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Overseas School of Colombo

Sri Lanka, Colombo

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· Reviewed by · B2C Marketing Manager

Independently researched by doris.
Not yet claimed by the school
The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees LKR 4,999,728 - 10,735,103
Ages 3 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 309
Type Co-educational
Opened 1957
Bus Service Yes
Availability Not shared by this school
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP)
Taught languages French, Mandarin
Typical class size 20
Strengths Sport, Performing Arts, STEM
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Lifestyle and Wellbeing, Cultural and Language
Stages Early Years, Primary School, Secondary School, Kindergarten
Introduction

Founded more than 65 years ago, the Overseas School of Colombo is a non-profit, co-educational English-medium day school serving ages 3 to 18. It offers the International Baccalaureate continuum—PYP for Early Years to Grade 5, MYP for Grades 6–10, and the Diploma Programme for Grades 11–12—with self-taught mother-tongue support and online Pamoja options. OSC is the only IB World School in Sri Lanka. The school's motto, Unity in Diversity, guides a holistic, inquiry-based approach; the curriculum emphasizes international-mindedness, learner ownership, and, in the DP, Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and CAS. The five-acre, green campus houses six buildings, four science labs, three design labs, two libraries with over 25,000 volumes, and extensive arts and IT facilities, plus a 25-metre pool, gym, auditorium, and multiple playing fields. A broad after-school program includes AMC Math Club, Linguistic Adventures, COMUN, and SAISA, with service learning through CAS and Week Without Walls.

www.osc.lk

325, Box 9 Battaramulla - Pannipitiya Rd, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka

Vibes and Culture
The school has not added this information
The Essentials

Overseas School of Colombo has 309 pupils, typical class sizes of 20, instruction in English.

Location
325, Pannipitiya Road, Battaramulla, Pelawatte, P.O. Box 9, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka.

Stages
Primary School (Early Years to Grade 5) and Secondary School (Grade 6 to Grade 12). The IB continuum is offered: Primary Years Programme (EY to Grade 5), Middle Years Programme (Grade 6 to 10), and Diploma Programme (Grade 11 to 12).

Type
Non-profit, co-educational, English-medium day school; Pre-K to 12.

Pupil Nationality Mix
311 students; 40 nationalities represented.

Additional learning support
Mild Special Education Needs are provided for from Pre-School to Grade 8; support for learners with disabilities in Grades 9-12 is limited. English Language Development (EAL) is available across Primary and Middle School with limited support thereafter.

School day structure
School year starts in August; the year comprises two semesters: August–December and January–June. The schedule runs 40 weeks (180 days). The Secondary day includes four 75-minute blocks on a six-day cycle.
Diving Deeper
The school has not added this information
Fees

Annual tuition at Overseas School of Colombo ranges from LKR 4,999,728 to LKR 10,735,103 for 2026/27.

Application and Registration Fees
- Application fee: USD 250 per application (one-time, non‑refundable).
- Registration fee: USD 15,000 per child (non‑refundable). Payment options for the registration fee depend on enrolment point:
- Entry in Early Years: instalments of USD 2,000 (entry), USD 5,500 (moving to KG), USD 7,500 (moving to Grade 1) — total USD 15,000.
- Entry in Kindergarten: instalments of USD 7,500 (entry to KG) and USD 7,500 (moving to Grade 1) — total USD 15,000.
- Entry in Grade 1–12: full USD 15,000 payable in one instalment on entry.

Tuition fees (per semester and annual)
- Early Years: Semester 1 USD 7,150; Semester 2 USD 7,150; Annual USD 14,300.
- Primary School (Kindergarten): Semester 1 USD 10,765; Semester 2 USD 10,765; Annual USD 21,530.
- Primary School (Grade 1–5): Semester 1 USD 12,715; Semester 2 USD 12,715; Annual USD 25,430.
- Middle School (Grade 6–8): Semester 1 USD 13,345; Semester 2 USD 13,345; Annual USD 26,690.
- High School (Grade 9–10): Semester 1 USD 15,355; Semester 2 USD 15,355; Annual USD 30,710.
- High School (Grade 11–12): Semester 1 USD 15,355; Semester 2 USD 15,355; Annual USD 30,710.

Refundable Deposit
- Refundable deposit: LKR 25,000 for Early Years – Grade 5; LKR 50,000 for Grade 6 – 12. The refundable deposit is retained to offset any losses or damages and is refunded only after completion of the withdrawal form and settlement of all dues.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Billing periods and payment timing:
- Semester 1: 13 August 2025 to 12 December 2025. Students entering on or after 12 August 2025 must pay full semester fees on or before 12 August 2025; students entering on or after 20 October 2025 must pay 50% of the full semester fees on or before 20 October 2025.
- Semester 2: 5 January 2026 to 11 June 2026. Students entering on or after 4 January 2026 must pay full semester fees on or before 4 January 2026; students entering on or after 20 April 2026 must pay 50% of the full semester fees on or before 20 April 2026.
- Payment deadlines: payment deadline shown as 12 August 2025 for the first semester invoice. A surcharge of 5% per month (levied in monthly increments of 5%) up to a maximum of 15% will be applied to overdue payments after the deadline dates. The school may withhold entry, reports, or records for pupils in arrears.

Boarding fees
- Boarding: There are no boarding facilities; OSC is a day school only. Boarding fees are not applicable.

Other costs and charges
- Included in tuition: IB examination fees, field trips, Week Without Walls (WWW) activities, and school consumables are included in the tuition charge. Some curriculum or activity‑specific materials or selections may require additional payments. Learning support services are billed separately per service. Optional school activities outside Sri Lanka (travel, hotels, visas, uniforms, etc.) are charged to parents at actual cost as applicable.
- Re‑enrolment fee: A re‑enrolment fee is charged for returning students; an amount of USD 250 per child is referenced for re‑enrolment on the admissions/tuition information. (This fee is deducted from next year's tuition if the child returns; it is non‑refundable if the child does not return.)
- Uniforms / clothing: The school operates a dress code rather than a full formal uniform; selected school clothing items and house T‑shirts for PE are available from the school shop and are charged separately.

Refund policy and withdrawal charges
- Foreign currency refunds are calculated on the Rupee equivalent per the official receipt. Refunds are made only upon request and completion of the withdrawal form for each student. Refunds can be claimed only until the last day of the current school year (listed as 31 July). If a student leaves within the first five school days of a billing period, tuition fees for that billing period will be refunded. No refunds are made for tuition if a child leaves after four weeks of attendance; a pro‑rata fee applies for attendance less than four weeks but greater than five school days. No portion of the Registration Fee is refundable regardless of withdrawal date. The Board may withhold all or part of tuition refunds in certain circumstances; if the school moves to virtual instruction, no tuition refunds will be considered for those days.

Payment methods and bank details
- Preferred currency: Payment is preferred in the invoiced currency (USD). Payments may also be made in Sri Lankan Rupees or other convertible currencies converted at the exchange rate on the date of transaction as confirmed by the school's business office. The school holds both USD and LKR accounts.
- Accepted methods:
- Bank transfer: bank charges (including local charges) must be borne by the remitter; banks should use the invoice number or student number as the transfer reference. Account arrangements are available in USD and LKR. Hatton National Bank and Standard Chartered (Kirulapone) are named as collection banks.
- Cheques/Bank drafts: cheques are accepted in Sri Lankan Rupees only and should be crossed A/C payee in favour of the school. Local banks may not accept foreign currency drafts.
- Online/Admissions portal and cards: the non‑refundable application fee may be paid online through the admissions portal; parents may also pay by bank transfer or pay in person by credit/debit card at the school for application fees. For routine tuition invoices, bank transfer or local currency cheque are the standard methods.
Academics

Overseas School of Colombo teaches IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP) for students aged 3 to 18.

Curriculum
OSC offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum: the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for Early Years to Grade 5, the Middle Years Programme (MYP) for Grades 6 to 10, and the Diploma Programme (DP) for Grades 11 to 12. OSC administers all three IB programmes; the PYP emphasises inquiry, international-mindedness and the IB Learner Profile, with students taking ownership of their learning. The MYP uses eight subject groups and global contexts to connect learning across disciplines and develops Approaches to Learning (ATL). The DP requires Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay, and includes CAS; Diploma candidates undertake the Extended Essay. Self-taught mother-tongue language and online Pamoja courses are offered. OSC is English-medium and serves Pre-K to 12, with a diverse international student body, and is the only IB World School in Sri Lanka.

Student Teacher Ratio
Teacher to student ratio is 1:6.

Exam Results
IB Diploma results 2020-2024 show OSC averages of 33 (2020), 35 (2021), 33 (2022), 35 (2023) and 33 (2024); highest points range from 41 to 45 across those years; OSC pass rates ranged from 92% to 100% in 2020-2024. In 2025, OSC Diploma results show an average of 30.4 points, a highest score of 41, and a pass rate of 81.5%.

Higher Education Progression
Graduates have progressed to universities in the UK, USA, Canada and beyond, including University of Oxford, New York University London, University College London, McGill University, University of California Berkeley, University of Melbourne, University of Edinburgh and University of Toronto, among others.
Wellbeing
The school has not added this information
Parent Experience
The school has not added this information
Facilities
The school has not added this information
Extra-Curricular Activities
The school has not added this information
Languages
The school has not added this information
Reputation
The school has not added this information
Admissions

Admissions
1. The Overseas School of Colombo is the only fully authorised IB World School in Sri Lanka and offers the International Baccalaureate continuum from Early Years through the IB Diploma; the school hosts students from more than 40 nationalities. Learning here is aimed at preparing students for life, with an emphasis on global citizenship and an inquiry-based approach that challenges, supports, and values each student.

2. Making an online application is the next step and is completed via osc.lk; all required documentation must be received before the school can process the application; submission of an application does not guarantee admission; eligibility is reviewed based on the documentation provided, and special education needs should be communicated early.

3. Submit the required documentation after completing the online application; documents are uploaded as PDFs and a checklist is available in the online account; typical documents include copies of the last two school reports (with English translation if not in English), a completed OSC medical form, a general or confidential recommendation depending on the grade, an official transcript for higher grades, records for any special services with relevant testing, a copy of the student's passport, and passport-sized photographs.

4. Submit the application and pay the US$250 non‑refundable application fee; once the fees are paid and enrolment papers are received, the school will consider the application active and may confirm a place or place the application on the waiting list.

5. The application is reviewed by the Sectional Principal and followed by an interview; parents will be notified of the decision by email within 48 hours of the decision.

6. The school maintains waiting lists; when there are more qualified applicants than available places, applicants are placed on the waiting list and contacted when a place becomes available.

7. The Admissions Office notes that the school follows rolling admissions for semester 1 (August) enrollment, beginning applications in February of the same year, and may admit qualified students on a rolling basis for mid-year (January) enrollment; processing for second semester or January enrollment begins in October.

Scholarships
The Financial Assistance Programme provides tuition support to families in need for a limited period due to changes in financial circumstances, while maintaining the diversity of the student population; the program is meant to be used as a last resort and is not a substitute for the family's responsibility to pay tuition. Eligibility, priorities, and the application journey are defined in the Financial Assistance Programme policy, which was approved on August 8, 2023; a brochure with an overview of eligibility, the process, and required documents is available.

Waitlist
The school maintains waiting lists; when there are more qualified applications than currently available places, applicants are placed on a waiting list and parents are contacted as soon as a place becomes available.
School Events
The school has not added events
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