Cities / Jeddah / Cedar International School
Cedar International School
An American-curriculum K-12 school on Quraish Street in Al Bawadi, with Saudi Ministry and Cognia accreditation.
In brief
An American-curriculum K-12 school on Quraish Street in Al Bawadi, with Saudi Ministry and Cognia accreditation.
Cedar opened in 2005 and runs a 12-year American programme split into preschool, elementary, middle, and high school. Princess Alanoud leads the school. Fees are budget by Jeddah international standards, roughly SAR 20,000 to 32,000, which puts Cedar well below AISJ and BISJ and in the same band as Edugates and Al-Kon. The school has Cognia and Saudi Ministry of Education accreditation.
The student body is largely Saudi and Arab-expatriate, and the school sits squarely in the local-private American-stream market rather than the diplomatic circuit. Parents tend to highlight teacher dedication and a community feel, with around eight in ten reviewers recommending the school. Cedar competes with Edugates, Dar Jana, and Al-Kon for families who want an English-medium American-style pathway at a price point that does not match the embassy schools.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| PRE-K Tuition | 3 | SAR 20,000 |
| KG1 Tuition | 4 | SAR 20,000 |
| KG2 Tuition | 5 | SAR 21,000 |
| Grade 1 Tuition | 6 | SAR 21,500 |
| Grade 2 Tuition | 7 | SAR 22,500 |
| Grade 3 Tuition | 8 | SAR 23,500 |
| Grade 4 Tuition | 9 | SAR 24,500 |
| Grade 5 Tuition | 10 | SAR 25,500 |
| Grade 6 Tuition | 11 | SAR 26,500 |
| Grade 7 Tuition | 12 | SAR 27,000 |
| Grade 8 Tuition | 13 | SAR 28,000 |
| Grade 9 Tuition | 14 | SAR 29,000 |
| Grade 10 Tuition | 15 | SAR 30,000 |
| Grade 11 Tuition | 16 | SAR 31,000 |
| Grade 12 Tuition | 17 | SAR 32,000 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance Exam | SAR 300 | |
| Seat Reservation | SAR 2,700 |
Reviews
- Reviews from Jeddah parents on Saudi directories cluster positive, with directory recommendation rates around 90% on a small base.
- Recurring praise for staff dedication, the student counsellor, and visible academic and personal progress under the American curriculum.
- A minority of Arabic-language reviews flag a different experience after enrolment, with concerns about administration, fee handling and university documentation.
- Pattern fits a mid-sized local-market American school: solid for families who fit the model, friction concentrated around admin and back-office processes.
Positives
- Teaching and pastoral staff. Counsellor and teaching team singled out across reviews. Parents describe noticeable academic and personal growth.
- American curriculum fit. Parents describe a coherent K-12 American track approved by the Saudi Ministry of Education, with Cognia accreditation.
Considerations
- Administration and post-enrolment service. Some Arabic-language reviews say tone shifts after registration, and flag university-records and fee-handling issues.
Leadership