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Saudi Arabia · Country guide

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh, Jeddah or the Eastern Province?

Where an international school place is likely to come from depends first on the city. This overview compares the three main markets (Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar–Dhahran) and sets out the national rules on licensing, Saudi pupils, VAT and the 2026 education law that apply in all of them.

Start with the city

Three markets, not one

Most expat families do not choose a school in Saudi Arabia; they choose one in the city where the job is. The three main markets differ in size, age and how fast they are changing. Each has its own guide with schools, fees, campuses and admissions.

Riyadh is where most of the growth is. Market reporting places about 90% of operating regional headquarters in the capital, and a Royal Commission programme has brought in King’s College, Downe House, Aldenham, SEK, Beech Hall and others since 2022, alongside AIS-R (1963) and BISR (1979). New campuses mean more choice but also more schools still adding year groups. The Vision 2030 schools guide explains why. ↗ ↗

Jeddah has the country’s oldest international schools: AISJ was founded in 1952 and BISJ in 1977. Sherborne opened in September 2025 with Pre-School through Year 6. BISJ’s November 2025 British Schools Overseas report judged it Good overall, with Outstanding welfare and leadership. KAUST, north of the city, has its own school community with separate eligibility.

Al Khobar, Dhahran and Dammam form a connected Eastern Province area. American School of Dhahran is part of ISG and shares an Aziziyah campus with British School Dhahran; ISG and Saudi Aramco’s own schools are separate systems. British International School Al Khobar (BISAK), founded in 1977, moved to its As Sadafah campus in 2019, and its February 2025 BSO report rated it Outstanding across the assessed areas. The Lycée Français International d’Al Khobar, founded in 1983, reported 605 pupils from 22 nationalities in 2023/24.

The King Fahd Causeway makes Bahrain an option for some Eastern Province families, and St Christopher’s has advertised bus routes serving Al Khobar and Dammam. Border queues make the daily journey hard to predict; compare the Manama schools and residency arrangements before planning across two countries.

Remote project postings are different again. Published sources describe NEOM Community School, opened in 2021, as an IB school with MSA accreditation serving project employees’ children. For any remote posting, have the employer name the operating school your children would attend. ↗

City guides

Pick your city

City guideMoving to RiyadhEstablished schools, new arrivals, curricula, compounds and waiting lists in the capital.City guideJeddahBritish, American and other options in Jeddah, with admissions and cost comparisons.City guideAl KhobarSchools across Al Khobar, Dhahran and Dammam, with fees and commute considerations.Money guideRiyadh school fees 2026–27Tuition, VAT, joining charges and deposits by school, with a three-year budget.

National rules

What applies in every Saudi city

Licensing. The Ministry of Education licenses and supervises international schools and their branches. A licence, an international accreditation and a curriculum authorisation (such as IB) are three different things; each covers a named school and campus. ↗

Saudi pupils. 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 we profile, including BISJ and Advanced Learning Schools, so eligibility depends on the school’s licence and the child’s circumstances.

VAT. School fee policies apply 15% VAT to tuition for non-Saudi families, with Saudi nationals exempt. Some schools publish VAT-inclusive fees and others quote before VAT, so compare like with like: SAR 80,000 before VAT is SAR 92,000 with it. ↗

The 2026 General Education Law. A new law, gazetted in July 2026, gives the Ministry approval and oversight of international curricula, continued oversight of fees and enforcement powers up to licence revocation. Its implementing regulations were still pending in August 2026. The Vision 2030 schools guide covers it in more detail. ↗

Timetable and co-education. International schools may teach a foreign curriculum, and Arabic and Islamic studies often sit alongside it. Co-education varies by school and age: Downe House Riyadh is mixed through Year 4 and girls-only from Year 5, while Advanced Learning Schools separates boys and girls from Grade 4.

Curricula

British, American and IB pathways across the country

British, American and IB pathways are available in all three markets. King’s College and Downe House are among the newer British options in Riyadh, alongside BISR; BISJ and BISAK serve Jeddah and the Eastern Province. AIS-R, AISJ and American School of Dhahran offer American programmes with senior IB options. Advanced Learning Schools offers the IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes. At a multi-campus school such as BISR, the senior qualification depends on the campus. Our curriculum guide compares the routes.

Fees differ as much between schools in one city as between cities. The Riyadh school fees guide compares tuition, VAT and joining charges in the capital; the Jeddah and Al Khobar guides list dated fees for their schools.

Sources

Where the information on this page comes from

This guide draws on the Ministry of Education’s regulations, school publications, inspection reports and identified secondary reporting. The linked profiles distinguish school-published figures from secondary listings. Our editorial standards explain how sources are used. If you find an outdated fee or policy, send the relevant details through corrections.

Saudi Arabia

School profiles

School profile · RiyadhAdvanced Learning Schools (Riyadh)Explore Advanced Learning Schools’ IB programmes in Riyadh. Review admission requirements and the fee information to request from the school.School profile · RiyadhAmerican International School – RiyadhExplore the American International School–Riyadh’s curriculum and IB Diploma. Review fees and admission requirements at its north Riyadh campus.School profile · RiyadhBritish International School RiyadhCompare British International School Riyadh campuses and curriculum options. Review GCSE, A-level and IB pathways, fees and admissions.School profile · RiyadhDowne House RiyadhRead about Downe House Riyadh’s year groups and admission requirements. Understand fees and arrangements for boys transferring to another school.School profile · RiyadhKing's College RiyadhExplore King’s College Riyadh in Diriyah. Understand its fees, re-enrolment payments and plans for the Sedra campus before you apply.School profile · RiyadhReigate Grammar School RiyadhRead about Reigate Grammar School Riyadh’s campuses. Review its school partnerships, inspection findings, fees and admissions.School profile · JeddahAmerican International School of JeddahExplore the American International School of Jeddah: AP-centred American curriculum, 2026–27 tuition with VAT, admission priorities and learning support charges.School profile · JeddahBritish International School of JeddahSAR 29,163–105,239 a year: BISJ’s 2026–27 tuition from Nursery to IB, plus SAR 18,700 joining fees, the 31 August cut-off and inspection findings.School profile · JeddahJeddah Prep and Grammar SchoolRead about Jeddah Prep and Grammar School’s British curriculum. Explore IGCSEs and A levels, dated fees and admission requirements.School profile · Al KhobarAmerican School DhahranExplore American School Dhahran’s curriculum, AP and IB options. Review fees and admissions at its Aziziyah campus in Al Khobar.School profile · Al KhobarBritish International School Al KhobarRead about BISAK’s British curriculum and inspection findings. Compare dated fees and understand admission priorities in Al Khobar.

Continue your research

Related guides

Saudi Arabia · GuideVision 2030 and Saudi schoolsRHQ demand, the new school openings and what the 2026 education law changes.GuideInternational school fees comparedCompare tuition and additional costs across the cities covered in our guide.GuideIB vs British vs AmericanUnderstand programme choices and the implications of changing curriculum.DirectoryPublished school profilesBrowse detailed school profiles with fees, admissions and source notes.

Common questions

What families ask about Saudi Arabia

Can Saudi nationals attend these schools?

The International Schools Regulations restrict the admission of Saudi students, with exceptions the Minister may approve, such as children returning from abroad. In practice some schools covered in our profiles, including BISJ and Advanced Learning Schools, enrol Saudi children; eligibility depends on the school’s licence and the child’s circumstances.

How much are international school fees in Saudi Arabia?

Fees vary widely by city, school and year group, from community and lower-cost English-medium schools to senior grades above SAR 100,000 a year at the long-established American and British schools. The Riyadh school fees guide compares tuition, VAT and joining charges school by school; the Jeddah and Al Khobar guides list dated fees for their schools.

Do quoted fees include VAT?

Some schools publish inclusive figures and others quote before VAT. School fee policies apply 15% VAT to tuition for non-Saudi families, with Saudi nationals exempt, so an exclusive SAR 80,000 fee becomes SAR 92,000 for most expat families.

How is the Regional Headquarters programme affecting schools?

Business relocation has increased interest in schooling, and Riyadh’s school attraction programme has brought new operators to the city. Our Vision 2030 schools guide covers the programme, the new schools and what is still only announced.

What are the options in the Eastern Province?

Options include BISAK, American School of Dhahran and British School Dhahran, alongside French and other international schools. The Al Khobar guide compares them. Bahrain may also be an option, but current transport, border and residency arrangements need to work for the family.

Do international schools teach Arabic and Islamic studies?

International schools may teach a foreign curriculum, and Arabic and Islamic studies often sit alongside it. Which classes apply, how beginners in Arabic are taught and how much timetable time is allocated vary by school, year group and the child’s background.

What should we check before accepting a place?

Get an offer naming the campus, year group, curriculum and any agreed support, with the complete fee schedule, tax treatment, deposit and withdrawal terms, and document deadlines. For a planned campus, ask what happens if the opening is delayed.