The Guide
Sat, 16 May 2026

Cities / Istanbul / Gokkusagi Schools

Gokkusagi Schools

Turkish school group with four Istanbul campuses offering IB PYP and the full Cambridge continuum from kindergarten through IGCSE and A-Levels, with IB Diploma available at the Bahcelievler site. The group has been operating since 1997 and holds Cambridge and…


Curriculum
IB, British, IB PYP
Fees, annual
TRY 677–1354k
Ages
3 to 18
Pupils
~2000+ (across Istanbul campuses)
Founded
1997

A multi-campus Turkish private group founded in 1997, running IB PYP and Cambridge IGCSE/A Level routes alongside the IB Diploma. Around 2,000-plus students across Atasehir, Bahcelievler, Bahcesehir, and Beylikduzu campuses.

Gokkusagi is a Turkish-led network with multiple Istanbul campuses, branded as a "World School" with an academic identity built around 21st-century skills and character development. Curriculum mixes the Turkish MEB programme with Cambridge International qualifications and the IB Diploma. Fees sit roughly TRY 677,000 to TRY 1,354,000 depending on level and campus.

Families praise the academic standards, the diversity, and the quality of facilities. Concerns surface around fee transparency and inconsistent communication, with reports of large fee variations between students at the same grade and a sense that some teaching staff lack drive. Best fit for Turkish and dual-national families wanting Cambridge or IB exit routes from a Turkish-operated school close to home rather than a fully expat international community.


  • Founded 1997, multi-campus group across Istanbul (Bahcelievler, Bahcesehir, Atasehir, Beylikduzu) running both the IB Primary Years and Diploma programmes alongside Cambridge primary, IGCSE and A-Level.
  • A small four-review pool on the international schools database averages 3.6; voice is polarised. One reviewer calls it "definitely a gem in the field of education" with strong facilities and dedicated faculty.
  • A sharply critical review on the same platform alleges "deceptively inflated" grades, mostly empty workbooks, fee variation between $5,000 and $12,000 for the same grade, and teachers using phones during lessons; the same review claims water-cooler tests returned pathogenic bacteria.
  • community thread voice is thinner; one parent on Tripadvisor and expat.com threads found the Bahcesehir campus "quite satisfactory and affordable." There is no Reddit signal; the keyword returns Turkish-language LGBT discussion (gokkusagi means rainbow).

Head of school

Abdulkadir Gayretli

For a quarter of a century, Gokkusagi Schools have been committed to education, deeply recognizing its pivotal role in shaping the transformation of individuals, societies, and the world. We bear the awareness that genuine progress can only be achieved through education.


  • IB Diploma 2024 average 44 points
  • A* / A at A Level 2024 52%

Atasehir, Istanbul (Asian Side)

School website