The Best International Schools in Jakarta (2026 Rankings)

The Rankings

1. JIS - Jakarta Intercultural School

JIS is the benchmark against which every other international school in Jakarta is measured. It is the largest, most established and most expensive, and it earns its position on all three counts.

The dual AP/IB Diploma pathway is unique in Jakarta. Students in Grades 11-12 can take AP courses, the full IB Diploma, or a combination of both. This flexibility, particularly for US-bound students, is unmatched. JIS produces US-compatible transcripts, which simplifies applications to American universities. Published university destination data shows 54% of graduates heading to US institutions, with placements at Harvard, Stanford, MIT and Columbia.

The co-curricular programme benefits from scale: 2,500 students across a single campus means competitive academic teams (Maths Olympiad, Science Olympiad, Model UN), sport at a high level, and arts programmes with genuine depth. WASC and CIS accreditation provide the strongest possible quality assurance.

Fees are the highest in Jakarta at every year group. JIS Learning Centre provision (for students with significant learning needs) is the most developed in the city, but at a cost ($46,570-$50,887 per year).

2. ISJ - The Independent School of Jakarta

ISJ brings a British independent school character that did not previously exist in Jakarta's international school market. The school opened in 2022 and currently runs from Pre-Nursery (age 2) to Year 8 (age 12). A secondary campus in Pondok Indah, opening September 2028, will extend the school through to A Levels.

ISJ's deliberately smaller year groups mean staff know every child. Teachers with smaller classes have more capacity to differentiate instruction, upward for gifted students and downward for those who need support. The school's culture draws from the UK independent school tradition: higher expectations, more demanding questioning in class, and an emphasis on character alongside academics.

The Pondok Indah location is a practical advantage, closer to the core expat residential area than BSJ (Bintaro) and competitive with JIS (Cilandak). Capital contributions are bundled into a single annual fee, which simplifies cost planning.

ISJ does not yet offer a sixth form or exit qualification. Families choosing ISJ for primary will need to plan the secondary transition, to BSJ, JIS or (from 2028) ISJ's own secondary campus with A Levels.

Once that secondary campus is established, ISJ has a strong case to become the most sought-after British school in Jakarta. Three factors work in its favour: its Pondok Indah location (the centre of expat family life), the quality of its faculty, and its commitment to a distinctly British independent school identity. BSJ, by contrast, has increasingly moved toward an international-style faculty and curriculum, strong in its own right, but less recognisably British than it once was. For families who specifically want a British school, ISJ's direction is worth watching closely.

3. BSJ - British School Jakarta

BSJ is one of Jakarta's most established all-through international schools and the most transparent on academic outcomes. Published IB Diploma averages, 35 points in 2024, 34.7 in 2025, with a 97% pass rate and 17% of the 2025 cohort scoring 40+, place BSJ well above the global IB average of approximately 30 points. These are verified, published numbers.

The Cambridge IGCSE to IB Diploma pathway produces the academic profile that UK admissions offices expect. BSJ has deep relationships with Russell Group universities, graduates are placed at Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL and LSE.

BSJ's four-year university counselling programme (beginning in Year 10) is structured and well-resourced. The school's 18-hectare Bintaro campus includes a 750-seat theatre, Olympic-standard swimming pool and extensive sports fields.

Early years fees are competitive, $8,919 at ages 2-3 is cheaper than ISJ, ACG and NAS at the same entry point. The major fee jump comes at Year 1 ($24,083).

4. AIS - Australian Independent School

AIS is the only school in Jakarta with Australian curriculum heritage. The school runs the Australian curriculum through to Year 10, then transitions to the IB Diploma for Years 11-12, giving graduates an internationally portable qualification while maintaining the Australian educational approach.

The calendar-year academic cycle (January-December) aligns with Australian and some Asian university intakes. For families planning a return to Australia, this alignment avoids the six-month gap that comes with moving from an August-start school.

AIS has strong connections to Australian Go8 universities and is the natural first choice for Australian families. Learning support and pastoral care are frequently cited strengths. The school's Pejaten location is south of central expat areas but accessible from Kemang, Cipete and Pondok Indah.

Fees at the early years level ($5,975-$7,702) are the lowest in the premium tier, making AIS an accessible entry point for families testing the international school market.

Comparison Table

*Currently limited age range, expanding.

The Premium Tier

The top four schools, JIS, ISJ, BSJ, AIS, share several characteristics that separate them from the rest of the market.

Teacher recruitment. These schools recruit internationally, offer competitive salary and benefits packages (housing, flights, medical, pension), and attract experienced teachers from the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand and beyond. Higher fees fund higher salaries, which attract a stronger applicant pool. This is the most direct link between fees and quality.

Accreditation. All four hold international accreditation (WASC, CIS, BSO, IB) that is independently verified and publicly reported. Accreditation visits produce detailed reports on teaching quality, governance, student outcomes and school improvement, see our guide to reading inspection reports.

University counselling. JIS and BSJ have structured, multi-year university counselling programmes with dedicated staff. AIS has strong Australian university connections. ISJ will develop this as its secondary programme matures. The depth of university counselling at these schools, institutional relationships, personalised application support, admissions officer familiarity with the school, is a significant advantage for families targeting competitive universities.

Co-curricular breadth. JIS leads here, with the widest programme in Jakarta. BSJ and AIS offer strong co-curricular options. ISJ's smaller size limits the range but increases individual participation.

For a shorter comparison of the top four, see our Top 5 International Schools in Jakarta. For secondary-specific analysis, see our best schools for secondary guide.

The Mid-Tier

The mid-tier schools serve a different market, families who want an international qualification at a lower fee point, or families who cannot secure a place at a premium school and need a confirmed alternative.

SPH Kemang Village ($11,797-$26,061) runs Cambridge to IB Diploma with WASC and ACSI accreditation. The school's Christian ethos is a defining feature. SPH's top-end fees ($26,061 at IB DP) overlap with AIS, making it a genuine alternative at the secondary level for families comfortable with the religious dimension.

ACG Jakarta ($9,873-$24,673) offers the full IB continuum and delivers the IB Diploma as its exit qualification. Limited published outcome data makes independent assessment difficult. Fees at secondary are competitive with AIS and below BSJ.

NAS (Nord Anglia School Jakarta) ($6,911-$20,874) is part of the global Nord Anglia network but currently runs only to Year 7. Until NAS extends to secondary, it cannot serve families who want a full school career in one institution. NAS is a reasonable primary option with the expectation of transferring to another school for secondary.

ACS Jakarta ($15,607-$19,244) offers IGCSE to IB Diploma without an early years programme. ACS is one of the most affordable routes to an IB Diploma in Jakarta, and at roughly half the cost of JIS at the IB DP level.

NZ School Jakarta ($4,202-$17,223) is the most affordable school in our verified data set. It offers a New Zealand-influenced curriculum from Pre-School through Grade 12.

For specialist guides, see: best British schools, best IB schools, best American schools, most affordable international schools, best value schools.

How We Rank

Our rankings are editorial assessments based on:

Teaching quality, informed by accreditation outcomes, published exam results (where available), teacher recruitment practices, and the salary levels schools can offer (higher fees → higher salaries → stronger applicant pool).

Curriculum breadth and exit qualifications, the range of pathways available and the recognition of the exit qualifications by universities worldwide.

University counselling and placement, the depth of the counselling team, institutional relationships with universities, and published destination data.

Co-curricular programme, the breadth and quality of activities beyond the classroom.

Pastoral care and learning support, the school's capacity to support students with additional needs, including EAL, SEN and gifted provision.

Facilities, campus quality, specialist teaching spaces, sports and arts infrastructure.

Fees as a proxy, higher fees enable higher teacher salaries, which is the most significant determinant of teaching quality. We are direct about this relationship: the correlation between fees and quality is real and significant.

Published data, schools that publish results and outcomes receive more weight than schools that do not.

This is not a formula. It is a judgement, made by an editorial team that engages with these schools, visits their campuses, talks to their families, and analyses their published data. We welcome disagreement.

Choosing by Priority

Where to Live

Jakarta's school choice and neighbourhood choice are tightly linked, most families pick a home within 20 minutes of their target school. The map above shows how the city's main expat neighbourhoods relate to the schools in our rankings.

For detailed neighbourhood breakdowns, commute times, housing costs, lifestyle trade-offs, see our area guides:

• Best areas to live in Jakarta for international school families →
• Living in Kemang →
• Living in Cipete & Cilandak →