Cities / Kuwait City / American Creativity Academy (ACA)
American Creativity Academy (ACA)
American/IB school with Hawally and Salmiya campuses. G11-12 IB DP option. KWD 2,210-4,510.
Curriculum
IB
Fees, annual
KWD 2–5k
Ages
3 to 18
Pupils
~3,000
Founded
1997
Fees
| Fee | Age | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten 1 | 3 | Annual | KWD 2,210 |
| Kindergarten 2 | 4 | Annual | KWD 2,427 |
| Kindergarten 3 | 5 | Annual | KWD 2,427 |
| Grades 1-5 | 6 | Annual | KWD 3,528 |
| Grades 6-8 | 11 | Annual | KWD 3,981 |
| Grades 9-12 | 14 | Annual | KWD 4,516 |
| Assessment fee | One-time | KWD 30 | |
| Registration fee | One-time | KWD 100 |
Reviews
- Two-campus Kuwaiti private school in Hawalli and Salmiya, founded 1997, running an American curriculum within an Islamic-values framework. Student body is reported as roughly 99% Kuwaiti.
- Teachers describe ACA as a school where "you'll be paid on time and expectations are non-existent" and where classroom management with conservative Kuwaiti students is the main challenge. Several teachers said they would not recommend it as one of Kuwait's better options.
- Salaries are reported as low for an American school in Kuwait and turnover is described as high. One ex-staff comment said the Hawalli campus is better managed than the Salmiya one.
- Parent reviews on directory sites are polarised. Critics flag gender separation, an Islam-and-prayer-led extracurricular programme, infighting between foreign and Islamic staff, and teachers whose English is weaker than the school markets. A long-tenured student described it as "amazing" with excellent teachers and principals.
- One Reddit parent account described a teacher who "yelled and berated" an entire class over a clicking pen and said this was framed as normal behaviour, with HoD-level English fluency questioned.
- Independent accreditation is a recurring concern in older reviews. The school is widely placed mid-pack rather than at the top of the Kuwait market.
Head of school
Sevag H. Kendirjian
Sevag H. Kendirjian has been with the American Creativity Academy since 2008, serving in multiple capacities including math and physics teacher, curriculum and IB coordinator, and Assistant Superintendent since 2014. Currently the Director of Education, he brings over 20 years of experience in the Kuwaiti education sector, specifically in delivering standards-based American curriculum integrated with local Islamic values. He is also a parent of two students at the academy.
Accreditations
- Council of International Schools 01
- Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools 02