Cities / Istanbul / Istanbul International Community School
Istanbul International Community School
Founded in 1911 and the first school in Turkey to offer all three IB programmes, IICS operates two campuses - a compact Hisar campus in Sarıyer and a larger, greener Marmara campus in Hadimköy. University counselling is a consistent strength…
In brief
The grande dame of Istanbul international schooling, founded in 1911 as the Robert College Community School and now a full IB continuum from PreK to Grade 12. Reserved by Turkish law for non-Turkish passport holders.
IICS sits on the Hisarustu campus near Robert College and runs the PYP, MYP, Diploma, and AP across roughly 450 students from over 75 nationalities. Accredited by the IB since 1996, CIS since 1997, and NEASC since 2002. Fees run roughly TRY 885,000 to TRY 1,882,000. The 6 to 1 student-teacher ratio sits at the lower end for Istanbul.
Families describe a tight, multi-year community where teachers know students well enough to write meaningful university references, and an individualised counselling track that delivers near-universal university placement. Diplomatic and corporate expat families default here when an IB continuum and a non-Turkish passport requirement work for them. Best fit for international families on three-to-six-year postings who want the most established IB option in the city.
Fees
| Fee | Age | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| EY3-4 | 3 | Annual | TRY 885,500 |
| EY5 | 5 | Annual | TRY 1,432,200 |
| G1-G3 | 6 | Annual | TRY 1,586,200 |
| G4-G5 | 9 | Annual | TRY 1,647,800 |
| G6-G8 | 11 | Annual | TRY 1,767,150 |
| G9-G10 | 14 | Annual | TRY 1,824,900 |
| G11-G12 | 16 | Annual | TRY 1,882,650 |
| Application Fee (non-refundable) | One-time | TRY 11,550 | |
| Registration Fee (non-refundable) | One-time | TRY 46,200 | |
| Capital Levy (Grade 1 and above, one-time) | One-time | TRY 308,000 |
Reviews
- IICS comes up across Turkey expat threads as one of the few genuinely international schools in Istanbul, alongside MEF, BISI and IIS, all four restricted to non-Turkish passport holders.
- commenters describe IICS as American-style and sport-heavy. One ex-student of a Turkish private school called IICS the only school in the country where a middle-schooler would get an English-only education.
- Location is a recurring complaint: one MEF graduate joked that IICS is "so far outside of Istanbul that we would joke and say it's in Bulgaria," referring to the Hisar campus near the Black Sea coast.
- Parents praise small classes, 6:1 educator ratio across two campuses and a college-counselling team with a near-100 percent university progression record.
- IB depth is unusual: one of the first schools globally and the first in Turkey authorised for all three IB programmes (PYP, MYP, DP), accredited by IB, CIS and NEASC.
- Older online posts pin IICS to a US State Department fact-sheet circuit, and an ex-teacher list included it among schools paying into US Social Security.
Head of school
Zeliha Öztürk
Zeliha Öztürk is the Director of Admissions at Istanbul International Community School, dedicated to supporting families in their transition to a new school and country. She is committed to providing information and guidance to ensure a smooth admission process for students and parents alike.
Accreditations
- Council of International Schools 01
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges 02
Academic results
- Result IB DP avg 34 points 2020
- Result 91% pass rate
- Result highest score 40