Cities / Almaty / International School of Almaty (ISA)
International School of Almaty (ISA)
An IB PYP and MYP school on Satpaev Street, running both the IB curriculum and Kazakhstan's national programme in parallel so students graduate with two qualifications. Fees are among the lowest of Almaty's IB schools at KZT 3,100,000 per year…
In brief
A bilingual IB school operated by the Nazarbayev Educational Foundation, integrating the Kazakh state curriculum with IB PYP and MYP. Aimed primarily at Kazakh families seeking an international layer rather than the full expat circuit.
The first school in Kazakhstan authorised for IB MYP, back in 2000, with PYP added in 2012. UNESCO Associated School since 2017. Curriculum runs in parallel streams so children can earn the Kazakh state certificate while also working through IB.
Fees are notably lower than KIS, Haileybury or Miras, around 2.8 to 3.1 million KZT, which reflects the local-family orientation. There is no IB Diploma at upper secondary, so older students typically continue elsewhere or sit national exams. Strongest fit for families committed to Kazakh-medium grounding alongside English.
Fees
| Fee | Age | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| K3 - Grade 10 (CIS citizens) | 5 | Annual | KZT 2,800,000 |
| K3 - Grade 10 (international/non-CIS) | 5 | Annual | KZT 3,100,000 |
| Entrance Fee (non-refundable) | One-time | KZT 450,000 |
Reviews
- ISOA is a private IB World School in Almaty backed by the Nursultan Nazarbayev Educational Foundation, founded 2000. First school in Kazakhstan authorised for the IB MYP, later adding the PYP in 2013, and admitted to UNESCO Associated Schools in 2017.
- Independent online discussion barely separates ISOA from the better-known QSI Almaty International School and Haileybury Almaty. Reddit's r/Internationalteachers and r/Kazakhstan name those two as the city's strongest international options; ISOA surfaces mostly via lists rather than substantive discussion.
- The school's curriculum model integrates Kazakh state standards with IB PYP and MYP, which is its main differentiator and a useful fit for Kazakh families wanting both pathways. It is not a fully expat-staffed school in the QSI sense.
- One Reddit thread on Tashkent and Almaty international schools placed ISOA among IB-curriculum options the contributor applied to without response, alongside AIS, KIS, Haileybury, Tien Shan and QSI; not an evaluation, but evidence of the school's place in the local recruiting market.
- Public signal is too thin for confident generalisation. The visible material is school self-description and foundation press releases. Families considering ISOA should triangulate with currently enrolled parents.
Head of school
Irina Loginova
Irina Loginova has been leading the International School of Almaty for over 20 years, fostering a community of respect, tolerance, and personal responsibility among students and staff. She emphasizes the importance of a high-quality educational environment for the comprehensive development of each student.
Accreditations
- Council of International Schools 01
Academic results
- IB programmes PYP and MYP (IB school ID 001828)
- Dual qualification IB MYP certificate + Kazakhstan national diploma