International Schools in Almaty

Ages 4-18 · British, IGCSE, A-Levels · Al-Farabi · ~800 students

If British A-Levels and a credible shot at Russell Group or US Ivy universities matter to you, Haileybury Almaty is the strongest bet in the city. The fees are the highest in Almaty, and the intake is selective, so apply early and with a clear academic record.

Ages 2-18 · IB · Al-Farabi · ~615 students

If the IB continuum from Early Years through to the Diploma is important - and your child's English is already solid - KIS is the right school. It is the only school in Almaty offering PYP, MYP, and DP under one roof, with a genuinely international community.

Ages 3-18 · American, AP · Nauryzbay · ~400 students

AIS suits families on US government or NGO packages - or those who specifically want AP courses and an American framework - rather than families weighing it against Haileybury or KIS on general grounds. The fees are the most accessible of the three.

Ages 3-18 · IB, IB PYP, IB MYP, IB DP · Bostandyk · ~546 students

Miras is the right school if IB continuity from age three through to the Diploma matters, and you want that in a school where your child will be in genuine multilingual company rather than a mostly Kazakhstani cohort. The fees are lower than KIS and the campus larger, but the administration is worth probing before you commit.

Ages 4-18 · American, Finnish, Minerva Baccalaureate · Medeu · ~550 students

HTA suits families who want their child in an English-medium school with a genuine educational philosophy behind it - project-based, inquiry-led, no uniforms, no rote learning. It is not the right fit if your child is moving up for A-Levels or needs IB for a specific university pathway; the Minerva Baccalaureate is credible but newer than IB or Cambridge.

Ages 3-18 · British, IGCSE, A-Levels, AP · Bostandyk · ~3,000+ students

Tamos Cambridge suits families who want a Cambridge pathway with trilingual grounding and don't need a standalone international school environment. The CIS accreditation is recent, fees are competitive, and the school's breadth of programmes - IGCSE, A-Levels, and AP - gives flexibility. Verify current Cambridge stream numbers before committing.

Ages 5-18 · British, IGCSE, A-Levels · Bostandyk · ~415 students

Galaxy is worth considering if you want a Cambridge school with smaller fees than Haileybury and a less pressured environment. It is a working school rather than a prestige brand, so go in with open eyes - ask about teacher continuity and A-Level cohort sizes before committing.

Ages 5-18 · American, AP, SAT · Other Almaty · ~150 students

Tien Shan suits a specific family: internationally mobile, values-oriented, comfortable with a small community and a semi-rural location south of the city, and not needing IB or A-Levels for the university pathway. If you are on a US government or mission posting, or if very small classes and a family school feel matter more than brand prestige, it is worth a visit.

Ages 5-17 · Kazakh National, IELTS · Bostandyk · Contact school students

NGS suits Russian-speaking families who want a rigorous, structured private school with small classes and serious academic expectations - not a Western curriculum school. The fees at KZT 4,950,000 are mid-market for Almaty but above Shoqan and ISA; the entrance fee of KZT 500,000 is non-refundable and payable upfront, so budget accordingly.

Ages 6-17 · Kazakh National · Medeu · 1,300+ students

Shoqan is for locally-based families - Kazakhstani or long-term residents - who want a genuinely high-quality Kazakhstani education with serious university ambitions, not a Western curriculum. It is not an international school, and families needing IB, IGCSE, or AP for a future international move should look elsewhere.

Ages 5-16 · IB PYP, IB MYP, Kazakh National · Other Almaty · Contact school students

ISA makes sense if you want IB from primary through to Grade 10 and need fees well below KIS or Miras. The dual qualification - IB MYP certificate alongside the Kazakhstani national diploma - is a genuine differentiator for families who may stay in Kazakhstan long-term. Bear in mind it stops at Grade 10, so plan the senior school transfer from day one.

Ages 3-18 · IB PYP, IB MYP · Other Almaty · ~324 students

ICCE is the school for families who want IB from primary upwards but don't need the Diploma, or who want their child to graduate with both an IB credential and Kazakhstan's national Attestat. It is a small, long-established school with a warm community feel - but verify fees and current IB stream staffing directly before making a decision.