Cities / Cairo / The British International School, Cairo
The British International School, Cairo
Selective British day school founded in 1976 on a leafy campus in the Beverly Hills district, serving around 1,100 students through IGCSE and IB Diploma. Fees for 2025-26 range from GBP 6,420/year (Foundation Stage 1) to GBP 16,785/year (Sixth Form)…
In brief
BISC is a selective, academically driven British school in Beverly Hills, 6th of October City, opened in 1976 and now serving roughly 1,100 pupils from Foundation through IB Diploma.
Results sit at the top of the Cairo market. The 2024 BSO inspection found the curriculum outstanding, and IB Diploma cohorts have averaged around 33 to 34 points against a global mean near 30. Families with motivated, hard-working children tend to thrive. Pupils who need more scaffolding can find the pace tough, and the school is open about being academically selective.
The expat share has shrunk over the years. Around a fifth of families are genuinely overseas, mostly British, other European, and Indian, while the bulk are Egyptian business families. Newer expat parents sometimes say breaking into the social fabric takes time, even as they rate teaching and pastoral care highly. The Beverly Hills campus has an Olympic pool, a theatre, and the kind of facilities the fees imply. COBIS patron status and BSME membership are unusual for Egypt, which matters for families wanting continuity with UK schools.
Fees
| Fee | Age | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation Stage 1 (FS1) | 3 | Annual | EGP 443,365 |
| Foundation Stage 2 (FS2) | 4 | Annual | EGP 698,197 |
| Years 1-6 (Junior) | 5 | Annual | EGP 929,202 |
| Years 7-9 (Senior) | 11 | Annual | EGP 1,076,300 |
| Years 10-11 (IGCSE) | 14 | Annual | EGP 1,092,875 |
| Years 12-13 (IB / A-Level) | 16 | Annual | EGP 1,159,172 |
| Registration Fee | One-time | EGP 20,718 | |
| Supply Fee (one-time) | One-time | EGP 172,650 | |
| Admission Fee (Y1-6) | One-time | EGP 310,770 |
Reviews
- Long-running discussion treats BISC as historically the leading British school in Cairo, with a strong academic record and a campus and pool that aggregator reviews describe as one of the best in Egypt.
- An expat-forum parent posted in 2013 that BISC 'since the revolution has lost ground due to difficulties in recruiting good teachers,' that the social environment is hard for non-Egyptian children, and that newcomers can end up treated as 'B school' members and isolated; same poster praised the principal's professionalism and the IB Diploma route.
- A 2025 r/Internationalteachers thread on schools that ghost or mishandle interview candidates puts BISC alongside Dulwich Seoul: a teacher describes being flown from Dubai to Cairo only to be told the law degree they had emailed in advance disqualified them from teaching their subject under visa rules.
- An r/askegypt parent in 2024 said BISC fees were charged 'in GBP currency only, of above £13,000' and called the school 'a status symbol' rather than a place that gives a damn about the child; other r/askegypt posters still recommend BISC as a top option for sixth form.
- Glassdoor carries 14-15 anonymous staff reviews averaging, with a 38% recommend rate and recurring complaints about senior leadership turnover, broken promises, weak HR and bullying, alongside lower-volume positive reviews of teaching colleagues.
- International School Advisor's two visible reviews are short and positive but date to seven years ago; ISD has no parent reviews on file.
Head of school
Chris Hansen
As Principal of The British International School, Cairo (BISC), it is my great pleasure to welcome you to our school community, especially in this landmark year as we celebrate our 50th anniversary. For five decades, BISC has stood as a beacon of academic excellence in Egypt and beyond, nurturing young minds from the ages of 3 to 18. We are proud to offer a rich and rigorous curriculum, including IGCSEs, A Levels, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme; each designed to challenge, inspire and prepare our students to achieve their fullest potential. Our pioneering Egypt and the Middle East Programme - the first of its kind in the region - reflects our long-term vision of helping every student become truly bilingual and culturally confident. Our aim is clear: to educate and empower the future leaders of Egypt and the wider world. At BISC, we believe that academic success must go hand in hand with strong values, emotional wellbeing and a global outlook. We are committed to providing a warm, caring, and inclusive environment where every student feels seen, supported and encouraged to grow both intellectually and personally. Set on the most advanced and inspiring school campus in North Africa, BISC blends tradition with innovation. Our state-of-the-art facilities and exceptional teachers create an environment where excellence thrives and aspirations are realised. As we reflect on 50 years of achievement, we remain firmly focused on the future - continuing to spark curiosity, build character and shape confident, compassionate leaders ready to make a difference in Egypt and across the world.
Accreditations
- COBIS Patron's Accreditation and Compliance 01
- British Schools in the Middle East accreditation 02
Academic results
- A*-A/9-7 at GCSE 2024 67%
- A*-C/9-4 at GCSE 2024 89%
- Mean Diploma Points IB 2024 34
- Mean Subject Points IB 2024 5.46