Moving to Riyadh: choosing an international school

Riyadh’s school choices have expanded alongside the city’s growth as a business centre. The Royal Commission for Riyadh City, working with the Ministry of Investment and the Ministry of Education, runs an international-schools attraction programme in support of companies relocating staff to the capital. Recent arrivals include King’s College, Downe House, Aldenham, SEK, Beech Hall and One World International School. The Vision 2030 schools guide explains the policy behind that growth. ↗

Families can choose from British, American, IB and national curricula. Availability depends on the campus, year group and support a child needs, so start with the curriculum your child is in now and the qualifications they may need after the next move.

The Ministry of Education licenses and supervises international schools and their branches. Article 5 of the International Schools Regulations restricts the admission of Saudi students, with exceptions the Minister may approve, such as children returning from abroad. Saudi children do attend some of the schools covered in our profiles, so eligibility turns on the school’s licence and the child’s circumstances. Give admissions your child’s nationality and residency details at the first enquiry. ↗

For evidence about a particular school, read its current accreditation and inspection documents. A British Schools Overseas report applies to the campus and dates it names, not to every school in a group.

Arabic and Islamic studies can form part of an international-school timetable. Ask which classes apply to your child and how beginners in Arabic are taught. Co-educational and separate boys’ and girls’ provision also vary by school and year group.

British International School Riyadh (BISR) was founded in 1979 and now operates seven schools. Its Diplomatic Quarter campus opened in 2020 and Al Waha in August 2025. The campuses offer different pathways: the Diplomatic Quarter has the IB Diploma, while Al Waha follows the British route through GCSEs and A-levels. Al Hamra is in transition, so the campus that will teach your child’s year group is the first thing to pin down.

American International School–Riyadh (AIS-R), founded in 1963, offers a US high school diploma and the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11–12 from a purpose-built northern campus in Al Aarid. A relocation guide reports that AIS-R uses a wait pool rather than a chronological queue, with unplaced applicants reapplying with updated documents each year. ↗

Recent openings add British and IB options, but their operating year groups and expansion plans differ:

• King’s College Riyadh operates in Diriyah, extending through Year 8 in 2026/27. A Sedra campus is planned for August 2027.
• Downe House Riyadh opened in Al Aqiq in 2022. It is co-educational from Nursery through Year 4 and girls-only from Year 5.
• Reigate Grammar School Riyadh developed from the Multinational School, founded in 1998, reopened under ADECO in 2020 and rebranded in 2022. It teaches across its Qurtobah and Ghirnatah campuses.
• Aldenham Prep Riyadh lists ages 3–14. A second, all-through campus in the King Abdullah Financial District was announced for 2026.
• SEK runs its Turtle Bay and Daraah schools from Nursery through Grades 7–8.
• Other openings and announcements include Ellesmere College Riyadh in Al Hamra, Beech Hall, One World International School and Buckswood in Al-Izdihar. Malvern College Riyadh was announced for 2027.

For a newer school, ask how many children are enrolled in the proposed year group, which subjects are running and whether any later stage requires a campus move. Read inspection reports for the Riyadh campus itself; a partner school’s record overseas belongs to that school.

Advanced Learning Schools offers the IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes, and separates boys and girls from Grade 4. AIS-R and BISR’s Diplomatic Quarter campus offer the Diploma in the senior years. Among other IB options, an authorised programme differs from one in candidacy. Our curriculum guide explains the different stages.

National-curriculum options include French, German and Indian schools, alongside Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Filipino community schools. English-medium schools at lower price points include Dome International, Abdulaziz International Schools in the SABIS network, Al Rowad, Al Forsan and Manarat. Each has its own language, eligibility rules and qualifications.

Tuition at the schools we profile ranges from under SAR 50,000 a year in the early years at the newer British schools to more than SAR 120,000 for senior grades at AIS-R, and some schools quote before 15% VAT while others include it. Application, registration and capital charges can add tens of thousands of riyals in the first year. The Riyadh school fees guide compares tuition, VAT, joining charges and deposits school by school, with a three-year budget for two children. If your employer provides an education allowance, get its terms in writing, including VAT, joining fees and any gap between the allowance and the invoice.

Contact schools while the relocation is being planned. A vacancy enquiry should name the year group, intended start date and any learning or language support required. Keep an alternative available until a suitable offer is in writing.

Waiting-list rules differ by school. A Riyadh relocation guide reports that the most competitive entry points are Reception/Foundation, Year 3, Year 7, Year 10 and Year 12 (or their American-grade equivalents), that mid-year places arise mainly through departures, and that sibling and, at some schools, diplomatic-family priority sit above date of application. An employer’s school relationship may help with an introduction; it is not an offer. ↗

Application requirements commonly include identity documents, school reports and an assessment, but the exact list varies. Discuss learning and language support early and get the proposed provision and cost in writing.

Expat families in Riyadh report choosing their compound or neighbourhood after the school, because traffic makes the school run the fixed point of the day. The campuses are spread out. BISR’s Al Waha and Al Hamra schools are in a different part of the city from its Diplomatic Quarter campus. AIS-R is in northern Riyadh’s Al Aarid area. King’s College currently operates in Diriyah, with a Sedra move planned for August 2027. Downe House is in Al Aqiq, and Reigate splits its year groups between Qurtobah and Ghirnatah. Drive the route to the actual campus at school-run time before signing a lease. ↗

Transport arrangements differ by school. Reigate’s reviewed profile describes an inter-campus sibling service but no home-to-school bus. For any school or compound shuttle, get the route, pickup time, return arrangements after activities and cost.

Before paying an acceptance fee, resolve these practical questions with the school:

• Which campus and year group does the offer cover, and is a later campus move expected?
• Is the class co-educational or taught in separate boys’ and girls’ sections? At Downe House, for example, boys attend only through Year 4.
• What will Arabic and Islamic studies look like for this child, and how are beginners in Arabic supported?
• What learning or language support is agreed, who provides it, and which costs are compulsory?
• Which documents remain outstanding, and what are the deadlines for acceptance, registration and attendance?

This guide uses school publications, regulations, inspection material and identified relocation guides. Our editorial standards explain how we use sources. The school profiles linked above hold the dated evidence for each school.

For costs, start with the Riyadh school fees guide. If your posting offers a choice of cities, the Saudi Arabia overview compares Riyadh with Jeddah and Al Khobar. The school directory lists all published profiles.