Guides
For the questions parents ask each other.
The decisions that come before the shortlist — which curriculum, which city, which calendar — written to our evidence standard and revisited as things change.
EAL and learning support in international schools: costs, models and admissions reality
What English-as-an-additional-language and special-needs support actually cost at international schools, how provision models differ, and how to apply honestly without sinking the application.
Read the guide →Hong Kong school debentures explained: the million-dollar seat
What Hong Kong international school debentures are, the real prices by school (HKIS, CIS, Kellett, Harrow, ISF, ESF), priority vs guarantee, the secondary market, buy-vs-levy break-even math and the refund traps.
Hong Kong · Read the guide →IB vs British vs American: choosing a curriculum as an expat family
How expat families choose between IB, British (IGCSE/A-level) and American (AP/diploma) curricula — portability, university recognition and fit.
Read the guide →The international school admissions timeline: a city-by-city cheat-sheet
When to apply for international schools as an expat family — application windows for Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Doha and Muscat, document checklists, mid-year entry and a 12-month countdown.
Read the guide →International school fees compared: what a Year-7 place costs in 14 expat cities
Flagship-school tuition for a Year-7-equivalent child across Dubai, Singapore, Riyadh, Doha, Hong Kong and nine more cities — plus the hidden-cost stack, fee-increase rules and currency risk.
Read the guide →KHDA ratings explained: what Dubai school grades mean in 2026
How KHDA inspections and the six-band rating scale work, why every current Dubai rating dates to 2023-24, what changes when inspections return in 2026-27, and what parents should check instead of stale grades.
Dubai · Read the guide →Moving abroad with kids: the international school checklist
The end-to-end relocation playbook for expat families — lead times, transfer certificates, attestation chains, learning support, the corporate package and repatriation.
Read the guide →Saudi Arabia, Vision 2030 and your child’s schooling: the expat family guide
How the RHQ programme, the RCRC British-school wave, Article 5, 15% VAT and the giga-projects shape schooling for expat families in Riyadh, Jeddah and beyond — what is real, what is planned.
Read the guide →Singapore international school admissions: the complete mechanics
How Singapore international school admissions really work — the MOE citizen waiver, UWCSEA’s pool, SAS lanes and GPP, Tanglin’s annual review, assessments by age, year-one levy budgeting and waitpool strategy.
Singapore · Read the guide →