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Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City
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The International School Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC) was founded in 1993, making it the first international school established in Ho Chi Minh City. It began as a small institution serving the growing expatriate community and has since expanded into a full International Baccalaureate (IB) World School offering education from Early Years to Grade 12. ISHCMC is part of the Cognita Group, an international network of over 100 schools worldwide. Over the past three decades, the school has developed two campuses — Primary and Secondary — to accommodate its growing student population and curriculum expansion.
The ISHCMC community includes families from more than 50 nationalities, reflecting a diverse and inclusive international environment. The school regularly organises community events such as International Day, Global Be Well Day, and Sports Festivals that bring students, staff, and parents together. Cultural celebrations, including Tet (Vietnamese New Year) and other international holidays, are integrated into the calendar to foster intercultural understanding.
At ISHCMC, the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) plays an important role in building community and supporting student life. The PTO is composed of elected parent and faculty representatives who collaborate closely with the school’s leadership team. It helps organise major community events such as the Family Fun Night, International Festival, and Celebration of Cultures, which bring together families from across the school. The PTO also runs welcome activities for new families, coffee mornings, and social gatherings that promote connection and inclusion within the school community. In addition, it coordinates volunteer opportunities and fundraising initiatives that contribute to school programmes and local community projects.
ISHCMC’s Primary Campus in Thu Duc City serves children aged 2–10 through the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) from Early Explorer to Grade 5. Learning happens in English with small classes. Facilities include an award-winning Primary Library, Fab Lab, Makerspace, food tech rooms, film studio, gym, a 25m six-lane pool, and outdoor courts—spaces that support inquiry, creativity, movement and play. Students choose from 150+ after-school activities across sports, arts, coding and production. The campus offers a city-wide school bus service (age 4+) and a shuttle connecting Primary and Secondary, making daily logistics straightforward for families. A distinctive feature is the Primary campus’s design-and-make focus (Fab Lab/Makerspace) embedded in the PYP, enabling practical, project-based learning from early years onward.
