Gyeongnam International Foreign School

GIFS is located at 49-22 Jodong-gil, Sanam-myeon, Sacheon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do 52533, South Korea. The campus sits in Sacheon, a coastal city in the province's south, near Sacheon Airport. It is accessible by regional roads and local transport serving the Sacheon area.

GIFS serves students from preschool through grade 12. It offers the IB continuum: Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP).

GIFS is co-educational and operates as a day school; there are no boarding facilities.

The school provides English language learning (ELL) support with two streams (ELL in-class and remedial tutoring). There is a dedicated SEN coordinator to coordinate additional learning needs.

GIFS is an international IB World School located in South Korea and is not affiliated with a single country.

No religious affiliation is documented for GIFS.

The typical school day starts at 8:30 and ends at 4:30 on ASA days and 3:30 on non-ASA days.

GIFS offers a school bus service; buses are available and routes are arranged through the school (provider details are not publicly listed).

GIFS is an IB Continuum World School in Sacheon, South Korea, offering Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP). The school provides a continuous K–12 IB curriculum with PYP for Preschool/Kindergarten through Grade 5, MYP for Grades 6–10, and DP for Grades 11–12. The DP features a broad range of subjects across groups, including Mathematics (Analysis and Approaches; Applications and Interpretation), Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English A Language & Literature, English A Literature, Korean A LAL, Korean B, French Ab Initio, Spanish B, Film, Visual Arts, Psychology, Philosophy, Theory of Knowledge, and Korean language options. The PYP and MYP are organized around the IB transdisciplinary inquiry framework, with the MYP incorporating the Personal Project in its final year. The instruction language is English, with DP language options including Korean, French Ab Initio, and Spanish B; Korean A LAL and Korean B are also offered. GIFS also provides after-school clubs for Kindergarten through Grade 12 to support its IB programs.

Gyeongnam International Foreign School is an IB World School offering the Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, and Diploma Programme with instruction in English. The school lists dedicated IB coordinators for the DP, MYP, and PYP, and a University and Career Counsellor (Benjamin Guilfoyle) to support students' post‑secondary planning. Publicly visible sources note GIFS operates after‑school clubs and a Student Council for grades 5–12, including a Lifestyle and Wellbeing focus within clubs, which supports student social engagement. However, explicit, named school‑wide SEL curricula or programs are not publicly disclosed beyond these counselling and leadership structures. The IB framework emphasizes inclusion and student well‑being as part of the broader IB context, but specific SEL initiatives at GIFS are not detailed in public sources.

GIFS provides Special Educational Needs (SEN) support with dedicated staff and learning support for students with learning needs. Publicly available databases describe SEN provision, including access to an education psychologist. GIFS is not listed as a specialist SEN institution, but IB World Schools typically implement inclusive practices to support diverse learning needs. The school's SEN provisions, including the availability of learning support and psychology services, are corroborated by international school directories.

The language of instruction at GIFS is English. Public sources indicate language support for students not fluent in English, described as English Language Acquisition Support, within the school's student support framework. Some third‑party school profiles also mention an ELL/English language‑support pathway (including a two‑stream model in other descriptions of GIFS' EAL provision). The core IB materials confirm English as the main instructional language and the availability of language supports within the student services context.

Public sources confirm GIFS provides access to mental health resources, including an education psychologist as part of student services. The International Schools Database lists ‘education psychologist' as available for GIFS' student support. In addition, club offerings described by external directories include a Lifestyle and Wellbeing emphasis, implying opportunities focused on holistic well‑being. Taken together, GIFS appears to support mental wellbeing through both professional support and wellbeing‑oriented extracurriculars.

IB World Schools are expected to operate under local child‑protection laws and to provide information on safeguarding procedures. The IB inclusive‑education framework reinforces safeguarding as part of creating an accessible, supportive learning environment. GIFS' specific safeguarding policies are not publicly disclosed in accessible sources beyond these IB expectations. For general context, IB guidance on student protection and safeguarding is applicable to GIFS as an IB World School.

1. Check Eligibility: GIFS accepts applicants who meet at least one of these categories: expatriate children; a child from a marriage where one parent is Korean and the other is an expatriate; Korean children who were educated overseas for more than three years; or Korean children who are legally adopted by an expatriate family. Meeting one category makes a student eligible to apply. Prospective families should confirm their eligibility before beginning the application process.

2. Initiate Online Application: Start with the GIFS online application through the GIFS business office. An online application is preferred for initial submission. GIFS welcomes new students to join throughout the school year, and the school serves PreKindergarten through 12th Grade.

3. Admission Timeline and Grade Levels: Applications are accepted at any time during the academic year, which typically runs from late August to mid-June. GIFS admits students of all nationalities in PreKindergarten through 12th Grade.

4. Submit Required Documents: The application package includes a Registration Form and a Student Information Form. Non-Korean applicants must provide a copy of a foreign passport or a residency card; Korean students must provide a Certificate of Overseas Travel Record. Official transcripts from the previous school must be submitted. In addition, applicants may be asked to provide an Immunization Record, Medical Information Form, Power of Attorney/Waiver Form, and a Statement of Understanding of Refund Policy.

5. Admission Policy and Language/Entry Requirements: Elementary – PYP and Secondary – MYP require completion of the online application and may include an interview with school staff. Non-native English speakers must take the WIDA exam to determine language-support needs. For the Diploma Programme (Grade 11–12), applicants have an interview with the IB Coordinator; an English-language test is required if English is not the first language, with Cambridge FCE or equivalent as a minimum. Entry to Grade 11 may require evidence of sufficient progress, and, if progress is not adequate, the student may start Grade 11 again the following year; if the DP entry requirements cannot be met, an alternative course may be offered.

No scholarships or financial aid programs are publicly advertised by GIFS in the available admissions materials. The published fees structure focuses on registration, capital, curriculum and development fees, and tuition by grade, with no mention of merit or need-based scholarships.