Cities / Istanbul / Hisar Schools
Hisar Schools
K-12 IB World School in Göktürk, Eyüpsultan. American + IB.
Fees
| Fee | Age | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-K (4-5) | 4 | Annual | TRY 1,609,091 |
| KG (5-6) | 5 | Annual | TRY 1,609,091 |
| Grade 1 | 6 | Annual | TRY 1,609,091 |
| Grade 2 | 7 | Annual | TRY 1,526,377 |
| Grade 3 | 8 | Annual | TRY 1,526,377 |
| Grade 4 | 9 | Annual | TRY 909,314 |
| Grade 5 | 10 | Annual | TRY 1,609,091 |
| Grade 6 | 11 | Annual | TRY 1,526,377 |
| Grade 7 | 12 | Annual | TRY 1,526,377 |
| Grade 8 | 13 | Annual | TRY 948,299 |
| Prep / Grade 9 | 14 | Annual | TRY 1,813,636 |
| Grade 10 | 15 | Annual | TRY 1,705,951 |
| Grade 11 | 16 | Annual | TRY 1,705,951 |
| Grade 12 | 17 | Annual | TRY 1,014,555 |
Reviews
- Hisar is a private Turkish K-12 school out near the Eyup-Goktur axis, north of Istanbul proper. Reviewers consistently despite the international branding, the cohort and faculty are predominantly Turkish, with a partial international curriculum layered on top.
- An ex-student who attended 1999 to 2007 wrote that the students "are horrendous but not violent just very spoiled" and described teachers as under pressure from the school to keep parents happy. A more recent contact of theirs said the experience is similar today.
- Recent applicant Q&A's international-teachers community lined up against Hisar specifically, with experienced posters distinguishing the small number of true international schools in Istanbul (IICS, MEF, BISI, IIS) from Turkish private schools that offer IB or AP.
- Glassdoor staff reviews are more positive than teacher-forum threads. The 4.2 score and 85 per cent recommend rate sit alongside notes on housing allowance, paid flights every two years and decent benefits, against complaints of lira-denominated salaries and last-minute schedule changes.
- International Schools Review threads question whether the PYP is delivered as inquiry or as memorisation and worksheets.
- Campus and academic reputation are real. Hisar is an AP test centre, runs a Cambridge-Edexcel A-Level pathway, and graduates appear at competitive universities.
Head of school
Prof. Dr. Gülay Barbarosoğlu
Professor Dr. Gülay Barbarosoğlu has served as the General Director and Founding Representative of Hisar School since April 2018. A graduate of Robert College (1974), she earned her BSc (1978) and PhD (1985) in Industrial Engineering from Boğaziçi University, where she became a full professor in 2000. Her academic expertise includes mathematical programming, optimization, and logistics. Prof. Dr. Barbarosoğlu previously served as the Rector of Boğaziçi University (2012-2016) and held various leadership roles there, including Vice-Rector for Research and Director of the Kandilli Observatory. Internationally, she has been a board member of the European University Association (2013-2017), Vice President of the Association of European Operational Research Societies (EURO), and Turkey's national representative to NATO’s Research and Technology Organization. She is also a founding member of the Neighborhood Disaster Volunteers (MAG) Foundation.
Accreditations
- Council of International Schools 01
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges 02
Academic results
- AP 2024 96% scored 3 or above
- Result 75% scored 4 or 5 in 517 exams
- 51% scored 5 in 355 exams. SAT 2024 (72 test takers) EBRW 590-730, Math 670-780, Total 1250-1480 (Middle 50%).