The Guide
Sat, 16 May 2026

Cities / Amman / The International Academy - Amman

The International Academy - Amman

IB World School founded in 2004 on Tla'a Al-Ali Street, serving around 1,200 students from Pre-K to Grade 12 across 25+ nationalities. Fees run from JOD 3,850 for KG1 to JOD 15,928 for IB Diploma years, with a one-time registration…


Curriculum
IB
Fees, annual
JOD 4–16k
Ages
3 to 18
Pupils
~1,200
Founded
2003

A non-profit IB school established in 2004 by Queen Rania Al Abdullah as a 'Model School of Excellence' under the Jordanian Education Society. Around 1,200 students from 31 nationalities on a campus in King Hussein Parks.

PreK to grade 12 with the IB Middle Years and Diploma programmes, accredited by CIS and NEASC. Royal patronage and a Queen Rania-led mission give it a distinct profile in Amman, with a heavier focus on global citizenship and innovation than the older bilingual schools.

Local reception splits more than at ACS or ICS. Plenty of families speak warmly about the building, the organisation and the academic level. A consistent counter-thread is that the parent body and management can be very grade-focused, which some families like and others find heavy. Fees sit below the American school but above most national-curriculum options.


Fee Age Type Amount
KG1 (Pre-K) 3 Annual JOD 3,850
KG2 4 Annual JOD 6,040
KG3 5 Annual JOD 6,040
Grade 1 6 Annual JOD 8,340
Grade 2 7 Annual JOD 8,340
Grade 3 8 Annual JOD 8,430
Grade 4 9 Annual JOD 9,025
Grade 5 10 Annual JOD 9,439
Grade 6 11 Annual JOD 9,730
Grade 7 12 Annual JOD 10,836
Grade 8 13 Annual JOD 10,940
Grade 9 14 Annual JOD 11,920
Grade 10 15 Annual JOD 12,886
Grade 11 (IB Year 1) 16 Annual JOD 15,928
Grade 12 (IB Year 2) 17 Annual JOD 15,928
Application Fee One-time JOD 30
Screening and Testing Fee One-time JOD 150
Registration Fee One-time JOD 1,200

  • Founded by Queen Rania, the IAA is one of the four or five Amman schools that international teachers and Jordanian parents consistently treat as the top private tier, alongside ACS, ABS, ICS and King's Academy.
  • Listed by Amman locals among the most expensive and prestigious schools in the city, with annual fees historically described in the low to mid five-figure JOD range.
  • Recent international-teacher posts flag a period of high turnover and discontent with newer leadership: one experienced expat now recommends checking IAA carefully before signing, citing leadership-direction issues that staff say have not been good.
  • A consistent staff-side complaint is a culture in which management and parents are very grades-driven, with teachers describing pressure that prioritises grades over learning and a hierarchy where staff feel cautious about speaking up.
  • Parents also feature in negative staff accounts as quick to complain to or about teachers, sometimes via social media; counter-balancing comments praise the campus, IB programme breadth and academic results.
  • ISR-side coverage skews negative according to one parent; on the ground, IAA is still seen as a leading academic option for Jordanian and expat families who can afford it.

Head of school

Hana Kanan, Ed. D.

As the Director of the International Academy - Amman, I am proud to welcome you to our community. With a commitment to excellence in education, we focus on nurturing students academically, socially, and emotionally, preparing them for the challenges of the future.

Accreditations

  • Council of International Schools 01
  • New England Association of Schools and Colleges 02

  • IB DP Average 35

Tla'a Al-Ali, Amman, Jordan

School website