details. No other payment methods are specified in the fee and admissions information provided.
The student body comprises students from over 90 nationalities. The most common nationality is not published, and exact local-to-international ratios are not publicly disclosed; the school presents a highly diverse international mix.