Cities / Jeddah / American International School of Jeddah
American International School of Jeddah
Non-profit American-curriculum school founded in 1952 - one of the oldest international schools in Saudi Arabia - offering AERO-aligned instruction from Pre-K to Grade 12, with AP courses in the high school. Fees for 2025-2026 range from SAR 40,250 (Pre-K)…
In brief
The oldest American school in Jeddah and one of the two anchor international schools in the city, alongside BISJ.
AISJ traces back to 1952 and serves pre-KG to Grade 12 with a US Common Core core, AP courses, and the IB Diploma added from 2022. The purpose-built Al-Mohammadiyah campus opened in January 2019 and is the most modern of the city's international plants. Accreditations cover MSA, CIS, and NEASC. Robert Rinaldo took over as superintendent in August 2025 after five years leading GEMS American Academy in Abu Dhabi.
AISJ went through a rough patch in the mid-2010s where parents talked openly about discipline on trips, weak supervision, and chaotic stretches in the secondary school. The newer campus and a refreshed administration have shifted the tone, and recent feedback leans positive on academic rigour, communication, and accommodation of religious needs. Families still tend to weigh AISJ against BISJ on whether they want US college pathways with strong AP and IB options, or the British IGCSE and IB combination across the road.
Fees
| Fee | Age | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-K 2 / 3 / 4 | 2 | Annual | SAR 40,250 |
| Kindergarten | 5 | Annual | SAR 61,870 |
| Grades 1 - 5 | 6 | Annual | SAR 70,610 |
| Grades 6 - 8 | 11 | Annual | SAR 89,470 |
| Grades 9 - 10 | 14 | Annual | SAR 95,450 |
| Grades 11 - 12 | 16 | Annual | SAR 105,110 |
| Assessment Fee | One-time | SAR 500 | |
| Registration Fee | One-time | SAR 14,500 |
Reviews
- Sits in Jeddah's higher-tier expat group alongside BISJ and JPGS. Reddit posters say AISJ trails the other two on academic outcomes and Ivy/Oxbridge placements but holds a solid second-rank reputation among Jeddah families.
- One ex-student described it as "less academically oriented than the other two" but pretty good for alumni prestige.
- Co-ed across all grades. One teacher writes that AISJ is one of the only Jeddah schools where boys and girls share classrooms throughout, where most others segregate from grade 1 or 4.
- Learning support pool that staff describe as a real strength. One teacher posted that the school "has an excellent support program, mainly for learning disabilities," and a former student said classmates on the autism spectrum were well looked after.
- Offers AP and IB DP. New NEOM campus opened recently as a sister site.
- Tuition sits at the high end for Jeddah, around 85,000 SAR for upper grades according to one parent post.
- LGBTQ visibility is essentially nil. One ex-student wrote that the school "pretended like the LGBTQ community didn't exist."
Head of school
Robert Rinaldo
Robert F. Rinaldo, Ed.S., is the Superintendent of the American International School of Jeddah (AISJ). A native of Upstate New York, he has dedicated his professional career to international education, starting as a Peace Corps volunteer. His leadership experience includes serving as Head of School at GEMS American Academy in Abu Dhabi (2020-2025), General Director at Lincoln School in Costa Rica (2013-2020), and Head of School at the International School of Tegucigalpa. He has also served as an Independent School Board Consultant and held leadership roles in associations like ABSH and AASCA. Mr. Rinaldo holds an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University and an MA in History.
Accreditations
- Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools 01
- Council of International Schools 02
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges 03
Academic results
- Result 249 AP Exams taken in 2021
- Result 15% AP Scholar awards from College Board in 2021.