Cities / Amman / American Community School Amman
American Community School Amman
Independent, non-profit American-curriculum school founded in 1955, accredited by the Middle States Association. Enrols 807 students across Pre-K to Grade 12 on a 9-acre campus in West Amman, with 2025-2026 tuition from US$9,915 to US$27,450 plus a one-time US$12,000 capital…
In brief
The default expat school in Amman for American and English-speaking diplomatic families, opened in 1955 and the largest US-curriculum option in Jordan. Most embassy and UN families end up here.
PreK to grade 12 on a purpose-built campus in West Amman, with a US program, AP courses across roughly 15 subjects, a 25-metre pool, a 500-seat theatre and Middle States accreditation. About 750 to 800 students across more than 40 nationalities. Recruitment leans on overseas hires and the package for foreign teachers is unusually generous, which shows up in classroom quality.
Parents speak well of teachers and the elementary years. The high school can feel cliquey, with some divide between expat and local students, and a few families have pulled children mid-year when the fit is wrong. Fees sit at the top of the Amman market. If you want an American track and a familiar transition between embassy postings, this is the obvious choice.
Fees
| Fee | Age | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Years Program | 4 | Annual | JOD 7,182 |
| Kindergarten | 5 | Annual | JOD 10,128 |
| Grades 1-5 (Elementary) | 6 | Annual | JOD 12,617 |
| Grades 6-8 (Middle School) | 11 | Annual | JOD 15,897 |
| Grades 9-12 (High School) | 14 | Annual | JOD 19,880 |
| Application Fee (non-refundable) | One-time | JOD 106 | |
| Registration Fee (one child) | One-time | JOD 2,556 | |
| Capital Fund Assessment Fee | One-time | JOD 8,520 |
Reviews
- Sits on most teacher and parent shortlists for Amman alongside King's Academy, ICS Amman and Amman Baccalaureate. forum threads from Jordan and the international-teacher subreddit place it in a tier-1-ish bracket for the Levant.
- Fees on the Reddit-quoted scale are materially below Gulf American schools: PK $2,714, KG $5,935, grades 1-5 $8,130, grades 6-8 $9,335, grades 9-12 $10,820, plus a one-time $3,000 capital assessment.
- Directory parent reviews skew positive on teacher commitment. One parent said "teachers really do put in extra effort," another said bullying was not a problem they had encountered over two years.
- The recurring criticism is classroom management. One parent said some teachers "don't have very much control" and that some students "do as they please."
- Alumni recall the school warmly. Several Reddit posters who attended in the 1990s and 2000s described it as their school of record and reference its activities and AP teaching matter-of-factly.
- The expat staff base is smaller and more Jordanian than peers in the Gulf, which is why teachers describe Amman as a different lifestyle pick from Dubai or Doha rather than a step down.
Head of school
Joelle Basnight
Joelle Basnight began her international career in 1995 as a teacher and counselor at Colegio Americano de Quito. She subsequently served as a counselor at the American Embassy School New Delhi and Shanghai American School. Her administrative experience includes roles as Vice Principal of High School in Shanghai, and Principal at Lincoln School Buenos Aires, Cairo American College, and American International School Chennai, where she also served as Deputy Head and Interim Head of School. She holds a BSc in Biology and History of Art, an MA in Counseling, an MA in Educational Leadership, and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA).
Accreditations
- Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools 01
Academic results
- Result SAT 2025 mean 1271 (636 ERW, 634 Math)
- AP Exam Results 2025 82% scores of 3+