Cities / Kuwait City / American International School of Kuwait
American International School of Kuwait
AIS is the only fully authorised IB continuum school in Kuwait, offering PYP, MYP, and Diploma from KG1 to Grade 12 in Salmiya. Around 60% of the student body is Kuwaiti, giving the school a genuinely local character alongside its…
In brief
Founded by Dr. Kamil Al-Rayyes in September 1991, AIS is the only school in Kuwait fully authorised for all three IB programmes from kindergarten to Grade 12. CIS-accredited and the largest American-curriculum school in the country at around 2,800 students.
The campus is in Salmiya at Maidan Hawalli, where the school moved in 1995 after starting in Surra. Curriculum is American with a full IB overlay: DP since 1993, MYP since 2006, PYP since 2008. Fees run roughly KWD 2,650 to KWD 4,531. Head of school is Rebecca Stinson.
AIS is the option for Kuwaiti and expat families who want a serious IB pathway in Kuwait. Long-tenure students and families speak well of the teaching, and the school carries a stronger academic reputation locally than most American competitors. The criticisms tend to be about an ageing physical plant and teacher turnover. Best fit for families committed to IB and willing to overlook a campus that is more functional than glossy.
Fees
| Fee | Age | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| KG1 | 3 | Annual | KWD 2,650 |
| KG2 | 4 | Annual | KWD 2,871 |
| Grades 1-4 | 6 | Annual | KWD 3,867 |
| Grades 5-8 | 10 | Annual | KWD 4,086 |
| Grades 9-12 | 14 | Annual | KWD 4,531 |
| Registration Fee (non-refundable, per student) | One-time | KWD 100 |
Reviews
- Sits in Kuwait's recognised top tier alongside the American School of Kuwait and the American United School. Threads and r/teaching list the three together as the schools to consider before quality drops sharply.
- IB Continuum school, with PYP, MYP and DP. American curriculum runs in parallel.
- Long-tenured high-school teacher described stable admin and good treatment of staff during the pandemic, including no salary cuts and no housing downgrades, with redundancies limited to non-teaching roles. Several staff have crossed the 20-year mark.
- Teacher who taught there for one year called the pay stronger than at lower-tier schools they had worked at, but contrasted Kuwait's dry, alcohol-restricted, polluted environment unfavourably with their previous post.
- IB DP students post in r/IBO about their courses and teachers, suggesting an active diploma cohort.
- No notable safeguarding, governance or academic-integrity flags surfaced in current Reddit search.
Head of school
Rebecca Stinson
Rebecca Stinson is the Superintendent of the American International School of Kuwait (AIS). With extensive experience in international education leadership, she oversees the school's implementation of the American and IB Continuum curricula for a diverse student body from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Stinson is dedicated to fostering a nurturing and inclusive learning environment that inspires academic excellence and develops globally minded leaders. Her leadership focuses on continuous school improvement, professional development for faculty, and holistic student growth. Under her guidance, the school maintains its commitment to high educational standards and international accreditation.
Accreditations
- Council of International Schools 01
Academic results
- Result The school reports that 90% of graduates complete one or more IB courses and perform near or above the world average, but specific point averages are not published on the official site.