Johor Bahru

A secondary directory lists 33 international schools across Johor, including options in and around Johor Bahru. The market serves local families, expatriate households and some families travelling between Malaysia and Singapore. Compare specific schools and complete costs rather than assume the same qualification means equivalent provision or a fixed saving. ↗

Iskandar Puteri is one area to explore, with campuses including Marlborough College Malaysia, Raffles American School, Sunway and Tenby. The wider education cluster includes EduCity. Map each campus address against prospective homes and workplaces; a shared development area does not mean a short journey. ↗

Our Malaysia guide compares other locations and explains the application and fee questions to explore nationally.

Marlborough College Malaysia offers a British curriculum through IGCSE followed by the IB Diploma, with boarding from Year 5. Published 2026–27 full boarding is RM259,800 before tax. A secondary day-fee table ranges from RM63,000 at age three to RM166,800 in the senior years. The reviewed profile distinguishes those sources and explains the joining charges, deposit and tax treatment to confirm. ↗

Raffles American School offers American standards, AP courses and a high-school diploma on a 46-acre campus. EduSwasta lists tuition of RM67,800–89,600 and boarding of RM42,500; a relocation operator’s 2025–26 table instead lists RM40,500–106,500 tuition and RM47,000 boarding. The difference remains unresolved. Obtain the school’s current quotation and confirm boarding inclusions rather than merge the figures. ↗

Sunway International School Iskandar Puteri is described in directory material as offering Canadian and IB programmes, including senior IB options; the Diploma or Career-related Programme offer is set cohort by cohort. The directory lists preschool at RM40,000, Grades 1–5 at RM52,000, Grades 6–10 at RM69,000 and pre-university at RM95,000. It also lists RM1,500 application, RM9,000 enrolment, a RM5,000 refundable deposit and RM30,000 boarding; request the applicable year and full terms. ↗

Forest City International School (Shattuck-St. Mary’s) offers American Pre-K–12 day and boarding provision within Forest City. A directory listing gives a 2026 fee range of RM67,600–85,600. ↗

Other directory examples include Tenby Setia Eco Gardens at RM18,510–48,270, Invictus Horizon Hills at RM22,500–48,500, Stellar at an estimated RM16,000–20,000, Crescendo-HELP at RM20,000–35,000 and R.E.A.L. Johor Bahru at RM21,280–28,450. Dates, year groups and inclusions vary, so use these as leads for current quotations. Fairview Pasir Gudang is another option to investigate for IB programmes; verify authorisation and the stages offered at that campus. ↗

Three arrangements are possible to investigate: living in Singapore while a child travels north to school in Johor; living and schooling in Johor while a parent works in Singapore; or living, working and schooling in Johor. Each depends on the family’s residence, work and enrolment eligibility as well as the daily journeys. ↗

A secondary guide describes Marlborough’s Dempsey coach with a 07:00 departure, 16:30–18:00 return and annual charges of RM13,000–36,000. It also reports door-to-door vans serving Raffles American School from several Singapore locations. Timetables, pickup points, the crossing used and documentation are set by each provider, and border time varies; expedited clearance is not automatic. ↗

Compare door-to-door time as well as fees. Include pickup, checkpoint procedures, delays, the return after activities and a plan for illness or an early collection. Ask the provider about typical and delayed journeys for the actual route. Two schools that share an examination board can still differ in most other respects. ↗

The Singapore guide provides school options to compare with the cost and time of cross-border travel.

The Malaysian immigration permission a child needs depends on nationality, residence status and proposed attendance arrangement, and schools differ in which documents they can help obtain. Daily cross-border travel brings requirements on both sides of the border to settle before accepting a place. ↗

Ask each school to show any applicable service tax against the relevant invoice items. Treatment may differ between tuition, boarding and other charges, so a blanket percentage on every amount will mislead. ↗

Obtain an itemised budget covering tuition, application and acceptance charges, deposits, transport, uniforms, devices and trips. Keep refundable or credited payments separate from attendance costs. A standard extra-cost percentage can mislead when joining fees or cross-border transport make up a large part of the first-year bill. ↗

For homes around Iskandar Puteri, Medini, Horizon Hills, Eco Botanic and nearby developments, map the exact school and work journeys, access to the services your household needs and transport after activities. A neighbourhood label says little about walking distance or bus time.

Bukit Indah, Permas Jaya and other Johor Bahru areas provide further housing and school options. Compare the actual route to work and the campus, including any border crossing. Our guides library includes admissions planning, while the curriculum guide explains qualification choices.

Sources were checked on 2 September 2026, and the guide is reconciled with the reviewed school profiles. See our research standard, send a correction, or browse the school directory.