Al Khobar

Dammam, Al Khobar and Dhahran form a connected metropolitan area. A school search may cross all three city names, but journey times depend on the campus and home address. Dammam is an administrative and port centre, Dhahran is associated with Aramco, and Al Khobar has residential areas and international school campuses. ↗

Aramco’s company schools are separate from ISG. Published background describes Dhahran Hills School for kindergarten through Grade 4 and Dhahran School for Grades 5–9. Company provision has its own eligibility rules and ends at Grade 9, so families need a plan for the next school stage. ↗

The area offers community schools, international school groups and Arabic-English options. Start with curriculum, age range and any language or learning support needs. If the destination is still open, our Riyadh guide and Saudi Arabia guide provide other options to compare.

BISAK’s February 2025 British Schools Overseas inspection judged the school Outstanding in all areas. The summary praises behaviour and leadership and identifies further development in sharing teaching practice and pupil-led learning. These findings provide dated evidence about BISAK, rather than a ranking of every school in the region. ↗

Read the inspection scope as well as the grade. BSO inspection is distinct from school-association membership, and other schools may hold different forms of accreditation. Our BISAK profile explains the school’s curriculum, results and admissions arrangements. ↗

Founded in 1977, BISAK is a not-for-profit British school serving Nursery–Year 13 at its As Sadafah campus, opened in 2019. Its 2025–26 tuition range was SAR 41,260–74,550 before VAT. Selected secondary 2026–27 VAT-inclusive figures reach SAR 90,876 for the listing’s Grades 11–12 band. The newer SAR 16,000 registration listing differs from older capitation charges of SAR 14,000 for the first child and SAR 9,000 for subsequent children; the two are not necessarily cumulative. ↗

International Schools Group is a not-for-profit group comprising American School Dhahran, British School Dhahran, ISG Dammam, ISG Jubail and Sara Village School. ASD’s elementary/middle and high schools merged in 2021. In 2022 it moved to Aziziyah in Al Khobar, sharing a campus with British School Dhahran. Its current address matters more for the school run than the Dhahran name. ↗

ASD’s secondary 2026–27 tuition listing gives SAR 65,895 for kindergarten, SAR 92,000 for Grades 1–5, SAR 96,025 for Grades 6–8 and SAR 105,685 for Grades 9–12, including VAT. Listed application and enrolment charges add SAR 15,640, giving SAR 121,325 for a new Grade 9–12 pupil before extras. A separately reported SAR 5,000 seat payment is credited towards tuition. See the ASD profile for the AP and IB options and the fee terms to clarify. ↗

British School Dhahran opened in 1981. Its secondary 2025–26 fee table lists SAR 30,900 for Pre-KG, SAR 55,600 for KG, SAR 77,700 for Years 2–6, SAR 81,100 for Years 7–9 and SAR 89,200 for Years 10–13. ISG Dammam’s secondary 2026–27 range is SAR 27,025–62,330. Obtain current school-issued quotations with year-group labels and VAT treatment before comparing these schedules. ↗

International Programs School (IPS) opened in 2000 with 19 pupils. A secondary profile describes more than 1,443 pupils of 53 nationalities, separate classes by gender, MSA accreditation and IB Primary Years and Diploma authorisation alongside a North American curriculum. Its fee figures, not clearly dated in the evidence reviewed, range from SAR 33,000 to SAR 56,000 before VAT, with books included and SAR 4,000 admission. The profile lists sibling discounts of 25% for the third child and 50% for the fourth through sixth. ↗

The Lycée Français International d’Al Khobar has served French-speaking families since 1983 under French embassy patronage. A published profile records 605 pupils of 22 nationalities in 2023–24. Families considering the French pathway should ask about language requirements, available year groups and current fees. ↗

Saudi International School for Science and Arts (SISSA) in Dhahran publishes a 2026–27 approved tuition range of SAR 30,132–50,341. Its table lists round-trip transport separately at SAR 7,000 annually. Other options to investigate include Manarat Al Khobar, whose secondary 2025–26 fee range is SAR 28,500–30,700, and Dhahran Ahliyya’s IB provision. For Arabic-English schools such as Al Hussan or Al-Bayan, the language balance and qualifications differ by section. ↗

Eligibility depends on each school’s licence and admissions policy. Nationality and residency documents may matter, but a blanket statement that Saudi children cannot attend international schools would be misleading. Company-school eligibility is a separate question for families considering Aramco provision.

Fee schedules may include or exclude VAT, so compare the amount payable for the same academic year and stage. Budget for application, enrolment, transport, examinations and any agreed support. Keep refundable deposits and tuition credits separate from additional charges.

Our country guide provides wider context. For an application decision, the school’s current offer, fee schedule and policy documents set the terms that apply to your child.

The King Fahd Causeway connects the area with Bahrain, making cross-border schooling a possibility to investigate. Our Manama guide covers schools including St Christopher’s and the British School of Bahrain. Inspection dates and curricula differ, so assess each option individually.

St Christopher’s publishes transport coverage that includes Al Khobar. Ask the school about the current route, collection points, eligible year groups, cost and journey times; published coverage is not a guaranteed seat or a stop near a particular home. ↗

Cross-border schooling depends on the child’s entry and residency requirements, set by the relevant authorities and the school. A workable plan covers border processing, transport schedules and collection after activities; causeway crossing times vary.

Where possible, secure the school place before committing to housing, and map the campus address and available bus routes for each shortlisted home. Aramco accommodation, residential compounds and city apartments may lead to different practical choices.

A short posting makes continuity of curriculum, subjects and records particularly important; school ownership alone does not determine how easily a transfer will work. Our curriculum guide explains the pathways, and the guides library covers admissions planning.

This guide uses school fee and policy pages, BISAK’s inspection evidence, and secondary school profiles. Direct sources include BISAK’s fee page, IPS, SISSA’s fee schedule and St Christopher’s transport page. Secondary amounts are identified above and should be checked against the relevant school’s quotation.

The editorial review was last updated on 8 October 2026 using existing research and the completed school profiles. Source and fee dates remain as stated. Read our editorial standards, send a correction or browse the school directory.